31. Chapter 31 – Rae
A familiar car was parked in the driveway when we reached the house. Jia stepped out, grinning broadly as Hana and Tae scrambled out of the car and into their mother’s arms. Relief flooded me, leaving no room for questions about her unexpected homecoming, only gratefulness that she was here.
I grinned, watching the reunion. The kids giggled and chattered away, pelting their mom with snippets from our time together.
“We ate ice cream for dinner!”
“The police were here, like a bunch.”
She smiled indulgently over their heads, catching my gaze. Hers held a world of gratitude. “Thank you for taking care of them.”
“It was my pleasure,” I said. Hana clung to her mom like a limpet.
I had a feeling it’d be a while before Jia got her hand back.
Tae was excited too, talking a mile a minute about all the other things we’d done while she was gone.
It didn’t matter that they’d spoken to her over the last few weeks. They loved and missed her.
We moved inside, the kids still regaling their mother with stories. I watched from the sidelines, vaguely aware of Zach’s car pulling into the drive.
Zach joined me on the couch a few minutes later, slipping his hand around mine, squeezing gently.
Emotion punched through me. Tae, Hana, and Jia’s reunion was beautiful.
But would it tear Zach and me apart? We hadn’t talked about what would happen when Jia returned.
I thought we’d have at least another week to figure it out. But time was up.
As if he could sense the direction of my thoughts, Zach said, “Guess we should pack up, huh? Jia probably wants her house back.”
His tone was carefully neutral. He pushed off the couch, tugging me gently behind him, and led the way up to our bedroom. I shook my head. Jia’s bedroom. Just because the most soul-stirring nights of my life had happened under this roof didn’t make it mine.
The sense of loss caught me by surprise. Staying here had always been temporary.
One second, I was contemplating how I was going to fit everything back in my duffel. The next, I was airborne. I came crashing down on the bed, Zach careful to tackle me so I didn’t land beneath him. He tucked one hand beneath his cheek, turned on his side and grinned.
“Dawkins, I’d play house forever with you if I could. How do you feel about picking a boat and making it our home base?”
He looked so hopeful, his eyes hypnotic as they pleaded his case.
I hated to bring reality into the conversation.
My palm drifted up to his jaw, tracing the stubble there.
His eyes darkened, communicating his next move.
I forestalled him, exerting pressure to keep his mouth from mine.
He might not want to kiss me after I had my say.
“I think Sailor Swift and Nauti by Nature are both too small for two people. I love you, but I’ll go quietly mad crammed in such a small space together.”
He lifted one shoulder toward his ear, eyes calm.
“Then we can get a bigger boat if you still want to do live aboard, or move into a place close to the harbor that suits us both. The only thing I care about is that we’re together.
” He cuddled me closer. “Raelle Dawkins, I love you, no changes. No takebacks. I’m all in. ”
The last bit of reluctance faded. His sincerity was too solid to question, too steady for fear. In its place, something else took root: wonder. So much had changed. My life had twisted and turned in ways I never could have predicted, reshaping my relationship with Zach and with myself.
I barely recognized the hesitant woman who approached her best friend for help as a temporary guardian.
I’d been afraid of failing, but Zach didn’t let me carry the burden alone.
He stepped up. Did his own share of maturing.
The way he showed up for me and the kids day after day, without hesitation or question.
He’d never seemed the fatherly type before.
But now? It was all I could think about.
“I love you.”
I arched, brushing his mouth with mine. Reveling in the freedom to share my feelings with him.
“I’m going to miss Tae and Hana,” I admitted.
Zach dropped a teasing kiss on the corner of my mouth. “Give me a minute, and we can start on our own family.”
I snorted, laughing. “Hold up, Fenwick. Jia and the kids are downstairs.”
His devilish grin did wicked things to my insides. “We can be quiet.”
“No, we can’t. We’re supposed to be packing .”
“And I’ll be packing you with my—”
“Enough. Let’s get back to the boats.”
“Only if you promise to stay with me tonight.”
“I’ll stay with you every night.”
“Fine,” he huffed. He helped me from the bed, holding on to my hand a beat longer than necessary .
“We’re packing,” I said, uneasy with the glint in his gaze. It said he was tempted to tumble me back onto the sheets, and my willpower was fading quickly.
We were moving in together. Talking about babies. Who even were we? But the air crackled with possibilities. Anticipation roared beneath my skin.
Once upon a time, I’d viewed Simon as the answer to my problems, denying myself other wants.
