Chapter 18
Nick
Nick sat in his SUV outside Gina’s house, hands still gripping the steering wheel even though the engine was off. He could still taste her kiss, still feel the way she’d fit perfectly against him on the porch.
For the first time in over a year, he could see a future that looked like something worth building.
He’d told her on the porch about starting the remodeling business, about staying in Irma, about making something permanent.
Now, sitting alone with the late afternoon sun warming the dashboard, the reality of what he’d committed to settled over him.
Not with dread, but with something that felt like relief.
He had work to do—a business to start, a life to build, and relationships to nurture.
It would take time to get the business built up enough to make a living.
He’d probably pick up odd jobs and keep staying with Brooke for now.
But that was okay. He had a plan. More importantly, he had a reason to execute it.
Brooke had mentioned wanting to do work on the coffee shop.
That could be his first project. Family rates, sure, but it would be a portfolio piece, proof he could deliver.
She wouldn’t want to start anything until after the race—she’d still train like a maniac even at the shorter distance—but that gave him time to get things lined up.
Joe would probably stick around too. He’d found his story, but more than that, he’d found his place.
He wasn’t an outsider anymore. The way he’d stepped up had earned him a spot in the group through shared danger and mutual support.
Besides, someone needed to keep them honest when he wrote about all this.
And Kelsey . . . that was going to take time.
Maybe a long time. But she’d saved their lives in the end.
That had to count for something. Legal proceedings, media attention, the slow process of rebuilding trust—it would be complicated.
But they’d survived worse than betrayal.
They’d survived actual mortal danger together, and that kind of experience created bonds that were hard to break.
They’d figure it out. All of it. Together.
Nick pulled out his phone and texted Brooke: How’s the shop look?
Her response came almost immediately: Coffee shop looks good. Thinking about the changes we talked about. Maybe you could give me a quote? Do the work after tourist season ends?
He smiled as he typed back: Absolutely. Sounds like the perfect winter project.
He started the engine, Gina’s smile still vivid in his mind. Tomorrow night. A real date. A chance to prove this was more than adrenaline. More than survival. Maybe this time, it could be love that lasted.
There was a time he’d thought he had his life figured out. But when it all fell apart, he’d assumed he was broken somehow, that he’d lost his ability to build anything lasting.
Maybe he hadn’t been broken after all. He’d just needed to find the right person to build a life with.