Epilogue
RONAN
“Look at all the dogs!”
Haley tugs on my arm to get my attention. “You didn’t say there would be this many dogs,” she accuses. “You said it was a party for the Guardians.”
Angel answers before I can. “Well, a lot of the team members have dogs, Hale. You know that. Plus, Gage and Rory run the dog shelter. Wouldn’t it make sense to have dogs here?”
“Hmm.” Haley looks around Enzo’s yard, where there must be at least a half-dozen dogs scattered around.
Some of them are leashed, like Rory and Gage’s new puppy, Champ.
The older and more well-trained dogs are exploring on their own, safe within the confines of the fence Enzo put up just for the occasion.
“I don’t want people worrying about their dogs running off,” he explained when he recruited us all to help. “And it’s hard to eat when you’re attached to a leash. This way, everyone can relax. Plus, with Nina being so active, it’ll be good to have a fenced-in yard for her to play in.”
It feels like just yesterday that Nina was born. And now she’s two. Sometimes it’s hard to believe how time has flown and how much our lives have changed.
Five years ago, Green Mountain Guardians was just taking off. And now we’re here, celebrating its anniversary.
Five years ago, we were just five vets at loose ends, dealing with shit from our pasts; brought together by a spark of an idea.
Five years ago, I don’t think any of us could have imagined how things would turn out.
“I guess that’s true,” Haley concedes. She leans down to pat Murphy’s head. “I’m glad we can have dogs here. So Murph doesn’t have to be home by himself.”
I smile at Haley. “Me too, Speedy. I think dogs should be allowed at all parties. Don’t you?”
“Definitely.” She looks around again. “I see Max with Bandit and Charlie. And there are Comet and Rusty.” As she continues surveying the yard, Haley points at Gage and Rory. “Look. They have all four of their dogs here.”
A beat later, Haley’s eyes brighten. “Maybe we should get another dog. That would only make two. That’s way less than four.”
Angel shoots me a quick, amused glance. “I think one dog is plenty, Haley. For now, at least. Maybe when you’re a little older—”
“Mom.” Haley puts her hands on her hips. “I’m ten. That’s not a little kid anymore. Next year, I’ll be in middle school. That’s plenty old enough to take care of a dog myself.”
This isn’t the first time Haley’s mentioned getting another dog. Not that she doesn’t love Murphy—the two of them are practically inseparable—but she’s of the mind that if one dog is good, two would be even better.
“How about we talk about it when you’re in middle school?” Angel suggests. “Like you said, that’s not too far away. And if you’re still set on it by then…” She raises her eyebrows at me in a silent question.
“I’d be okay with it,” I say. “Middle school sounds like a good plan.”
Angel slips her hand into mine and smiles. “So there you have it.”
I’m still not used to being a part of decisions like this. But I can’t deny liking it. Even though I’m not technically Haley’s father, over the last year, I’ve felt more and more like it.
In March, Angel and Haley moved in with me, and that made a big difference.
When the topic of moving in together came up, I offered to sell my house and move into theirs.
But Angel was firm. “Your house is newer,” she explained.
“It has more property. More privacy. It’s still in Haley’s school district, so she won’t have to change schools.
And I think it’s time to start making some new memories in a new home.
I talked to Haley about it, and she agreed. ”
Though Angel didn’t say it then, I think she still felt uneasy living at her house. The memories of what Sharon did were still too fresh. Despite the additional security we added, she never felt completely safe.
So I was glad to have Angel and Haley move in with me. We did some renovations, added stairs and walled in the loft so it could be Haley’s official bedroom, turned my office into an art studio for Angel, and before I knew it, it was as if they’d always lived there.
Once we were all living together, it just made sense for me to take a more active role in parenting.
As long as I’m not out on a job, I pick Haley up from school.
When Angel is at one of her evening art classes in Montpelier, Haley and I make dinner together and I help her with her homework.
Over time, Haley’s come to me with more things, whether it’s advice about something that happened at school or permission to do something with one of her friends.
Angel doesn’t mind. She knows how much I love Haley and that I’ll always do what’s best for her.
As for Justin? As he promised, he’s not trying to be Haley’s parent.
He never pushed for custody. He didn’t orchestrate convenient run-ins in town so he could see her.
Although I was highly skeptical of his motives to start, he’s actually proven himself at his word.
He’s been paying Angel back for the child support he missed.
He’s waited for her to say when and where he can see Haley.
And, most importantly in my book, he testified against his mother in court to make absolutely sure she wouldn’t be a threat to Angel again.
