Chapter 29

Kenna

"The pack mule has landed."

I shoved my phone between my ear and my shoulder as I kept my eyes on my two large suitcases and hit the elevator button. Sweat was already dripping down my spine. Liz would have called upon the national guard to find me if I didn't call her the second I landed in Florida.

I'd spent two extra days with her, going to all my favorite spots in the city as a final farewell and planning for our future. We'd come up with a six-month game plan for Liz to quit Morgan Dudley and move to Sunshine Key with me. We'd also put together a business plan for my new graphics design business. I'd decided that the art was where my heart was, not the actual publishing. I was finally going out on my own, with the split assets from my divorce giving me the time to get my business up and running.

The elevator dinged its arrival, so I shoved the suitcases in the metal cube and warned Liz the call might drop. She stayed quiet until I exited the elevator and stepped outside the airport, sighing at the warm, humid air. I was home.

"Are you ready to see him?" Liz asked quietly.

"Yes. No. Maybe."

Liz chuckled. "You're ready. Do me a favor though?"

"Sure."

"Make him grovel."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "I'll try, but mostly I'm going to be telling myself not to burst into tears when I see him. That would be embarrassing."

"You won't," Liz assured me. "You're a new woman now. You take no shit from men. You make them grovel at your feet. Beg for a second of your attention."

I grinned. "Gotta go, bestie. Thank you."

"Always your hype woman." She hung up on a giggle.

I put my phone back in my crossbody purse and pushed my suitcases along the sidewalk and into the parking garage where I'd left my Jeep. Everything looked so beautiful as the sun went down, casting the roadway in golden tones. The stretch of keys became familiar the closer I got to Sunshine Key. I rolled down the windows and sucked in a lungful of briny air, my hair pulling out of the messy bun I'd kept it in during the flight.

I'd come here at the beginning of the summer with my life in shambles. I'd been scared. Lost. Maybe even a little hopeless. I was returning with a renewed faith in myself and hope for the future. I didn't know where things stood with the man I loved, but I knew myself now and that made all the difference.

I pulled into my driveway, the sun now long gone and the moon the only light guiding my way. Of course, my head swiveled to Dec's house immediately, but I didn't see any lights on. I nearly wrenched my shoulder getting the suitcases out of the back of the car, but I accomplished it, wheeling them loudly into the house.

"I'm home!" I called out.

Mom came running to the door to hug me, Daniel not far behind. He gave me a hug too, an easy acceptance that still had me a bit baffled. I'd never had a father figure in my life, so having one now was both curious and wonderful.

"Welcome home, Kenna," he said kindly, taking my suitcases from me even when I resisted. "Let an old man feel useful, love." I couldn't argue with that, so I let go, allowing Mom to usher me into the living room.

"Tell me all about your trip."

So I did. I explained my run-in with Justin, my plans with Liz, and the relief I felt being back on this coast. Daniel got up and came back with wineglasses and a bottle of my favorite red wine.

"Figured you could use a glass before bed, and besides, we have a lot to celebrate."

I took the glass from him and sipped, feeling content. As I gazed around the house, I realized that the wall above the fireplace had been finished. The stacked white, sparkling stone looked amazing. Mom saw the direction I was looking.

"Daniel and I thought we could help out a bit. Come to find out I'm pretty good with that thin stuff."

I grinned, imagining Mom trying to tile. "Thinset?"

Mom grinned right back. "I was washing that crap out of my hair for days!" She leaned over and put her arm around my shoulders, giving me another hug. "I missed you, kiddo."

I didn't bother mentioning it had only been a few days. It was nice to hear. Daniel set his glass down on the coffee table.

"Dec isn't in town."

"Oh?" I pretended that this news didn't send my heart into a nosedive. "I saw some things online. Looks like it was pretty brutal."

Daniel tilted his head left and right. "It wasn't anything he hasn't faced before. At least this time he's facing it head-on."

"What do you mean?" I'd been out of the loop being in San Francisco. I also hadn't answered Dec's text the day I left. I felt guilty about it, abandoning him when he was going through it with the press, but I needed the space and I couldn't apologize for doing what I needed to get my head screwed on straight.

Daniel stood, offering his hand to Mom. "That's for him to explain. But it's late and I think we all could use some sleep."

Mom hopped up and the two marched upstairs to her room, leaving me with the rest of my wine and a lot of questions. I grabbed my phone and texted Char, hoping she was still up.

