Epilogue
It was the most gorgeous June Sunday afternoon that Chloe could orchestrate on her island. Everything was bright and green and sunny.
A month of intense dating had been just what the doctor ordered. Her memories of Davin were completely intact and all she wanted was to make more.
They were in her mom and dad’s backyard, her dad grilling steaks and her mom claiming she just had to grab ‘one more thing’ from the house.
“Didn’t we help her grab everything?” Chloe asked Davin.
He shook his head and smiled. “I thought so, but maybe we need to bring out the linen napkins.” He winked. They loved to tease her mom about trying to use her mother’s china at a picnic.
Her mom appeared at the sliding glass door and yelled, “I found the ‘one more thing’.”
“Okay, Mom, calm down,” Chloe said, winking at her dad as Davin squeezed her hand.
Her mom sashayed out, tugging … Cassie behind her.
“Sis!” Chloe screamed. She ran across the grass, colliding with her little sister. The safety of home and connection of family overwhelmed her. They hugged until her dad pulled them apart to claim his own hug.
“She’s here! I can’t believe she’s here,” Chloe exclaimed to Davin. Then, to her mom, “You knew?”
Her mom grinned. “Well, it’s kind of a big day.”
“What?” Chloe wasn’t certain what was special about today and besides, what kind of big day would bring Cassie home? Her sister hadn’t been home in almost a year. She’d missed Christmas even. Cassie avoided the island, mostly because of Adam Campbell.
When her dad and Cassie pulled apart, Davin stepped up to Chloe and extended his hand. “It’s an honor to officially meet you, Cassie.”
“No handshakes, you awkward author, you.” Cassie grinned and hugged him.
“He’s not awkward,” Chloe said. “Only at romance.”
Cassie laughed and her mom pulled a face.
“Not with you,” Davin said, stepping back and sliding his arm around her.
“True.” She arched up and gave him a soft kiss.
“Okay, you two, cool it for a minute,” her dad warned, shaking his spatula at them. He hurried back to the grill. “I’ve got to rescue my steaks.”
They all laughed.
“What brought you home, sis? What’s so special about today?” Chloe was thrilled to have her sister home but didn’t think this Sunday had any special significance.
“You know what today is?” Davin asked.
“No.”
“It’s Officer Adam Campbell’s birthday.”
Chloe laughed while Cassie’s face tightened. “Davin and Adam are best friends now and weightlifting buddies since they fought together and Adam took a bullet for us.”
“He saved our lives,” Davin said. “He’s the best of men.”
“I don’t know that I’d go ‘best of men’,” Cassie said coolly, “but maybe he earned some redemption saving your lives.”
“Maybe you could forgive him for cheating on you with Robinette in high school,” Chloe suggested, knowing Adam wanted Cassie to give him another chance.
Cassie didn’t miss a beat. “Would you forgive your man for being with Robinette?”
She smiled at Davin. “Yeah, I would.”
“Okay, first of all … I was never with Robinette.” Davin shook his head in mock disgust.
“I know.”
“Second of all.” He winked as he turned to face her, taking both of her hands in his. “I love you.”
Chloe grinned. Saying ‘I love you’ was a big step they’d mastered last week. She was so in love. “I love you too.”
“Third of all, do you know why today is really special? Besides my best buddy’s birthday.” Davin beamed at her, his eyes more blue than gray.
Chloe looked around at her family. Her dad had shut off the grill, hung up his spatula, and put his arm around her mom, risking the steaks not being cooked correctly. Cassie was smiling brightly and tears were running down her mom’s face. She focused back on Davin. “I … no.”
He released one hand, dropped to his knee, and pulled a glittering solitaire diamond from his pants pocket. “‘I’m gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse.’”
“Oh, Davin,” she gasped, putting a hand to her heart.
“Did he just quote The Godfather in a marriage proposal?” Cassie whispered.
“Shh,” their mom said.
“Today is special because it’s the day I tell you that I can’t live without you.” Davin swallowed, his eyes suspiciously bright. “Fourth of all … will you marry me, Chloe?”
“’Wait … you want to marry me?’” she asked, quoting 10 Things I Hate About You.
“Chloe,” her mom reprimanded as Cassie laughed.
Davin grinned. “‘When you know, you know.’”
Chloe laughed, tugged him to his feet, and kissed him deeply. “First of all,” she whispered against his lips, “Yes.”
He whooped, slid the ring on her finger, and kissed her. Her family cheered around them and electricity sparkled in the air, a happy storm brewing inside them.
Davin drew back. “Second of all?”
“What?” she asked, laughing.
