“Yep. Full of gossip.” He eyed the way Brett’s arm snaked around my waist. “I hear the two of you are finally communicating.”
“Yes.”
“Good. I like you two together. You’re good for my son.”
“We’re going to Mexico,” I said.
He nodded, stroking his chin. “Sounds great. You should see the world. Enjoy life.”
I wandered over to the soda machine, unable to resist. I grabbed a bottle of orange to split with Brett, and as I turned, I saw his dad hand him something and wink.
Brett came over, taking the bottle and tipping it up, almost emptying it.
“Hey!” I protested.
“I’ll buy you another when we come back. I need you to take a walk with me. I have to do something for Dad.”
“Okay.” I downed the last sip, still cold and somehow sweeter knowing Brett’s mouth had been there before mine. I let him tug me from the store, and we walked in silence.
“I should have brought my camera,” I mused.
He chuckled. “Next time.”
A few moments later, we arrived at Rose Cottage.
“Oh,” I breathed, once again caught in its charm. “Your dad needs something here?”
“Yep.”
I followed him inside, once again smiling at the quirkiness. I trailed him into the living room. “Oh, some of the furniture is gone.”
“The family sold the house. They’re removing some things.”
“Oh,” I breathed out, a feeling of sadness tugging at my chest.
Brett smiled. “To me.”
I gaped at him. “What?”
“You loved this place, Kelly. I saw it. I thought we could share it. Make it our home base.”
“You bought it before…” I trailed off.
“I bought it when I hoped you loved me. When I hoped I was enough to stop your running. Your searching. I bought it because I loved you enough to hope that I was what you had been searching for.”
I flung my arms around his neck, laughing and crying at the same time.
“I love you,” I murmured. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”
He held me tight. “I will never get tired of hearing you say those words.” He kissed me. “You want to look around our new house?”
I cupped his face. “It’s not just a house.”
He smiled. “You’re right. It’s our home.”
I nodded.
Home.
I had finally found it.
EPILOGUE
Two Weeks Later
BRETT
I shut my eyes as I chewed the last bite of ziti. Rosa Borelli could cook for the gods as far as I was concerned. I sighed, laying down my fork, full. I looked around the room filled with people. Laughing, talking, eating, and enjoying themselves. Rosa’s table grew bigger all the time. Beside me, Kelly shifted, and I found her hand under the table and squeezed. She turned her head, meeting my eyes, smiling. Unable to resist, I leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
“Hey, Shutterbug.”
She blushed, the sight amusing me. She was still getting used to being us in front of people. I loved this slightly shyer side I had discovered. I was also eagerly awaiting the day she was comfortable enough to return my caresses.
It would come. I had every faith now.
I cleared my throat. “So, I have a little news to share.”
Everyone stopped talking and eating, staring in my direction.
“Kelly and I are leaving in two weeks. She’s going on assignment, and I’m going with her.”
“As her helper?” Theo asked. “Do you get to boss him around, Kelly, like Charly does Maxx?” He paused, rubbing his nose. “Or Mom does Dad?”
Everyone began to laugh, including Maxx. Neither he nor Stefano denied Theo’s words, though.
“I am going to help her, but I’m going as her boyfriend. Her partner.”
“How long you be gone?” Rosa asked.
“A month. Then when we get back, we’re moving in to Rose Cottage. We get possession the day after we get back. And I’ll be traveling with her a lot for the next while.”
There was a chorus of congratulations. Some backslaps and lots of questions. Theo, of course, had his own queries.
“Are you getting married?”
Kelly and I had talked about that. Neither one of us wanted or needed a piece of paper to say we were together. Not now anyway. Maybe one day. We were both certain our future contained the other person, but we were happy to see where life led us.
“Not yet, bud.”
Theo pursed his lips. “Is that legal?”
“Yeah, we’re good.”
“Okay, but if you get married, you’ll have cake, right? And Nonna can make the supper.”
I nodded, chuckling. “Both excellent ideas.”
I lifted my plate and accepted some more ziti from Rosa. She sat beside my dad, looking happy and excited today. I assumed she was thrilled about having so many people over.
“What about the garage?” Vince asked. “Won’t that leave a void?”
Maxx leaned back in his chair. “I have some news too. With Brett being gone so much for the foreseeable future, I hired a new mechanic. He’ll be stepping in both in the front and the office to help Chase.”