“On?” prompted Jake.
“November 1st,” finished Marco.
Peyton reached out and took the paper away from him, setting it at the farthest edge of the table. “Which is why I told them no?”
Marco went still. “You did what?”
Abe immediately retreated behind the kitchen counter.
“I’m not going to Quantico now, Marco. You need me here. You’ll just be starting physical therapy and you need me to drive you. Please, can’t we just forget it? I just want to enjoy my dinner with you.”
“You told them no because of me?”
“What was I supposed to do? You need me here and I want to be here. I want to do those things for you. I want to be there when things are tough. This is what a grown-up relationship is about, Marco. Being there for the person you love when they need you.”
“It’s five months, Peyton. If we can’t get through five months, we don’t stand a chance in hell.”
“That was one thing before, but now, it’s five months that I wouldn’t be here when you need me the most.”
Marco leaned forward and took her hand. “When I needed you, you were there. You saved my life in that warehouse – twice, Peyton. That’s when I needed you. I love you, sweetheart, but I don’t need you for a chauffeur. I want us to build a life together, and you putting your career on hold because I need someone to drive me to physical therapy isn’t building that life. That’s taking it away.”
“How are you going to get along here? There’s cooking and cleaning and…”
“You’re right. I need someone.” Marco glanced over at the kitchen. “Which is why Jake will stay.”
Jake straightened.
“Jake?”
“He can stay here for another six months rent free. It’ll give him time to save up money for his own apartment and he can help me out with the things I need.”
Peyton turned toward Jake.
He gave her a smile. “He’s right. I’ll stay. It would help me out too. I can save a lot faster if I don’t pay rent.”
“And I’ll do the showers,” offered Abe.
“What?”
Marco closed his eyes. “Please don’t ask.”
Peyton looked back at him. “I don’t want to leave you for five months. I don’t think I can do this. I can’t even sleep at night unless you’re next to me.”
He placed his other hand over hers, ignoring the weight of the ring in his pocket. “You can do this. I have faith in you. There’s no one else in the world I have more faith in. It’s only five months. I’ll fly out some weekends and we’ll get through it.”
“Marco…”
“Peyton, opportunities don’t come along too often, and they certainly don’t come a second time. You were meant to do big things, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you. I’ve always told you you were an amazing cop, now you have the chance to show everyone.” He kissed the back of her hand. “Chuck Wilson took so much from so many people. He terrorized both of us. This is how you show him that he didn’t win. This is how you take back your life and do it with style.”
Tears shimmered on her lashes. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”
“Yeah, I do, which is why I know we’re going to be just fine.”
She left her chair and placed her hands on either side of his face, then she kissed him.
* * *
Peyton stared at the boarding gate. She felt like she couldn’t draw a deep breath. Turning, she surveyed the circle of people who had come to see her off. Tears burned in her eyes, but she wasn’t going to start crying, not now. That was going to wait until she was actually on the plane.
“You know that scene at the end of the Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy’s saying goodbye to everyone. This feels like that.”
“And I’m the Scarecrow,” said Abe. “The one you’re going to miss most of all.”
She walked over to him and pressed her hand on his cheek, rising up on tiptoes to kiss him. “I am going to miss you something terrible.”
He hugged her tight. “Give them hell, my soul sista’,” he said, kissing the side of her face again. Reluctantly he released her and she moved on to Cho and Maria.
She offered Cho her hand and he gave her a smile. “You’ll do great.”
She squeezed his fingers, then staggered when Maria launched herself into her arms. “Don’t go getting another best friend,” whispered Maria in her ear.
“Never,” said Peyton, hugging her back.
Maria eased away, placing her hands on her shoulders. “And watch the carbs. You don’t want an ass as big as a walrus.”
Peyton laughed through her tears. “No, no walrus ass. That would be all bad.”
“It would.”
Tag was next and she held out a hand for Peyton to shake. Peyton gave her a wry look, then stepped forward, hugging her. Tag awkwardly patted her shoulder. “My real name’s Annie,” she said gruffly.
Peyton leaned back, looking at her. “Tag is much better,” she said, then hugged her again.
“That’s enough, Fluffy,” Tag growled, but she was smiling when Peyton released her.
Stopping in front of Jake, she took his hand. He swung it between them, giving her a sad grin.
“You watch my dog, okay?”
“You know I will.”
