by Carian Cole
"I was just heading there for my tattoo appointment." A month. She’s been here for a month and I didn’t even know. Why didn’t she tell me? Why didn’t Asher tell me? Is life going to fuck me over and take her away from me when we finally have things fixed?
The corners of her mouth tilt up and her smile lights up her face. "You're still getting ink? I'm surprised you have any open skin left."
"We're working on my legs now," I reply. "How have you been?"
She pulls the strap of her bag up higher on her shoulder. "I'm doing well. My calligraphy business is going great. I'm actually designing a lot of those hand-lettered tattoos for people, especially Lukas' clients, and I'm selling a lot of the cookies I told you about."
"The cookies with the writing?"
"Yeah. A lot of brides have been buying them. And I just started making some for dogs that have cute words on them."
"Wow, that's really cool. I'm proud of you, Angel." The nickname slips out past my lips before I can stop it.
A hint of pink touches her cheeks. "Thank you," she says. "I was going to call you once I got settled."
I chew the inside of my cheek. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?” I ask, because I can’t stand here not knowing why. “Why were you waiting to call me? What if I hadn’t run into you just now?”
“Because I wanted us to reconnect with me being on my own. Not living in my father’s house. Even though he’s doing his best to accept it, I couldn’t see having you come over to see me in his house, or make him watch me leave his house to go to yours, and then come back again later that night. That’s the place where you were my uncle and I was your niece, and I think we need to stay away from those memories for a little while, at least in front of him.”
I nod slowly. “Okay. That makes sense and I can accept that.”
“I was definitely going to call you, Tor,” she assures me. “Please don’t think I wasn’t. I just wanted us to start off right, and I wanted some time with my father, too. To make sure he’s really okay. I just wanted to do everything right.”
Right. That’s what I want, too. Everything to be right. And normal. Without lies, and betrayal and worry.
"Can I take you to dinner?" A year ago, we couldn't go out to dinner for fear of someone seeing us. But now, I don't care. Asher already knows, so there's nothing to hide. Now I can take her on a real date.
She beams. "I'd love to. When?"
"Is tonight too soon?" I ask with a grin. No point in trying to hide my impatience, right?
She laughs and I want to kiss her so bad I can practically taste her on my lips. I wonder if she still wears that strawberry lip gloss I loved so much.
"Tonight is perfect."
"Can I pick you up?"
"Sure," she replies. "Let me write down my address for you. We're renting a studio apartment in a converted barn in Amherst." I wait as she digs through her purse and finds something to write on, then copies the address from her phone onto the scrap of paper.
"I know this is awful, but I keep forgetting the address," she says as she hands it to me. "I've only been there two weeks. I stayed at my dad's for a few weeks before I moved in with Rayne."
I take the paper from her and shove it into my front pocket.
"Tor," she begins, stopping to take a breath. "The message in the bottle was amazing. It really made me see everything so clearly. I loved it. Every night before I go to sleep, I read it."
"I was hoping you would."
"And I did make a wish that night."
My heart starts to pound as she moves closer to me and slips her hand into mine.
"You want to share it with me?" I lace my fingers through hers, not planning on letting her go. Ever again.
"I wished for you. And us. And happiness."
Stepping closer, I lift her chin to look into her eyes. "I can make that happen." I kiss her long and soft, my mouth lingering against hers, breathing her into me, wanting to devour her right here on the street. Her free hand clings to my arm like she's afraid she's going to fall over.
"I still love you the most," she whispers between kisses. "I never stopped."
"Neither did I. I never will."
I lean down and cover her lips with mine, and yes, she still tastes of strawberries, and of yesterday, and of tomorrow.
Epilogue
Kenzi ~ age twenty-two
Tor ~ age thirty-seven
I reach for him in a drowsy haze, but he's not on his side of the bed. Smiling, I climb out of bed and walk across the hall, wearing nothing but his huge white t-shirt to the nursery to find him sitting exactly where I knew he would be—in the rocking chair with the baby asleep in his arms and Diogee and Kitten at his feet. I have to stop in the doorway for a moment because the sight of him holding our baby, with his shirt off, all covered in ink, and his long hair flowing down his shoulders takes my breath away. Every time.
