Chapter 49
FORTY-NINE
Bishop
“I know you were skeptical of date nights, but that was a dramatic way to try to get out of one,” I tease her. “I hope you know that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. I’ll just be rescheduling.”
“Bishop!” She gasps when she fully wakes from her nap as they wheel me into the hospital room.
“Hey, honey.”
“Are you okay? Everything’s okay, right?” She looks between me and the nurses.
“They’ve cleared him of the most serious possibilities.” The nurse nods. “Still have to keep you both for observation though.”
Relief floods her face, and her eyes fall over me. We’re both banged up pretty badly, but more or less all right otherwise. We just need a few weeks of rest and healing. Then we’ll be good as new. She reaches for my hand, and I take it, squeezing it tightly in mine.
“Are you really all right?” she asks, her eyes searching over me like she might be able to find something I won’t tell her about.
“I’m really all right. They just wanted to be extra thorough in their checkup.” I give her a smile, grateful to see her awake even if she is a little groggy. “How are you feeling?”
“Like hell, but happy to be alive and have you here. I talked to Fallon already. Did you see her?”
“Yeah. She gave me a big hug. I think I might have won points for saving her mom.”
“She was worried about you too, you know.” Aspen gives me a sympathetic look. “She asked about you and wanted to be sure you were okay when you were gone for testing.”
My heart warms at the thought of my family being safe, all of us having each other again, and only being a little bit worse for wear. The nurse helps me into my bed, giving me a lecture about taking it easy and allowing people to support me while I’m healing.
“I got that same talking to.” Aspen grins at the nurse and then me.
“You both should get some rest. You’ll need it to heal properly. Your body needs all the extra rest it can get if you want to go home sooner rather than later.” The nurse looks between us and gives us a warning look.
“Yes, well, I just got word our new home is ready. So the sooner the better.” I glance at the text on my phone from Anson. I have a feeling he hurried things along a little when he heard about everything that’s happened.
“Is it really?” Aspen’s face lights with the news.
“Anson just texted.” I hold up my phone to show her the text, with a photo of the homestead all finished and a bottle of champagne sitting on the counter for us.
“All right, well, in that case, sleep it is. I can’t wait to get home,” Aspen insists, grinning brightly.
It’ll take me some time before I don’t see her dangling from that rope or feel her shivering in my arms, probably even longer before I can think of Fallon going missing and not feel a pit in my stomach, but we’re on the track to being together again.
A family under one roof, and right now, that’s all I care about.
“I have something I need to show you.” Aspen looks at all of us gathered around the massive coffee table in the living room, scattered across chairs and couches and the floor. It’s me, her brothers, and their fiancées.
She holds up three keys, similar, almost identical, but clearly keyed to different locks when I look closer at them.
“What are these?” We’re home in the penthouse, still muddling through our early recovery period with Fallon’s help and our family stopping by regularly to check on us. I promised to take it easy as long as she did, and so far, we’ve both met the challenge.
“They were in the mine. On the hilt of the sword. I stuffed them into my pocket when I was down there working to get the sword out of the ice before anyone could see. Not that they could see much with how dark it was.”
“And you’re just telling us now?” Levi sits up straighter to get a better look at them.
“I honestly forgot at first, and when we were discharged, I promised I’d be good about recovery and call off work for a few weeks. If I told you, you’d be off to do research without me. I want to be part of it. I found them.”
She told me as soon as we’d gotten home, and I told her to give it a few days before she told everyone else.
“It’s my fault. I made her promise to take it easy,” I explain.
“As she should,” Grant agrees with my decision.
Levi takes one and turns it around in his palm. The light catches on the metal and glints off as we all study it.
“I recognize this style. Look.” Levi hands the key to Grant.
“Well, damn.” Grant smirks down at it and then hands it back to his sister.
“You recognize it?”
“They’re the keys the Heritage Bank in the Springs uses. For their safe deposit storage. I have one that I gave to Dakota.” He turns and smiles at her.
“Want to go tomorrow to see what they open?” Aspen’s eyes light with intrigue.
“Are you sure you’re ready for all of that? It hasn’t been that long.” Grant gives her a once-over.
“I’m being careful and not pushing it. Bishop can tell you.” She looks at me for support, and I nod.
“She’s been good. Resting and taking it easy. I think she’s earned a small outing.” I grin at her when she rolls her eyes at the idea that I actually get to give her permission on anything.
But I’m truly proud of how well she’s handled everything, giving herself time and space to work through her feelings, booking herself and me appointments with a therapist in addition to Fallon, and taking real time off from her lecturer job without letting herself feel guilty about what she’s missing.
“All right then. I’ll take us up there tomorrow. You want to come too?” Grant looks at me.
“Of course. If we can be back before Fallon gets home from school.” Aspen’s made it clear that she wants one of us home at all times for the short term, and Fallon’s not been arguing with her.
Going along with whatever Aspen asks of her.
I think she’s finally recognizing, after everything that’s happened, that her mom and I will do literally anything for her.
