The reporter’s eyes lit as she realized whom Claire and Ben were. “Claire Williams?” She looked at Ben. “Young man, can you tell me—”
I narrowed my eyes and shook my head at her. She was not traumatizing this boy again.
She cleared her throat. “Can you tell me how you know Maddox?”
“He’s friends with Addison, and Addison is friends with Mommy. And, now, Maddox is my friend, too. We played Army together.”
“Ben, that was supposed to be our secret.”
Ben cupped his mouth and giggled. “Maddox said his Wavy friends wouldn’t like him pretending to be an Army guy.”
“Navy.”
“Huh?”
“My Navy friends.”
Ben shrugged and wiggled, so I set him down.
He ran over to his mom and grabbed her hand. “Come on, Mommy. Tell Addison your idea.”
She wrung her hands, shying away from the camera, but she still stepped forward. “I would be willing to sell my land if you would take it.”
“But what about—” I almost said Mickey.
Thankfully, Claire laughed at my blunder. “It’s being taken care of. My lawyer says I will be able to do what I want with the house and land. It’s yours.”
Addison pulled Claire into a hug. “You’re amazing.”
Claire’s cheeks were now red.
When Addison let her go, I stuck out my hand. “Thank you. My mother, my siblings, and I appreciate it.”
She smiled at me. It was timid, but I’d take it. “Thank you. And please tell your friends thank you, too.”
“I will.”
The reporter looked at me, and I knew the question that I had said absolutely no to was coming.
“This is great news for your community. Do you think, with this recent development along with the charges being dropped, that you’ve redeemed yourself in the eyes of your town for what happened twelve years ago?”
I clenched my jaw and barely pried it apart to say, “As you remember, the case was dismissed.”
“Yes, I’m well aware, but I also know small towns have very long memories.”
She was like a pit bull.
I was about to tell her to fuck off on television when I heard my brother’s voice.
“Excuse me, I have something to say about that.” He stepped next to me.
“What are you doing?”
“It’s time, Maddox.”
“You don’t have to do this,” I told him, meaning it.
“Maddox, yes, I do.” He took a deep breath and said, “It was me who robbed the gas station twelve years ago.”
Epilogue
Addison
From the doorway of our bedroom, I watched my new husband yank his bow tie off and throw it across the room.
I rushed over and picked it up off the floor. “Hey, we have to turn this in to the tux rental place tomorrow.” I set the bow tie on our dresser.
Maddox and I’d bought a house about ten months ago. It was an older home, and Maddox had been busy with remodeling things one room at a time. He’d insisted the bedroom be first. I’d insisted the kitchen be second. That had been a rough few months.
Maddox let his jacket slide down his arms and set it on top of the bow tie. “Sorry, Addy. I’ve had it with being dressed up.” He was struggling to unbutton the shirt. His fingers were too big.
I pushed his hands aside. “Let me.” I began unbuttoning him myself. “So, you don’t like being dressed up, but did you have fun?”
“Yes.” He smiled wickedly at me. “But I’m going to have more fun now.” He reached behind me and began unzipping my dress. His brows furrowed when it didn’t fall off me right away.
I laughed and paused my unbuttoning to pull the tulle from underneath. My dress immediately fell to the floor.
“What the hell is that?”
“Something to make my dress look fuller without adding more fabric.”
He looked at me like I was crazy. “This is why the bride and groom can’t see each other before the ceremony.”
“You’re probably right.” I finished taking the buttons apart on his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. “Maddox Wolfe. Navy SEAL, sheriff, husband.” Alpha male, I added to myself.
He smiled. “That’s me.”
After Simon had been charged with Brandon’s attempted murder, getting thirty years in prison, Detective Porter had begun to look more into Sheriff Whitlock’s conduct. Detective Porter thought there might be enough to press charges. However, the consensus in town was that, if Sheriff Whitlock stepped down and avoided future law enforcement positions, he wouldn’t be charged.
With the position open, I encouraged Maddox to run. I knew it was very different from being in the Navy, but I thought he could do some good for our little town and our county. Plus, it would give him a sense of accomplishment. He’d been cleaning up the department the last few months. He complained sometimes, but I thought he secretly liked it.
It had taken the town a little while to get over the scandal that Foster had committed the crime that everyone had blamed Maddox for, but they’d learned to forgive Foster. Most of them anyway. And those same people had opened their minds to Maddox being a good guy. So much that he had been voted into office.
Brandon had made a full recovery and finished the golf course as the lead on the project. It made life easier that the golf course was constructed, and Maddox’s mom had relocated to the new trailer park. Claire had taken the money and bought herself and Ben a nicer house in town and was now working at the country club. In the end, everything had worked out.
Maddox ran his thumb down my cheek. “Addison Wolfe. Attorney-at-law and wife.”
“What would you think if we added one more title to our names?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Oh, and what would that be?”
I touched my finger to my chest. “Mommy.” Then, I touched his. “And Daddy.”
Maddox blinked a few times before hauling me into his arms and lifting my feet off the floor. “When did you find out?” he asked, setting me back down and staring at my belly with wide eyes.
“This morning. I was feeling off the last week or so, and I thought I’d better check before I drank champagne today.”
He grinned. “So, that’s what was with the sparkling cider at the last minute. Why didn’t you tell me this morning?”
“I wanted it to be your special wedding present from me when we got home.”
“Oh, Addy, it’s special all right.” He kissed me and slowly took off the rest of my clothes. “I need to be inside you right now.”
I reached for his pants and unzipped them. “I completely understand.”
“Get on the bed, wife.”
I grinned and walked backward to the bed. I lay down and spread my legs for him.
Maddox groaned. “When can we tell people?”
“In about five to six weeks, I’m guessing. We’ll find out when I go to the doctor. Why do you ask?”
“Because I can’t wait to tell the world another way that I’ve marked you as mine.”
I laughed and held out my arms. “Take me, Maddox. Right now, I need you to show me that I belong to you.”