“Kiss her!” someone else yelled. Another cheer rose up from the crowd.
Daleigh laughed and tried to shoo the audience, which only made them cheer louder. Her grin disappeared when she glanced back up at Ryan. “Ryan Shields, I would love for you to be a part of my fairy-tale ending.”
The audience went wild. Ryan let out a whoop before pulling her into his arms and planting a kiss on her lips. Daleigh melted in his embrace.
Moments like this were just a song waiting to happen.
Epilogue
After the sun set, Daleigh and Ryan settled on the porch swing at his place. The sweet scent of honeysuckle drifted up from a nearby vine and fireflies lit the field beside his house. The sun had already set and a million stars sparkled in the sky.
“It’s beautiful out here.” Daleigh tucked a leg underneath her and gently propelled the swing back and forth with the other.
“It is, isn’t it? It’s my little slice of heaven.”
Ryan slipped his arm around the back of the swing. Daleigh found herself leaning into the nook of his arm as if she’d done it a million times before.
Right then, Daleigh could see herself getting old with Ryan, sitting on this swing with their gray hair and wrinkled skin. The thought made her smile. She never thought she’d feel at home in this small, North Carolina town. But she did.
After the concert—where they’d raised $50,000—she, Ryan, Trevor, Willa, Thorn, Hannah and her family, as well as the members of the band, had hung out for a couple of hours at the Have a Nice Day Café.
During their conversation there, Daleigh found out that her dad and Thorn did have a disagreement a couple of weeks before he died. Apparently, her father had refused to take sides on who he’d help get elected as mayor. Thorn said he regretted their argument and wished he could go back. He’d also told Daleigh that Chuck Arnold from the Lunch Box was a volunteer with his campaign.
Now that all of the excitement of the concert was over, Daleigh and Ryan needed to have a serious talk about their future. Happily-ever-afters only happened with some work, she’d realized. She wanted, more than anything, for Ryan to be in her life to help ground her, to remind her of her roots.
Suddenly, he stood and reached for her hand. “I have a surprise for you, Hilda Leigh.”
Daleigh’s mouth dropped open. Her name. Her real name. “How did you know?”
He grinned. “I have my sources.”
Daleigh waved a finger at him and stepped closer. “Ryan Shields, you’ve got to promise me you won’t share my secret with anyone.”
He shrugged, his eyes sparkling. “I think it’s a nice name.”
Daleigh shook her head with enough force to knock down his entire house. “Do you know what kind of names middle school kids can come up with? It’s terrible.”
“Middle school kids can be tough. But I thought you grew up in Africa?”
“Even those kids seemed to know it was a terrible name.” She laughed at herself. “Okay, not really. It’s actually a family name, and it was my sister who teased me terribly about it.”
His eyebrows rose. “Your sister? Interesting.”
Daleigh’s mouth gaped. “She told you, didn’t she?”
“If it makes you feel better, I had to bribe her with flowers.”
“Doesn’t surprise me.”
“It does seem like the two of you are getting along better lately. That’s good news.”
They started walking hand in hand toward the pier. “We had a good talk before I left. I think we cleared the air a bit. I have a good feeling about our future. It just took a while to get to the root cause of our issues. Maybe we can start clean now.”
“I hope you can.”
Ryan stopped at the end of the pier. A rowboat bobbed in the water. The glimmering water matched the glimmer in Ryan’s eyes.
“A boat trip?” Daleigh asked.
“It’s much more than just a boat trip.” He grinned and helped her on board. She settled on one of the wooden seats and watched as Ryan maneuvered the boat away from the pier and across the river.
“You going to pretend this is a gondola and serenade me?”
He chuckled. “I wouldn’t be doing you any favors if I did that. No, it would be more like punishment.”
The water was black and shimmering, a perfect reflection of the inky sky above. The only sound was that of the oars pushing over water.
The sound was rhythmic. Slosh. Lift. Plop. Slosh. Lift. Drip. Plop.
