Jaxson’s hands flexed around her hips, and then he laughed softly.
She stiffened. “What’s so funny?”
“Just that I’ve decided to stay in Sumneyville.”
Big brown eyes widened, reflecting a shower of sparkles from the pyrotechnics above. “You have?”
“Yes, because I came to the same conclusion you did. My life is where you are. I’ve got it all worked out.”
“You do?”
He nodded. “Zeb offered me a partnership in the garage, and I accepted. I’ll need to make a few trips back to Campbell’s Junction to tie up some loose ends though.”
Moisture glistened in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. He was vaguely aware of the big finale popping off above them, but it was nothing compared to the fireworks going off in his chest.
Epilogue - Six Months Later
Jaxson
Jaxson awoke and reached for Penny, but she wasn’t there. He wasn’t worried. He knew exactly where she was.
He turned and found her sitting in the deep window recess, dressed in nothing but his shirt, looking out at the nightscape. It was an incredible view. Whatever she was looking at was probably pretty nice, too.
“What are you doing all the way over there?” Jaxson asked.
“It’s snowing again,” Penny said, looking back at him over her shoulder.
Her smile was genuine, her eyes twinkling. He felt it deep in his chest, just as he always did when she looked at him like that.
“It’s beautiful,” she added softly.
“You’re beautiful.”
She blushed. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
He lifted the covers in invitation. Penny rose and padded over, lifting the shirt over her head to slip in naked beside him. She liked skin-to-skin contact, he’d learned. He was quite fond of it himself.
“Are you excited?” she asked.
He shifted, stroking her leg with his quickly hardening shaft as he kissed her. “What do you think?”
She laughed softly. “I meant about today.”
He had known what she meant. He and Zeb had been busting their asses to get everything ready, and their hard work had paid off. In a few hours, SA Auto & Cycle would be open for business, and Sumneyville would once again have a working garage for service and repairs. If all went as planned, they’d be hosting another celebration for the opening of their custom renovation center.
“Yes, but right now, I’m more excited about this.”
He grabbed her hips and eased inside her, savoring the feel of her wrapping around him. They made slow, passionate love. It got better every time. Probably because he was falling deeper and deeper in love with her every day.
Partnering with Zeb and opening the garage was just one step toward his ultimate goal: to create a life with the woman now dozing contentedly on his chest. She didn’t know it yet, but steps two and three weren’t far behind. Those were the ones he was looking forward to most.
Penny left around dawn with a promise to text him when she got home. The light snow had stopped, and the roads were clear, but he worried about her driving the mountain road alone. At least he’d convinced her to leave the bug at home and use the four-wheel drive he’d fixed up for her.
Thankfully, that wouldn’t be an issue much longer.
Jaxson wandered into the dining room, drawn by the scents of coffee and freshly baked muffins. He’d been skeptical when the guys joked about getting hooked on Sam’s “crack coffee,” but they hadn’t been kidding. He was now addicted to her special blend and fully intended to use his family connection to keep him supplied when he no longer lived at Sanctuary.
Smoke was where he always was when Sam was running the kitchen—sitting in the corner, tablet in hand, aware of anyone who came in or out. The guy was über-protective when it came to Sam, which was something Jaxson could respect. Jaxson had gotten to know him better over the past six months and couldn’t have picked a better man for his sister.
His sister. The words still felt unreal, like something he’d dreamed up as a kid.
“How’d it go yesterday?” Smoke asked when Jaxson sat down across from him.
“Good. Anna Mueller said she’ll have the ring ready in time for Penny’s birthday next month.”
“Penny doesn’t suspect anything?”
Jaxson smiled and shook his head. “No. It was a close call though.”
Word had gotten around to Penny’s great-aunt that he’d been seen entering Mueller’s Jewelers on at least two occasions, and rumors had abounded. Thankfully, he’d been able to squelch those by using his father’s pocket watch as an excuse.
Penny had mentioned at one point that the mark engraved on the back of the piece looked similar to the one the local jeweler put on his custom pieces. In truth, he’d forgotten all about that until Penny reminded him, but it provided a perfectly plausible explanation for his presence at Mueller’s, and he got to kill two birds with one stone. Not only had Anna Mueller agreed to design an engagement ring for Penny, but she’d also confirmed that the pocket watch had indeed been created by her father and sold to Bo Adams thirty years prior.
Something else Penny didn’t know: Jaxson had put a down payment on an old Victorian at the edge of town. The place needed work, but it had good bones and a big yard. Kyle McCullough’s brother-in-law, Johnny Connelly—also a big fan of classic American muscle—owned a construction company that specialized in home renovations and had offered to help out with the reno.
In fact, everything was falling into place.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jaxson saw something moving along the windowsill. A stink bug. He thought back to the one he’d seen in the Atlanta Airport.
That felt like a lifetime ago, as did that bizarre parting conversation he’d had with that woman, the one with the unusual name and the woo-woo.
Blessing something or other.
Maybe they’d fly through Atlanta on their way to their honeymoon. Blessing would probably be thrilled.
He chuckled. She’d been right. He’d had no idea where he was going, but he’d found his way home after all.
He genuinely hoped the others he’d met that day—Cameron, John, Sebastian, and Kyle—had fared just as well. And who knew? Maybe their paths would even cross again someday.
♥ * ♥ * ♥
Enjoying the Long Road Home? Continue your journey with Home Again by Caitlyn O’Leary, the next adventure in the series by clicking HERE. Or check out the other titles in the series:
My Heart’s Home by Kris Michaels
Home to Stay by Maryann Jordan
Home Front by Cat Johnson
♥ * ♥ * ♥
If you enjoyed visiting Sumneyville, you’re going to love Sanctuary! Start the series with Smoke and Sam’s story, Protecting Sam:
He wasn't trying to be a hero. He just had a knack for being in the right place at the right time.
When aspiring bakery owner Sam becomes the target of a stalker, she finds unexpected help in her sexy new neighbor Steve, a Navy SEAL veteran. He’s always there when she needs him most, which makes it harder for her to deny their growing bond...
► Get your copy of Protecting Sam HERE.