Epilogue
“This one has a better view,” Alex said.
“The other one had security gates.”
“We can put security gates on this one.”
“The other one put more distance between us and the neighbors.”
“This is sitting on three acres!”
Alex and Hawk stood outside of the Malibu home overlooking the infinity pool that gave way to the Pacific Ocean below. The bright blue water danced in the sunlight and instantly put Alex at ease.
The ocean had been her comfort place since that awful day.
So, when the time finally came for her and Hawk to pick out a new home, they both chose an ocean-view home.
“If this is the one you like.” Hawk put his arm around her shoulders.
She placed one around his waist. “No, you’re right about the neighbors.”
“This has plenty of room.”
Alex pulled away just enough to give him an evil eye. “You liked this one more the whole time.”
He shrugged. “What can I tell you? I like arguing with my fiancée.”
Alex started pushing him toward the pool.
Hawk locked his feet in place and grasped her around her waist to avoid getting wet. “I go, you go.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and stopped struggling.
Once Alex was ready to return to the office, Hawk had booked a trip for them in Sedona.
Instead of taking the plane, they’d packed the car, stopped at a convenience store to stock up on road-trip-appropriate food, and hit the trail.
As Hawk had told her afterward, if you could road-trip together without a major fight, you were meant to be.
They spent time hiking and wine tasting ... sitting in a hot tub and soaking up the brilliance that was the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona.
As their last adventure before heading home, Hawk booked a hot air balloon excursion.
The ride included a photographer and their pilot.
As they climbed up in the wide open, quiet sky ... with only the sound of the gas escaping into the massive balloon to keep it in the air, Hawk went down on one knee.
She stood there speechless and staring with her mouth open in a perfect O . And Hawk said things Alex would never forget.
“I didn’t see you coming. I never saw myself as husband material.
And then you showed up ... sweet at first and then kicking and screaming.
Pushing every time I pulled and pulling every time I pushed.
I cannot give you the things you can give yourself.
I don’t have an airplane to take you to far-off places.
Or a mansion to hide you away from the evil in this world.
But I do have me. My love ... my dedication and commitment to making you the happiest woman in the world.
I’ll hold you when you’re sad, stand beside you when you’re strong, and carry you when you’re weak.
But most important ... I will love you, Alexandrea.
The way you deserve to be loved, from this day to my last .
.. if you’ll let me. Let me be your forever Viking.
Marry me, Alex. Please tell me you’ll marry me. ”
He opened the box he had in his hand, and a beautiful oval diamond sat on a delicate leaf design of rose gold.
And it was perfect.
By now, the tears were flowing, and her head bobbed on her shoulders like a toy. “Yes, yes, yes.”
The rest of the balloon ride was a blur.
But Alex knew this ... she would never again look to the sky, see a hot air balloon, and not think of that day ... and her Viking.
And now that same man teasing her for the sake of teasing, and she couldn’t be happier.
“I think we found our house,” she said, smiling.
“I do, too.”
Alex lifted on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.
He held the back of her head and prolonged their kiss until mouths opened and tongues were involved.
When he pulled away, she bit her lower lip and dug her fingertips into his chest. “We’ll finish that later.”
“Yes, we will.” Hawk turned to the view once again.
Alex lifted her hand. “Give me your phone. Let’s take a picture to send to the family.”
Hawk did as she asked, and Alex turned the camera around to take a selfie.
She moved Hawk to the right ... then the left, until the pool and ocean were behind them.
She snapped a couple of pictures.
“One more.”
They smiled into the lens.
And before Hawk could say oops, Alex pressed her hand into his chest and shoved.
Hawk hit the pool with a “Whoop.”
He came up laughing.
Alex doubled over at the look of him, fully clothed, treading water in a pool they didn’t yet own. “You know, honey. You have zero situational awareness.” She snapped her fingers in the air. “Gotta be on your toes around me.”
He swam to the edge.
She focused his camera and captured the moment.
“I’ll get you for that.”
“Bring it, big boy.”
He swiped at her leg.
She easily jumped out of his way.
The splash of water wasn’t avoidable, and the front of her quickly looked a whole lot like him.
Hawk pulled himself out of the pool and looked at his feet.
One shoe was missing.
Alex couldn’t stop laughing.
He lowered his head and started stalking her way.
She backed up slowly. “You’ll ruin your phone.”
“I’ll buy another one.”
She turned to run, he gave chase and caught her in a few feet. He half carried her back to the pool.
“Don’t, don’t. Uncle.”
