by Taylor Dean
“Thank you, Rebecca. So kind of you.” His voice is filled with sarcasm and steel. “I knew you’d be happy for me.”
Jace is scaring me. He’s unmoving, glaring at her with hatred, and I swear fire would come out of his eyes if he were able to make it happen.
She knows we know. How can she not?
“Of course,” she says coolly, regaining her equilibrium. “So happy for you.”
I aim to knock her off balance.
“Thank you,” I say with a shy laugh. I look up at Jace and his face softens as he looks at me. We share a quick kiss. “I’m so happy. I’ll never be done with him.” I look back at her, meeting her squarely in the eyes, and I let my smile go from huge . . . to hard and flat in one second.
I know Jace is doing the same next to me. We stare at her with the coldest, iciest, chilliest glares we can possibly give her.
And we break her. Her eyes vacillate between us and then drop to her desk. Her cheeks flush and her breathing is a little uneven.
She swallows and lifts her chin up defensively in an effort to regain control. “Thanks for stopping in.”
A little bead of perspiration forms on her upper lip and her hands tremble ever so slightly.
“Until next time, Rebecca,” Jace says. “I don’t doubt I’ll see you again.”
We stare her down for at least thirty more seconds, a united front. Then a tall man rushes into the office and breaks the spell.
“Hey Jace, I just heard the news. Congrats, buddy!”
We turn to the man, our smiles back in place, our eyes soft, and our hearts full. The moment is over and maybe Rebecca’s wondering if she imagined it, but I doubt it.
Let her wonder.
“I had to stop in and introduce my beautiful wife to everyone.” Jace hugs me even tighter.
When I glance back at Rebecca’s desk, she’s gone.
We laugh and joke with several more people in the office before taking our leave. Many also ask after Jace’s mother and he lets them know of her progress.
Jace had some good friends in that office and I imagine it was hard for him to leave and move to Sweetwater. But I’d venture to say that it’s the best decision he’s ever made.
For me and for himself.
WE’RE BOTH UNNATURALLY quiet as we walk back to our hotel. Jace holds my hand tightly, but I know he’s engrossed in deep introspection. I let him have the time he needs to process what just happened.
When we come across a restaurant with a semi-private outdoor space, he asks if I’d like to stop. I say yes.
We sit across from one another, sipping our sodas and snacking on an appetizer, when he finally breaks his silence.
“I regret nothing.”
I love that that’s the first thing that comes out of his mouth. I take a bite of bruschetta and say, “Facing her wasn’t what I expected. To use a common saying, she’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
“Agreed. I know we tipped her off that we’re on to her and that might mean she’ll be careful for a while and lessen the chance of being caught in the act. If it saves someone from going through what I went through, then I don’t care.”
“Eventually she’ll do it again. And there will come a time when the wrong person is watching and she will get caught. I know it will happen. We just have to wait for it.”
“I’m willing to wait it out. I agree, she’ll slip up again.” He pauses, appearing hesitant. “How do you feel about meeting with a private investigator while we’re here? I’d like to talk to him face to face. Once he’s on the case, I want to put it out of my mind and not think about it.”
I try not to react with too much enthusiasm. I want this to be his venture. I don’t want him to do it just for me, I want him to do it for himself. He’d already agreed to this route, but I know he wasn’t terribly thrilled about it. Now he’s fired up and ready to take it on himself and nothing makes me happier.
Justice will never take away the wound. But it will sure put a band-aid on it and give him a modicum of peace.
“Shay?”
“Sorry, I was lost in thought. Yes, absolutely. I think that’s a wise thing to do with our time while we’re here.”
“Have I mentioned that I love you and that you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my entire life? I’ve never felt so proud as I did today when I had you at my side.”
He takes me off guard and I smile from ear to ear.
His eyes glitter. “How about we blow this joint, go back to our hotel, and resume our honeymoon?”
“I think I love you.”
“That’s our song, sweetheart. And it plays in my mind constantly.” He stands and takes my hand in his. “By the way, I think I’ve grown fond of you too.”
