Epilogue
The morning after his appointment, Vince installed the saddlebags on his Harley, and they set out for California.
They followed the Pacific Coast Highway north, stopping whenever something caught their eye: a tiny beach town, a quiet sandy stretch for a barefoot walk in the waves, or a cliffside overlook to watch moonlight on the water.
They had no schedules, no reservations to keep, and no one expecting them anywhere. They rode until tired, staying wherever felt right. Sometimes they talked late into the night. Other times, they simply enjoyed being quiet together. Silence with Vince never felt empty.
The best moments came on his bike with her arms around his waist, the wind tangling her hair, and the coastline stretching out beside them.
She felt freer than she had since before everything happened.
Maybe, freer than ever. Each mile put more distance between her and the past, and through it all, her gift stayed quiet.
One night, they found a moonlit stretch of beach north of Carmel. It was empty for as far as either of them could see.
Vince spread their blanket over the damp sand. She sat beside him, her thigh pressed lightly against his, close enough that his arm settled around her shoulders naturally, as if it had always belonged there.
The surf roared, its rhythm hypnotic, while millions of stars twinkled in the clear, dark sky. She tilted her face to take it in, but felt his gaze on her.
“Vince.”
“Mm?”
“You’re not looking at the stars.”
“No,” he agreed. “What’s here on Earth is more beautiful.”
She turned to him, still not used to how easily he could make her melt.
His hand lifted, not touching her yet. She felt him anyway. The warmth that was uniquely his brushed over her senses before his fingers ever reached her skin.
Then he took her into his arms.
She went willingly, pressing closer, feeling his desire rise to match her own, as his lips found her temple, her cheek, then her lips.
Her gift had no filter for this, and she never wanted one.
The kiss deepened, unhurried at first—then not. Her pulse answered.
He lay back on the blanket, bringing her with him.
Denim disappeared somewhere in the dark.
She rose over him then sank down slowly in a breath-stealing joining that stilled her completely, palms flat on his chest as she absorbed it.
She lingered there a moment, adjusting… feeling. Then she began to move.
The night air brushed her skin. The sand beneath them was damp, faintly cool, but it didn’t matter, not when his heat surrounded her, grounded her, and drew her deeper.
She moved with him, slow at first then surer, until the need inside her pulled taut, unraveling in a way she couldn’t have stopped if she wanted to.
His hands on her tightened, and their breathing roughened, falling out of sync with everything but each other. As their pleasure crested, their cries mingled with the surf, until even that faded, leaving nothing but the two of them.
Afterward, sprawled across his chest, awareness returned, particularly the grit of sand in her hair and on her skin, and in places she never imagined sand would get. Making love on a public beach, where anyone could have stumbled across them, was another first.
She pushed up, hands on his chest. “What if someone saw us?”
“No one did,” he assured her, languid after what they’d just done.
“You don’t know that. We could be arrested,” she insisted. “There are laws, Vince. You could lose your job.”
“I know the laws,” he said with quiet amusement, brushing her wind-tossed hair out of her face. “You’re worth the risk.”
That got to her, and she went a little melty again—okay, a lot melty—but her gaze still tracked the road for passing cars, especially ones with blue lights.
“No one saw us, darlin’. And I’m not losing my job.”
She wrinkled her nose. He sounded so sure of himself, like he was the one with the gift. Still, she had to admit, as far as romantic moments went, this one was at the top and absolutely worth it.
He stood and pulled her up with him. As they straightened their clothes, she brushed at the sand clinging stubbornly to her skin.
“Next time,” she said, “we find a roof, a locked door, and sheets that don’t contain the entire Pacific coastline.”
He slipped an arm around her and pulled her close, mouth brushing hers. “I’ll agree to no sand, but there are still hundreds of miles of coastline ahead with cliffs, waterfalls, and mountains. How about you let me plan next time?”
He kissed her then, slow and deep, making her forget all about the sand. When he raised his head, she whispered, “Okay.”
His grin glinted white in the moonlight. It never took much for him to get his way. Most times, she ended up a winner too, like tonight. She saw no reason to argue about it.
At the start of their second week, they crossed into Washington State. The air cooled, and the coastline grew wilder. Not far past the border, he slowed and pulled into a roadside café perched above a rocky inlet where waves crashed and spray flew.
It was the perfect place to stop.
He ordered burgers and fries, and they carried their food to a picnic table overlooking the water. She stole a fry from his plate before he sat down.