“You want me to show mercy?”
“I’ll make it worth your while,” she negotiated, still giggling so much that her stomach hurt.
Hawk stopped. “Fine. I won’t throw you in.”
She sighed.
And Hawk threw his arms around her and soaked her to the bone with his wet clothes.
She was struggling to get away, both of them laughing like kids on a playground, when the real estate agent stepped out of the house and cleared her throat.
The look of shock put Alex and Hawk back into hysterics.
“We’ll take this one,” Hawk announced.
The agent shook her head and walked back inside. “I’ll write up the offer.”
Hawk turned Alex around and held her from behind.
Every inch of her was wet.
“We’re going to have the best life,” he announced.
“We already do.”
The day the FBI put their investigation to rest and the restrictions on Aaron Stone’s estate were lifted, two things happened.
First, the Beverly Hills estate was put on the market.
Their time in the mansion together as a family was something they’d all cherish.
Regardless of the circumstances that put them there, Alex, Chase, and Max bonded like siblings should in that time.
And even though the ghost of Aaron Stone no longer haunted them in that space, none of them wanted to keep it.
And the second thing that happened was the unexpected trip to visit their dad.
Wineglasses in hand, they stood in silence.
Hawk stood at Alex’s side, Chase by Piper’s, and Max by Sarah’s.
Hailey slept in the stroller with Kit standing guard.
And Aaron Stone’s grave sat in complete concrete stillness. There was no evidence of anyone visiting. No dead flowers to pull away, no memento of memories and love set atop.
Just the man’s name with the dates of his existence in this world. No loving this or dedicated that.
The Stone children all had something they wanted to say.
Chase started. His eyes on the grave, his fingers cradled in Piper’s.
“I sat through your funeral listening to the drivel pouring from the mouths of the people who knew you. Or thought they knew you. Only none of them did. They didn’t know the lengths to which your selfishness reached.
Or the depth of disregard for the people you brought into this world.
None of your wives mourned you. And now none of your employees look back at your leadership as anything but a veil to hide your sins.
I have this amazing woman and beautiful daughter, and I’m happy that they don’t have to endure your hate and selfishness.
I have two things I’m thankful for that came from you. ”
Alex squeezed Hawk’s hand.
“That you died when you did, giving me the urgency to find Piper ... and telling us about Max.”
Chase looked up.
Max nodded his gratitude.
“He’s pretty fucking amazing.”
Max took a breath.
Blew it out.
It was Max’s turn. “Chase has enough hate for both of us. I am thankful. But not for your money and certainly not your name. You gave me something money can’t buy.
You gave me a family in your death. And that’s all that truly matters.
Too bad you never saw that. I, too, am happy you died when you did.
Chase, Alex, and I can live the majority of our lives knowing each other.
Instead of waiting until you were eighty and we’d only have a handful of years left. ”
Sarah took hold of Max’s arm and buried her head into it.
Hawk looked at Alex and offered a nod of support.
“All I ever wanted from you was love. But the only thing you loved was you. Power, money ... you. I can’t help but feel that leaving us your world was not the benefit it appeared to be, but a curse.
You gave us everything, and at the same time, you knew we could lose it all because of your actions.
Your circle of friends and enemies put targets on our backs.
My back. All those years, I pined for your attention, and when I got it, it nearly killed me.
But you did love your company. And secretly knew that Chase and I would search out Max because we’re decent people.
It’s true that none of us would be here without you.
We wouldn’t have our partners at our sides.
And that, Aaron Stone, is the only reason we’re here today.
The only thank you you’ll receive from us. ”
Alex lifted her glass. “To Aaron Stone. A terrible father, disgusting human, narcissistic, egocentric, womanizing piece of dirt that did one thing right.” Alex stopped looking at the tombstone and glanced between her brothers, her sisters-in-law, and Hawk.
“He brought us together. It’s time to look to our future and put our yesterdays behind us. ”
Chase lifted his glass. “I can drink to that.”
“So can I,” Max said.
They turned away from their father’s grave without a backward glance.
For Alex, her heart was clear. The hate and disappointment of the father who couldn’t love didn’t fill the space it once had.
Hawk kept an arm over her shoulder, kissed her head. “I love you.”
“I love you,” she whispered back.
“How much was this bottle?” Sarah asked, sipping the wine as they walked away.
Alex looked in the glass and shrugged. “Twenty bucks.”
Piper started to giggle.
Chase joined ... and before they knew it, the cemetery was filled with laughter.