Lily held Rudy, giving him one last squeeze before she had to say goodbye. Pulling back, she gazed into his amber eyes. Who knew she could get so attached after only a week? “I’m going to miss you.”
He kissed her on the cheek, and she knew he felt the same. Then he twisted in her arms, trying to lick his nether regions.
Setting the sausage dog down, she threw the tennis ball across the dachshund rescue center enclosure one more time. As the wild pack tore after it, she slipped out of the gate and closed it behind her.
Marilyn shielded her eyes from the afternoon sun as she watched her. “You were afraid to touch them last time you were here. You sure seem different.”
“I feel different,” Lily said as they walked back to the house. “I was never allergic to dogs, was I?”
Marilyn grimaced slightly. “There’s always a chance, but I would say probably not. Your mother never liked dogs. Too messy for her, I think. She likes things just so. Perhaps she thought it was easier to create a story around it.”
“She’s full of stories, isn’t she?”
Marilyn tilted her head. “While I don’t agree with what she did to you on this holiday, you have to know she did it out of love, right? Her own version of it, anyway.”
Lily gave a doubtful “hmm” but said nothing. It was still too fresh.
She hadn’t talked to her mum since that day. In fact, she hadn’t spoken to anyone. Well, except for Rory, the boy next door, just to make it clear they would not be hanging out when she got home. Other than that, for the last week, her phone had been nothing more than a GPS to get around the city. She’d needed some time to herself to think, and, when it came to Ethan, to not think. Because when she did, her heart ached from the loss, from the longing for things to be different.
“But it didn’t turn out so badly in the end,” Marilyn said. “I’m glad you stayed.”
“Me too. Thank you for a brilliant week. I had a great time and saw everything I wanted to. I’m happy I’m flying out today on a high note.”
“I hope you don’t wait too long to come back for another visit.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be back.” And she meant it.
“What will you do when you get home?” Marilyn asked as they climbed the porch steps.
“I don’t know. Anything I fancy, I suppose. But I’ll only be returning home to get my things. Then the sky’s the limit.” She held the door open for her aunt.
“Good on you. I think you will do just fine.”
As Marilyn entered the home, Lily looked back at the furballs prancing around the field, and she thought the first thing she was going to do was get her very own dog.
She found Marilyn in the little kitchen, putting on the kettle. When her aunt set out the loose-leaf tea, light glinted off something on her left hand.
Lily reached out and steadied her aunt’s arm. It was a ring. “When did you get this?”
Marilyn flashed a girlish grin. “Oh, a while ago. I only just started wearing it. It’s been nice to keep it to myself for a while. I haven’t told your mum. You know how she can be.”
“Don’t I ever.” she huffed. “Your secret is safe with me. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Marilyn was reaching for a set of mugs when her phone chimed. She pulled it out of her giraffe print cardigan pocket and read the text.
“Oh, heavens.” She tutted. “Look at the time. You should get to the airport.”
Lily frowned. “But my flight’s not for hours yet. I thought I could stay and help you until then.”
“Sorry, dear. Something came up, so you’ll have to leave early.”
“No problem. I can always get an Uber if that makes it easier.”
“No need for that,” she said with a hint of giddiness.
Lily gave her a strange look. She assumed it had something to do with her aunt’s fiancé, so she didn’t question it further.
She grabbed her camera bag from the corner and began wheeling her suitcases out of the kitchen. “Ready whenever you are.”
On the way to the door, she passed the wall that stored everything dog-related Lily could think of: food, toys, leashes, brushes. It was practically a pet store in there.
When she reached the spacious reception room, she turned around to find Marilyn had stopped at the desk. Behind her, exotic fish swam from one end of the wall to the other in the largest tank Lily had ever seen outside an aquarium.
“Aren’t we leaving?” she asked her aunt.
“No. I said you’re leaving. I’ve, er … arranged another ride for you.”
The little brass bell above the front doors rang as they opened. Lily turned to the sound of footsteps entering. It was Ethan.
His jaw was clean-shaven, his hair waved back from his face in its perfect style. Unlike the first time she’d met him, he wasn’t wearing a suit but jeans and a smart polo shirt.
