Chapter Seventeen
The first thing Gabe saw when the ranch came into view was the line of trucks.
All of them.
The guys were back from California, just as Carson said they would be.
His stomach burned with a flare of nerves. What if the rest of the team—the Malone brothers he respected so much, and Dutch, aka Decker, who Gabe spent time in the therapy program with—didn’t think he fit the team?
Sensing his anxiety, Felicity squeezed his hand. “You okay?”
He forced air into his lungs. “Yeah.”
He wasn’t. Not exactly. But he kept driving up the lane, the familiar sight of the house and the sweeping fields and mountains behind suddenly a little less of a comfort than they were when he rolled in the other night.
He parked near the end of the row. Before he even climbed out, the front door flew open.
Dutch stepped out first, grinning, followed by Gray, Colt, Oaks, Theo and Denver last of all.
One of the ranch dogs who’d been asleep on the porch even gathered itself onto all fours to bark at Gabe and Felicity as they approached the house.
“Look who finally decided to come home.” Dutch descended the steps and started toward them.
Relief hit so hard it made Gabe lightheaded. He crossed the distance in long strides, meeting his old friend in the middle. Dutch hugged him with a hard clap on his back, and Gabe returned the favor.
“Damn, it’s good to see you.”
Gabe stepped back, grinning. “You too. Heard you finally got the girl.”
His grin widened, and he half turned toward the porch, clearly expecting Willow to step out.
Gray jogged over and clapped him on the shoulder, careful of the bandaged arm. “Show-off. You’re making the rest of us look bad. Well, all but Colt.”
He glanced over Gray’s shoulder to see Colt standing on the porch, legs braced, looking as normal as ever, though a little paler beneath his cowboy hat.
Gabe dropped his gaze to his boots. They weren’t annoyed that he showed up out of the blue and took a place on the team. They weren’t distant. They were…happy to see him.
Dutch eyed him from beneath his own hat brim. “Heard you had a hell of a trip. You good?”
Gabe’s throat grew even tighter as Felicity grabbed his hand and the guys surrounded her too in what could only be called a circle of protection.
A cry carried on the breeze, and Gray stepped aside just as Honor barreled into the group and hurled her arms around her sister. Felicity let out a watery laugh and grabbed her sister in a tight hug.
Then all the Malone women flooded out, Navy toddling behind them carrying a toy horse by the tail and Layne cradling her newborn wrapped in a blue blanket.
For the first time in a long time, Gabe felt a knowing settle inside him. What he’d only guessed at when he climbed behind the wheel of his old truck and ended up on the Black Heart that night.
He was home.
Home wasn’t just the ranch or the Wyoming mountains. It was the woman he loved at his side and his brothers on his six.
He looked up and saw Crew, one of his good friends from the program, hanging back, away from the group.
Gabe broke free from the crowd and wandered up to him.
“You good, brother?” Crew asked low.
Gabe felt the weight of the question. He wasn’t only a good friend from the program. He knew the hell it took to get here too.
“Yeah. Haven’t been this good in a long time.”
Crew understood. He held out a fist, and Gabe bumped knuckles with him. Then he slanted a look at Felicity. “I can see why.” He smiled, genuine but maybe a little sad, and turned and walked back toward the barn.
He watched him go for a moment, thinking about how all of them had their own path to walk, some rockier than others.
“Gabe.” Carson’s voice cut through the noise.
He turned.
The boss man stood there, hands in his pockets, expression hard to read. His gaze swept once over Gabe, catching on his bandaged arm as if searching for holes the doctor hadn’t found.
“Got a minute?”
Gabe dipped his head in a nod. He sent a look at Felicity, who was catching up with the ladies.
He followed Carson into the office. Carson closed the door behind them and gestured to the chair.
Gabe sat, suddenly feeling way too much like a kid called into the principal’s office.
“I was wrong to take that order to pick up a vet at the airport and not question the origin,” he began.
Carson dropped into his own seat across the desk. “I have more important things to discuss.”
