Knox (Chicago Blaze 4)

“We’ll join you for lunch,” I tell Diane, looking at my dad. “And then we can go see that apartment I was telling you about and go to the arena.”

Knox and I are looking for a new place, one that will be ours. Hunting for it together is every bit as much fun as planning the new shelter and restaurant.

Knox puts my coat around my shoulders and leans down to kiss me again.

“I wish I didn’t have to go,” he says.

“We’ll celebrate later,” I tell him. “And we’ll be together, even if you’re on the ice and I’m in the stands.”

His grin is boyish. “I’ll have your name on the VIP pass changed to Reese Devereax.”

“I love the sound of that.”

“Not half as much as I do.” He kisses me again.

There are two black SUVs waiting, and Knox walks me, my dad and his mom over to one of them. He opens the door and helps me inside, making sure my dress is all the way in, too. He kisses me one more time.

“I love you,” he whispers, his soft voice warm on my lips.

“I love you, too.”

He closes the door and walks to the other SUV. I smile like a lovesick schoolgirl as I watch him, so tall and broad and handsome in his dark suit. Once he disappears inside, I’m still grinning, because even when I can’t see Knox, he’s still with me. I realize now that he has been ever since that day I met him in Kauai.

My smile gets even broader as I realize what a big thank you I owe to Eric, Mandy and Kelsey. Without their treachery, I never would’ve met Knox. It’s nice when the good guys finish first. Even better when the bad guys inadvertently help them do it.

I wave at Knox, who has his backseat window down, as my SUV passes his. He blows me a kiss and I watch him until he’s out of sight. But only for a few hours. Soon, he’ll be all mine again, and black eye and ice pack or not, I plan to have my way with my husband tonight.EpilogueSeven months later

Reese“Walls!” I cry, waving my arms with excitement. “We have walls!”

“And they’re fantastic looking walls, babe,” Knox says, giving me a warm look.

I’m taking him on a tour of The Madeleine Durand Home, the shelter side of the new project. After this, we’re going over to the restaurant side, which is called Madeleine.

Olivier Durand walks into the room behind us, giving a nod of satisfaction.

“Now that they’ve started drywalling, I can really see it coming together,” he says. “My mom would be tickled about having her name on this place.”

“She was so lovely,” I say. “I saw the picture of her the builders are planning to use for the lobby.”

“Thank you. She was an actress back in the day.”

“How neat.”

“I can’t stay,” Olivier says, “I have a flight to catch. But thanks for the tour.”

“I’m so glad you came,” I say. “And obviously, you’re welcome on the job site anytime. Just make sure you wear a hard hat, they’re strict about that.”

“I’ll be back, I’m sure. And I’ll see you at the grand opening if not before, Reese.” He shakes Knox’s hand. “See you soon, Knox.”

I take Knox’s arm as we wander from the shelter’s rec room into the kitchen, located in the middle of the two sides of the project.

“You guys have really become friends,” I say.

“Yeah, Durand’s an easy guy to like. He keeps crazy busy, though. Rarely takes a day off.”

Wrinkling my nose, I say, “Don’t ever be like that. I need our lazy mornings in bed at least once a week.”

“Me too.”

We walk into the huge open room that will be the kitchen and I gesture at the far wall.

“We’ll keep a cooler there, and then we’ll have a separate walk-in freezer and cooler. And we’re going to have stainless countertops. And look at those windows!” I point up to the rows of windows above where the cabinets will be located. “This place will be a dream to cook in.”

“I’ve never seen you so excited about anything,” Knox says. “I’m gonna have to move into this place to see you once it opens.”

“No, I’m planning to keep set hours. And since Angelia is coming to work here, she and I can divide up kitchen management duties.”

“Good. I like having my wife at my games.”

“And I like being there.”

So far, married life is more blissful than I ever imagined it could be. Knox tries so hard to make me happy with small things like bringing me coffee in bed and buying me bouquets of calla lilies to remind me of our wedding day.

It’s his offseason now, so we’re finally taking a honeymoon. We talked about going back to Kauai, but instead, we decided on Italy. We’ll be spending a week at a villa in Sicily—our first trip out of the country together.