Page 96 of Won't Back Down

“Not as much as I expected. I know he’s struggling to believe some of what I told him. But he’s promised to look into the boat connection regarding Gwen’s disappearance.”

“Are you planning to try to dig more, see if you can remember anything else?”

“I don’t know yet. Now that we know what was done to me, I probably do need some treatment to work through it. Maybe something else will come of that. Maybe not. But I think I remembered the essentials. For now, that’s all I can do.”

“It’s a lot.”

The sun was just peeking over the horizon as we reached the truck. Sawyer pulled me back against him as he leaned against the door, and we both watched as the watercolor wash of sunrise painted the sky.

“Roland is dead, and the threat from your parents to your inheritance is dealt with. It seems like all the threats are over,” Sawyer murmured.

“Seems like. I expect it’ll take me a while to accept that.”

“True enough.” He hesitated. “You know, something occurred to me while you were in with Carson. If Roland lied about all this stuff, is it possible he lied about your parents and all the shit they were pulling about the estate? He had the skill to fabricate all of it.”

I blinked, taking that in. “I don’t know. It would be easy enough to check to see if anything was legitimately filed, but honestly, I don’t care. We’re estranged for a reason. They kept me locked up rather than listen to me when I said something was wrong. I can’t ever forgive them for that. Maybe I’ll change my mind someday in the future, but I doubt it.”

“Fair enough. What do you want now?”

Sucking in a breath, I turned in his arms and slid my hands up his chest. “Other than a shower and sleeping for the next fifteen hours, I want to put all of this behind me and move forward in this life with you. No threat, no subterfuge. I just want to be in love and have our shot at happily ever after.”

His lips curved as he dipped his head down to mine. “I figure it’s about damned time.”

EPILOGUE

SAWYER

Istepped out of the rain and into OBX Brewhouse, pausing to wipe my wet boots on the mat inside the entryway.

The hostess smiled from her station, where she was wiping down menus. “Hey Sawyer. Willa’s in her usual booth.”

“Thanks, Carly.”

Compared to high tourist season, the bar was mostly empty, though more locals would trickle in now that it was after five. Those who wanted to brave the January cold for a drink or not having to fend for themselves for dinner. I spotted my wife in a booth along the far wall, fingers tapping away on the keys of her laptop, as she often did these days, working on grants or communicating with the team of environmental scientists who were in the process of doing the baseline study for what would ultimately be the wildlife refuge. Roy curled at her feet beneath the table. Beyond them, rain drizzled down the awning windows that were closed for the season, and we were already well on our way toward dark. I looked forward to spring and longer, drier days.

Despite the Airpods signaling Do Not Interrupt to the world at large, she looked up, as if sensing my approach. Those gorgeous hazel eyes brightened, and her smile spread wide. Damn, the sight of that unreserved joy made my heart skip a beat. I didn’t think it would ever get old, but I hoped for another fifty or sixty years to test the theory.

“You’re back! I wasn’t expecting you until the last ferry.”

“Got done a little earlier than expected.”

She slid out of the booth and straight into my arms, automatically lifting her mouth for a hello kiss I was more than happy to provide. With a contented hum, she eased back, eyes fluttering open again. “Is early good?”

“Turns out early is great and, for once, bureaucracy was on our side.” I pulled a folded envelope out of my pocket. “I officially have my contractor’s license.”

“That’s amazing!”

“I’ve still got a few ’T’s to cross and ‘I’s to dot, but this was the big one.” And good thing, too. I already had four people I’d talked to about coming onto my crew who were raring to go.

“Come, sit down. We should celebrate.” Willa sat back in the booth, and I slid in right next to her. No reason to be all the way on the opposite side of the table.

She grinned at me and brushed another kiss to my cheek.

“How’s your work going today?”

“Going well. I’ve been here since just after lunch. I managed to get in the zone and almost finished the trolley grant. If we can manage to land it, I think it’ll make a big difference to traffic and congestion during high season.”

“That’ll put you on the mayor’s good side.”