Epilogue
TWO MONTHS LATER
Tanner
I’m shitting bricks. Chief calls out for me to enter, and I have to scrub my sweaty palms on the front of my pants before I grab the handle and open the door.
“You wanted to see me?”
“Tanner. Take a seat.”
His face gives nothing away. Fuck. The test was yesterday. Would they really have gone through them all already?
I clear my throat as I slide the chair out and drop into it. Chief’s stare is heavy, unblinking. He slides the test across the desk.
I know he wants me to take it, but I physically can’t. This is the very last position open for a year at least, and if I haven’t got it this time …
“Congratulations.”
“What?” I shoot to the edge of the chair and snatch the test up. Eighty-one percent. “Do—does this mean …” The rest of my question won’t come.
“The position is yours if you want it.”
“Shit.” My head drops into my hands as I try to keep myself steady. “Yes. Hell yes, please.”
Chief Lawson laughs at my enthusiasm before he calms and gives me a smile. “I’m glad to finally have you on board, Tanner. You’re going to give the rest of the guys a real kick up the ass.”
“I’ll definitely try.”
“And how are you doing with them? Any issues?”
It was weird at first. A few awkward moments, and some people are clearly a bit uncomfortable, but mostly they’ve all been the same as before.
“Everything’s great.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” We shake hands. “Let me know if you need anything or have any questions. You can come in on Monday to sign the paperwork.”
I walk out of the station like I could fucking fly, and then I swing by the apartment to pick up Roo.
As I pull up in the parking lot, he jogs to the car, waving a set of keys at me.
“Here they are,” he says as he jumps into the passenger seat.
We share a goofy smile. “We’re officially homeowners?”
He snorts. “I wouldn’t really call it a home.”
“Yet.”
“Yet.”
It takes ten minutes to drive out to Darby Lane, and I have to admit that Circus has the right idea living outside of town. We’re far enough here that I don’t feel like we’ll be living right on top of everyone else, but still close enough that we can stumble home together after way too many drinks.
“So … I spoke to the chief before I left.”
“Oh my God.” Roo spins to look at me. “And?”
My relieved smile is impossible to hold back. “I got it.”
“Tanner! Jesus.” He squeezes my thigh. “You did it.”
“I did. Thanks to you.”
“Nope. All thanks to you.” He links his fingers through mine and lifts my hand to his lips. “I’m so proud of you.”
My heart could burst.
I steer the truck down the long drive and pull up in front of the house.
It’s … a shithole.
I’m not totally convinced the whole thing doesn’t need to be pulled down, but Leon assured us it has good bones.
Roo jumps out of the truck, and we climb the front steps and cross the porch. He hands me the keys. I swear we both hold our breath as I unlock the house, then before Roo can take a step, I duck down and scoop him up into my arms.
“Please tell me you’re not going to carry me over the threshold.”
“Well, you won’t let me marry you, so this is the next best thing.”
“I said I would if you wanted to.”
I step into the house but don’t put him down. His hair has grown out longer, and I take a moment to study his face before coming to rest at the scar in front of his ear. “I don’t want to anymore.”
“You don’t?”
“Nope. It won’t make you happy. So instead, I’ll keep buying you cats, and houses for us to work on, and popcorn for you to hog. And you can keep getting up early for me, and coming on morning jogs into town”—Roo groans—“because we love each other.”
Roo wraps his hands around my neck as I put him down again. “We love each other. And our little Flame and Freckle.”
My lips twitch. “Yes, we love them too.”
He kisses me once, then pulls back, and we look around at the mess. Molding old carpet, chipped wooden panels, peeling ceiling paint.
“Well,” I say, “let’s get started so we can get home to our babies.”
“You know, it’s lucky we have forever.” Roo gives me a cheeky smile. “It looks like we’re going to need it.”