by Claire Raye
“Look,” he says, moving the chair out of the way, exposing the newspaper and the story he has up on the screen of his laptop. “You did this.”
On the cover of the newspaper is a picture of Andrew, but that isn’t the biggest thing. Every article contains an interview or words of all the women who have been hurt by him. They’ve come out of the woodwork with their stories.
All of them sharing their stories of harassment, assault and rape that have occurred years ago, but some that are recent. The articles even allude to more women who are bound by legal documents barring them from speaking about what happened publicly. Women like Eliza Anderson.
I didn’t expect this response. I just wanted the workplace of Bolton and Fisher to be safer. I wanted other people to know it’s okay to speak up, and clearly by these articles, I’ve created that.
“I’m so proud of you,” Finn says, sweeping me into his arms. “This is all because of what you did. Once he was arrested these people felt the need to tell their story.”
I’m overwhelmed by the response, but I’m also thrilled that I was able to make this impression. Leaving my job looks like the best decision I’ve made, because what I hoped to accomplish at that company has been done. There’s no reason to stay.
“This is crazy,” I say, as Finn leans down and kisses me. “I had no idea I would have made this big of an impact.”
“You always have a big impact, Sarah.”
We sit together scrolling though the articles online and it really is appalling how long this has been going on for. The earliest accuser is from Andrew’s college days, and I’m not shocked that he started out assaulting girls he went on dates with.
In one of the articles a woman claims Andrew’s father paid her off, all of it done under the table so she never reported it to the campus police. Her allegations dying along with her student loans. Like I said, he preys on the weak, and he knew this woman needed the money.
When we’ve found out everything we can about Andrew, Finn and I spend the rest of the day getting my things from Erin and Ryan’s house.
“Shouldn’t you be at work?” I ask when I’ve lugged the last box into our house, realizing I’m the only one who is currently jobless.
“I decided to take the day off. I went in this morning, but I felt like I needed a mental health day. And I wanted to get your ass moved in here as soon as possible.”
“What, you worried I was going to change my mind?”
Finn chuckles and pinches my side as he walks by me to hang a few things in the closet. “No. I’m your sugar daddy right now.”
“I knew I shouldn’t have quit my job.”
We continue joking around as we unpack my things, but I have way more than I think and it’s taking far longer than I thought.
Finn suggests we take a break and I couldn’t agree more because I’m starving.
But as I watch him lift a box out of the doorway, every muscle in his body flexing, I’m distracted.
“Are you checking me out, Sarah Summers?” Finn teases. “I thought all the magic was supposed to die when we moved in together.”
“Nah, I think that’s after we get married,” I joke back, giving him a wink.
He meets me in the middle of the room and walks me backward until my legs hit the bed. “Then we’re never getting married,” he murmurs in my ear as his hands slide under my shirt.
He cups my breast, his fingers sliding over my nipple and I moan out loud. But just as things are getting good, Finn’s phone begins to vibrate in his pocket.
“Back to being the chief,” I say, as he backs away from me and reaches into his pocket.
“Finn O’Loughlin.”
I step out of the room, letting him have his space. This is something I’m going to have to get used to. This town might be small, but he’s still their chief and the first point of contact.
He spends about ten minutes on the phone, and when he emerges from the bedroom, he looks like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah. That was Detective Greenwood. He was calling to tell me that he was able to locate Carla’s sister and she’s now with Carla.”
“That’s great news. I wondered if she had anyone.”
After Finn got that call from Carla’s ex-husband I wondered if she had any family who could help her. I imagine having a family member with mental illness is hard, but I look at Ryan and my sisters and I know we’d be there for each other regardless.
“I want her to get the help she needs,” Finn says. “I never wanted anything horrible to happen to her. Sending her to jail won’t be any help to her. I’m hoping Greenwood can push for a mental health facility.”
I smile at him. I watch his concern for Carla take over and it makes me love him even more. I’m so lucky to have him in my life.
“I love you, Finn O’Loughlin,” I say, pressing up on my toes to kiss him.
“What was that for?”
“Because you are the kindest man I have ever known.”
Epilogue
3 months later
Finn
“You nervous?” I ask, chuckling a little as Beck stands, fidgeting with his cuff links.
“No,” he replies, shooting me a sideways glance.
“He is,” Ryan adds. “He’s totally shitting it.”
I chuckle. “Why the hell are you nervous? Beck, you’re marrying the girl of your dreams.”
“The love of your life,” Ryan adds, smiling.
Beck rolls his eyes at both of us. “Just you two wait,” he mutters. “You’ll be exactly the same way.”
Ryan and I look at each other and grin, before the music starts up and all of us turn toward the inn.
The place looks spectacular; the back veranda decorated with flowers and tiny lights. The small gathering of people who have come to watch Beck and Kelsey finally tie the knot are all seated in front of a small gazebo where we wait. Once upon a time it seemed like this day would never come, and while it has certainly taken longer than anyone expected or wanted, there’s no denying that it was always meant to be.
From the second Beck met Kelsey back when he was eighteen, he’s never looked back and despite disappearing to Boston for ten years, as soon as he came back here, I knew he was never gonna be dumb enough to leave her again.
