She glanced around the loft. It wasn’t her home anymore. Home was wherever Beau was. “Okay.”
“We could have kids,” he said. “I mean, if you want to.”
She just nodded. “Kids. Yes, okay.”
Beau kissed her, deeply then softly. “You must have missed me, too. You’ve never been quite this agreeable.”
Cassidy laughed. She was going home with Beau. She might even marry him. “You better not get too used to it.”
Beau laughed, soft, free and easy. She had never heard him laugh that way before. Cassidy went up on her toes and kissed him. She had never been so happy. It was amazing how much life could change between yesterday and tomorrow.
Epilogue
Beau sat behind the wheel of the brand-new Lamborghini Aventador he had just driven out of the showroom. It was exactly like the one he’d owned before, metallic slate gray with a burnt orange interior, V-12 engine, 740 horses, all the other specs the same. Cassidy wouldn’t have it any other way.
“How’s it drive?” she asked from the passenger seat, clearly eager to test the car herself.
“Like a screaming demon,” he said, grinning as he drove the low-slung sports car out of the city. For the first few miles, he just enjoyed the feel of the wheel in his hands, the incredible power of the engine. A couple of times, when the road was clear, he let her run a little.
Forty miles from Pleasant Hill, he pulled the car over to the side of the road. “Why don’t you give her a try, see what you think?”
She flashed him a grin, clearly excited. “You did make the insurance payment?”
Beau laughed. “Oh, yeah, baby. Since I knew you’d be driving her, I didn’t want to take any chances.”
She grinned as they climbed out and rounded the vehicleto trade places. Beau caught the flash of diamonds and emeralds on her left hand. He’d traded the tennis bracelet for an engagement ring even before he’d gone to see her. He’d officially proposed during supper at Antoine’s, which had turned into a spontaneous engagement party.
He didn’t think he could fall more deeply in love, but once he’d let go of the past, he was completely toast. Maybe he’d suffered some form of survivor’s guilt, regret that he had lived and Sarah had died. Whatever it was, Cassidy had shown him the way past it.
She slid into the driver’s seat, put the Lambo in gear, and revved the engine. Laughing, she burned a little rubber as she pulled onto the road. They were on their way to Pleasant Hill, having lunch with Josie, Missy, and Evie.
He tried to get out for a visit at least every other week, loved watching the baby grow up. He couldn’t wait till Cassidy got pregnant, though they had decided to put it off for a while, give themselves a little time together after the wedding.
Which was only two months away. He grinned to think of it.
Seemed like everything had settled into place the day Cassidy had come back to him. Quinn Taggart had called to tell him Malcolm Vaughn had been arrested. He was taking a plea deal that would land him in prison for at least twenty years. Jennings’s sentence could go even longer.
Even with the most expensive attorneys money could buy, Jamal Nawabi wasn’t getting out of prison. The only worry was that other members of the terrorist cell might still be out there, plotting and planning to do their worst.
Luca Reichlin was now in Interpol’s sights. Taggart figured sooner or later he would make a mistake and they would arrest him.
Best of all, Malcolm Vaughn had inadvertently given Beau a parting gift. Mal had told Quinn Taggart he’d had no idea Jamal Nawabi was involved in terrorism, no idea whyLuca Reichlin wanted Hardrock Trenching to get the capitol maintenance contract. Even the murders were Reichlin’s idea—eliminating any loose ends.
Vaughn was just trying to please his number-one client.
Taggart believed him.
Which meant former State Senator Stewart Reese had no idea terrorism was involved when he’d agreed to press Scott Watson for a favor.
Beau liked to think that no matter what his father had done in his life, there was a line he would never have crossed.
Beau hoped like hell it was the truth.
