They drove away as the sun set, heading toward the cabin. Toward two weeks of peace and healing and building something real.
“Thank you,” Nora said as they left the city behind.
“For what?”
“For believing me when no one else would. For protecting me. For loving me.”
Carson reached over and took her hand. “Thank you for trusting me. For letting me in. For giving me a reason to believe in happy endings again.”
“Do you? Believe in happy endings?”
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “With you? Yeah. I do.”
They drove into the sunset, leaving behind the darkness and fear, moving toward something bright and new and full of possibility.
Together.
The way it was always meant to be.
Chapter 16
The cabin looked different in the fading light—softer somehow, more welcoming than it had during their abbreviated first visit.
Carson carried in the last of their bags while Nora stood on the porch, breathing in the pine-scented air. No sirens. No traffic. No sounds of the city that had become synonymous with danger.
Just wind through the trees and the gentle lap of water against the shore.
“You okay?” Carson asked, coming up behind her.
“Yeah.” She leaned back against his chest. “I’m just...processing. A week ago, I was hiding in a safe house, terrified Eugene would find me. And now he’s locked up and I’m here with you and it feels almost too good to be real.”
“It’s real.” His arms wrapped around her waist. “You’re safe. He can’t hurt you anymore. And we have two whole weeks to just...be.”
“Just be,” Nora repeated. “I don’t think I remember how to do that.”
“Then we’ll figure it out together.”
They stood there for a long moment, watching the sun finish setting over the lake, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Eventually, Carson pressed a kiss to her temple.
“Come on. Let’s get the fire started. It’s getting cold.”
Inside, the cabin felt like coming home. Carson built a fire while Nora unpacked their groceries. They moved around each other with easy familiarity—not quite domestic routine yet, but getting there.
“I called Captain Holloway while you were bringing in bags,” Carson said, feeding another log into the fireplace. “Eugene’s arraignment is in three days. DA says with all the charges and the escape, he’s looking at life without parole.”
“Good.” Nora paused in putting away pasta. “Does that make me a bad person? Being happy someone’s going to prison forever?”
“No. It makes you human.” Carson stood and moved to her. “He terrorized you for months. He tried to kill you multiple times. You’re allowed to feel relief that he’ll never hurt you again.”
“What about Dan? Have they said anything about his charges?”
“Fifteen to twenty years minimum. He’s cooperating now, trying to reduce his sentence. Gave up the names of everyone who helped with Eugene’s escape.” Carson’s jaw clenched. “Security company employee, a corrections officer who looked the other way, and Eugene’s ex-girlfriend who drove the getaway truck.”
“His ex-girlfriend?”
“Yeah. They’re all facing charges now.” He pulled Nora close. “But that’s work talk. We’re supposed to be on vacation from all of that. No cases. No criminals. Just us.”
“Just us,” Nora agreed. Then, with a small smile, “What do normal couples do when they have two weeks alone in a cabin?”
