She smiled at her son, his brown eyes filled with hope, then back at Finn.
He was still kneeling, shoulders tight, as if everything depended upon her answer.
The sound of the waves crashed softly against the shore. The low murmur of conversations faded into the background. Time stood still.
“Yes,” she whispered as she dropped to her knees. “Yes.”
Luke whooped for joy just as a low rumble shook the ground. A white-hot blaze of light burst from the launch pad, lighting up the night sky. The rocket roared louder and louder as it shook the air and the earth as it climbed higher and higher into the heavens.
The ground vibrated beneath her knees. Her heart beat fast. Not from the launch but from the man in front of her and the boy beside her.
The three of them as one turned to watch it, arms wrapped around one another. Finn pressed a kiss to her temple. Luke leaned into her side, eyes wide as he looked up in wonder.
Luke threw his arms up in the air, shouting over the roar. “Best. Day. Ever!”
And it was.
For Luke, who needed his dad.
For Finn, who needed his family.
And for Lainey, who needed them both.
And right there, with the rocket fire lighting up the sky, Lainey knew one thing for sure. This was the beginning of everything good.
EPILOGUE
Three monthslater
This was the day Lainey prayed would come.
The renovations were complete. Her crew had worked long hours to finish the remaining projects. And now it was done.
Lena and some of the women from the shelter, some from the community, were lingering near the door of the transitional housing building. Lainey caught Lena’s eye and smiled. Lena wiped at her eyes and nodded, her face full of joy.
Finn told her the Brotherhood Alliance was working with Lena on furnishing the apartments, getting appliances donated and setting up security that would make the women feel safe without being watched.
The community theater had already hung posters for their first production opening in a few weeks, Stella’s Bakery had a line out the door for cookies and brownies, and Brick & Barrel Gastropub had a waitlist and two new seasonal beers on tap.
Today was the official grand opening, and it was everything she had hoped for. A band played jazz from the edge of the square. Kids darted around with a balloon animal in one hand and a cookie in the other.
It was a cloudless, cool day, perfect for the party. Fairy lights zigzagged across the square. The new mural shimmered in the sun. The community had gotten together to repaint it.
She stood just outside the theater entrance, watching it all, holding Finn’s hand. The crowd was steady but not overwhelming. Local officials, a couple of reporters, community members, her crew and Gus. Luke was with Jack somewhere, both covered in face paint and chasing each other around.
Mia Whitmore’s catering truck was parked along the edge of the square. The scent of roasted garlic, fresh basil and warm bread drifted across the pavement, mixing with the sugary scents from the bakery. Her table setup was elegant but fun. Mia smiled as she offered samples of caprese skewers, tiny crostini with whipped feta and fig jam. She was in her element, chatting, laughing, but Lainey knew better.
Mia and Caleb were still circling each other.
They hadn’t spoken much. At least not where anyone could hear.
Her eyes drifted to the corner of the square. Caleb Jennings leaned against a tree, arms crossed, scanning the crowd and staring at Mia in between.
She elbowed Finn gently and nodded toward Caleb. “Think they’ll ever figure it out?”
Finn followed her gaze and huffed. “God, I hope not. Watching them avoid each other is the only entertainment I get.”
Lainey grinned. “Why is it so hard for them to get together?”