The gentle breeze ruffled her hair and caused Daleigh to wrap her arms over her chest. She waited, knowing Ryan would speak when he was ready. They had a lot to talk about.
He paused beneath a grove of trees and stared off into the distance for a moment as if collecting his thoughts. Finally, his gaze rested on her again. “I’m sorry, Daleigh. I pushed you away when it was the last thing I wanted to do. You were right, though. I was afraid you’d resent me like Jennifer resented me.”
“I’m not going to resent you for a choice I made. I’m a big girl.”
“I just want you to be happy.”
She grinned. “Just hearing you say that makes me happy. Most people don’t care about my happiness, Ryan. They care about what I can do for them.”
He stroked her cheek. “I don’t ever want you to think that about me again. I’m sorry, Daleigh, for acting like a fool.”
She shook her head as she reached up to grip his hand. “You didn’t act like a fool. You were just reacting based on your past experiences. We all do that. I’ve learned that the hard way lately.”
“Ain’t it the truth, though?”
They shared a smile.
She stared at him a moment as the moon shone overhead. Her heart felt so full and complete at the moment that she wished it wouldn’t end. But she knew there was more to talk about. “So, how are we going to make this work, Ryan?”
“You said your dad once told you that sometimes to touch the moon just means you have to change your perspective.” He nodded toward the water, where the reflection of the moon was close enough to touch.
Her throat tightened. “That’s right.”
“Instead of looking at this only as a challenge, I’m going to look at things as a blessing. Trevor has given me his complete and utmost permission to leave Hertford, but only if it means you might be his aunt one day.”
Daleigh laughed. “That sounds like Trevor.”
Ryan’s hand slipped from her cheek as he glanced down. “I’d hate to leave him. But me being around so much has actually scared away a couple of guys who wanted to date my sister, apparently.”
“No . . . ?”
Ryan nodded. “It’s true. I guess I’ve always been an overprotective big brother.”
“Just because you love her.”
He pulled his gaze up, his thoughts obviously heavy. “Daleigh, I’ll do whatever I have to—”
She put a finger over his lips. “I know.”
“You know what?”
“I know what you’re going to say. You don’t have to say it.”
“But—”
“No, really. I know where your heart is, Ryan. You don’t have to explain.” She licked her lips before diving into her news. “And with that, I guess I should tell you that I’m not signing another contract with my old label.”
“But Daleigh—” He started to shake his head when Daleigh raised her index finger, begging him to wait.
“Just hear me out. I’ve actually decided to put out an independent record. That means I won’t have financial backing from a label, but I’m okay with that. I can record and sell my songs at online websites and venues. I can schedule my own concerts as I please. I can go back to doing music for the reason I loved doing music. I lost a lot of my joy being on the go so much. I’m ready for a change.”
He stared at her, blinking for several seconds. “Wow. You’re sure, Daleigh?”
Daleigh nodded. “I’m looking for somewhere to set up a studio, somewhere quiet and out of the way.”<
br />
He bobbed his head thoughtfully. “Like somewhere out in the country. Maybe an old farmhouse with an extra room that could be insulated for sound.”
She grinned. “Yeah, something like that.”
“I could probably help you with that.”
“I figured you could.”
His smile slipped. “So you’re not going to be tied to Nashville?”
She shook her head, watching as his eyes lit up with realization. “No, I’m not. I’m going to keep my apartment there for a while, but I’ll have flexibility to travel back and forth.”
“Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”
She caressed his face, trying to soothe some of the lines of worry there. “I’m sure. More than sure. I feel like a huge burden has been lifted.”
His hand caught hers. “I love you, Daleigh McDermott.”
She grinned. “I love you, too, Ryan Shields.”
His lips covered hers.
No, she hadn’t made it home before dark, but she had made it home. At the moment, that was all that mattered.
