Chapter 35
JASMINE
The dogs trailed me to the door, nails clicking on the tile, tails wagging like I’d better not forget to come back. As I grabbed my keys, I bent to kiss each damp nose. Their ears drooped, big eyes full of betrayal.
“Sorry, fellas, I have to go paint.” I scratched under a chin, guilt tugging at me. “Be good. One of your daddies will be here in a few hours.”
After the whole hostage situation, I couldn’t stay here. Couldn’t even picture it without my chest seizing up. But with the danger finally behind us, Kai’s house felt safe again. We’d been spending most nights here. Kai was glad to be home, and the dogs were even happier.
For me, stepping back inside Kai’s house for the first time had been like testing my weight on an old bridge I’d once watched crack apart.
At first, every creak in the walls and every dark corner set me on edge.
But the more nights passed without incident, the easier it became to unclench my shoulders.
The shadows shrank. I could finally be alone there, sink into the couch with the dogs piled at my feet and believe nothing was waiting outside.
My little place, on the other hand, looked less like a residence and more like an artist’s studio.
Clutter was everywhere—the best kind. Canvases leaned against the walls, brushes crowded mason jars, easels claimed every spare corner.
Four of the five large Paradise Key commissions stood, finished, the bold blues and sunlit whites catching the morning light like waves breaking on the shore. One more to go.
I stopped in the doorway and just stared, pride swelling in my chest. They weren’t just good; they were my best work yet.
I hooked my phone to the Bluetooth speaker and restarted the rom-com audiobook I’d been listening to.
A ridiculous meet-cute had me giggling as I tied on my apron.
Twisting my hair into a knot, I laid out my brushes, each motion grounding me.
Mixing paint, scraping the knife, blending until I found the perfect shade of ocean blue.
After weeks of painting to block out the fear, this was different.
This was bliss. Freedom. Even the air felt lighter in here, carrying only the tang of turpentine and linseed instead of panic.
And the ten grand I’d earn for the lot? That was another kind of freedom entirely—and a hell of a reason to get cracking on the last one.
I worked the palette knife over the board until the blue was exactly right—bright but layered, like sunlight hitting deep water.
Satisfied, I loaded my brush and swept the first coat across the blank canvas.
The narrator in my audiobook was bumbling through a disastrous blind date, and I laughed out loud as I laid down another stroke.
There was an easiness now—laughter came without guilt.
I was halfway through the base layer on the canvas when my phone buzzed against the counter.
I set the brush carefully across the jar rim, wiped my hands on my apron, and glanced at the screen, answering on speaker. “Hey, Faith. What’s up?”
Her voice was brisk, excitement vibrating under the words. “Baby’s coming—”
I nearly dropped the phone. “What? I thought she had at least a month left!”
“Yeah, well, I guess the baby didn’t agree. Corinne and Trouble are already on the road to Key West. Spence is driving, and Grandpa’s along too. Don’t worry, she’s in good hands. Coulter, Reef and Kai are all offshore but they’ll be down as soon as they can.”
“Oh my God,” I breathed heavy. Faith’s calm was like salve on my raw panic.
“Do you want to ride down with me? I can swing by in twenty.”
I looked around, half-confused. “Yes—absolutely. Just give me a minute to put things away and change.”
“Good. I’ll be there soon.” Faith paused, then added, dry as ever, “Don’t worry. I’ve got the Charger. We’ll make it in record time.”
That tugged a laugh out of me, tension easing. “Should I be scared?”
“Nah,” she said. “Only if you hate flying.”
Faith’s Charger purred like a beast when she pulled up out front. She leaned across the passenger seat, one hand on the wheel, the other pushing her sunglasses higher. “Hop in.”
I slid inside, tugging my seatbelt across. The engine rumbled as she gunned it out of the driveway, gravel spitting behind us.
I gripped the door handle as she peeled onto US-1, the speedometer climbing fast. “Remind me again why I agreed to ride with you?”
“Because I’m trained in tactical driving,” she smirked. “And I won’t get a ticket.”
I laughed, nerves easing a touch as the Charger settled into its growl. Still, I kept one hand braced on the door handle.
“So, how early is this baby?”
“Just a few weeks,” Faith said, eyes steady on the road.
“So that’s not bad? I mean, like, dangerous?” The words tumbled out fast, my worry showing.
Faith shot me a sideways glance, lips curving in a sweet bless your heart smile. “Nah. Due dates are loose estimates. Babies don’t have calendars.”
“True. I guess I don’t know much about them yet.” At twenty-five, none of my close friends had kids, so this was uncharted territory.
“I only know what I picked up from cousins and friends,” Faith said.
“Do you want kids?” I asked her.
“Maybe. I didn’t think I did. But now?” She grinned. “It’s a maybe.”
“Coulter changing your mind?”
“Possibly…” She arched a brow. “How about you?”
I startled at the question, then let out a breathy laugh. “Oh, hmm… also a maybe, I guess.”
“It’s a big commitment. I was so focused on my career. Making detective was all I cared about for years. And I hadn’t met a guy I’d want to have kids with.”
“Yeah, that makes all the difference.” My gaze drifted to the ocean outside the window, endless blue stretching on forever.
“I’ve seen how hard it is to balance kids and a career,” Faith said, pressing the pedal smoothly to pass a line of cars. “Women end up shouldering most of the responsibility, even with a good partner.”