We laugh as we walk down the street, hand in hand.
You know what I think? I think we’re going to have a really good and amazingly incredible life together.
EPILOGUE
Three Years Later
“C’MON IN,” STONY says as he opens the door. “Everyone’s around the pool and we’re just about to throw some burgers on the grill.”
Brit runs to Stony and hugs him tightly. “Where’s Sophie?”
“Don’t know anyone named Sophie around here, but there’s a water nymph in my pool and she refuses to get out.”
Brit giggles adorably and runs for the pool.
“Don’t worry,” Stony tells me. “Grayson is acting as lifeguard right now. She’s fine.”
I love how strict Stony and Spencer are with their pool. Whenever we have a get together, there is always one person designated to act as the lifeguard the entire time. They have above door locks on every single door that leads to the courtyard where the pool is located so children can’t inadvertently sneak out. When no one is swimming they have a pool cover in place that an adult could technically walk on and supposedly they won’t fall in the water, although I’ve never tested it. For added safety, Stony also installed a white iron fence around the perimeter of the pool. Just for good measure, they put Sophie in swimming lessons at a very early age and the girl can already swim like a fish. Not only that, she loves the water. I think she’d spend all day, every day in the pool if they let her. Brit loves it too and is a good little swimmer as well. Put those two together and they entertain themselves for hours in the water.
“Hey, little man.” Stony holds out his arms and our cute little son, Cade, goes to him easily. He’s eighteen months old now and I adore him.
We didn’t end up having a honeymoon baby. Much to our dismay, it took longer than we thought to conceive. It turned out for the best though. Jace and I needed some time to establish ourselves as a couple and we ended up being thankful for the time we had without the concern of pregnancy. That being said, we were over the top excited when we found out I was expecting our little Cade. He’s such a bundle of joy and has brought nothing but happiness to our family.
As we go out onto the patio, I see Mia holding her daughter, Ava, in the pool. Spencer is sitting on a patio chair, covered with a light blanket and I know she’s nursing her new baby girl, Sienna.
Jace chases after Cade when he wiggles free from Stony’s arms, leaving me and Stony to observe the scene in front of us. Joel is sitting at the edge of the pool with Grayson. Blake and his girlfriend join them, rolling up their pants and soaking their feet. Blake surprised us all when he started dating a pretty brunette named Toni. Jace says she talks too much, and she does, but we all love her anyway. She’s friendly and sweet. Last I heard, they’re discussing marriage. Kudos to Blake. I thought he’d never marry.
Irene, Mom, and Tess are sitting in the shade talking, looking empty without babies on their laps.
Stony puts his arm around me. “Our family is growing, huh?”
“It sure is. We’re becoming quite the crowd. Pretty soon we’re going to have a swarm of little children running around out here and we’re going to be outnumbered.”
I’m due with our next baby in six m
onths and Mia’s due with their second in just three short months.
“Things are about to get crazy.” Stony shakes his head as Mom steals Cade from Jace. She covers his face with kisses and he squeals and flails as he objects. “Maybe they already are.”
Cade is the only boy so far and even though he doesn’t care about being surrounded by girls right now, I know he will one day. Mia already knows they are having a boy next. That’ll help balance the scales around here. I’m excited to find out what we’ll be having next.
“How’s little Sienna doing?”
“She’s a good baby. Sleeping through the night already.”
“Spencer seems to be doing well.”
“She is. A normal night’s sleep does wonders.”
“We’re really lucky, aren’t we?”
“That we are, Shay. That we are.”
Spencer approaches and gives me a quick side hug. “Hello, Shay.” Then she hands Sienna to Stony. She kisses him lightly on the lips. “I’ll put the finishing touches on the side dishes, then we’ll be ready to grill.”
I watch my brother cradle his daughter in his arms and my heart is full. Sienna is already just as blond as Sophie and Spencer. I have to say, Stony looks like one happy man when he’s surrounded by his blond beauties. I love seeing my brother so content with life.
