“It’s number ten,” she told him.
“That bad?”
“No, I like the number ten. I wasn’t expecting a house. Do you own it?”
“Yes.”
Yet, he’d offered to move if she didn’t like it. Her insides turned to mush.
“My father thought I’d never amount to much.”
She stepped up to him, placing her arms around his waist. “He was wrong, wasn’t he? You know nothing he said is true. You’re smart, you’re successful, you’re a hero. And you’re the sexiest man on the planet. I’ll be fighting other women off left, right, and center.”
He grinned. “Don’t think you have to worry.”
She cupped his scarred cheek. “I think I do.”
They’d spent a week in Austin, tying up loose ends and packing up Reagan’s stuff. Abraham had admitted to following her, to leaving the notes and flowers, but he hadn’t seen anything wrong with what he’d done. Jack figured his lawyer would be using an insanity plea.
Maddy finally admitted to breaking in to Reagan’s apartment. It was a huge relief, even if Reagan didn’t know why the other woman had suddenly confessed. Maddy told Jack she wanted Reagan to suffer like she’d made Paul suffer.
Reagan didn’t believe she had made Paul suffer at all, and she knew Tiny wasn’t convinced that he hadn’t been involved, but there was no way of proving it.
Tiny had helped her pack up her things. Surprisingly, her boss had not just agreed to let her work out her notice from Dallas, but he said she could work remotely permanently. So, she still had a job, and Tiny said he’d turn one of the spare bedrooms into an office for her. She’d need to return to Austin for the odd meeting, but Tara could handle most things from the office.
She knew it wouldn’t
be easy. She didn’t like change. Didn’t find it easy to make friends. But being with Tiny made those problems seem less inconsequential.
“I love it,” she told him. “You sure you can deal with me doing what I want?”
“Want you to be happy.”
She cupped his cheeks, pulling his face down to kiss him.
“I love you so much. I’m so glad I found you, even if it was under some trying circumstances.”
He grunted.
“So, do you think life will be a little less crazy now?” she asked.
“A man can live in hope. Might need to start praying.”
She shuddered. “Just don’t start reciting scripture. I’ve had enough of that to last a lifetime.”
He drew her close and hugged her tight. She sighed in contentment. She had a man who accepted her, who loved her. A man she could trust, who she could fully submit to.
She was home.
***
“Do you think there’s enough food?” she asked anxiously, staring down at the table laden with salads, bread, and quiche.
“For who? An army?”
“Alice Bowers says it’s better to have too much food that not enough.”
“Who?” Tiny asked. “She someone from work?”