God, she’d missed looking at him. Which was part of the reason she’d been hoping to avoid him.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Hi.”
She stiffened. “Hello. I wasn’t expecting you.”
In fact, she thought she’d never see him again. She wondered what he was doing back in San Francisco. Maybe he’d only returned to pick up his stuff from his sister’s guest house.
Marilyn clapped her hands. “Thanks for coming, Ethan. I’ll just leave you to it, then.” She spun on her leopard print shoes and disappeared into the back to do whatever it was she claimed was keeping her so busy she couldn’t drive Lily herself. This had obviously been her plan all along.
Ethan rocked on the balls of his feet. “I hope it’s okay that I’m giving you a ride.”
“Absolutely,” Lily said, only a little stiffly. After all, they’d faced death together, so why couldn’t he give her a ride? “Shall we go?”
He grabbed her suitcases, one in each hand, and headed down the steps. With a deep breath, she followed him. However, when they reached the parking lot, she couldn’t see his BMW. The only other vehicle, besides her aunt’s, was a behemoth van. Or perhaps it was more of a small bus.
She paused on the bottom step and watched as he approached it. “Where’s your BMW?”
He spun, grinning back at her. “I sold it.”
She narrowed a skeptical eye. “Because there’s a newer model?”
He laughed and climbed the steps into the vehicle. “Are you coming?” he called back.
She opened her mouth, thinking it all very strange, but then closed it again. If this trip had taught her anything, it was to just go with the flow, so she shrugged and followed him inside.
When she reached the top step, Molly was waiting for her, whipping her tail back and forth at the sight of her dear friend. Either that or she had to pee. Or knowing her love for peeing on Lily, it could have been a two birds/one stone situation. Either way was fine with Lily because she’d missed the little furball so much.
Plucking Molly off the floor, she clutched her to her chest and nuzzled her thick neck. “And how is my little hero?”
Ethan chuckled. “A handful.”
But worth it, Molly added.
Lily went to take a seat. The vehicle was big enough for her to stand in upright and had several rows of seats. Before she plopped into one at the front, she noticed the van had wheelchair access.
Ethan closed the door and started the engine. As they took off down the rescue center’s long drive, he kept glancing in the giant mirror above him to catch her eyes in the reflection. It appeared he had a lot to say. So did she. But the seating arrangements didn’t exactly make talking easy, so she sat back and enjoyed the view and puppy snuggles.
Twenty minutes later, she wondered what was taking so long. She didn’t remember driving so far from the freeway on their first day. She took note of their surroundings and realized that they weren’t headed to the airport, but they must have been on the outskirts of the city. Houses weren’t crammed together, and they had an unobstructed view of the bay.
She leaned forward in her seat. “Where are we going?”
“We’re just taking a little detour,” Ethan said.
“To where?”
He studied her in the mirror, a teasing smile on his lips. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”
Snorting, she sat back and resigned herself to going along with this little mystery.
It wasn’t long before he turned off the road and parked in front of a building that wasn’t very tall, but it stretched out far to their left and right, taking full advantage of the view. However, it appeared to be unfinished. A multitude of people worked outside, hammering nails and fitting siding into place. Construction equipment chugged in the distance, kicking up dust from the freshly churned ground.
Ethan swung the door open and waved down the steps. “After you.”
Questions tumbled through her mind, but she didn’t bother asking. He seemed to enjoy her confusion a little too much, and she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. However, she was far too curious not to have a look, so she got off the bus.
The smell of fresh soil and engine fumes settled over her as she walked closer to get a better look. A breeze kicked up and a faint whiff of the bay tickled her nose. Molly’s nose weaved back and forth in the air.
Off to her right, a fountain sat on a foundation of stones still being laid in an intricate pattern. The surrounding land appeared prepped for a future garden to stroll through. Thick columns rose next to the front doors, welcoming visitors into a grand entry she could see being decorated by workers inside. The place would be an impressive sight once it was finished.