I glance back at the pool and hear Grayson talking to Ava.
“Who loves the water? Does Ava love the water? Yes, she does. My baby girl loves the water.”
Who would have thought that Grayson would be such a baby talker? He’s quite besotted with Ava and loses the ability to talk like a man when he’s with her. Jace and I find it amusing. I’m not going to lie, Jace likes to imitate him sometimes and it gives us both a good giggle. Underneath the buff army-man exterior is a total softie and it’s adorable.
Ava decides she’s done being in the water at that point and Grandma Irene rushes to the side of the pool to take her from Mia. Mia looks happy to have some time to soak in the pool on her own and let the buoyancy of the water support her growing belly.
Irene beams while holding her granddaughter. She’s looking good, glowing with health and vitality. So far, her scare with cancer is a thing of the past. We all hope it remains history. When it comes to pancreatic cancer, Irene beat the odds and won. It has to feel good to kick cancer to the curb, where it belongs.
Tess quickly approaches Stony with outstretched arms. “I know you need to start the grill. Let me take Sienna.”
The three grandma’s now look complete. Tess has Sienna, Mom has Cade, and Irene has Ava. It’s a sight I never tire of seeing. I like to think of them as the Grandma Brigade.
Jace walks toward me and Stony, looking handsome in the sunlight. “Hey, you two, what are you doing standing there looking all nostalgic?”
“Just realizing how much our family has grown.” I wrap an arm around Jace.
The view from our vantage point impresses Jace as well. “Wow, it’s the whole fam damily. The tribe of natives has grown. Let’s hope they’re a peaceful lot. Don’t act scared, they can smell your fear.”
Stony and I chuckle at his observation. That’s Jace. Our resident comedian. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Does it ever stop with him?” Stony asks, referring to Jace’s humor.
“On occasion.”
“You mean when he’s sleeping?”
“Pretty much.”
Jace ignores our sibling banter. I watch Brit and Sophie splashing around and my heart is full. A moment of peace is rare in my life and I love the feeling of everything being right in the world, even if it’s fleeting.
“Need some help with the grill?” Jace asks Stony.
“Sure thing,” Stony says as the two of them head off. Jace is the grill master and if he wants to grill, we let him.
Just like that the moment is over. I decide to see if Spencer needs help. I enter the kitchen and find Spencer laying out an incredible buffet. “Wow. This looks amazing. You’ve outdone yourself.”
“It’s not all me. My mom made the potato casserole, your mom made the fruit salad, and Irene made the baked beans. And my amazing sister-in-law made the cookies. I have a feeling they’re good for me and I can splurge to my heart’s content.”
“You know it. Sugar-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.”
“They’re delicious, Shay. I’ve already had three. Don’t tell anyone.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” I tell her as I laugh.
Jace enters the kitchen, gives me a quick kiss, and pops a cookie in his mouth as well. “We’re ready for the burgers.” Then his phone rings and his face turns into a frown as he glances at the caller ID. “Excuse me, I have to take this.”
“Feel free to use our bedroom for privacy,” Spencer tells him.
I hear him answer the phone, “Jace Faraday,” as he jogs up the stairs. Stony grabs the plate of burgers and returns to the grill.
Spencer washes her hands. “He provides an amazing service for the people of this area, Shay. It’s really incredible what he does. I hear people mention him all the time.”
“I’m pretty proud of him.” And in love. And enamored, smitten, and captivated. I’ll toss in as many adjectives as I can think of to express my love for Jace. I’m head over heels crazy for my husband. I couldn’t have picked a better man to share my life and I think about that fact every single day.
“The pro bono work he does for victims of sexual assault is very impressive,” Spencer comments. “I can’t imagine it’s an easy thing to hear day in and day out. Does it ever get him down?”
“Not really. I mean, it can be tough. But he’s passionate about helping victims. Most of the time, he feels extremely gratified because he sees justice take its course. He says that’s what makes it all worth it.”