###
Other Books by Christy Barritt:
The Good Girl
Tara Lancaster can sing Amazing Grace in three harmonies, two languages, and interpret it for the hearing impaired. She can list the Bible canon backward, forward, and alphabetized. And the only time she ever missed church was at seventeen because she had pneumonia and her mom made her stay home. But when her life shatters around her and her reputation is left in ruins, Tara decides escape is the only option. She flees halfway across the country to dog-sit, but the quiet anonymity she needs isn’t waiting in her sister’s house. Instead she finds a knife with a threatening message, a fame-hungry friend, a too-hunky neighbor, and evidence of...a ghost? Following all the rules has gotten her nowhere. And nothing she learned in Sunday School can tell her where to go from there.
Death of the Couch Potato's Wife (Suburban Sleuth Mysteries)
You haven’t seen desperate until you’ve met Laura Berry, a career-oriented city slicker turned suburbanite housewife. Well-trained in the big city commandment, “mind your own business,” Laura is persuaded by her spunky 70-year-old neighbor Babe to check on another neighbor who hasn’t been seen in days. She finds her neighbor, Candace Flynn, wife of the infamous “Couch King,” dead, and at last has a reason to get up in the morning in suburbia: murder. Someone’s determined to stop her from digging deeper into the death of her neighbor, but Laura is just as determined to figure out who’s behind the death-by-poisoned-pork-rinds.
The Trouble with Perfect
Since the death of her fiancé two years ago, novelist Morgan Blake’s life has been in a holding pattern. She has a major case of writer’s block, and a book signing in the small mountain town of Perfect sounds like just the solution to help her clear her head. Her trip takes a wrong turn when, on her way there, she’s involved in a hit and run—she’s hit a man, and he’s run from the scene. Before fleeing, he mouthed the word “help.” She plans to give him that help, but first she must find him. In Perfect, she finds a town that offers everything she’s ever wanted. But is something sinister going on behind the town’s cheery exterior? Was she invited as a guest of honor simply to do a book signing? Or was she lured to town for another purpose—a deadly purpose?
Look for these other books in the Squeaky Clean series:
Hazardous Duty (Book 1)
On her way to completing a degree in forensic science, Gabby St. Claire drops out of school and starts her own crime scene cleaning business. “Yeah, that’s me,” she says, “a crime scene cleaner. People waiting in line behind me who strike up conversations always regret it.”
When a routine cleaning job uncovers a murder weapon the police overlooked, she realizes that the wrong person is in jail. But the owner of the weapon is a powerful foe . . . and willing to do anything to keep Gabby quiet.
With the help of her new neighbor, Riley Thomas, a man whose life and faith fascinate her, Gabby plays the detective to make sure the right person is put behind bars. Can Riley help her before another murder occurs?
Suspicious Minds (Book 2)
In this smart and suspenseful sequel to Hazardous Duty, crime scene cleaner Gabby St. Claire finds herself stuck doing mold remediation to pay the bills. But her first day on the job, she uncovers a surprise in the crawlspace of a dilapidated home: Elvis, dead as a doornail and still wearing his blue suede shoes. How could she possibly keep her nose out of a case like this?
It Came Upon a Midnight Crime (Book 2.5, a Novella)
Someone is intent on destroying the true meaning of Christmas—at least, destroying anything that hints of it. All around crime scene cleaner Gabby St. Claire’s hometown, anything pointing to Jesus as the “reason for the season” is being sabotaged. The crimes become more twisted as dismembered body parts are found at the vandalisms. Who would go to such great lengths to dampen the joy and hope of Christ’s birthday? Someone’s determined to destroy Christmas . . . but Gabby St. Claire is just as determined to find the Grinch and let peace on earth and goodwill to men prevail.
Organized Grime (Book 3)
Gabby St. Claire knows her best friend, Sierra, isn’t guilty of killing three people in what appears to be an eco-terrorist attack. But Sierra has disappeared, her only contact a frantic phone call to Gabby proclaiming that she’s being hunted. Gabby is determined to prove her friend is innocent and to keep her alive. While trying to track down the real perpetrator, Gabby notices a disturbing trend at the crime scenes she’s cleaning, one that ties random crimes together—and points to Sierra as the guilty party. Just what has her friend gotten herself into?