“You can’t have a first of all and not follow it up with a second of all.”
“Second of all, ‘you had me at hello.’” Chloe entangled her hands in his thick hair. “Third of all, you’d better kiss me again, or I’ll say no.”
“‘Love has given me wings, so I must fly.’” He quoted A Knight’s Tale and she loved that they’d come full circle with their movie quotes.
Then Davin bent her low. As the magic of his kiss surrounded her, Chloe knew she’d never doubt again.
* * *
Thank you for reading Chloe and Davin’s sweet and suspenseful romance. I loved them! The ‘practicing romance’ and all the fun movie quotes were so fun to write.
If you were intrigued by Sheriff Jaxon Bradley keep reading for an excerpt of The Charming Sheriff.
I promise Officer Adam Campbell and Chloe’s sister Cassie’s story is coming. It will be The Redeemed Prodigal, Shadow Cove Secrets #5.
Hugs and thanks for the support,
Cami
Excerpt - The Charming Sheriff - Shadow Cove Secrets #2
Sheriff Jaxon Bradley sauntered along Main Street of Shadow Cove Island on a bright June afternoon. This was his island and these people were his to protect and serve. He loved them, and of course they idolized him. What could they possibly not love about their hero and guardian?
The only island residents who weren’t his number one fans were the women he’d dated and chosen not to pursue a relationship with.
He supposed that would be tough to deal with and tried to show compassion and keep his distance, but not everybody could get their heart’s greatest wish.
He should know. His had ferried away from the island twelve years ago, her sights set on the mainland, and she’d never returned.
“Morning, Obachan Kanzaki.” He raised his hand to the eighty-something angel who brought her famed chocolate chip cookies into the station so often he had to add a second workout in some days.
Everyone called the diminutive sweetheart ‘Obachan’, he believed it meant grandmother in Japanese as her actual given name was Sakura.
Coincidentally she was grandmother to the only female he’d imagined he loved and could spend a lifetime loving.
A too-smart-for-all-of-them lady who had ditched him and the island and never looked back.
He shoved Maho’s memory from his mind. Something he was usually able to do.
Only failing when he was at home alone, working on his house, on a run, hike, or bike ride, swimming in the ocean or surfing, lifting weights, driving his truck, captaining his boat, fishing . .. Pretty impressive self control.
Maho was the one who’d gotten away. The only woman he’d met who he thought he could love for a lifetime.
He wanted to scoff at his sappy thoughts.
He and Maho had grown up together, been part of a fun friend group throughout high school, had a lot of shared adventures and laughs, and one dynamic kiss.
Jaxon, and the kiss, obviously hadn’t been enough to tempt her to stay.
He’d planned the kiss to end all kisses on the night of their high school graduation.
Take her down to the dock. Check. Look her deeply in the eyes.
Check. Tell her he had a purezento or gift for her.
Check. On a side note he’d learned how to say the word on YouTube then practiced until he had it down.
Give her the most incredible kiss of the century and romantically, tenderly, and sincerely ask her to ‘Stay’. Check.
Everything went according to plan. Until she’d rejected him and his island.
Maho’s dreams had always been much bigger than the island.
As a cocky eighteen year old he couldn’t understand that.
He understood it better now, still not completely.
To him this thirty mile long by twenty mile wide island was heaven on earth.
Last he’d heard Maho had graduated at the top of her class from the University of Utah and was a gut-health specialist practicing in San Francisco.
Even that close, a four hour drive, and an hour ferry ride, and she never came by to visit.
Obachan went to see her in San Francisco or met her in Eureka.
She also flew to see her grandson in Salt Lake City. Koji was a heart surgeon. They were both brilliant, and in Jaxon’s mind entitled, grandchildren, forcing the sweet eighty-year old standing in front of him to travel to them. He scowled.
“Don’t you try and get away with only raising a hand in greeting to me. And wipe that frown off your face, Miryokuteki Akuma.” Obachan shook a finger at him.
He grinned. She was a spitfire. He loved it.
“Yoriyoi. Better.” Her face transformed into a beautiful smile, lines in all the right places to show she’d lived a full and happy life.
Even with the tragedies of losing her husband, son-in-law, and daughter, and her grandchildren deserting her, she smiled infinitely more than she frowned.
Sadly Obachan’s smile reminded him of the fifty-year younger version.
Her beautiful granddaughter’s smile was even more compelling to him.
“Now you get that big, tough body over here and give me a love,” Obachan commanded.
Jaxon chuckled, and complied, bending low to hug the small lady. She smelled like brown sugar and chocolate. He loved her nurturing personality and scent.