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Matt’s parents, as well as Finley’s, and Jack were coming to dinner here tonight. Finley paused and glanced around the spacious room. At her and Matt’s house. Technically it was his, but they had decided this was the perfect place for them, so now it was theirs. She was so, so happy. Happier than she had ever expected to be again. Everything was as perfect as life would allow.
On Monday, she had even officially announced her run for Davidson County DA. It felt exactly like the right thing to do. The Cagle case had solidified that idea for her. Knowing that Lucy’s killer was finally being brought to justice and that Ian now had his life back was empowering. Ray and Ian’s father had died in his sleep two days after seeing his younger son again. He’d gotten what he wanted and also gotten his in the end. Louise’s struggle to find all the missing pieces of her daughter’s case had further confirmed that Finley needed to do more to help victims. No one should have to feel alone in the search for justice.
Finley walked to the expansive front windows. The house was one of those übermodern ones. The main living areas and the owner’s suite were on the third level, which was actually the street level on one side. On the other, it looked out over the view of the city below. The view was incredible. At night, it was nothing short of breathtaking.
Moving here was the very best decision. She turned back to the Christmas tree. She planned to make lots of happy memories here with Matt. This was a clean start for their new life, and she couldn’t wait to see where their journey took them.
She walked back to the pile of boxes and selected more silver ornaments. As she climbed the ladder once more, she spotted Matt’s car pulling back into the drive. Speaking of cars, her Subaru had been totaled, so she’d bought a new one.
The front door opened, setting off the chime of the security system. “I’m back.”
Matt’s voice echoed through the space, making her smile. Warming her.
“In here!” Finley placed another ornament on a branch.
“I brought lunch.”
The spicy scent wafted through the air. Finley’s appetite stirred. “Smells great.”
The smell and the bag told her he’d stopped at their favorite Asian restaurant. That was another thing about this neighborhood: all sorts of restaurants and shops were nearby. She loved that their favorite eateries were so close. Particularly since it seemed they only had time for home-cooked meals on the rarest occasions.
“The tree looks great.” He winked. “You’re a natural at this decorating thing.”
“Yeah right.”
Finley added the last of the other silver ornaments while Matt set up lunch on the island. By the time he’d poured the wine, she had joined him. She hated that he was still limping. Damn it. This was the second time he’d been physically injured because of her. She hoped it was the last time.
Finley accepted a glass. “Thank you.” She gazed out the windows. The multidirectional views were another perk. All of Nashville was right there. She turned to Matt. “I really like it here.”
He took her hand and pulled her closer. “When I built this house, I kept thinking how you would like this or that about the place.” He laughed softly. “It might sound a little crazy, but I think I built it as much for you as I did for me.”
She hugged him. “I’m glad you did. Now sit. You need to give that leg a rest.”
He slid onto a stool. “Hey, I saw Jack at the restaurant, he was grabbing lunch.”
“I didn’t think he liked Asian food.” Finley frowned trying to recall a single time when he’d eaten cuisine even remotely Asian.
“I don’t know, but he did say he was bringing a guest tonight.”
“Really?” Finley was shocked and at the same time curious. This was certainly an interesting bit of news. “I had no idea he was dating anyone right now.”
Matt grinned. “Guess who it is.”
She rolled her eyes. “I can’t. I’m not even going to try.”
“Louise.” Matt took her glass and refilled it.
“As in Cagle? Seriously?” Finley’s mouth dropped open, then closed in a grin.
“The one and only.”
“He said they had a thing way back when.” She smiled. “Maybe Jack will finally settle down.”
“That would be like the end of a legend or an era,” Matt pointed out.
They laughed. It really would be. God, it felt good to laugh and just enjoy the small things. How long had it been since she’d felt that way?
She dismissed the idea. Didn’t matter. No looking back. The Dempsey trial would be starting next month, and he was so screwed. Although her last follower, Lonnie Eckert, hadn’t given a statement on Dempsey. He’d died in his jail cell before his plea deal came through. Hung himself, apparently ... except Finley was certain that wasn’t what happened. Houser had been all over Dempsey and his attorney with questions and warnings. Didn’t matter. Finley knew who had sent Eckert, and that bastard was going down.