“I just realized I’ve never asked Corinne what their plan was after the baby came,” I said. “She mentioned more than once she couldn’t wait to get back to the lab.”
Faith nodded. “Yeah. She’ll start back part-time in a few months. Fortunately, a generous benefactor offered to hire a nanny for them.”
“Really?”
“Yes. The owner of Paradise Key has a soft spot for her.”
Clifton. That made sense. “I noticed he treats her like family when she took me out there.”
“Her parents are in California, so it means a lot.”
“Fortunately she has lots of friends here too.”
Faith grinned. “You know we’re all going to line up to take that baby for a few hours. And I’ll bet we’ll be seeing a lot more of Ava once the baby’s here.”
The thought warmed me. “I hope so. I really like her.”
“Me too. Lord knows we need more female energy with all those Rodman men.”
“They’re certainly manly, no doubt.”
Faith laughed. “Yeah. Big, loud, stubborn. But when they love you? It’s ride or die.”
Heat flushed through me, warmth spreading in my chest at the truth of it. Kai.
Faith flicked me a knowing glance before turning back to the road. “Things are good with Kai?”
I grinned, finally settling back in my seat. “Yeah. Much better now that we aren’t worried about smugglers following us around.”
Her smile faltered, guilt shadowing her face. “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to apologize for that. You told me to forget you ever said anything. And I… well, I didn’t. Sorry.”
“Considering you solved the problem without dragging us into it, there’s no apology necessary. I said my fair share of sorries with Kai. But he was grateful too.”
Her knuckles whitened on the wheel. “I can’t believe you lived with that terror for weeks.”
For a second, panic spiked sharp and cold, but it washed through me as quick as it came. I forced a breath out. “Yeah. It sucked. Glad that’s all behind us.” I’d probably never forget, but I could live with it now.
The Charger ate up the miles, the Overseas Highway unspooling ahead in a blur of asphalt and turquoise water.
Pelicans skimmed the waves, fishing boats bobbed against the horizon, and the sunlight flashed so bright on the water it made me squint.
The longer we drove, the more my pulse began to match the rhythm of the road, steady and sure instead of skittering panic.
By the time Faith whipped us into the Key West hospital lot, my knuckles ached from gripping the armrest. We screeched to a stop, and I let out a shaky laugh as I unclenched my fingers.
Inside, the waiting room was thick with nerves. A tall man paced tight circles, phone clutched to his ear, muttering, “Yes, Mom. I promise I’ll let you know as soon as the baby comes.”
Spencer sat forward in a chair, elbows braced on his knees, while Spence hovered close by, his usual calm stripped thin.
The moment Faith and I stepped in, Spencer and Spence rose to greet her. Spencer pulled her into a fierce hug. “Glad you made it.”
Spence squeezed her arm, then his gaze landed on me, curious but kind.
The pacing man stopped, his eyes flicking from Faith to me, wary and distracted.
“Any updates?” Faith asked.
Spence shook his head. “Last check, she was at eight centimeters. That was maybe half an hour ago. Could be soon… or it could still be hours.”
The other man was off the phone now, raking a hand through his hair, his voice taut. “Eight’s a lot. Feels like any second.”
“Hayden,” Faith said, stepping closer, “this is Jasmine.”
“Hayden is Corinne’s brother,” she explained.
His shoulders eased a fraction. He gave me a quick nod. “Good to meet you. Sorry it’s… like this.”
“You too,” I said softly.
Faith squeezed his arm before leading me to a pair of empty chairs. The air was taut with anticipation, every tick of the clock on the wall loud in my ears.
The front doors banged open, shattering the hush.
Kai, Coulter, and Reef barreled in together—big, loud, smelling of fish and sweat, their voices carrying like a storm blowing through the ward.
“What’s the status?” Coulter asked, his gaze darting around the room like he expected someone to hand him the baby right then. “Did we make it in time?”
Spence nodded. “Still waiting.”
The room shifted instantly with their presence—energy rolling off them, filling every corner.
And then Kai’s eyes found mine.
The noise dulled, the rest of them blurring at the edges. His mouth tugged into the smallest smile—just for me—and warmth swept through my chest, blotting out every shadow of the last few weeks.
The commotion hadn’t even settled when the hallway doors swung open. Violet stepped out, her eyes wet, her whole face lit up like the sun breaking through clouds.
Everyone froze.
“She’s here,” Violet said, her voice shaking with joy. She held up her phone, the screen glowing with a photo. “Cordelia Marie Rodman.”
The image made my breath catch. A tiny, wrinkled creature lay curled on Corinne’s chest, her dark hair plastered damp against her skin.
Corinne’s eyes were closed, her face a mix of sheer exhaustion and unshakable elation, like she’d just run the hardest race of her life and crossed the finish line holding the world in her arms.
Spencer wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Coulter and Reef crowded closer, craning over Violet’s shoulder. Spence reached to steady her as she laughed through tears. Even Hayden stopped pacing, dropping hard into the nearest chair like the ground had finally caught him.
Violet’s voice softened. “Cordelia means daughter of the ocean.”
My heart squeezed. Daughter of the ocean. How perfect for this family. For this place.
Kai slid in beside me, his arm brushing mine, steady and warm. He bent close, his lips grazing my ear as the others crowded around Violet.
“I’d love to make one of those with you,” he whispered.
My pulse jumped. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
His hand closed around mine, that grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Don’t worry, Jaz. I’m not just thinking babies. I’m thinking forever.”