Dirty Deeds (Book 4)
“Promise me one thing. No snooping. Just for one week.”
Gabby St. Claire knows that her fiancé’s request is a simple one that she should be able to honor. After all, Riley’s law school reunion and attorneys’ conference at a hoity-toity resort is a chance for them to get away from the mysteries Gabby often finds herself involved in as a crime scene cleaner. The weeklong trip is a chance for them to be “normal,” a word that leaves a bad taste in Gabby’s mouth.
But Gabby finds herself alone for endless hours while Riley is busy with legal workshops. Then one of Riley’s old friends goes missing, and Gabby suspects one of Riley’s buddies might be behind the disappearance. When the missing woman’s mom asks Gabby for help, how can she say no?
Secrets abound. Frankly, Gabby even has some of her own. When the dirty truth comes out, the revelations put everything in jeopardy—relationships, trusts, and even lives.
The Scum of All Fears (Book 5)
“I’ll get out, and I’ll get even.”
Gabby St. Claire is back to crime-scene cleaning, at least temporarily. With her business partner on his honeymoon, she needs help after a weekend killing spree fills up her work docket. She quickly realizes she has bigger problems than finding temporary help.
A serial killer her fiancé, a former prosecutor, put behind bars has escaped. His last words to Riley were: I’ll get out, and I’ll get even. Pictures of Gabby are found in the man’s prison cell, and Riley fears the sadistic madman has Gabby in his sights.
Gabby tells herself there’s no way the Scum River Killer will make it across the country from California to Virginia without being caught. But then messages are left for Gabby at crime scenes, and someone keeps slipping in and out of her apartment.
When Gabby’s temporary assistant disappears, Gabby must figure out who’s behind these crimes. The search for answers becomes darker when Gabby realizes she’s dealing with a criminal who’s more than evil. He’s truly the scum of the earth, and he’ll do anything to make Gabby and Riley’s lives a living nightmare.
To Love, Honor, and Perish (Book 6)
How could God let this happen?
Crime scene cleaner Gabby St. Claire can’t stop asking the question. Just when her life is on the right track, the unthinkable happens. Gabby’s fiancé
, Riley Thomas, is shot and remains in life-threatening condition only a week before their wedding.
Gabby is determined to figure out who pulled the trigger, even if investigating puts her own life at risk. But as she digs deeper into the facts surrounding the case, she discovers secrets better left alone. Doubts arise in her mind and the one man with answers is on death’s doorstep.
An old foe from the past returns and tests everything Gabby is made of—physically, mentally, and spiritually. Will her soul survive the challenges ahead? Or will everything she’s worked for be destroyed?
Mucky Streak (Book 7)
After her last encounter with a serial killer, Gabby St. Claire feels her life is smeared with the stain of tragedy. Between the exhaustion of trying to get her fiancé back on his feet, routine night terrors, and potential changes looming on the horizon, she needs a respite from the mire of life.
At the encouragement of her friends, she takes on a short-term gig as a private investigator: a cold case that’s eluded investigators for ten years. The mass murder of a wealthy family seems impossible to solve but quickly gets interesting as Gabby brings more clues to light. Add to the mix a flirtatious client, travels to an exciting new city, and some quirky—albeit temporary—new sidekicks, and things get really complicated.
With every new development, Gabby prays that what she’s calling her “mucky streak” will end and the future will become clear. But every answer she uncovers leads her closer to danger—both for her life and for her heart.
Foul Play (Book 8)
Gabby St. Claire is crying foul play, in every sense of the phrase.
When crime scene cleaner Gabby St. Claire agrees to go undercover at a local community theater, she discovers more than backstage bickering, atrocious acting, and rotten writing. The female lead is dead and an old classmate who’s staked everything on the musical production’s success is about to go under.
Home Before Dark (Christian Romantic Suspense) (Carolina Moon Book 1) Page 23