by Sophie Hill
“I didn’t say I personally wanted a pie. I said I needed you to bring a pie. Follow me.”
“You’re not hitting the booze again, right? Because I’ll pie you in the face. I swear to God I will. I’ll pie you right now,” she huffed as she followed me along a pathway through towering pines, until we reached a picnic table where Sheriff Blackstone was sitting, looking at his watch with an impatient expression.
I’d called him to let him know that he needed to meet me at the picnic tables so I could tell him about some nefarious criminal activity that was taking place in Hidden Cove. Okay, I lied to him. I can live with myself.
The wicker picnic basket that Heather, Veronica and Dottie had packed sat on the table in front of the sheriff. Roast beef sandwiches for the sheriff, tofu casserole for Aurora. Consuelo had drawn hearts on the basket with a glitter pen. I’d placed the basket there right before the sheriff showed up.
“What…?” He stared at me, then at Aurora.
“Why is he here?”
“Why is she here?” They both spoke at the same time.
“Listen up,” I barked. Sheriff Blackstone started to protest, and I held up my hand. “I said LISTEN!”
They stared at me, mouths hanging open. Sheriff Blackstone was so shocked at me barking orders at him that he didn’t even argue.
“The two of you are going to sit here, and you are going to have dinner together. This is a dinner date. Why? Because the two of you clearly have a thing for each other, everyone else can see it, and life’s too short not to enjoy every last second of it with someone that you care for. Especially for you two, because you’re both frankly kinda old.”
“What if I don’t want to have dinner with him?” Aurora spluttered.
“Neither of you have a choice. As we speak, Veronica and Dottie are boxing both of your vehicles in with their cars, which will remain there for the next hour and a half. Enjoy dinner. You’re welcome.” I bowed deeply and then turned and jogged away quickly, before Aurora could pie me in the face or Sheriff Blackstone could slap handcuffs on me.
When I looked back over my shoulder, the sheriff was unpacking the picnic basket, and Aurora was cutting a slice of pie.
Epilogue
Heather
We sold the house in Hilltop, and I put the money in a trust fund for Consuelo and her brothers. Slade and I live with Consuelo and the two boys in a nice house that we’re renting, and they’re finally in school.
We’re engaged. I told him that it had to be a long engagement, because I want him to have the chance to change his mind. He said it can be as long as I need it to be, he’s not going anywhere.
Magdelena lives in the memory unit of a very nice assisted living facility, and I take Consuelo and the boys to visit her twice a week. In all honesty, she doesn’t even recognize them when we come.
Slade’s uncle sold him ownership of the bar, with Slade paying him off over time. So far, neither of them have had another drink.
My mother is back in rehab. I don’t know if it will work this time, but she’s divorced from my father and living in her own house. With my father out of the picture, my older brother actually came clean about being gay, and brought his significant other, Billy, home to meet mom. My mother took it quite well, from what my brother told me.
Veronica and I are working for Aurora. Veronica’s going to be a legal shark; I pity her opponents in a courtroom. I’m taking classes at the local community college, and yeah, a law job could definitely be in my future.
It’s crazy, it’s chaotic, it’s messy, it’s busy…but somehow we’re making it work.
Like a smart friend said to me once…family is what you make of it.
THE END
Thank you so much for sharing the journey of Heather and Slade with me, all the way to their happy ending! (That can’t be a spoiler because you already finished the book, right?)
I love to hear from readers at [email protected]. I blog semi-regularly at www.authorsophiehill.blogspot.com
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Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty Five
Epilogue