She moved forward and kissed his cheek.
He wrapped her in his arms. “Take care of yourself, Mighty Mouse.”
“I will. Take care of him, please,” she whispered in his ear.
He kissed her forehead. “You know I will.”
Marco was waiting a few steps away, leaning heavily on his crutches. She moved to him and went up on her tiptoes, melding her mouth to his. He sank his fingers in her hair and anchored her against him, deepening the kiss.
The announcement went out for boarding again.
Gradually Marco drew away. “You’ve got to go.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. “I don’t want to go.”
“It’ll only be two weeks, then I’ll be out there. I’ve got a hotel room all lined up for us.”
She closed her eyes and tightened her hold.
“Come on, sweetheart. This is killing me too.”
Her throat felt so tight, she didn’t think she could speak, let alone breathe. How was she going to sleep at night without him? The only hours of peace she got were in his arms, feeling his heartbeat, hearing his breathing.
He gently eased her out of his hold. “You’ve got to go,” he said, forcing a smile.
She went up and kissed him again, placing her hand on the back of his neck. “I love you,” she whispered against his mouth.
“Go,” he urged.
She backed away from him, moving toward the gate. Giving everyone a last glance, she turned and started walking for the tunnel as fast as she could, but just as she was about to step over the line, she halted.
“Peyton.”
She turned and looked at him. He was leaning on the crutches, one hand in his jacket pocket. Even with the crutches, he was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. She hurried back to him, throwing her arms around him and pressed her cheek to his.
“I can’t do this. I can’t leave.” She felt panicked, terrified. The thought of getting on that plane and going so far away from him was crippling.
He went still, then he let out a long sigh. Sliding his hand out of his jacket pocket, he eased her back from him. “You can and you will. Getting on that plane is for us. Going to Quantico is for us. Being the cop you were born to be makes us stronger. Peyton, you have to do this. You have to face this. It’s time, sweetheart.”
She swiped at the tears, then nodded. “Okay. It’s just two weeks.”
“That’s all. Just two weeks.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too. Now, go.”
She forced herself to turn and she started walking. Just keep going. Don’t stop. Don’t look back. Don’t hesitate. She m
ade it to the tunnel and stepped over the threshold. Gritting her teeth, she just kept walking.
* * *
Marco stared at the gate until they closed the door. She was gone. Just like that. She was off to a new adventure and a new life.
Abe moved to his side and wrapped his arms around him, hugging him. He leaned forward and kissed the side of his face. “You’re a good man, Angel, you know that?”
Marco couldn’t answer.
He was aware of the others meandering away, but he wasn’t ready to go yet.
Jake came up on his other side. “I really thought you were going to ask her to marry you there for a moment.”
“I couldn’t. She wouldn’t have gone then.”
Jake patted his shoulder awkwardly. “You did the right thing, Adonis. Besides, there’ll be another time.”
Marco nodded, but he wasn’t sure. His stomach ached and his chest felt tight. What if everything changed now? What if going to Quantico opened up a whole new world for her and she decided she didn’t want the life she’d left behind?
“You know what we need,” said Abe, his arms still wrapped around Marco’s shoulders.
Marco felt sure that whatever it was, he definitely didn’t need it.
“We need crepes. Don’t we, Jake? Don’t you think crepes would help?”
“I think they definitely would.”
Marco closed his eyes. This was going to be the longest five month of his damn life.
“What do you say, Angel? Can we go get some crepes?”
Marco clenched his jaw. “Sure. Why the hell not? Everyone needs a freakin’ crepe now and then.”
EPILOGUE
Peyton hurried down the hallway, half-noticing the opulent appointments: the damask wallpaper, the thick patterned carpeting, the wood accents. He had spared no dime on this hotel. She ran her hand along the edge of the keycard and gripped her overnight bag tighter. Her heart was hammering frantically, making sure she knew it was there.
She found the room, 314, and slid the key into the slot. “Come on, come on,” she said impatiently. The red light turned green and she grabbed the handle, forcing it open.
Stepping into the room, she gave it a cursory glance, noting the thick rose colored bedding, the cherry wood furnishings, the heavy brocade curtains and the sunlight streaming into the room. Then she focused on the man.
He was sitting in a chair next to the bed, but he reached for a crutch and used it to lever himself to his feet. He’d cut his hair shorter, but he’d gained back the weight he’d lost in the hospital and his shoulders strained at the lines of his deep purple collared shirt.