She recalled Ethan saying how precious property was in San Francisco. They might have been on the outskirts of the city, but still, it could not have been cheap. And by the looks of the finishing touches already going up on the exterior, the place would be far from rustic.
“So, what do you think?” Ethan asked.
She turned around to find him watching her. “I think it’s secluded, quiet … Is this where you tell me you’re really the Phantom and you’re going to murder me and bury me here?”
“Is that why you’re holding your secret weapon?” He gave Molly a pat. “Actually, this is what’s next for me.”
“What do you mean?”
“You asked me what I would do after the Phantom was caught. At the time, I didn’t know. Maybe because I needed to put the case and my father’s death behind me to focus on the future. But this is it. This is what I want to do.”
Lily took in the property again. It looked like a fancy resort she could never dream of affording to stay at. “What is it?”
“This is the future location of a long-term care facility.” He headed for the doors. “Come on.”
Dumbstruck, she followed him inside, impressed by the size of the lobby. As he led her toward the back, she could visualize where the reception would be and the nurses’ station. They ended up in a spacious room with tables and chairs pushed up along the sides. She realized it would be the dining hall. The back wall was made up entirely of windows to give a breathtaking view of the bay.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed.
Ethan stared out the window. “I’ve come to terms with the fact that I can’t manage full-time care of my mother. But it killed me to think of putting her in a permanent home where I can’t check in on her whenever I need to, where the nurses are scowling at me because I’m five minutes outside of visiting hours, and I have no control over the care she’s receiving.” He looked around the room, but his gaze was distant. “My parents did the best they could for me, and now I want to do the best I can for my mom.”
Lily gaped at him in disbelief. “So, you sold your BMW and bought her an entire facility?”
He laughed. “No. I sold my BMW and bought the transport van. Aiden and Piper are the investors. This place was supposed to be a resort hotel before we took it over and modified the construction.”
“You can tell. This place is really posh.” She thought it would be a dream to work in a place like that.
He turned to face her. “You were right about my sister. I should have reached out a long time ago. I didn’t need to do it all on my own or harbor everything I did for so long.”
She pressed a hand to her chest, overwhelmingly happy for him. “So, you’ve reconciled with your sister? Ethan, that’s amazing. And so is this.” She gestured around her. “You’re doing something brilliant, both for your mom and a lot of other people.”
It reminded her of their conversation on their first night together and how he’d envied her career. You take care of people, make them feel better. You’re there for them when they need you the most. Now, he was doing the same thing.
“I knew I wanted to be closer to the people I love,” he said. “But it wasn’t until I nearly lost one of them that it really hit home for me.”
She racked her brain but couldn’t think of which family member had been in immediate danger. “But Skylar said he wouldn’t have hurt your mum.”
“I know,” he said softly. “I was talking about you.”
She inhaled sharply as she realized what he’d just said. People I love.
She swallowed, afraid to speak because she could feel Foot-in-Mouth Lily waiting on the sidelines to screw it up.
He stared at the floor. “When I was in the back of that van, being delivered to the Phantom, I had nothing better to do than think. And I wasn’t thinking about winning cases or filing paperwork at the office until ten at night. I wasn’t wondering who would get my BMW when they couldn’t find my body. I was thinking about family, both the one I have and the one I dream of building.”
His eyes held hers as though waiting for a response to a question. Did he mean her? Her heart begged for it to be true. For the first time since their night spent in front of the campfire, she dared to hope.
“Does that mean you’re not going back to Seattle?”
“No,” he said. “I’m here for good.”
He reached out for her, but she automatically snuggled Molly closer like she was a furry shield. She wasn’t ready to put her heart out there again until she knew for sure this was real. She must have looked like she could use some air because Ethan opened a door set into the wall of glass and held it open.
The moment they stepped onto the stone patio, Molly’s legs moved through the air like she was already running. Lily set her down so the pup could explore the freshly planted flowers and the landscaped lawn that stretched out to meet palm trees that framed the panorama.
The breeze blew Lily’s hair away from her neck. She angled her face to the warm California sun as though it could give her strength before she turned back to Ethan.