Gabe swallowed.
“I got a call from the Denver PD that one of my men tackled a suspect in a millionaire’s study.”
Some of the weight eased from his shoulders. “I heard my boss greased a bunch of wheels to get pathology reports that ended with an arrest.”
They shared a grin. Then Gabe debriefed, telling him about Andrew and the fake vet pickup, the stolen journal ending up on Henry Alder’s desk. He told him every detail except the part where his heart had nearly stopped when he saw Felicity tied to that chair.
But he didn’t need to tell Carson—the man had a similar event with his wife. He knew.
When Gabe finished, silence surrounded them for a beat. He held his breath, waiting for the part where Carson told him the ranch wasn’t the best fit for him.
Carson tapped a finger on a file on his desk. Probably contained his formal dismissal, the end to a chapter that barely started.
Pushing it across the desk, Carson eyed him. “Open it, Marine.”
He flipped it open to see a contract with his name at the top.
His throat constricted.
“This makes it official. You’re a real asset to the security team, so if that’s where you need to be, then so be it. But where I really think you’ll shine is in the new training facility as a mentor to incoming operatives.”
Gabe shook his head, awed by it all.
“You’ve been one of us for a long time. This is just paperwork. If you want it, that is.”
Gabe reached for the folder. “I want it.”
“Good. You can sign it officially tomorrow in front of the whole team. 0700.”
He gave a brisk nod at the order.
They pushed to their feet and clasped hands on the deal. When they walked outside, everyone was still there, talking and laughing. As he drifted to Felicity’s side, she turned to him with shining eyes.
He slipped his arm around her waist, anchoring her to him as they watched the warm family chaos.
At that moment, Gray stepped up in front of Honor and took her hand in his.
In a smooth move, he dropped to one knee.
Honor gasped, free hand flying to her mouth. The yard went dead silent.
“Honor. You’re the love of my life. I’ve faced things I never thought I’d live through. I can’t imagine a day without you.”
Honor let out a tiny sound.
Gray smiled up at her, eyes gleaming. “I need to know, Honor St. James…will you marry me?”
Honor nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Yes! Of course yes,” she choked.
The explosion of cheers hit the group like a wave. Gabe was grinning and Felicity was in tears as she watched her sister find her happily ever after.
Gray slid the ring onto Honor’s shaking finger and stood, sweeping her into a kiss that made Gabe wolf-whistle.
The instant they broke apart, Honor tripped forward right into Felicity’s waiting arms.
“I’m so happy for you!” Felicity cried.
Honor laughed. “I’m so happy for you.” She squeezed her sister but met Gabe’s eyes.
The celebration was just beginning, and they all had a lot to be thankful for.
Gabe was truly where he belonged.
* * * * *
The knob of the back door of Felicity’s shop was cool under her hand. Mornings like this…when she came to open her shop…were always filled with happiness.
The last time she’d opened this door, everything had been chaos and fear. Since then, every single member of the Malone family had congregated here to set everything to rights.
The guys did the heavy lifting, fixing the busted shelves and lugging stacks of books to the appropriate sections while the ladies organized everything in pretty displays.
Even little Navy did her part by placing stuffed toys from the kids’ section into a big basket. Of course she pulled them out again too, but that was part of the fun.
Now good memories brightened the shadow of the old. Felicity gripped her key and slipped it into the lock.
Suddenly, a footstep sounded behind her. Warmth cloaked her back as Gabe’s scent wrapped around her. His deep rumble vibrated through her senses. “You okay, bookshop?”
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Just remembering.”
“The break-in?”
She leaned her cheek against his. Her lips curved. “I walked into the shop to find it wrecked. I was terrified, yelling that I had a boyfriend with a gun and he was military.”
He huffed a laugh. “Look at you now.” He turned her into his arms, pressing her up against the door. “You’ve got a boyfriend who is former military.” He gave her hip a gentle squeeze. “And for the record, I’m planning on being more than a boyfriend.”
Her heart kicked at his words, drumming fast and leaving her breathless.
