Epilogue
Lottie
I scoop a heaping spoonful of cookie dough, plopping it onto the baking sheet with a satisfactory splat.
“Okay, little man, your turn,” I instruct, passing the spoon to Aiden.
He grins, his eyes bright with the kind of joy that only comes from the simple pleasure of making cookies on a lazy summer afternoon. His small hand shakes slightly, a remnant of past fears, but he manages to drop a dollop of dough next to mine, albeit less gracefully.
“Oops!” He giggles as half of it sticks to his fingers, leaving a chocolate chip trail.
“Looks like you’ve got the magic touch,” I tease, winking at him.
The kitchen is warm, the air sweet with the scent of vanilla and sugar, a stark contrast to the loneliness that used to pervade this house. It’s infused now with something new, with hope and love.
“Lollie, will they be as good as da ones at school?” Aiden asks, licking the remnants of dough off his fingers. His voice is tinged with the innocence of a child who has seen too much but still believes in the goodness of freshly baked cookies.
“Better,” I declare with mock seriousness. “Because these are made with secret ingredient number one: love.”
“Secret ingredient number two?” he prompts, playing along with our usual game.
“Superhero strength,” I say, flexing an arm in an exaggerated muscle-man style. “For all the battles we’ve fought and won.”
“Like Batman?” he asks, starry-eyed.
“Exactly like Batman.” I nod solemnly. “And you know what Batman always has?”
He shakes his head.
“Robin! You’re my Robin, kiddo.” I ruffle his hair, and he ducks away with a laugh, though not quickly enough to escape my affectionate tousle.
We work side by side, spooning dough and talking about everything and nothing, the latest episode of his favorite cartoon, how high he swung on the swings today, and whether dogs or cats make better superheroes. It’s a conversation so mundane yet so precious, considering where we were only a few weeks ago.
With Alicia and Mike, his parents, now safely behind bars after their attempt to silence us both, can finally be left in the past. The threat they posed feels like a lifetime ago, although the echoes of the courtroom stress still linger in the back of my mind. But my last trip to the courthouse ended happily. That was the day the judge decided Aiden could live with me permanently, making three people very happy.
Knowing he’s loved has helped Aiden to recover from his ordeal, and seeing the school counselor helps. He’s also been working hard with the speech therapist, and his pronunciation has come on in leaps and bounds. He still calls me Lollie, though, which I kind of love.
As we slide the last tray into the oven, Aiden peers through the glass, watching the dough transform before his eyes. I pull him back a little, not wanting him to burn his nose. He smiles at me for a moment, but the cookies hold his attention as they bake.
“They get bigger,” he observes, watching in fascination.
“Everything does,” I muse, thinking of more than just cookies. “You, me, our little family.”
“Is dis our family?” he asks quietly, turning to look up at me, his brown eyes searching for confirmation.
“Yep,” I say, more firmly than I feel because there’s no manual for this, no guidebook on how to rebuild a broken childhood. “You and me and Quinn. We’re a team.”
“Forever?” His voice is hopeful, a fragile whisper that clenches at my heartstrings.
“Forever and ever,” I promise, crossing my heart. “Cross my heart, hope to?—”
“Die, stick a cupcake in your eye!” he finishes with a giggle.
I can’t help but join in. “Exactly, though I’d prefer the cupcake in my mouth, thank you very much.”
“Me too,” he proclaims, his laughter fading into a contented smile.
The timer dings, pulling us out of our moment. I slip on the oven mitts and retrieve our first batch of golden-brown cookies. Setting them down, I steal a glance at Aiden. He’s a sight, with flour dusting his hair and a smudge of dried cookie dough on his cheek. My heart swells. This is what happiness looks like.
“Ready to taste test, Chef Aiden?” I gesture grandly to the cooling cookies.
“Yes!” He stands at attention, giving me a mock salute before snatching the smallest cookie from the edge of the tray. He takes an experimental nibble, and his face lights up like fireworks on New Year’s Eve. “The bestest cookies ever, Lollie!” He pretends to feed some to Mr. Bear, sitting patiently on the kitchen table. “Mr. Bear likes them too.”
“Bestest isn’t a word, but I’ll let it slide since you and Mr. Bear are clearly cookie connoisseurs.” I chuckle, popping a cookie into my mouth, and oh, it’s like a hug from the inside out.
“Can we save some for Quinn?” Aiden asks suddenly, crumbs tumbling from his lips.
“Of course,” I agree, because Quinn, with his grumpy exterior that fools no one anymore, is our hero. Our protector. Our friend. And a whole lot more to us both.
“Think he’ll like them?” Aiden worries his bottom lip between his teeth, anxious for approval.
“Quinn’s tough, but nobody can resist your cookies,” I assure him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him close. “Not even big, strong policemen.”
“Maybe he can teach me to be strong too,” Aiden muses, leaning into my side.
“Maybe,” I say, tilting his chin up so his gaze meets mine. “But you’re already the bravest person I know.”
“Even braver than Batman?” The question is whispered, tentative.
“Especially braver than Batman,” I confirm with a nod, smiling as his chest puffs out in pride.
“Can we make him a superhero cape too?” Aiden bounces on his toes, excitement bubbling over.
“Sure thing. But remember, capes are optional when you’ve got a heart as courageous as yours.”