Other needs. It may have taken almost ten years, but I’d finally learned that I didn’t want that kind of solution.
One that left me lonely. I wanted a partner.
Someone I could laugh with, could love. Together, Zach and I had already proven that we could tackle uncertainty.
Fear. Misunderstandings. Through it all, he’d been there for me.
Seen me. Even when my own family hadn’t.
I couldn’t pinpoint the moment when friendship turned to love, but it didn’t make it any less strong, sure, or lasting.
“That soft look in your eyes is too seductive, Captain. I want to get you back to my boat so I can plunder you.”
“Are we pirates now?” I teased.
“If it means you’re going to shiver my timbers later? Yes .”
***
Arriving at Violet’s house hand-in-hand with Zach had a surreal quality to it, but he squeezed gently, as if to reassure me of our welcome.
Just a few weeks ago, I was involved with Simon.
Now, I was dating her brother. Vi and I had barely seen each other since the family dinner with her parents, and we’d had no private time to talk.
She’d said she forgave me. But that was before Zach and I started dating .
A sudden awkwardness caught me off guard. Slowly, our relationship dynamic was shifting. First, Anya and Drew became a couple. Now, Zach and I were together.
“There are our conquering heroes,” Vi called out as Zach and I removed our shoes at the back door. “Welcome.”
My friend smiled at us, emerging from the kitchen.
Her house was perfect for our group, with an open floor plan between the living room, kitchen, and postage-stamp dining area.
Vi seemed driven to feed everyone, and we took ruthless advantage, gathering at her house whenever she put out the invitation.
“Thanks, but I don’t know about heroes,” I said.
“You’re my hero,” Zach retorted with a gentle smile. “You took Brandon down single-handedly.”
“You guys are cute, but no one wants to hear you argue about who did it best,” Lucy said from the couch. She, Anya, and Lee were tucked in on the sofa, with Drew and Anya snuggled in the chair opposite.
Seeing gruff Drew, his expression downright moony over Anya as he stroked her hand, still threw me. He’d always seemed so self-contained, but he acted as if they’d been a couple forever. Anya appeared similarly peaceful, the shadow of fear that used to shade her features in unguarded moments gone.
“Yeah, we’re curious about the important stuff, like when you decided to finally give in to the sparks between you.”
“Suit yourself, honey. I do not want to hear about my brother’s romantic prowess.”
Anya smacked his chest lightly. “Spoil sport.”
“I’m just glad he finally worked up the courage to ask you out, Rae. I don’t think I could take another decade of him mooning over you.”
“He did not moon over me. ”
“What do you call it when his high school yearbook has tiny hearts drawn around all your photos?”
“Is this true?” I asked, turning to Zach. He watched me with hooded eyes, the truth in his slow smile. “Did everyone know Zach was interested in more than friendship but me?”
Vi nodded, and Anya dipped her chin. Even Lee and Drew gave me smiles that verged on pitying.
“And no one said anything?” I asked.
Drew arched a dark brow. “To the woman who was supposedly in a long-term, committed relationship?”
“Fair point.”
Lingering guilt made me squirm inside. As if sensing my disquiet, Zach wrapped an arm around me in a quick side hug.
After we’d eaten and cleaned up, we settled in the living room with our drinks, and attention shifted to Zach and me.
“Okay, we’ve been patient, but tell us everything,” Vi said, expression intent.
I walked them through my confrontation with Brandon, culminating in my hammer maneuver. Zach lifted our joined hands, bringing my knuckles to his lips. Our friends peppered us with questions, but the main one was something none of us could fully answer: why?
“Unless Brandon talks, we may never know the whole story,” Zach said.
“He clearly believed there was something in the house worth risking everything for,” Drew pointed out. “A ski mask isn’t much of a disguise when Rae was likely to recognize his voice and body type.”
“Sheriff Walker is tight-lipped. Just says they’re still collecting evidence and that it’s an ongoing investigation. ”
“And the safe was empty after all that?” Anya tugged at her bottom lip. “They must have had buyers if Jordan and Brandon were just the middlemen, smuggling from Canada.”
“Yes, or some kind of intermediary.”
“You think it could be someone down at the marina?” Drew asked.
“It doesn’t even have to be our marina. Assuming they were using their whale-watching boat, they could have docked anywhere and made an exchange.”
“Would that explain why Jordan was up on the bluffs?” Lucy asked. “Brandon dropped him off to make their drop, and things went very wrong?”
