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She managed a weak smile through her tears, appreciating his offer. "Maybe once I get down there and settled in you could come. I just don’t know how my mother and I will be toward each other and I don’t want to have to worry about an audience for that.”
“I’ll come the moment you call. Just say the word.” He pulled her hand toward his mouth and kissed it. “And however long you need to sort this out, it changes nothing for us. I finally have you, a little separation won’t mean anything for us in the long run. Take as much time as you need.”
“It could be months. It could be a while.”
“I get you forever. Months don’t scare me.” He winked at her.
“What are you going to do? Will you stay out here? We still have weeks left paid on this vacation.”
“I can’t be on this beach without you. I’ll stay busy. You just worry about what you need to.” He watched her face go from somber to curious.
“What does staying busy look like for you now?” She leaned in closer to scrutinize his face as he answered.
“Carmen called,” he admitted sheepishly. “Not to go right back to work. No new missions. She knows we’re retired.”
“She wants you to fine paperwork in the office or something?” She scoffed. “Because I’ve seen your tax returns. You can’t organize anything,”
He laughed knowing she was right. He had a very particular skill set and this was going to be a new chapter in his life. One he wasn’t completely sure how to approach. "Nathaniel and Rose are struggling," he explained, a hint of concern in his voice. "I thought maybe you and I could both head out to see them once our vacation was over. Rose could use some support, she’s got a long road ahead of her as they work on putting the case together and getting her to testify. She’s not in any danger anymore, that’s handled. But maybe there is more we can do than just be willing to take bullets for people. Maybe we can listen. Maybe we can comfort. Help people find some normalcy.”
“We haven’t even found normalcy yet,” Charlize joked. “But maybe that makes you perfectly qualified to help them. You’re all trying to find some kind of way forward.”
Mick fell silence and he didn’t try to hide the anguish on his face. He was done hiding from Charlize. There was nothing he was feeling that he didn’t want her to know about.
“It’s not your fault,” Charlize insisted firmly. “I’ll tell you that every day for the rest of our lives if I need to. We know the risk in our jobs and we know that not everyone is going to make it. Harry made a choice to come with you that day. If either of us should feel guilty its me.”
“Don’t say that.”
“He came to save my life. I should have been able to get myself out of there. No one should have had to come in after me. You did everything right that day. You can’t blame yourself for Harry’s death.”
He didn’t wholly accept that permission to forgive himself, but he did know he needed Charlize in his life to keep reminding him. “Promises me that our way forward is in the same direction?” he asked, pulling her out of her chair and onto his lap. “I don’t want to try to heal and become all whole and happy without you.”
“Wait for me, and I’ll wait for you.”
They shared a lingering kiss, a promise of their unwavering love no matter the circumstances. Mick had to believe they’d be back here. They’d find their way back to the beach, to the laughs and the joy they’d found here.
“I’ll see you in a few,” she promised, wrapping her arms around his neck.
He kissed her cheek gingerly, breathing in her sweet smell. “In a few and then forever.”
EPILOGUE
HARRY
He was fighting mad. Literally. If there was someone standing in front of him, he’d be swinging right now. Being shot was nothing compared to this hell. It wasn’t the accommodations but the isolation that was killing him.
“I’m sorry for this,” the man said, his thick Irish accent sounding welcoming even though this situation didn’t seem all that friendly. “I promise there is a reason for all of it.”
“The doctors cleared me,” Harry argued, pretending the pain didn’t still shoot through his healing wounds. “I want to see Rose. I need to know she’s ok.”
“I promise you she is. And if you really want to help her, you’ll stay put. I’ll explain everything. My name is Kenan. Come down and have dinner with me.”
“Where the hell are we?” Harry asked, looking out the window at the unfamiliar scenery.
“Italy.”
“I’m in Italy?” Harry scoffed. “No I’m not. I don’t even have a passport.”
Kenan laughed. “I know that was a pain in the ass. But I promise you’re in Italy. How much were you told about the Kinross family?”
