Somehow, thanks to the healing powers of time and understanding, Allie’s parents’ anniversary party the following weekend wasn’t the nightmare event she’d expected. Not that she hadn’t been anxious for her planned solitary retreat to the tree house, but it wasn’t for the reason she’d been expecting.
Allie stood at the base of the tree, looking up at the house her father had built over twenty years ago. It had been reinforced twice, the wood planks hammered into the ancient oak replaced and solidified. For a moment, she wondered if the opening was big enough for her to squeeze through.
“Only one way to find out.” She grabbed hold and stepped up, climbing the ladder until she poked her head into what she remembered as a spacious hideaway.
A couple of sleeping bags and blankets were huddled in the corner, a stuffed rabbit sagged beside them and a plastic tea set was tipped over on the makeshift table.
Her hideout growing up had been her refuge, her safe place. And for a few years, Tyler had been her companion, sneaking up here at night so they could look at the stars. Later, it was where she went to cry and talk to the friend she’d lost.
Except she’d lost two friends that day: Chloe and Tyler. Tyler, who had been as much a victim of life’s tragedies as Chloe.
Whatever guilt she’d expected to feel at having ended Mina Goodale’s life never quite manifested in the way she’d thought it would. She’d been cleared of any wrongdoing, which wasn’t surprising, since she had at least a dozen police officers and an assistant DA as witnesses, but Allie hadn’t been able to shake this odd detachment from what had happened the night Mina kidnapped her. It was almost as if it had happened to someone else.
There would come a time, she supposed, when her mind would be ready to process it all, but she wasn’t in any rush. She wasn’t in any rush about anything these days.
Well. Maybe there were a few things.
Allie stooped down and looked out the window with the crooked trim that gave her a long view of the backyard. The chicken coop and vegetable garden were still in full operational mode, with her mother and father holding court with their family and friends.
She could still feel the unusual sensation of her mother’s arms around her hours after her parents had arrived at the hospital. Allie almost hadn’t known what to do when Sitara and Giles had offered a heartfelt apology for how they’d treated Allie.
It was an important step, she admitted, one that had been induced by what she’d only just learned was a rather vehement suggestion from Eden, Simone and Max. How she wished she’d been privy to that conversation.
“There you are.” Max poked his not-so-scruffy head through the opening. “Eden said she thought she saw you headed this way. Wow.” He glanced around at the tree house and gave an appreciative nod. “This place isn’t half-bad. Remind me to bring Hope up here before we leave.”
Allie smiled. “I’d love to show it to her.”
The little girl was doing remarkably well and had taken it upon herself to drop the “Doctor” from Allie’s name. It made sense due to Allie’s decision to change the focus of her practice. She’d still work with children occasionally, but hearing Max talk about the difficulties his friend Bixby had gone through, she wanted to work with firefighters, police officers, vets...those who were dealing with life-changing injuries or events. And her consultations with the police department and FBI? She was done for the most part.
She’d given a significant part of her life to criminals and trying to figure out the why—usually to do with the past. Now it was time to focus on the future.
“You doing okay?” Max had to duck his head to stop from bashing it on the roof as he crawled forward. Allie chuckled and sat back, finding herself instantly enveloped in the arms of the man she loved.
“I’m doing okay. Cole stopped in to see Jack en route to the party.”
“So I heard. Detective Awesome is going to be okay.”
Allie nodded. “Eventually.” The bullet that had missed his vest had done serious damage. It would be six to eight months before he was back to full strength again, although he was already showing signs of his usual crankiness. Another positive. “We’ll make sure of it.”
When the silence stretched, Max began to shift, as he always did when he sat still for so long. “You want to go?” She looked up at him and then realized he’d been trying to reach into his pocket.
“No, I do not, actually. I just didn’t expect such a tight...ah! Fit. Geez.” He sagged against the wall and exhaled. “You just never make things easy for me, do you, Doc?”
“Nope. And I don’t plan to start.” She sat up, a hand on his chest as he held out a small square box. “What’s that?” Her heart slammed against her still-sore ribs.
He gave her that grin that made her heart race. “What do you think it is?” He flicked open the box, turned it around so she could see it. “I went shopping with Eden and Simone the other day but didn’t really see anything that screamed Allie.”
“I didn’t realize rings screamed,” Allie teased, and then, when she looked more closely at the simple, square-cut diamond ring, her throat tightened. Her vision blurred. “That’s Eden’s mom’s ring.”
“It is.” He lifted his arm from around her and plucked the ring free. “Eden told me how her mom and dad thought of you as one of their own. They loved you, Allie.”
She nodded. “I loved them, too.” Losing them to a drunk driver when she and Eden were fifteen had been another fracture in her childhood. “They welcomed me into their home from the beginning. They even gave me a key.” And she’d never had the chance to tell them how much being a part of their lives had meant to her, how much strength they’d given her.
“So we all know Eden isn’t exactly a sentimentalist when it comes to her own life,” Max joked.
“Hence the quickie wedding in Tahoe,” Allie said.
“She thought maybe you’d like to have it. There’s only one catch.” He sighed, an overly dramatic sigh that had Allie both laughing and sobbing. “I come with it.” Max angled it into the sun and watched it glint rainbows against her childhood refuge. “But the good news is, I’ve got a job now and I come with a family who loves you almost as much as I do. And I like your friends.”
“My family,” Allie whispered as she held out her trembling hand. “They like you, too. I think it’s a deal I can live with, Shaggy.”
“Oh, that’s the other catch. I have to get a haircut. And shave.” He grimaced. “Vince’s rules. I need to look less beach-dude and more professional.”
“That might take some getting used to.” She straddled him, squeezed her knees around his thighs as she leaned in to wag her fingers in front of him. “Would you please put that on me already?”
“Last chance to change your mind.” But he didn’t wait another second. The white-gold band slipped easily on her finger and settled right where it belonged.
“Yes” hovered on her lips as she heard a giggle beneath the tree house. Allie brushed her fingers over his face, leaned back to look out the window.
There, standing in the tall grass, looking up, was a little girl with red pigtails, a crooked smile and sagging overalls. She kicked up one bright turquoise shoe, did a quick dance before she waved, turned around and skipped off, fading straight into the shimmering sunbeams.
“Bye, Chloe,” Allie whispered and smiled when Max rubbed his hand down her back.
“So what do you say, Doc? Ready to start a new life?”
She nodded, tears in her eyes. She’d waited so long for something and someone special to come into her life. No more. She grabbed hold of Max’s face, kissed him hard, completely and with every ounce of love she could muster. “I love you, Max. And yes.” She took a deep breath, held it and let everything go. “I’m ready.”
* * * * *
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