“I heard you on the phone when your old boss offered you a position as a partner. You said you were going to see him on Monday.”
“That was because I needed to tie up loose ends, sign some papers. I hadn’t been back there since I’d quit. I had to go in anyway, so I thought I’d do him the courtesy of refusing the offer to his face.” He drew closer but didn’t reach out again. “Is that why you left?”
“Maybe. Yes,” she admitted. “But it wasn’t the only reason. I left because of my mother. Because I discovered that all those incidents on the road …”
He nodded. “Marilyn filled me in. I’m sorry. Things must be strained with your mom right now.”
“I’m sorry too. And not just about my scheming mother.” She half laughed. “I’ve been wanting to explain the book.”
“You don’t have to—”
“I need to,” she said. “I thought I needed it because I wasn’t brave enough to travel on my own, but the steps were really only an excuse for me to do the things I already wanted to do. I mean, there wasn’t a step named ‘Take Down a Crime Boss.’ But after the Phantom kidnapped you, I found the strength to go after you without even thinking about it. This New Lily was always there, waiting to come out. I just needed the space to do it. And you gave me that space.”
“Well, I’m glad I could get kidnapped for you.” He grinned. “And thank you, by the way, for everything. I didn’t get a chance to say that. I’ve been trying to reach you over the last several days, but Marilyn thought you could use a little time.”
“She was right. I guess I was afraid you were going back to your old ways.”
He rubbed a hand over his clean-shaven cheek. “I won’t lie. I’m still the same man who wants to achieve great things. But a family is an achievement all on its own. And I realized I can strive for lofty goals and still make family a priority. You were the inspiration for that. You inspired me to do better, to be a better man.”
His intense gaze burned hotter than the sun on her bare shoulders. Unable to stand it any longer, she turned to face the facility again. “This is definitely lofty.”
“While Piper and Aiden will take care of the bills, I’ll be in charge of the operational side of things. But I’ll be hiring somebody else to be the manager … in case that should make a difference to you.” His usual confidence wavered, and he pressed his lips together.
She tilted her head. “Why would that make a difference to me?”
“Because I actually brought you here to ask you something important.”
He took her hands in his and squeezed. When he finally met her eyes, he looked more nervous than she’d ever seen him. Even when his friend had held a gun to his head, he hadn’t looked so scared and desperate. She drew a sharp breath and waited for what came next.
“Lily, I would be over the moon if … you’d come work here.”
She drew back. “What?”
“Of course, there will be a lot to sort out, like your nursing license, a work visa, and everything else involved. But because you’re a nurse, the facility can sponsor you and—”
She held up her hands, confused by the direction the conversation was headed. “That wasn’t exactly what I was expecting you to say.”
He frowned, and then his eyebrows rose with understanding. “Oh, I see.” Laughing, he ruffled his hair. “Maybe this isn’t as romantic as it seemed in my head, but since the moment I met you, you’ve been fighting for your freedom and independence. And now that you’ve found it, I am the last person on earth who would ever dream of taking that from you. You’ve had enough of that for one lifetime. I want to give you a job so you have your freedom, you have a choice. I don’t want to make you dependent on me, on us.”
“Us?”
He gave her a sheepish look. “Well, I’d be lying if I said the job was all for your sake. I hope that if you choose to work here, you will also choose me. But no pressure.”
Lily closed her eyes, and she felt her heart practically sing. No one had given her as much as he had. He’d given her independence, confidence, and strength, or at least he’d helped her find that within herself. He claimed she inspired him to be a better man, but they were each their best selves together.
Molly returned from her adventures in the garden with a marigold plant she’d dug up like a treasure. Dirt rained down from her fur as she trotted up to them and set it at their feet.
Sighing, Ethan bent over to brush some of the mess off her. Snapping off a flower, he nestled it into Lily’s hair.
“Will you stay?” he asked seriously. “Because …” And then he began singing “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.”
As he crooned, his voice grew louder and louder until she clamped a hand over his mouth to make him stop.
Laughing, she held his face in both hands and kissed him. She knew this was truly what she wanted. He was what she wanted.
“I will always choose you.”
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