“WE’RE GOING TO need to hire more employees if you’re going to keep having days like this,” Ursula grumbled as she banged on her service bell for pickup. “Didn’t expect a dinner rush after a major rescue like that. Look at your girl over there, hustling the deputies at cards. Never knew she put the scare of a lifetime into all of us earlier today.”
“No, you wouldn’t.” Paige looked over from her seat at the counter, a seat she hadn’t been allowed to leave ever since she and Charlie had come down after long hot showers, a change of clothes and a new attitude. She had a lot to take care of, a lot she’d been putting off, but it couldn’t be put off any longer. Mrs. Hastings, perched on her own stool at the end of the counter, sent her one of her knowing looks.
The diner was filled to the gills, but whatever impatience there might have been was overshadowed by the relief everyone felt that Charlie’s explorations hadn’t resulted in something tragic. Paige had spoken to just about everyone, including the mayor and his guests, who had been thoroughly impressed with the town’s support in a time of need.
It was as if she’d given the mayor some extra-good PR without even meaning to. Melina Sorento was scribbling in her notebook, talking to people, even interviewing Simon for his take on the entire event to feature in next week’s paper.
Next week. Paige took a deep breath and finished her coffee. Too bad she wouldn’t be here to see it.
The door chimed as it opened, and Paige almost choked on her coffee. “Holly! Luke! You weren’t due back until Tuesday.”
Holly pushed through the crowd and pulled her off the stool for a hug. “Abby called and told us what happened. We couldn’t very well sit around knowing what you and Charlie had been through.” She squeezed hard. “Are you doing okay? Charlie’s okay?”
“We’re both fine.” Paige returned the hug, casting an accusatory look Abby’s way, but Abby only shrugged and hopped up to hug her friend next. “You didn’t have to come back, honestly.”
“Oh, please. We can take another vacation. Especially now that Luke knows this place is in good hands without him. Seems like you’re in good hands, too,” Holly said as she wrapped her arm around Paige’s shoulders. They watched as Luke joined his deputies, then bent down to talk directly to Charlie. “He was more worried than I was about her. She’s infectious, that kid. But then you know that, right?”
Paige smiled and nodded, then she caught Leah’s eye and motioned her over. She hadn’t planned to do this now, but, as she’d learned in the last few days, there wasn’t any time to waste when it came to making the most of her life. “Can I talk to you and Luke in the kitchen for a few minutes? It’s important.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“No, no, you both go on. I’m fine here,” Abby called. “I’m going to get a milkshake. I’ve earned it.”
“You have indeed,” Paige agreed. “Twyla, strawberry shake for Abby, please.”
“You got it!” came a voice from the crowd.
Plates of onion rings, French fries, jalapeño poppers and burgers bigger than a person’s head kept flying through the serving window at Ursula speed. As Paige led the way toward the back of the kitchen, she felt her body tighten back up as Leah joined her, Holly and Luke. “Holly, this is Leah Ellis. She’s taken over her uncle’s law practice here in town.”
“Oh, you must be Benjamin Ellis’s niece.” Holly reached out to shake her hand. “He was one of my best customers for years. I hope he’s enjoying his new job.”
“He is, thanks.” Leah reached into her bag and pulled out the large manila envelope. “On the house, Paige. And so’s any advice you might need in the future.” She tucked a stray strand of blond hair behind her ear. “I’ll let you all talk.”
“Abby filled us in on the last year,” Luke said with nary a glimmer of resentment in his eyes. “I wish you’d told us what was going on. We could have helped.”
“I know.” Paige gave a weak smile. Now that she had this in her hands, she couldn’t seem to stop shaking. “I made some deals with the universe while Charlie was in that cave. You know, mom deals,” she said to Holly, who nodded. “I’d already asked Leah to draw these up, but now I know it’s for the best. I’m heading back to New York tomorrow afternoon. I’m going to turn myself in, accept whatever consequences they deem appropriate. I’m, um, not sure when I’ll be back.” She handed Holly the envelope. “I know this probably isn’t the best thing to spring on someone, but I’ve named you and Luke as Charlie’s legal guardians. I want—I need her to stay here. With people who love her. With her family.”