It won’t last forever. She’s a teenager after all, but I’m grateful for the reprieve while Aspen’s heart recovers from the physical and emotional toll the incident’s taken on her.
“We can do that. No problem,” Grant agrees.
“I’m coming too,” Levi volunteers.
“You’ll have to fill us all in when you get back.” Zephyrine looks at him. “I have several meetings tomorrow I can’t miss, but I’m dying to know where those lead.”
“You’ll be the first to know, sweetheart.” Levi kisses her temple and wraps his arm around her shoulders.
“Have you set a wedding date yet?” Aspen pipes up as she smiles at both of them.
“As your sister, I demand a wedding sooner rather than later. All of them, if it can be arranged. Life is way too short to waste time on perfect venues and flowers when you can just be with that person.” She gives Grant a pointed look.
“We were actually thinking the same thing,” Hazel agrees with her. “We were wondering if maybe you all wanted to just have a big old family wedding. All of us this summer on the ranch. We could shut everything down for a few days, just invite close friends and family, and have a big party.”
“I’d love that.” Zephyrine nods, smiling at Levi.
“Whatever you want.” Levi grins back.
“You know that I’m happy with anything and everything.” Dakota eyes Grant.
“She’s convinced me it’s what she wants.” Grant takes her hand in his and threads their fingers together.
“So it’s a done deal then? All of you getting married this summer?” Aspen looks at them like it’s too good to be true, but they all nod along.
“Oh my god. I can’t wait!” Aspen clasps her hands together and then leans into me, kicking her feet as she lets out a squeal of excitement.
“Assuming those keys don’t lead us down another rabbit hole.” Grant gives them another once-over.
“If they do, we’re just signing papers at the courthouse.” Dakota gives him a pointed look, and his concern morphs into another amused lopsided grin.
This family is the happiest they’ve been in my memory, and I’m hoping it lasts for another century at least.
Levi lingers behind after everyone else has dispersed and returns to his seat across from us in the living room.
“Jay’s daughter has invited us all to the memorial celebration next month. I can send you all the details if you’d like to attend,” Levi informs us.
“Absolutely. I want the chance to tell her in person again what he did in the end. The way he helped my daughter and tried to save my life. I know Grant isn’t completely settled on that, but I know Jay meant well.
He was trying to make up for the harm he caused before, however flawed he might have been.
” Aspen’s mood shifts from the happiness she had before to something more reflective.
“I’m still trying to forgive him myself, but I appreciate your feelings on the matter.” Levi solemnly nods along with Aspen’s take on the situation.
“Does she want his death investigated?” I ask the question we desperately need answered.
“No. Jay’s daughter and Zephyrine both expressed their desire as the surviving family that if the state doesn’t find reason to continue digging, they’re more than content with the initial findings.
They told them they don’t want to see additional lives put at risk to validate a truth that they already know,” Levi explains.
“The initial findings being that the mine collapsed in on the governor and his sons during a kidnapping and murder attempt, and Jay arrived on the scene to try to rescue his niece and succumbed to his injuries in the accident?” I reiterate the information I’ve been given so far.
“Yes. The deputy sheriff seems keen to let sleeping dogs lie on this, and I’m hoping that with all the circumstantial evidence and the family’s sentiments, we’ll be able to move on from all of this soon. I know rehashing it over and over isn’t helping you or Fallon.” Levi looks at his sister.
“I’m fine. I can talk to them as many times as they need.” Aspen’s eyes meet mine, and then they’re back on her brother. “But I do worry about Fallon and Bishop. They’ve been through enough; they don’t need more at their door.”
“I’m fine, honey.” I reach over and sweep my thumb over the back of her hand, squeezing it in reassurance.
“I can take a few interrogations.” She’s been worried since the first day that the investigation would somehow frame me as a vigilante.
“I imagine the deputy sheriff wants to put this one behind him without expending additional resources. And given how many people the governor and his sons hurt, no one seems particularly interested in trying to prove them innocent against all evidence to the contrary.”
“Exactly,” Levi agrees with my sentiments.
“What about the abbey and curators? They’re not punishing Zephyrine for not being able to retrieve the sword?”
“No. A representative came out this week so Zephyrine could show them the mine and explain the situation in person. They agreed that the mine collapse was well beyond her control, and they’re not expecting to have her pursue it further.
‘An act of God’ was noted a few times in the conversation.
And the nuns are more than happy with the donations we’ve made to repair the damage her father and his men caused, and we put an additional research stipend forward in her maternal grandfather’s name for any art history students who want to conduct additional research on the collection. ”
“Good. Good.” Aspen nods. “I’m so glad to hear that she’s able to move on—both of you. And I’m so excited that you’ve decided to go ahead with the wedding too.”
“What are we going to do when we’re all boring, married-and-settled-down types?” Levi grins at Aspen and me.
“Find some new hobbies, I suppose,” Aspen teases him. “And honestly, with the right person, it still keeps you on your toes.” She looks over at me, and I swear that woman still makes my heart pound from just a smile. I kiss the back of her hand and flash her a grin in return.
“Anything but boring,” I agree.