He’s never going to be a father figure to Haley. And he said he’s okay with that. He claims he’ll take whatever relationship they can have, even if it’s just as a family friend.
At first, I was uneasy about it. I didn’t trust him. I didn’t want him around Haley or Angel. But over the last ten months, I’ve slowly come around. I still don’t like him. I don’t think I ever will. But I don’t think he’ll do anything to hurt them, either.
That doesn’t mean I’m not keeping an eye on him. Or that his apartment in St. Johnsbury isn’t under constant surveillance—not that he knows that. I’m a protector through and through, and when it comes to the people I love most in the world? There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to keep them safe.
“Mom. Who is that?” Haley points at a curly-haired woman talking to Gage and Rory. She has a dog, too, but this one is sticking close rather than running around, playing with the other dogs.
“Haley Jean.” Angel’s voice is gently stern. “Don’t point at people like that. You know better.”
Haley ducks her head. “Sorry.” Then she flashes me this hilarious busted look that never fails to make me laugh. “Who’s the lady with the pretty hair and the cute dog?”
“That’s Melissa,” I answer. “She’s friends with Rory and Gage. She lives in New York, but she’s visiting for the party.”
“Oh.” Haley studies her for another second. Then she looks at Angel. “Can I make my hair curly like that? One of the girls in my class told me about this thing called a permanent? Her mom gets them? And they make your hair curly all the time?”
“Your hair is beautiful just as it is,” Angel says, giving Haley’s long hair an affectionate stroke. “But if you want to try curling it with a curling iron, we can do that.”
Haley beams at her. “Awesome!” Then she spots Knox and Lark walking through the gate with their two foster kids, Michael and Maddie. “I’m going to say hi to Maddie. Okay?”
Maddie is eight—almost nine, she’s always quick to remind—and Michael is seven.
Knox and Lark got custody of them back in February, and they’re in the process of adopting.
Haley immediately took Maddie under her wing, and they’ve become fast friends.
Michael is pretty much glued to Knox’s side, and he loves going on the simpler construction jobs with him.
“Okay,” Angel tells Haley. “Tell her I said hi, too. And tell Knox and Lark that we’ll catch up with them later.”
“Okay.” Haley speeds off without a second glance at us.
Angel laughs. “Well. Not even here fifteen minutes and she’s ditched us.”
I hug Angel to my side and kiss her cheek. “She’ll be back. And in the meantime, that gives me more time with her gorgeous mother.” Turning her in my arms, I kiss her again, this time more deeply. Desire ignites, and I feel the familiar throb of need building.
“There are kids here, you know,” a teasing voice says from behind us, and I reluctantly end the kiss before turning around. It’s my old Delta teammate, Nash, who recently retired from the Army and is now living out near Boston.
He flashes a wolfish grin before clapping my shoulder. “Good to see you, man.”
I pull him in for a quick hug. “You too. Glad you could make it.” Angel hasn’t met him yet—although she’s heard about all my old teammates—so I add, “Angel, this is Nash. You’ve heard me talk about him.”
Nash extends his hand to her. “Not too many bad things, I hope.”
“Not at all.” She takes his hand and smiles. “I was hoping I’d get to meet more of Ronan’s friends.”
“I’m happy I could make it,” he replies. “Looks like you’ve got a good crowd here.” His gaze sweeps across the yard. “Is that Hawk I see? And Rhiannon?”
I nod. “Yeah. They used to be on the same GB team as Knox. But you knew that, I’m sure.”
“Right.” Nash’s expression turns thoughtful. “Great to see some familiar faces. Aside from yours, of course.” As he continues surveying the scene, his face jolts in surprise. “Shit, I didn’t know Jackson and Nora had a baby. When did that happen?”
I look over at Gage’s old Night Stalker buddy and his wife, who used to be on the same GB team as Enzo. “Not long ago. A few months, I think?”
“That’s crazy,” Nash says. “You guys all settled and shit.”
“Yeah.” Hugging Angel to my side, I add, “It does feel crazy sometimes. But a good kind of crazy.”
“Who’s crazy? Nash?” Another old friend from the Army, Devin, and his wife, Mal, join our little group. Devin raises his eyebrows at Nash. “Getting into trouble again, Slash?”
Nash gives Devin a friendly punch on the arm. “Hardly. I’ve left those days behind.”
“Slash?” Angel looks puzzled. “I thought you said Nash?”
“I did,” I explain. “But we all had nicknames back when we served. Mine was Irish.”