He lowered his lips to hers, tasting her for only a brief moment. Suddenly, the door fell out from behind her as he twisted the key in the lock. She started to fall, and he caught her in his strong arms.
A laugh bubbled out of her, and she grabbed him by the hand to lead him into the tidy shop. Behind them, she heard him flip the new deadbolt.
Drawn by the smell of books, Felicity moved through her shop.
Gabe stepped up beside her. “Welcome back.”
“Thank you.” She drifted to the counter. Behind it, she kept a few of her personal favorites on display. She rubbed her thumb over the frayed corner of one of many copies she owned of her favorite book.
“Wollstonecraft said women should rely on reason, not fear,” she murmured to herself. It steadied her every time. Even now.
Just then, someone knocked on the front door, rattling the glass in the old wooden frame.
She let out a gasp. “We’re not even open yet!” She hurried to the door and spotted Vera standing there.
“Here we go,” Gabe muttered, moving up behind her. Knowing he had her back—always and in all things—gave her a little more strength.
She unlocked the front door and swung it open to face the bakery owner.
“Hi, Felicity. I heard you were back in your shop today and…well, I brought you a little treat to celebrate.” She held up the paper bag with a big smile on her face.
Felicity inhaled the rich scent of brownies when she accepted the bag—and what appeared to be a gesture of friendship.
“Thank you. Really. And yes, I’m reopening today. I’ll even have an online shop soon.”
Vera’s face softened in an expression that bordered almost on relief.
“I’m so pleased to hear that. This street wouldn’t be the same without you.
Or your bookshop.” She darted a look past her at the rows of books on display.
“And—you didn’t hear it from me—but the interstate exit is set to be finished by the Fourth of July. We’re about to get traffic again!”
Hope fluttered in Felicity’s chest. “That’s incredible.”
“It is.” Vera squeezed her hand. “You’ve weathered more than most. I’m glad to see you back where you belong.”
And with that, she slipped out the door, apron fluttering as she disappeared down the sidewalk.
Felicity turned to Gabe, a slow smile spreading over her face and the brownies bag clutched in her hand.
She sidled up to Gabe. “Well. I guess she wasn’t trying to steal my shop after all.”
His lips twitched at one corner. “I wonder what made her chill out?”
“Gabe! Sometimes people aren’t as terrible as they first seem.”
He shrugged. “Maybe I can be a little…overprotective. At times.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her cheek against his chest. “I like it. Don’t change a thing.”
He slid a hand up her back, holding her close. When she drew back, his eyes were warm.
“I’m so proud of you, bookshop. After everything with Andrew…and everything before that…you still chose to rise up and overcome it. You proved you can’t be broken.”
“Life isn’t about giving up. It’s about starting over as many times as it takes.”
He searched her eyes. “You’ve shown me that too.”
“I get to start fresh with you. That’s the best part.”
They gazed at each other for a long heartbeat. Then she bumped her hip against his. “Now. I need to tell you all my ideas. Because I only have about a million of them.”
“Only?”
She tugged him toward the center of the shop, excitement buzzing through her.
“Okay—writing retreats. Weekend ones to host authors. Bourbon and Books nights with the distillery down the road. Kids’ books and crafts on Sundays.
” She turned in a circle. “Poetry open mic! Maybe we could even expand the back room, add a little stage…”
She caught him staring at her and stopped mid-ramble. “What are you thinking about, Gabe Thorne?”
His brows twitched upward toward the band of the brand-new cowboy hat he’d adopted since joining the Black Heart Security team. “Nothing.”
“Gabe.”
He leaned toward her. “Maybe just…all the sex we’re going to have in the bookstore.” He grabbed her around the waist and crushed his mouth over hers. Her laugh transformed to a moan as he kissed her slow and deep and with all the promises of the life they were building between the shelves.
Between their second chances.
Between all the pages still left to write.
When they finally broke apart, breathless, she whispered against his lips, “Here’s to our first chapter.”
And he kissed her again.