Holly’s eyes watered instantly as she took the papers. “Paige, no. This has to be overthinking things. Surely it isn’t necessary—”
“I’ve never had the best of luck with these kinds of things. But I ran from this because I couldn’t bear the thought of Charlie being caught up in the foster care system. All I’ve ever wanted was for her to feel safe and protected, loved. And most of all wanted. That’s something I never had. I know she’ll have that with you. She’ll have everything she’s ever wanted here. Please tell me you’ll take her.”
Holly opened her mouth, no doubt to protest again, but Luke took hold of her hand. “If this is what you want, of course we accept.”
“I want her to have a relationship with Fletcher, too,” Paige said. “However much he wants. They deserve that. I’ll tell her the truth before I leave, so you won’t have to deal with that. If she’s going to be angry with someone I need it to be with me.” She wiped the tears off her cheeks and backed away when Holly moved forward to hug her again. “No, please. I need to take some time to myself for a while. Just…take care of my baby.”
Before either of them could say a word, she hurried around them, back out into the diner, and, before she could change her mind, she walked out the front door to start packing.
* * *
IT TOOK HER until two hours before her flight to New York the next day to get up the courage to tell Charlie what was going on. Being the center of attention all of yesterday had worn her little girl out, and now, as Paige zipped up her to-go bag, she knew it was time.
Expecting to be booked and processed as soon as she turned herself in at the police station, she’d chosen the simplest of clothes; packed only the bare necessities. Shoes laced up, hair locked down in a braid, she knocked on Charlie’s bedroom door before she pushed it open. There her daughter sat at her small desk, drawing what had to be the tenth picture she’d made of the butterfly treasure box she was convinced had given her all she ever wanted.
“Charlie? I need to talk to you about something.”
“Sure, Mom.” Charlie colored faster so she could finish, then held up the paper. “Good one?”
“It’s perfect.” Paige held out her hand. “Come out here with me, please.”
Charlie frowned, picking up on the grief in Paige’s voice, certainly. “Is something wrong? I’m not in trouble again, am I? I didn’t do anything else, I promise.”
“No, you’re fine. There’s something going on that I need to tell you—”
Someone knocked on the door. Paige sighed. She didn’t have time for any interruptions. “Whoever it is, can you please come back…” She pulled open the door. “Later. Fletch. Luke. What are you doing—” Her voice broke. She reached back and grabbed Charlie, holding her against her as she started to shake. The dark-haired man with the familiar piercing, accusing eyes stood off to the side. “Detective Diaz. What are you—”
“Mom?” Charlie started to sound as scared as Paige felt. “What’s going on?”
“Hey, Charlie.” Luke held out his hand. “Simon’s downstairs at the diner. Why don’t you go keep him busy for a while.”
“Mom?” Charlie turned her freckled face up at Paige.
“Um.” She looked to Fletch, who gave her an encouraging nod. “Yeah, go ahead. I’ll come get you in a bit.”
Charlie stepped away, walked down the stairs, looking over her shoulder as she went. Paige stepped back and waved them inside. “Please, come in. Sorry it’s such a mess. I’ve just finished packing.” She couldn’t seem to stand still. “I’m sorry, but what are you doing here? I don’t understand.” He wasn’t going to arrest her here, was he? In front of everyone in Butterfly Harbor? In front of the town Charlie was going to live in? “Please don’t do anything in front of my daughter.”
“Please, Ms. Cooper.” Detective Diaz glanced to Luke. “Sheriff Saxon called me yesterday afternoon. After speaking with both him and Deputy Bradley, it seems I owe you an apology. Which is why I’m here. They insisted I take the red-eye out to San Francisco last night so I could talk to you in person.”
“The red-eye? An apology? What is going on?”
Fletch must have taken pity on her as he walked around to wrap his arm around her shoulders in support. “The charges against you have been dropped, Paige. Detective Diaz was able to make his case without your testimony. Something, it turns out, he actually did months ago. The Brennan kid is going to cut a deal for early parole.”
