Epilogue
Six months later …
Dax closed the canopy and grinned at her.
“Yep.” He had the big three-by-six painting that he’d been working on when they first met, covered in protective paper, while she had a bunch of prints and a few smaller originals in her arms. He rushed ahead.
“I’ve got the door.” Then he tossed her a wink when she walked through.
“Ooohh, what have you brought me?” Amy cooed, coming out of the back room looking as chic and put together as ever with her charcoal pantsuit, white blouse, black bob, and bright red lipstick.
“I should hope so.” Her gaze flitted to Jennifer and her smile widened.
“Amy, this is Jennifer. Jennifer, Amy.”
Amy’s smile was genuine and the way her amber eyes glittered like whiskey in candlelight said she was delighted to see Dax with someone. “It’s so nice to meet you,” she said, extending her hand.
Jennifer did the same. “You, too. I’ve heard a lot about your gallery.”
Amy flicked her eyes to Dax and something quick, but poignant passed behind her natural sparkle. She knew Dax had told Jennifer more than just information about the gallery.
Amy glanced toward the back room where she’d come from. “James, Em, come see what our cash cow has brought us.”
Dax snorted as Amy started to rip into the protective paper like a kid on Christmas.
“Now, this one was originally a commission, but I scraped it, set it aside and started the commission over again because I just wasn’t feeling it.
Then, about a month ago, I returned to this with new ideas and finished it.
” He removed the remaining paper and Amy propped the canvas up just as a gasp behind them pulled their attention.
“That’s beautiful,” came a breathy female voice. “Jennifer?”
Jennifer spun around. “E-Emma. Hi.”
James, a tall, dark, blue-eyed man that commanded the attention of everyone in the room, instantly pulled his wife close to him and they paused several feet away. His gaze flicked to Dax’s, questioning what the fuck was going on.
“I should explain,” Dax said quickly.
“Yeah, you should,” James said, his voice stern.
“Jennifer and I met six months ago on the ferry from Vancouver to Nanaimo. Her battery died, I gave her a jump.”
“Then my SUV was hit by a Tesla in a winter storm and Dax helped us to the hospital and drove us home.” She glanced up at Dax and wrapped her arm around his waist. “When the power went out, he invited Levi, my landlords and I to come stay with him for the night because he has a generator and woodstove. And,” she smiled, “we’ve been together ever since. ”
“I’m assuming you realized the strange connection you two have earlier than now?” James asked.
Dax and Jennifer both nodded.
“Right away,” Dax confirmed. “But, Amy and I are good. And Tom is in prison and Jennifer and Emma are good, so we saw no reason for us not to pursue this relationship.”
“You didn’t think to give us a head’s up?” James lifted a brow.
“It’s none of our business,” Emma said, giving her husband a dirty look. Then she broke out of his embrace and came to Jennifer. “You look so happy. I’m really glad you found someone.” She wrapped her arms around Jennifer. “You deserve nothing but happiness.”
James’s gaze met Dax’s and it remained hardened for a moment before the man finally nodded and stepped forward, extending his hand to Dax. “This is a nice piece.”
Dax shook his hand and they glanced at the big piece Amy was ogling again.
Jennifer and Emme broke their embrace and they all stared at his painting.
“It’s gorgeous,” Emma purred. “I love it.”
“Let’s look at his other goodies,” Amy said. “Ooooh, I’m like a kid on Christmas morning.”
James snorted as she ripped the paper off the rest.
They spent about an hour at the gallery. Amy, of course said she wanted to do another art show highlighting Dax’s work because he always brought in a lot of money and publicity for the gallery. They talked dates and logistics and he left with a bounce in his step and a smile on his face.
Levi was with Jennifer’s family for the day, they were going to Science World, so that left Dax and Jennifer with time to themselves.
He brought her to one of his favorite restaurants down in the inner harbor and they sat out on the deck beneath the warm April sun, enjoying a beer each, and some fresh shucked oysters.
“I think that went okay,” she said, squeezing lemon onto an oyster. “James is intense, but he’s not a bad guy. Emma’s got him under control.” She snorted. “Well, as much as a guy like that can be.”
He nodded and sipped his beer. “I knew we’d see them eventually.”
“Are you excited for the show?”
“Always. My band usually plays at it, too.” He made an amused noise in his throat. “The first show I had there and I suggested the band play, nearly sent Amy into cardiac arrest. She was like, ‘This is not how we do things at Block 9.’ But she came around.”
They stared out at the boats coming and going and the gulls dipping and diving on the breeze. He reached for her hand after she slurped back an oyster, and she met his gaze, her smiling outshining the sun.
“Move in with me,” he said. “You and Levi.”
Her eyes widened.
“It just makes sense. You’re at my house all the time anyway. Levi has his own room there.” His lips twisted. “I don’t like the nights you’re not in my bed.”
“I don’t like it, either.”
“Then move in with me.”
She nodded. “I’ll have to run it past Levi.”
That made him laugh. “The kid has been begging to move to the property since December. I don’t think he’ll need any convincing.”
“What about Phil and Gloria?”
“I’ve been thinking about them and they really shouldn’t be in a house with stairs for much longer.
Phil already has some mobility issues. What about building them a tiny house on the back of the property?
It’s already got water and septic hooked up and is zoned for a second residential building like a carriage house. ”
“Seriously?”
He shrugged. “They’ve become our surrogate parents. Yours aren’t involved, mine are dead, and they don’t have kids. We’ve built our own family. And family takes care of family.”
Tears sprung to her eyes and she smiled. “I love that idea.”
“Awesome. Then we’ll bring the idea up to them when we get back. We could even buy one of those prefabricated tiny homes and just move it onto the property so we don’t have to wait for it to be built. Or maybe they’d prefer a log cabin?”
With a chuckle, she swept away a tear. “So we’re going to do this? Move in together?”
“I think it makes sense. I’m in love with you. You’re in love with me. The sex is great. Why not take the next step?”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“When I feel the way I feel about you, it is simple. Your kid is great. You are great. And I think we could have a great life together as a family. I still really want a dog, though.”
She nodded. “Okay, then. Move in together. Buy a tiny house for Phil and Gloria and get a dog that doesn’t want to kill the chickens. We’re doing this.”
“We’re doing this.”
Then he stood up, leaned over the table and kissed her.
He was her safe place, and she was his. And together they were going to have a long, and beautiful life. Because they’d done the work, and they both deserved it.
Want to meet Dax BEFORE he met Jennifer? Grab True, Deep and Forever to learn more about his past.