Ericka straightened Joey’s collar. “So they made you a teacher, fitting.”
“You think so?”
“You’ll do great. I think teenage girls will be falling at your feet.”
Joey groaned.
Ericka laughed.
“Frankie’s not real happy.” Joey pointed at his brother.
Ericka laughed. His position was as a car washer at a car wash. “At least he won’t have to wear a hat.”
“True, true.”
He smoothed hair behind her ear. “I’m going to miss you. I wish we’d had time to explore what this is between us.”
Ericka didn’t know how to respond.
“You don’t have to answer, I know how you feel.” He cupped her cheek, planted a light kiss on her lips, and backed away.
He disappeared inside the van.
Frankie stepped forward. “I blame you.”
She cocked her brow.
“Your presence caused all of this.”
Tony appeared and pushed Frankie into the van.
“Ignore my son. He wants to blame me but can’t.” He held out his hand. They shook. “I understand that I owe you a debt of gratitude for rescuing me.”
“It was a group effort.”
“And I owe you for saving Mary. This life would mean nothing without her.”
“I’m glad that it worked out. I knew she was a special lady.”
“You are right about that.” Tony looked over his shoulder and winked then faced her once more. “Greg is a good man. Don’t be too upset that he didn’t tell you everything.”
“I’m not. And you’re right, he is a good man.” Ericka cast a glance over her shoulder. Greg was talking to the van driver.
“Look after him.”
“I will.”
Tony disappeared inside the van.
Mary was last. She stopped her chair beside Ericka.
“When we first decided to change our lives, we had no idea what we were getting into, but now that we are at the end, I wouldn’t have changed any of it.”
“Frankie, might disagree.”
They shared a laugh.
“He’s had the finer things in life for too long. It’s time to accept our reality.”
Ericka leaned forward and gave Mary a hug.
“Thank you for saving me and my husband.”
“I’m glad I could help with that.”
Mary was assisted into the van. Greg appeared at Ericka’s side as the van pulled away.
“Why didn’t you tell me that Mary was assisting Tony in helping the government and going legit?”
“I couldn’t. Only four people knew. Me, Tony, Mary, and the assistant district attorney, everyone else was in the dark.”
“You didn’t trust me?” She tried to keep the hurt from her voice.
“I trust you with my life, but this had to stay close to the vest.”
Ericka picked up a rock and rolled it around in her hand letting the rough edges poke her.
“Have you decided what you’re going to do about the job?”
She drew in a deep breath. She’d thought about leaving several times, but Greg needed her. She could feel it.
“Yes, I’m staying.”
“Good. Now we need to get you established. More than freelance. And in a bigger apartment. And a car, you definitely need a car.”
“You mean you don’t like my postage stamp of a living space.”
“I mean I don’t like driving all that way to get you every day. Although the daily conversations are stimulating.”
They laughed as they walked arm in arm to his vehicle. It was going to be a beautiful partnership. She could tell already.