She closed the door and pressed her back to it, letting the overnight bag drop beside her. She drank him in, and when he smiled at her, she felt like her heart couldn’t pound any harder.
“Why are you standing there? Come here,” he said, tilting his head at her.
God, she wanted him so badly. “I’m afraid if I come over there, I’m going to ravish you and I’m not sure you’ve been cleared for ravishment.”
He laughed. “I’ve been cleared. Ravish away.”
She still didn’t move, pressing her palms to the door.
“You’re still standing there.”
She felt the muscles in her belly clench and a shiver raced over her. “Before I do, we need to talk.”
He briefly closed his eyes and leaned his head back. “No conversation starting with those words has ever ended well.”
She held up a hand. “Please just listen to me.”
He looked at her, his eyes so blue, so clear, so full of love...and worry.
“I know what you’ve always said. I know how you feel. You’ve made it clear to me and you’ve never once wavered in your conviction.” She started walking toward him, hating the shivery feeling racing through her. It scared her to be this vulnerable, even with him. “I respect your beliefs, I really do, and I know that a cop’s life is anything but ideal.” She halted before him, looking up into a face she realized she’d loved for so many years. “I just feel that when two people find each other and it’s this good, this perfect, that maybe, just maybe it requires a deeper commitment…”
“Peyton.”
She placed a hand in the middle of his chest. “I know what you’re going to say. We don’t need the sanction of a church or society or…”
“Peyton.” He reached into his pocket and drew something out. “Will you marry me?”
She stared at the ring in his hand, unable to process what she was seeing, hearing. Slowly, her eyes lifted to his. “What?”
He laughed. “Sweetheart, I’ve tried to ask you three times and every time something’s happened to stop it.” He glanced around the room. “I’m a little afraid the ceiling’s going to come down on us if you don’t answer pretty quick here.”
“You tried to ask me three times?” She couldn’t get her head around it. She’d worked herself up for days for this speech and he was telling her he’d already reached this spot before her. “You had a ring?”
“Yeah, I’ve had the ring for a few months now.”
He braced the crutch and took her hand, sliding the ring on her finger. It fit her perfectly. She loved it, the entwined bands of platinum, the small row of diamonds, leading to the larger diamond in the center. She couldn’t believe he’d been carrying this around for months and hadn’t told her. Here she thought he was going to laugh at her, scoff at her for being womanly and overly romantic, but he’d been planning to ask her all along.
He placed his fingers under her chin and lifted her eyes to his. “Peyton, will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she said, curling her hand around his and pulling it away. “Yes, I’ll marry you.” Then she rose on her tiptoes and kissed him, telling him with her lips what she couldn’t say with words.
After a long time, he pulled away. “Take me to bed,” he said against her mouth.
“Aye, Aye Captain,” she answered and she did.
THE END
Author’s Note:
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is a serious mental health illness that can develop after a person has gone through an extreme emotional trauma. For more information on the disorder, please visit the National Center for PTSD at http://www.ptsd.va.gov/.
To my fans who have shared Peyton’s many adventures, please know how much your dedication and loyalty has meant to me. Peyton and her friends have become an integral part of my life and although this novel marks the end of her experience as a San Francisco police inspector, her adventures will continue in a new series, entitled Peyton Brooks, FBI coming soon.
Now that you’ve finished, visit ML Hamilton at her website: authormlhamilton.com for more information on the Peyton Brooks’ mysteries and her other contemporary fiction novel, Ravensong.
If you missed the first six novels in the Peyton Brooks’ mystery series, download them now!
Then check out her fantasy series, The World of Samar, at worldofsamar.com.
All ML Hamilton titles available in ebook and paperback formats.
The Complete Peyton Brooks’ Mysteries Collection:
Murder on Potrero Hill Volume 1
Murder in the Tenderloin Volume 2
Murder on Russian Hill Volume 3
Murder on Alcatraz Volume 4
Murder in Chinatown Volume 5
Murder in the Presidio Volume 6
Murder on Treasure Island Volume 7
The Complete World of Samar Collection:
Emerald Volume 1
The Heirs of Eldon Volume 2
The Star of Eldon Volume 3
The Spirit of Eldon Volume 4
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Murder on Treasure Island (Peyton Brooks' Series Book 7) Page 36
