“I couldn’t agree more. How are you handlingthe death of your father?”
“Is it weird that I miss him? I mean, hetortured and abused us in the end, but he wasn’t always such amonster. There was a time when he loved me; I barely remember it,and over the years, I’ve tried to forget it, but it’s all Iremember when I think about him now.”
“He loved you.”
“I know, but not enough, and not the way aparent should love a child.”
“Too true.”
A gentle breeze carried the scent of the seato her, and she smiled. “Now, what do we do?”
“We live, we love, and we have fun. I want tostay here. I’m done with Boston and school. I would have liked tofinish my degree, but what’s the point? Sera and Liam have asked meto stay, and I agreed.”
“Good.”
“Do you want to go back?”
“No. I loved Boston, and I enjoyed school,but I always felt like this weight was bearing down on me while wewere there. I don’t feel that here.”
“I don’t either. Maybe if we went back to thecity, it wouldn’t feel the same now that our parents are gone, butI don’t want to find out. I’m happy here.”
“Me too.”
Lucy squeezed her hand again. “It looks likewe’re residing in Maine for a while.”
“Looks like it. Should we learn how tofarm?”
“We should probably get a wheelbarrow orsomething, right?”
“Definitely a wheelbarrow and maybe somechickens. We’ll also have to learn how to ski.”
“Oh, hell no. We may have super fast healingabilities now, but there is no way I’m getting on two sticks ofwood and going down a hill at a hundred miles per hour. I prefernonbroken bones to being in a body cast.”
Melanie laughed. “I have to agree with you onthat.”
They fell into the easy companionable silencethey’d shared countless times over the years. When Kyle emergedfrom the house, Melanie scooted over to make room for him on theswing. She rested her head on his shoulder as the three of themrocked back and forth.
For the first time in her life, she knewcomplete contentment, and she couldn’t wait to discover where thejourney of their lives took them.
EPILOGUE
June
Melanie laughed as Kyle spun her around thedance floor before drawing her into his arms. She would never getused to feeling him against her; no matter how much time passed, itwas a sensation she craved.
The band switched gears and started playing aslower song that had her swaying against him. For nearly a year,her love for him hadn’t ebbed. Instead, it had grown until therewere some days when she wasn’t sure how to contain it.
And over the passing months, things hadchanged. Just last week, the small house he and his family builtfor them was finished. They’d move into the home set at the far endof the others.
Lucy remained in the guest house, but Kyleand his siblings had started building her a small cottage. Shewanted a space all her own, and everyone was more than happy tohelp her create it.
About a month after they arrived on theproperty, Cassidy, Dante, Aida, and Julian moved to Portland.Cassidy worked at a nightclub there while Dante opened a privateinvestigation practice. Aida and Julian had purchased an artgallery and were working on getting it ready for their big openingnext month.
However, though they’d moved off theproperty, Cassidy wanted to get married at home. So, they’d spentthe past couple of months getting everything ready for today.Between building her and Kyle’s house and starting Lucy’s cottage,they all worked to erect a stage near the ocean cliffs. The stagewas large enough to hold the entire family, their guests, tablesfor everyone to sit, a bar, and the band.
The beams of the wooden platform werehand-carved by Ethan. The roses and vines encircling the posts andbeams were so intricate and beautiful Melanie believed they shouldgo into Aida’s gallery afterward.
Melanie had never dreamed of finding a familyand a love like this, but in this place and Kyle’s arms, she’ddiscovered her home.