I was so glad they’d finally worked it out. Even better that I’d not only gotten a new friend and business partner out of it, but also someone who meant more to me than anything.
I sweep my eyes over all of the people who are here, waiting to witness this moment. It’s a small gathering, just their closest family and friends. In amongst the guests are Ryan and Sarah’s parents, who I’ve finally had the pleasure of meeting. They’re busy doting over their first grandchild, Lucy, happily looking after her while Erin and Ryan take part in the ceremony.
It’s hilarious to think of Ryan as a dad, although it’s definitely a role that comes naturally to him. All of us have been enjoying giving him shit though, about the fact he has a daughter now and that she’s going to make his life a living hell when she grows up and starts dating.
He just shakes his head and says, “Never gonna happen,” making us all laugh, Erin included. We all know he’s fighting a losing battle, the kid’s half Erin, half Ryan, two of the most stubborn people I know. If anyone’s going to defy and piss off her parents, it’s this kid.
None of us can wait.
“Finn,” Ryan whispers, nudging me a little.
I turn to the back door, watch as Sarah now comes through, pausing on the steps. I can’t take my eyes off her, dressed in a strapless deep blue dress, her blonde hair tied up, exposing her shoulders and long neck. She catches my eye, smiling as she winks at me. I stand speechless, unable to comprehend just how beautiful she looks or how lucky I am to be with her.
I know Ryan and Beck mirror my look when Erin and then Kelsey finally walk outside.
Pop is the one who walks Kelsey down to Beck and it’s not hard to see the pride on his face, the obvious love he has for the woman he’s considered a daughter ever since she was sixteen years old.
The ceremony is intimate and fun, both Beck and Kelsey opting to shun tradition in favor of a more relaxed vibe.
When they are finally announced as husband and wife, all of us cheer knowing this moment has been a really long time coming.
Afterward, we move into the tent that’s been set up on the back lawn, where tables have been set up around a small dance floor. Ryan and I both give speeches, most of which are filled with stories about Beck, me covering the shit he and Kelsey used to get up to when they were first dating as kids, Ryan filling people in on the later years.
After that, Beck and Kelsey give a speech together, thanking everyone for supporting them and for sticking by them over the years. There are plenty of laughs and tears and watching the two of them, it’s impossible not to see how happy they both are.
When the formalities are over though, it’s party time.
“Come dance with me,” I whisper in Sarah’s ear.
She turns to me, a glass of champagne in her hand. “I thought you hated parties and dancing and stuff?” she says, smiling.
I grin, shrugging as I say, “Yeah I used to think I didn’t want a relationship either, but apparently I was wrong about that, too.”
Sarah cocks her head. “Apparently?”
I laugh, leaning over as I press a kiss to her lips. “Definitely,” I whisper against her mouth. “You’re the greatest thing to ever happen to me Sarah Summers,” I tell her. “And that is something I absolutely do know.”
Sarah slides an arm around my waist and squeezes me on the ass as she kisses me hard. “You better believe it,” she says, laughing.
We join the others on the dance floor, where I pull Sarah close, one arm around her back, the other holding her hand against my chest.
“You happy with the way everything’s turned out?” I ask as we move with the music.
She nods. “Yep. I can’t believe I finally have a job doing what I love and a home with the person I love.”
I smile. “Business is picking up isn’t it?” I ask, knowing that with the arrival of summer, Sarah has picked up a lot more clients, so much so that she’s got little time to work in the pub anymore.
“It’s been incredible,” she says, her hand on my back. “Better than I ever could have expected.”
I lean down and press a soft kiss to her lips. “It has been better than expected,” I tell her, not talking about her job now.
She grins. “Well, at least you won’t need to be my sugar daddy anymore.”
I chuckle. “I didn’t mind that part,” I admit.
Now she’s laughing. “You didn’t mind the sexual favors I offered up all the time, you mean.”
I grin. “Well, at least we know the magic really doesn’t die,” I say winking at her.
Around midnight, someone silences the music and taps a knife against a glass, letting us all know that Beck and Kelsey are leaving.
Grinning, the two of them walk hand in hand to the doorway of the tent, Kelsey gripping her bouquet tight. All of us gather to say farewell, Erin, Ryan, Sarah and me right at the front of the group.
Kelsey shoots Beck a quick glance and they share a secret smile before she turns and tosses her bouquet, over her head and into the crowd.
Ryan and I watch as the flowers arch high into the air before beginning their decent, right into the waiting hands of Sarah and Erin.
Acknowledgements
A big thanks goes out to all of you, our readers. We started this whole journey kind of on a whim, to have some fun, never really knowing if it would go anywhere. Suddenly, we had book one in the Rockport Beach Series and half of book two. But then things got hard and it took a long time (and a shared vacation) to pull us out of our writing funk. Now, the whole trilogy is done and we are so glad we not only got to tell these stories, but that you all chose to read them! Thank you.
Big thanks also to our husbands, whose funny one liners and random quirks end up in these books more times than they can count. Thanks also to our beta readers for reining us in when we get out of control and for reading so quickly when we come up with our imaginary deadlines.
While this might be the end for the Rockport gang (for now…), we’ve got plenty more ideas waiting to be explored, so stick around. We’re excited to share them with you!
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