EPILOGUE

Five years later

– ROWAN –

My chest tightens a bit when I take in the view before me. This spot on the water gives an amazing impression of the shoreline with everything that connects all of us. My gym on the right, the marina on my left with the restaurant and clubhouse.

I can’t believe it’s been five years since the explosion that completely ruined the restaurant. The building of the clubhouse needed renovations as well. It took a lot of time and hard work to bring it all back to the way it was. Correction: to a better version of what it once was.

Rox suggested the restaurant should have an extra room that allowed kids to enjoy a meal on their level with the option of a safe environment to play. A smart addition since all of us have added to the Blennies Hitch family over the years.

I feel tiny hands pat my leg and glance down to look at my three-year-old son, Caelan, and scoop him into my arms. His life jacket is a cheerful display of sea life with seahorses, turtles, and Blennies.

“I wanna go to Daddy,” he whines.

Caelan looks like a tiny version of his father with blond hair and bright blue eyes.

“In a little while,” I promise and turn to see Dwight race after Perrin and Tage who are all on their Jet Skis.

Rox comes up beside me with a little girl strapped to her front and a little boy on her hip. Twins. She might have held strong for two years of starting a family, but seeing all the others, and loving the babies born in this MC even managed to infect Rox with baby fever. Her twins are two years old, and little water rats just like their mom.

Rox waves and I follow her line of sight to see Lennie sitting on his yacht reading a newspaper, his new wife is knitting on the chair beside him.

“I might have had a hand in the matchmaking of some of the couples in this MC, but I do think those two are the cutest,” Rox states.

Chuckling, I have to admit, “All crazy circumstances aside, that was a nice outcome for Lennie. The man not only got hurt but he was loaded with guilt because Caddy took his gun and with it hurt a lot of us. Not his fault, it was all Caddy. Though, it took a while for him to process. He’s much happier now, even if he had to go through months of recovery due to his injuries. Brit was a lifesaver, and sneaky of you to match those two.”

Rox grins. “Brit was a regular in the restaurant, early morning coffee after her morning walk down the shore. I loved our chats and that’s why I knew she was a retired nurse. I also noticed she perked up whenever Lennie walked by. Lennie was oblivious to her, but that changed when Kate took a permanent dive. I don’t think the guy loved his arm candy, and it was more of a hole to fill after his wife left him for a twenty-year younger man. All of that is history now that Brit entered his life.”

Brit is only three years younger than Lennie. After Lennie hired her, Rox’s suggestion, Brit became his live-in nurse for three months and she never left because he proposed the day her contract was set to expire.

“As if it was meant to be,” I muse.

“Like many of us,” Rox adds, and I have to agree.

“Are we drooling over our men?” Meadow questions. “Because I sure love the sight of Deakon and Perrin.”

I have to agree with her. Deakon is her oldest and Perrin has his son sitting behind him while the Jet Ski is turned off. They are chatting with the others and might return to the clubhouse since we’ve been out on the water all morning.

“Stormi is getting hungry and the fruit we’ve brought is running out,” Meadow states and is holding her two-year-old daughter’s hand.

“Lorelei and Alwyn are at the restaurant, preparing lunch,” Rox states. “I’m gonna lift the anchor and turn this baby around.” She raises her voice and adds, “Joanna, wanna give me a hand?”

The gorgeous five-year-old turns and bobs her head. “On my way.”

“Anchor, girl, then you can take the wheel.” Rox shoots her a wink.

“Daddy,” Caelan squeals and he almost wiggles out of my arms when he suddenly leans his full weight to the side.

I’m delighted to see Dwight taking him from me and didn’t even notice he climbed aboard.

“Hey, little man,” he rumbles and leans in to brush his lips against mine. “Hey, babe. Having fun?”

“I wanted to go in the water, Daddy,” Caelan whines.

Dwight chuckles. “Next time, buddy. Besides, Mommy has a class to teach later today so we can always go snorkeling when she works.”

“Yes.” He gives a tiny fist pump.

I love the way my old man supports me in all ways, not just by raising our family together, but also business-wise. Four years ago, he asked me to marry him, and we’d been running the gym together long before that day.

We both enjoy working in the marina, the gym, and on criminal cases from time to time. The danger that the law enforcement side of Blennies Hitch brings into our lives is a balance we all live with.

The reminder of most of us getting hurt that day five years ago is engraved in all our brains. It’s why we made special additions to the buildings, safe rooms, and more security angles to make sure situations like that won’t be repeated.

Of course, there is no guarantee, as in all things in life. There’s the good along with the bad, but through family, we learn to lean on one another and stand shoulder to shoulder to create a wall against anyone who tries to harm us.

I take a deep breath and love the ocean air as well as the sun that warms my skin. The warmth in my heart is all due to the love of my life, and our family; blood or no blood. We each have our past, and life lessons learned the hard way, and yet there’s a smile tugging on our lips and the prospect of enjoying one day at a time.

I can’t wait to see what the future will hold for Blennies Hitch. New adventures, crime cases to solve, expanding the family while our hearts overflow with love. Whatever it might entail there’s one thing for sure…we can face whatever life throws our way. Together. Always and forever.