Sometimes I feel like I’m living in a dream. A year ago we had a small private ceremony at Aunt Katherine’s Inn. My father walked me down the aisle and gave my hand to Tor with a smile, making me cry tears of happiness. We spent two weeks there making love, and walking along the beach at sunrise and sunset, kissing and talking for hours on end. It was a magical way to start our life together and we decided we’d make a ritual to go back there every year for our anniversary.
"Tor," I whisper. "Why didn't you wake me? I would have come to rock her back to sleep." He's always getting up in the middle of the night to take care of the baby and I worry about him being tired during the day. I'm home all day so I can take naps when the baby does, but he has to stay awake at the shop.
"I want you to get some rest, Angel. I know how excited you are about your parents coming for dinner tomorrow. Or later, whatever time it is now," he grins sleepily. "I don't want you to be tired and stressed."
Slowly standing, he gently lays Tia down on her back in the crib and covers her with the pink fleece blanket before kneeling down to kiss her cheek. Tor is an amazing father with endless patience and love for his little girl, but I had no doubt he would be that way.
I stand next to him and stare down at our beautiful sleeping baby, and rub my hand down his muscular back. "I'm fine," I answer. "Just excited that they're coming. And a little nervous." It's the first time my mother will be coming over to our house and I want everything to be just right.
Turning, he puts his arms around me. "Don't be nervous. Just act natural like the doctor said, and if she veers off, just smile and turn the conversation back to the present. And try to remember to not call her Mom."
I nod, but still feel a bit of nervousness inside. Last time she saw Tia she thought she was hers and it was horrible taking the baby away while she sobbed in confusion. Baby steps, the doctor advised, as it’s only been a few months since she came out of the coma. And lots of patience. That's all we can do while her brain attempts to recover and remember her life. And us.
"I'm going to make those cookies she likes with the smiley faces on them."
He kisses my nose. "I like those, too." His hands slide down to cup my naked ass and he pulls me against him, leaning in to nuzzle my neck. "Do I have time to make love to my beautiful wife?" he whispers.
"You're the boss. You're allowed to be late," I whisper back, and my hands are already diving under his sweatpants to stroke him.
"In that case," he says, picking me up and carrying me towards our bedroom. "I think I'm going to give myself the day off and spend it with my girls."
Smiling from ear to ear, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss his cheek. "I love you. So much." He lays me down on our bed and I pull him down on top of me, wrapping my arms and legs around him in a full body hug, immediately taking him deep inside me, never feeling like I can possibly get close enough to him. "You made all my wishes come true."
His smile nearly stops my heart with the amount of love and happiness that reaches his eyes, which always have flecks of golden light in them now, the shadows of sadne
ss long gone and forgotten.
"We made all our wishes come true, Angel. Me and you."
The End
About the Author
I HAVE A passion for the bad boys -- those covered in tattoos, sexy smirks, ripped jeans, fast cars, motorcycles, and of course, the sweet girls that try to tame them and win their hearts. My debut series, Ashes & Embers, follows the lives of rock band members as they find, and sometimes lose, the loves of their lives. The Devils Wolves series is a spin off series from Ashes & Embers, but can be read as standalones.
Born and raised a Jersey girl, I now reside in beautiful New Hampshire with my husband and our multitude of furry pets. I spend most of my time writing, reading, and vacuuming.
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Acknowledgments
I’m continually overwhelmed by how many people have helped me on my writing journey. I’m a loner by nature, I’m not used to talking to lots of people, or asking for help, or trying to get myself out there. So many people have reached out to help me, pimp me, beta for me, share my posts, etc. - just to be nice and to help me get noticed. That blows me away and I am so incredibly grateful and appreciative. During the writing of this book I had quite a blow to my personal life, and I had a very hard time finishing it. Once again, several amazing friends went above and beyond to make sure this book was as good as it could be and to lend moral support when I desperately needed it. It means so much to me that people believe in my writing, (and in me), enough to invest their own time and efforts.
So, huge heartfelt thanks to all of you - whether you read my books, chatted with me, left a review, beta read, edited, proofed, pimped, commented, liked, attended a take over, supported my models, or just listened to me - thank you!!!
And thank you to my husband, Eddie, because I wouldn’t be able to write one word of love and heartache without you in my life. You have always been my biggest muse. xo
