Epilogue
EPILOGUE
S ix months later:
Gabby walked on the hard-packed white sand beach of the private island. It was her father’s, not Con’s mother’s. They couldn’t be half the world away from a node, but they were taking a long weekend. They’d come back to the States to pack Con’s clothes and a few of his must-have personal belongings. The small transit would reach her house before they would return, but it would be there when they arrived. They were officially living together now, and he operated in the British time zone, which stretched the coverage of the nodes.
She bent down and picked up a starfish that had somehow beached itself. She walked it down into the water and watched as it moved, slipping farther into the tide. That was how she felt right then. As if Con had found her, beached and dying, and returned her to her proper environment. Six months had changed so much. She’d found the man she loved. She hadn’t told him in so many words, but he knew. Just as she knew he loved her.
Gabby stood up and looked down the beach. She smiled when she saw him round the corner of the island. His spectacular body wasn’t a joke. He worked hard at keeping fit. The heat and sweat had plastered his hair down, and the last three days had deepened both of their tans. He stopped about ten paces ahead of her and bent down, grabbing his knees. “Too far,” he panted in between heaving lungfuls of air.
“I told you.” She laughed and ran a finger down his spine. He popped up straight and spun around. He grabbed her hand, and they started strolling back toward the middle of the island, where the main house and several bungalows were located. When they made it to the pool, Con toed off his shoes, pulled off his socks, and dove in. She made her way to a chair and watched as he swam back and forth in the water. The butler came out of the house with two large icy drinks and the envelope she’d asked him to bring out. She put both drinks on the table beside her and took the envelope. She didn’t need to examine the seal; the staff was completely loyal, yet she still looked. What was in the envelope was the most important information she possessed.
Con lifted himself out of the pool and shook like a dog, sending the water from his long hair all over the place. She laughed as he staggered a bit after the shake. He grabbed a towel and draped it over his neck.
“Ah, nectar of the gods!” He took a long swig of the peach and mango juice that was thinned out with a bit of sparkling water. “Whatcha got there?” He pointed to the envelope as he sat down next to her.
“I have an NDA I want you to sign.” She bit her lip.
“Okay.” He patted his wet swimming suit. “I don’t have a pen. Do you want it in blood?”
She shook her head. “Aren’t you going to ask why I want you to sign it?”
“Nope. Don’t care. I’ll sign anything you ask me to sign.” He looked around. “Where’s Darnell? He’s always around.”
She’d told the staff to make themselves scarce, so they’d have privacy. “I have a pen in the envelope.” She broke the seal and handed him the pen and the seven-page NDA agreement.
Con took the pen and wiped his hands before he thumbed to the back page and signed and dated the agreement. “Okay.”
Gabby shook her head. “You have no idea what you just signed, do you?”
“An NDA. You wouldn’t lie to me, and you wouldn’t do anything to hurt us, so I’m not worried.”
She blinked at him. “You’re a mess, Conner, you know that, right?”
“But as I keep telling you, I’m your mess. So, fess up. What’s so important I had to promise never to tell a soul?”
“My real name. My family's real name.” She put the NDA back into the envelope and turned to him. “My name is Gabrielle Jacqueline Xavier.”
Con blinked and then started to laugh. “No wonder.”
“That we take such pains to keep our identity concealed?” She’d hoped he would understand, and it seemed like he did … maybe … but she didn’t think it was funny. Why would he?
“No, no … I get that. I do. When I asked your dad for permission to marry you, he told me I needed to wait to make sure I was ready to take on the entire responsibility of who you were. I had no idea what in the hell he was talking about.” He turned and stared at her. “I don’t care. I’ll protect you and your family. I will give my life to protect your secrets. I love you, Gabby. Will you marry me?”
Okay, her brain was not following. “You talked to my dad?”
He narrowed his eyes and waved his hand in front of her. “Hello? I just told you I loved you and asked you to marry me and all you got out of it is I talked to your dad?”
She snapped her mouth shut and blinked. “I love you, too.”
“And …” He looked at her expectantly.
“And I’ll marry you.” She threw herself at him, and they landed on the pool deck as his lounge chair slid out from under them. “Are you okay?”
“I may never walk again,” Con groaned but held her as she tried to get off him. “But I don’t care. I love you.”
She smiled down at him. “I know. I’ve known for a while. I love you, too.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “I’ve known for a while, too. When are you going to marry me?”
“I want my family there. Yours, too.”
Con closed his eyes. “Are you sure? My family?” He lifted his head and looked around. “I don’t think letting them into the secret is a good idea.”
She laughed. “No, my mom and dad are known as Gabriel and Anna Alexander. I use my mom’s maiden name for all the careers I’ve had: interior design, fashion designer, and a couple of other failed attempts to launch.” She lifted and straddled him. “But… my family includes the Kings. They’ve been my honorary aunts and uncles for as long as I can remember.”
Con’s face fell. “You mean I’m going to be related to that asshat?”
Gabby laughed. “Not technically, but yeah, I call him Uncle Joseph or, if I’m feeling really adventurous, Uncle Joey.” She pointed her finger at Con. “But you can never call him that. He would kill you, and nothing would stop him.”
A crazy smile appeared on his face. “Challenge accepted .”
Gabby squealed as he got up and lifted her, and they both splashed into the pool. She surfaced, gasping for air. “Con, you are such a mess!” She splashed him as he surfaced laughing.
He swam over to her, and she wrapped herself around his big, hard body. “Yeah, but I’m your mess.”
“That you are. Forever.” She held on as he kissed her. Because of this man, she was finally whole. She was free, and she would be his forever.