“Yours too, Lollie,” he says seriously.
His words would have knocked me off my feet if I weren't already kneeling. “Thanks, kiddo.” My voice is thick with emotion, my eyes suspiciously moist. “Now, come on. Let’s finish these cookies before Quinn arrives. We’ve got a sunset to catch, and I don’t want to miss it. Not a single second.”
“Me neither,” Aiden agrees, a cookie in each hand and a future filled with promise stretching out ahead of him.
A half-hour later, the scent of chocolate chip cookies hangs heavy in the air as I slide the last batch onto the cooling rack. Aiden’s already bouncing around, pretending his makeshift cape gives him the power to fly.
The doorbell rings, and his eyes light up like twin beacons. “It’s Quinn! Superhero time!”
“Go let him in,” I say, dusting my hands on the apron. “But walk, okay? No flying indoors.”
“Okay!” He zooms off, definitely not walking, and I follow with a laugh.
“Hey there, superhero!” Quinn’s voice booms from the entryway, followed by Aiden’s gleeful shout.
I round the corner to see them, Aiden leaping into Quinn’s arms, nearly knocking over the big man with his enthusiasm.
“Be careful, you two,” I chide playfully. “We’ve got enough excitement without a trip to the emergency room.”
“Sorry, Lollie.” Aiden grins sheepishly, sliding back to the ground.
“Hey, Lottie.” Quinn’s gaze locks onto mine, the softness in his silver eyes contradicting his gruff exterior.
“Hi, Quinn.” I can’t stop the flutter in my chest when he looks at me like that.
“Did I miss cookie time?” he asks, peeking into the kitchen.
“Almost,” I say, leading the way. “They’re just cooling.”
Quinn follows, and Aiden runs ahead to point out each perfectly rounded treat. My heart swells watching them together. They’re an unlikely duo. Aiden is a tiny ball of energy, and Quinn is the stoic sheriff who has seen too much darkness in his life. Together, they look… perfect.
“Lollie made them with extra love today,” Aiden announces proudly.
“Is that so?” Quinn raises an eyebrow, looking at me with a hint of amusement.
“Special ingredient,” I confirm, playing along.
Quinn steps closer, the space between us charged with the connection that pulled us together from the moment we met. He reaches out, tucking a stray hair behind my ear. “Maybe I could get a taste?”
“Of the cookie?” I tease, my heart pounding against my ribs.
“Obviously.” He smirks, but then his lips are on mine, and it’s anything but playful. It’s deep and meaningful, a promise of things to come.
“Yuck!” Aiden exclaims, but we barely hear him.
“Speaking of promises,” Quinn murmurs against my mouth as we part. He takes a step back, and suddenly, he’s down on one knee. “Lottie, will you marry me?”
My breath catches. I’m speechless, which is a rare state for me. Quinn’s usually the silent type, but here he is, making grand gestures that speak louder than any words could.
“Isn’t this too fast?” I finally manage, although my heart screams otherwise.
“Maybe,” he admits, “but I know what I want. I want you and all the laughter and sunshine you bring into my life.”
“Can I see the ring before I decide?” I ask, only half-joking.
“Of course.” He takes out a simple diamond solitaire ring, nothing too extravagant but beautiful in its simplicity.
“Wow, it’s perfect.” I take it, slipping it onto my finger, where it belongs. Bending, I smile against his lips as I kiss him again.
He chuckles, standing up to wrap me in his arms. “Guess that’s a yes?”
“Definitely a yes.” I giggle, suddenly light-headed with joy. “Although I wouldn’t mind marrying that guy I met in the Beachside Café. He was super-hot before I spilled that coffee over him, but after? Man oh man.”
“Then I have one last thing to do,” Quinn says, pulling back with mock seriousness. “I need to find the guy you spilled coffee on. He owes me.”
“Good luck with that,” I quip. “He’s pretty elusive.”
“Nothing I can’t handle.” Quinn’s grin tells me he’s enjoying the role reversal, the chance to be the comic for once.
“Quinn, Lollie, you’re squishing me!” Aiden squeals, having wedged himself between us during our moment.
“Sorry, bud.” I ruffle his hair, still floating on cloud nine.
“Does this mean Quinn’s gonna live here, too?” Aiden asks, eyes wide with hope.
“Looks like it,” I confirm, loving the idea more with every passing second.
“Awesome! We’re gonna be the best family ever!” Aiden declares.
I believe him. After all we’ve been through, we know the real meaning of family, and Aiden deserves the best family of all.
“First order of business,” Quinn says, lifting Aiden onto his shoulders. “We celebrate with cookies.”
“Superhero cookies!” Aiden cheers.
“Superhero cookies,” I echo, my heart full and my face hurting from smiling so much.
“Let’s eat before they lose their superpowers,” Quinn says, tugging me against his side.
I laugh. “Can’t have that.”
He brings my hand to his mouth, placing a kiss where my ring is nestled against my knuckle. “Love you, Sunshine.”
I gaze at him with everything I feel for him written on my face. “Love you, Super Sheriff.”
Life is unpredictable and often hard, especially in the line of work Quinn and I share. But at this moment, with the man I love and the child who’s stolen my heart, I feel invincible.
Maybe, just maybe, we’re superheroes after all.