34. Epilogue

34

EPILOGUE

MELLY

" I need help." A woman with dark hair in a blunt cut with bangs and streaked with auburn said from the entrance to Monsters, PI. "My B&B is haunted," she said in a rush over to the front desk where I was filling in for the day.

Bailey had needed time off, and I'd volunteered. It was the least I could do. Carla did so well with our PR disaster at Creature Cones that I'd promoted her to a managerial position and hired someone new to take her place at the counter. She'd confessed about her financial situation and told me the raise was welcome.

I pushed again for her to hang some of her art in the shop, and she reluctantly agreed. To her surprise, it was selling—at a very high price.

The realtor had found buyers for her place in Florida and here in Mystic Harbor, and she'd not only make enough to pay off all the bills, but she'd also have enough to put some in the bank and make a deposit on a small condo in town. She confessed she was looking forward to putting her past behind her and savoring her new life.

"I'm sorry." Frowning at the woman who'd just entered Monsters, PI, I stood and walked around the reception desk. "But did you say your B&B is haunted?"

"Let me back up a sec." She flashed me a smile. Pretty, she was tiny and slender, and her dark eyes contrasted nicely with her pale skin. "I'm Hannah Everett. I bought the old Blakemore place."

"The one where Justin Blakemore died?" I winced. Maybe I shouldn't have brought that up. But that was what I'd heard around town. He'd died of old age, but still, some might consider a thing like that creepy.

She huffed but softened it with a sweet smile. "That was six years ago. The building has been vacant since. It was tied up in probate. The heirs sold it to me a short time ago." Her smile grew. "I'm fixing it up, and let me tell you, it needs a ton of work. But I'm strong." She lifted her arm and flexed the muscles. "My dad taught me how to do almost any kind of construction myself. My plan is to open in the next few months but I'm floundering. I swear, the place is haunted. I think Justin is trying to keep me from opening it as a B&B."

"Why do you think Justin's doing anything? Ghosts don't exist."

She shrugged. "So says someone who's marrying an ice lord."

"Me," Elrik said, striding down the hall to join us. He crossed the foyer and went around to stand at my back, wrapping his arms around me. "She's marrying me ." He kissed my cheek. "In two months' time. "

We would hold the wedding on the beach near where we'd sat and enjoyed our icy treats. Even his family was coming. His brother and once-again fiancée had opted not to join us, but I hadn't complained about that. I wanted my wedding day to be perfect. Smiling and making nice with the woman who'd cheated on Elrik with his brother was nowhere close to perfect. We'd only invited them to be polite.

When Grannie Rose found out what Ginny had done, she'd stormed to the courthouse and snarled at her step-niece. Then she'd hugged me and told me that she loved me, that no one could ever steal that emotion away. She said she didn't care about any old photos. She did tap my arm and tell me to take more care with where I loved my fiancé—following it up with a wink.

During the investigation, I'd discovered a side to my Grannie I'd never seen before, and I loved this grandmother as much as the one I already knew.

As for Bob, he was selling Sterling, and he'd hired a new caregiver, a yeti who Bob said was doing an amazing job.

I'd finally come to terms with my past, and while it had shaped me into who I was today, I wasn't going to let it mold me into someone full of sadness, not when I deserved only joy. This was the hardest lesson of all: accepting that I was worthy. But within the shelter of Elrik's love, I was making strides.

I realized I loved myself, and that was the best thing of all.

"Naturally, I don't believe in ghosts," Hannah said. "So I need someone to help me figure out what's going on at my soon-to-open B&B. Someone is sabotaging me, and I can't let it continue. That's why I came here. Detective Carter was kind enough to look around, but he couldn't find evidence that anyone was doing something criminal. He suggested I come here."

"We'll be glad to help you." Elrik slid my hair to the side and kissed the back of my neck. My legs quaked, and it was all I could do not to swoon back in his arms.

"I'm working, sweetie," I said, sure he could hear the tremor of desire in my voice.

"I suppose I should get back to work as well." He stepped away from me, which allowed me to regain control of my brain long enough to think.

"This sounds like a great job for Reylor," I said. Katar had hired the former detective dragon shifter not long ago, and Reylor had recently finished his orientation. He was eager to take on his first case.

"Let me go grab him," Elrik said. When he strode down the hall, I stared after him, trying not to sigh.

"He's cute," Hannah said politely. "I've met all sorts of monsters since I moved to Mystic Harbor, but I hadn't yet met our resident ice lord. He's not as chilly as I'd expected."

"He can be abrupt at times, but he's warm and squishy beneath his icy demeanor."

She nodded. As she stared down the hall, her eyes widened.

Elrik joined us with Reylor.

Reylor had gorgeous dark auburn hair, lots of muscles, and he could shift into a dragon. What could be better than that ?

My ice lord, but truly, a dragon shifter was amazing.

He was handsome from his golden scales to his tight ass—something I hadn't really, truly, actually noticed. Not too much. I was so in love with Elrik, it was a wonder I could see anyone else long enough to keep from bumping into them.

"What can I do for you?" Reylor drawled, his attention completely on Hannah.

Hannah kept making little gasping sounds, and her dark eyes only widened. "You're . . ." She swallowed hard.

"Reylor Crandish, one of the staff detectives." His hand jutted out.

He had the sexiest drawl, almost as appealing as Elrik's.

Hannah took his hand and for a second, she slumped. I worried she was going to pass out, but she stiffened her spine and blinked her long lashes up at Reylor. "I'm Hannah Everett. I'm in dire need of your help."

Reylor nodded solemnly. "Why don't you come to my office, sweetheart, where you can explain."

"Yes. Office. Explain," Hannah said in a limp voice. "Don't call me sweetheart. It's patronizing."

"Only if I don't mean it."

She blinked up at him. " Do you mean it?"

His smile widened. "Let's go talk in my office." He led her down the hall and shut the door behind them.

"Funny how that keeps happening," Elrik said with a grin.

"What?" I sauntered over to him and I traced my fingertip down the front of his button-up shirt .

"Every one of us has fallen hard for someone who came to Monsters, PI for our services."

"Maybe because your services are superior to all others." I snickered.

His grin widened, and he tugged me into his arms. "I was about to take my lunch break. Why don't we . . ." Leaning close, he whispered by my ear. "We could take a long walk on the beach. Visit our favorite bench."

"Let's save that for after it gets dark." Per Grannie's hint, we'd been more careful, but there was something freeing about being with the man I loved out in the open. We took every opportunity we could find to explore that facet of our personalities. "However, we could go to my apartment. Bailey should be here soon to cover for me."

"I'm here now." Bailey strode through the front door and walked over to us, noting our clasped hands. "When you come back, you can cover for me and Katar." She rested her hand on her big belly. Their child would be born soon, and I couldn't wait to hold it. Kiss it. "We have a lunch date."

"Of course," I said.

"Then take off, you two." Her eyes sparkling with humor, Bailey flicked her hand toward the door. "Take your time."

Elrik and I just grinned at each other.

We left the building and crossed Main Street to the parking lot. Inside his truck, I buckled while he strode around to climb into the driver's seat.

"What would you think of having a child one day?" he asked as he pulled his truck out onto Main Street.

"I think it would be amazing. Someday. "

"Someday." With a sweet smile, he reached across and took my hand, squeezing it. "That's you, my precious love. Amazing. Just want to make sure you know that."

"I love you, Elrik."

He kissed me. "Love you too."

I hope you enjoyed Elrik & Melly's story!