“He’s remarkable, Shay. I love that Jace gives victims a voice. I never really saw justice after my horrible date dropped me off and abandoned me out here in the middle of nowhere. It gives me nightmares to think about what could’ve happened. Sorry, I don’t mean to sound insensitive. I know my experience doesn’t compare with sexual assault.”
“I know what you mean. I’m glad you found Stony and had a happy ending.” No one knows what happened to Jace in New York. We’ve kept it a carefully guarded secret. Understandably, Jace is not okay with the entire family knowing what happened to him.
Spencer pauses as if overwhelmed with memories. “Yes. I was lucky enough to have a happy ending.”
Mia walks in, wrapped in a terrycloth robe. “Can I help with anything?” She sneaks a cookie too. “Shay, you’re freakin’ amazing.”
“Thanks.” I love when people love my baking.
“I think we’re all set.” Spencer lays out the utensils. “We’re just waiting on the grill. How are you feeling, Mia?”
“Pampered. Gray seems to think I’m fragile when I’m preggers. I’m certainly not going to disillusion him. He treats me like a queen.”
“As he should,” Spencer tells her.
“I hit the jackpot when I met Grayson, that’s for sure. I sometimes think of him as my Mr. Rochester.”
“Rochester?” I ask.
“Yeah, you know, Jane Eyre? He saw something in me that no one else did.” At our blank looks, she says, “Never mind. Just know, he makes me smile like an idiot.”
“I’ve seen that reflection in the mirror.” I lay out the napkins. “I look so dumb, yet I hope I look dumb for the rest of my life.”
“Amen to that,” Spencer says as we smile at one another.
It’s been a while, so I decide to head up the stairs and check on Jace. I climb up and with every step I feel very pregnant even though I’m not showing much as of yet.
I find Jace standing at an upstairs window, staring into space. Stony and Spencer’s master bedroom is fresh and airy. The sheer white drapes are billowing softly in the breeze from the open windows. I walk up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist. “Hey.”
>
“Hey,” he says, sounding subdued.
“You okay?”
“I think so.”
“Think so? What does that mean?” I circle around him until we’re face to face.
“That was Marco Gibson on the phone.”
“Marco?” Marco is the private investigator we hired in New York City. We’ve paid him a pretty penny to keep an eye on Rebecca on occasion. We’ve never given up hope that he might catch her in the act one day.
“Polo,” Jace says as he raises his eyebrows.
“I know my eyes grow big as I wonder what he’s implying. “Polo? Wait. Are you saying . . . ?”
He nods in the affirmative. “Marco caught her. He has video of her slipping a pill into a man’s drink. He called the police and reported it. When she tried to leave the restaurant with the man, who appeared to be so drunk he could barely walk, they arrested her.”
My heart nearly stops in my chest. It’s been so long. I think I’d given up hope that we’d ever catch her. I really thought it was a lost cause. We kept Marco on the payroll only because Jace insisted there was still a chance. I agreed because I knew how important it was to Jace. It was important to me as well, but I felt as though there should be a cutoff date when we just let it go. But Jace wasn’t willing to give up and now he finally has the justice he’s needed and wanted. I’m proud of his persistence.
I am speechless and hardly know what to say. “Oh my gosh.”
“My words exactly, repeated at least twenty times in the last five minutes.”
“They caught her. They actually caught her.” My voice is breathy and breezy.
He nods and we embrace tightly, clinging to each other because this closes a chapter of our lives that we’d like to lock away forever.
“There’s more,” Jace says in my ear. “The police got a search warrant and searched her apartment. They found her stash of illegal drugs and . . . a photo album.”
I lean back and look into his handsome face. “Oh no.”
“I’m afraid so. She took a picture of each one of her victims.”
“Are you . . .”
“Yes, I’m in it. Marco was able to identify me.” A tear trickles down my cheek and Jace wipes it away. “It’s evidence, Shay, the evidence we need. She won’t get out of this. Not a chance.”