“But, I checked just last week. My arrest warrant was still active.” She looked up at him. “How is that possible?”
“I made a mistake, Paige,” Detective Diaz said. “When my partner was shot all I wanted was to make the person who had done it pay along with anyone who helped him. I was out of bounds threatening to take your daughter away. I let my anger get the better of me and let things go on longer than I should have. By the time I could drop the charges—”
“Sometimes it’s hard to let go of certain cases,” Luke explained. “You not reporting the gunshot wound was a misdemeanor, Paige, and while it technically violated the oath you would have taken upon getting your nursing license, you were still in school at the time. We’ve made a few calls, called in a few favors and, with Detective Diaz dropping all the charges against you, you’ll be allowed to finish your classes and earn enough credits to graduate. It’s over, Paige. You don’t have to give us custody of Charlie. You don’t have to go back to New York and turn yourself in. It’s over.”
Paige couldn’t believe her ears. “And you flew all the way out here to tell me in person?”
Detective Diaz said with a wry smile, “I wasn’t exactly given a choice. But yes, I owed you that much at least. I never expected you to run, Paige. And I’m so sorry you felt as if you had to.”
“I appreciate that.” She pressed a hand against her chest. The breath she’d been holding for the past sixteen months escaped and, with it, all the fear and worry over what was to come. “How’s your partner doing?”
“Better.” Diaz nodded. “He’s been chosen as part of a case study on spinal injuries. There’s a good chance he might regain partial movement in his legs. Thank you. For asking.”
“Of course.”
“Let’s get you that burger we promised you,” Luke said as he backed up and opened the door. Before he left, he walked over to Paige, drew her into a hug and set her back in Fletch’s arms. “When this all hits you later, just go with it. And when you’re ready to decompress and celebrate, we’ll be here.”
He closed the door behind them.
“How is this even possible?” Paige couldn’t move. All these months and…it was over? Just like that? She looked up at Fletch, too afraid to think…too afraid to hope.
“Holly and Abby went on a bit of a rant yesterday after you left the diner, told us everything. And this time I do mean everything. That you were willing to give up Charlie—”
“Don’t.” Paige’s knees wobbled. “Oh, please, don’t remind me.” She dived for her couch and sank onto the edge. “My little girl. I get to keep my little girl.” The tears started again, but this time she didn’t even try to stop them. “I got her back twice in the span of a day. Both times thanks to you.”
“Well, me, Luke and Jason.”
“Jason?”
“Who do you think flew him out here? Sent a car for him and everything.”
“I’m going to bake him the biggest banana cake he’s ever seen.” Paige laughed. But the laugh turned into a sob. “Oh, Fletch. I’m so sorry for everything. For lying to you, for not trusting you—”
“Stop, Paige.” The way he said it, the way he looked down at the floor as he stepped toward her. Was she going to regain her life, regain her freedom, only to lose him? “You don’t owe me anything. Not an explanation, not an apology. If anyone owes anyone anything it’s me. For not being the kind of man you thought you could trust. I’d like to change that. If you’ll let me.”
“If I’ll let you? Fletch, of course… I mean I…” She couldn’t seem to get the words out. She held out her hands, waited for him to take them. “I love you, Deputy Fletcher Bradley. I love every honest, frustrating, stubborn bit of you. And if you’ll have us, Charlie and I would very much like to be part of your family.”
“Yeah?” There was that grin, that silly crooked grin that she now realized was all for her.
“Yeah.” She jumped to her feet and locked her arms around his neck, reveling in the feel of his arms wrapping around her, holding her close. “With everything that happened, the running, the lies, everything, I wouldn’t change any part of it.” She pulled her head back far enough to look into his eyes. “You know why?”
“No.” He kissed her on the tip of her nose. “Tell me.”
“Because I never would have come to Butterfly Harbor. I wouldn’t have found you.” She curled her fingers into the thick curls of his hair and kissed him gently. “I wouldn’t have found my home.”
“In that case, Paige Cooper…” He spun her in circles until she couldn’t stop laughing. “…welcome home.”