He gave her a playful glare. “Are you planning to eat my fries and yours for the rest of the trip?”
She shrugged, grinning as she popped another fry into her mouth. “Probably. You should accept your fate now.”
Vince laughed, warmer than the sun. “Good thing I like feeding you.”
The breeze carried salt and grilled onions, waves crashing below. For the first time in weeks, she felt almost normal. When he stretched his legs under the table, she nudged him. “Are you ever going to tell me what happened with Caleb?”
Earlier that morning, Tasha had called him to check in. Except for an update on Whiskers, whom Tasha was cat-sitting, that Vince had repeated word-for-word, she had only heard half of the conversation.
As usual, when the topic of Tasha came up, he slipped into protective dad mode, but he looked a little too pleased when he told her, “She dumped him after the charity gala.”
She blinked. “Really?”
“Yeah. She didn’t like how he focused more on his career than on her.” He shook his head. “She’s got good instincts.”
Erica smiled at him. “She gets that from her father. Are you only finding this out now? About Caleb, I mean.”
“No, I knew. It slipped my mind when someone dragged me off to ride up the coast.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Who dragged who?”
He grinned. “I don’t hear you complaining, darlin’.”
Warmth radiated through her chest. “Because I’m not.”
He interlaced their fingers. “Enough about my daughter’s dating disasters. I’d rather focus on us.” He tipped his head toward the coastline. “And things we may never see again.”
She looked out over the glittering water, sunlight skimming the surface of the waves. “I sure hope not. It’s so beautiful here… thinking this could be the last time feels wrong.”
After lunch, they continued north, both of their phones set to ignore.
***
Later that afternoon, they stopped at a scenic overlook to watch the sunset. Gold scattered across the water as it dipped past the horizon.
Erica stood beside him, leaning against the motorcycle, her hand finding his. They watched in easy silence as the sky darkened and the tide rolled in below.
“You know,” she said thoughtfully, “when you first dragged me into all this, I thought you were completely insane.”
Vince chuckled. “And now?”
She rested her head on his shoulder. “Now, I think I could spend the rest of my life on the back of your bike. You might be the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“Might?” he teased, bringing her hand to his lips. “I feel the same way. In fact…”
He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. Her breath caught in her throat.
“Vince…”
“I know this is quick,” he said quietly. “But I almost lost you.” The teasing was gone from his voice. “I never want to come that close again.”
Her throat closed. She didn’t either.
“I’ve spent my career telling people tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.” He huffed a soft laugh. “Turns out that’s not just something you tell folks.”
He stepped in front of her; the wind ruffling his hair.
“I don’t want to waste time, Erica.”
Something in her chest squeezed.
“We’ve spent the last month together. Every morning. Nearly every meal. I like coming home and finding you there.” His eyes warmed. “And I like having you in my bed.”
A smile trembled on her lips. The simple honesty of it was completely Vince.
“I like you wrapped around me on my bike.”
Blinking away tears, she laughed softly.
“I like us.”
Her heart swelled, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.
“I don’t see much point in waiting.” He opened the box. The diamond inside glittered in the last remnants of daylight. “So, here’s the deal,” he said. “You keep rescuing people with your gift, and I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure you’re safe. Marry me, Erica.”
For a moment, she could only stare at him. Then laughter welled up along with the tears in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes. I’ll marry you.”
Relief and joy lit up his face. He slid the ring onto her finger then drew her into his arms and kissed her. By the time their lips parted, only streaks of red and gold remained in the sky.
Her hands slid up his chest, and she finally admired her ring. “It’s beautiful, and this spot… perfect. I’ll remember it always.” She smiled. “Even if you skipped the whole getting-down-on-one-knee part.”
He rolled his shoulder, wincing slightly. “Cut me some slack, darlin’. I’m not twenty-five anymore, and don’t bounce back as fast.”
Sobering instantly, she reached up and cupped his cheek. “I don’t need grand gestures. I need you healthy, safe, and happy by my side until you’re at least ninety-five. Expect Kevlar as a wedding present.”
He let out a husky laugh then turned his head and kissed her palm. “I’ll wear it,” he promised. “Because now I have even more to be careful for.”
Vince mounted up and kick-started the engine.
Erica climbed on behind him, buckling on her helmet. “Where to next?” she asked.
He pointed north. “Vancouver.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled against his shoulder. The motorcycle roared onto the highway, carrying them along the edge of the continent and into their happily ever after. She didn’t need her gift to know that much was certain.