“God, Lucifer. You’re evil, smart, and sexy. Marry me?”
“Knock it off, Robertson. No one wants to marry your goofy ass.”
Clay pouted. At least as much as a giant mountain of a man could pout.
Lucy crossed her arms over her chest, ignoring his puppy dog eyes, but I caught the hint of a smile turning up her lip.
She wasn’t as immune to Clay as she wanted him to think.
But he was so over-the-top, it was hard to take him seriously.
“Anything is possible. Brandon clearly believed something was still in play but didn’t have their stock. If someone is pressuring him for delivery, and whatever it was went over the edge with Jordan, it might explain his desperation.”
Drew frowned. “I found that case on the shore the day after Jordan’s accident.” He shook his head. “It still drives me nuts that it got stolen before we could find out what was inside.”
“Do you think Brandon stole the case?” Clay asked.
“Not if he was lurking around Jia’s because he believed it was in Jordan’s safe.”
“That alone makes me think we’ve got another player in town,” Drew said .
Zach stretched, spreading his arms until they touched the wall behind us, yawning loud and long. “These are mysteries for another day. I’m beat.” His gaze snagged mine. “Ready to head home?”
The soft light in his eyes melted my heart. He said it with such innocent hope. Almost little-boy glee. I nodded.
“Wait, I didn’t get the update. Are you a two-boat couple? Who’s the captain, and who’s the first mate?” Lucy asked, glancing between us.
“We’re actually talking about getting a place in town at the end of the busy season,” I said. “We’ll get both boats appraised and then figure out which one we keep.”
“Makes sense.” Lucy tilted her chin toward the door. “I’m ready to head home too. I’ll walk with you.”
“Just think, Lucifer. If you married me, I’d walk you home all the time. You wouldn’t need to ruin your good mood watching these love birds canoodle. You’d have me.”
Slowly, Lucy dipped her chin, arching her brows and pursing her mouth. “Yeah, but you’re missing the major downside: I’d have you .”
“Hey,” Clay jutted his lower lip, “I’m not that bad.”
Lucy smiled wryly, her expression sardonic. “Yes, because that’s a glowing recommendation.”
“If you want references, I can make some calls,” Clay offered.
Lucy rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to hear that you’re a certified freak from past booty calls.”
“I said references, not satisfied customers. I was going to give you my mother’s number.”
“Because mothers never lie about their sons.”
“Lucifer, who are you calling a liar? My mother is a saint.”
“She must be, putting up with you.”
“Exactly. She’ll vouch for me. I’ll text you her number.”
“I am not calling your mother, Robertson.”
“We’re leaving,” I broke in before their petty squabble devolved into an outright argument. They were fun to watch, but it was clear Lucy was nowhere near giving in.
“Putting on my shoes,” Lucy said.
I hugged Violet, the last bit of tension dying out when she hugged me back fiercely. “I’m so glad you’re both okay. It must have been scary.”
“It was. But I knew Zach would come for me. And in the meantime, I had a garage full of weapons to defend myself.”
Violet shuddered. “I still can’t believe Jordan was involved in something that got him killed.”
“At least Jia won’t have to worry about Brandon burglarizing the house again.”
“Was she glad to see the kids?”
“Over the moon. Zach will never admit it, but I think even he cried a bit. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”
“He’s a softie. Especially when it comes to you.”
The gentle warning in her tone made me catch her eye.
“I love him.”
“And we all love you. Welcome to the family, Rae.”
Vi’s words were soft. Sincere. My eyes burned, washing away any lingering fears about being accepted into the Fenwick clan. I blinked rapidly.
“I couldn’t ask for a better one.”
A grin split her face. “You could, but you’re stuck with us now.”
She wrapped her arms around my shoulders in a second hug. I let myself sink into her soft embrace. Behind her, I caught a glimpse of Lucy mock-wiping a tear from her eye and mouthing, finally . Anya winked at me. I hadn’t just been forgiven. I’d been claimed .
Vi pulled back and looked me over. “Tell Zach that if he screws this up, he’s got four angry women coming for him.
Gran will even bring Thumper.” She cocked her head.
“Does Thumper count as five? I feel like her shotgun is definitely female. One in the throes of perimenopause. Thumper is forty-five if she’s a day. ”
I laughed, a full-body laugh that cracked something open in my chest, and followed Lucy outside. Zach was waiting on the edge of the porch. He tucked me beneath his arm, his dimple flashing down at me, and for the first time in a long while, I was exactly where I belonged.