Me: Have time to get together tomorrow?

Char: I do the day after tomorrow. Want to come into the salon? I can trim your hair and we can chat. Plus I think those highlights need some touching up by now, right?

Me: I'd love that. What time works?

Char: How about three?

Me: Done. See you then!

Char and I didn't even get around to the subject of Dec until she was combing out the tangles and about to apply the first of a thousand products to my curly hair. She'd wanted to know all about my conversation with Justin and how I was doing on the divorce front. To be honest, there wasn't much to tell. The run-in had been good. It showed me that my heart had moved on and that I wasn't holding any grudges. There was just a final judgement from the courts and that era of my life would be closed.

"So what about Dec?" she finally asked, scrunching in a curl cream as she moved about my head.

My heart dipped. "I'm not sure. We haven't talked since I left."

"Do you want to talk?"

"I do. I don't know that I trust him yet, but I'd like to at least talk to him," I admitted.

Char wiped her hands off on a black towel and grabbed the hair dryer, clicking in the diffuser on the end. "Come with me to Dad Bod tonight. Let's have a girls' night. Dancing, beer, and no mention of Dec."

"I don't know," I hedged, not really feeling in the mood for a bar.

Char waved her hand through the air. "Nope. It's decided. You and me and karaoke until our abs hurt from laughing." And then she switched on the noisy hair dryer, essentially cutting off further conversation. As I flipped my head over and let her blow-dry my curls, I resigned myself to a night with my good friend. There were worse ways to spend a Thursday night, I supposed.

When I flipped my head back over and Char scrunched out the stiff gel in the corkscrews, styling it so perfectly I wondered if she could teach me so I could recreate the look at home, I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My blue eyes danced with vitality, my freckles were loud and proud, my lightly tanned skin paired perfectly with this emerald-green tank top, and my hair was competing for the size of Texas.

"You look fucking hot, Kenna," Char stated with an evil grin.

I wouldn't go that far, but I did look like a woman who was ready for life. Gazing at my reflection some more, I could feel it in my bones. "I'll never make myself small again, Char. Not even my hair."

Char whooped and I helped her clean up the salon before we headed for the bar, arm in arm. We found an empty table in front of the stage. Karaoke hadn't started yet, and when Onyx came over to take our order, she was able to linger a bit and chat. The place would fill up in an hour or so and then she'd be flitting between tables all night.

"You look angrier than normal," Char commented.

Onyx snorted, but it sounded more like a snarl. "Men."

Char rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it. All the good ones are taken and all the ones not taken don't even look at me."

I put my hand on her arm, wishing I could offer her more comfort. It was clear she had feelings for Harley, but the guy never seemed to see her beyond a friend. Onyx's eyes softened a fraction, but her heavier-than-normal black eye makeup kept the overall look hard and unforgiving. She told us about her latest man troubles and I didn't blame her for being pissed. Married men dating other women and lying about the wife back at home was low.

"I think we need to start fishing outside of Sunshine Key," Onyx said after she'd explained why she'd punched her latest date in the junk. Based on the anger still on her face, I'd say he came away lucky.

Char pointed at her. "I'm in! Where are we headed?"

"Wait! I want to come!"

They both looked at me with wide eyes. "No offense, Kenna, but this is a single-lady excursion."

"I'm single!"

Onyx laughed, the sound so pretty and rare I wanted to record it and listen to it again. "Oh, honey. That's funny." And then she left our table, promising to deliver another round of drinks in just a minute.

I looked at Char, but she was busy digging through her purse. I didn't know what the town thought about Dec and me, but we most certainly weren't dating. Hell, I didn't even know where he was right now.

Ezra nodded at us in hello before bounding up onto the stage and grabbing the microphone. I looked around, realizing the place had filled up while we'd been chatting.

"Welcome to Dad Bod Watering Hole, friends." A cheer went up from the crowd. "We have a special guest tonight. I expect you all to be on your best behavior so I don't have to kick your ass."

"You can kiss my ass any day, Ezra!" came a feminine voice from the back, followed by a wolf whistle.

The big man just rolled his eyes and carried on, used to being hit on in his own bar. "Without further ado, my friend and songwriter, Dec Boggs!"

I nearly slid right off the barstool. There, in jeans molded to his thighs and a pair of scuffed brown boots, stood the man who still took my breath away. He stepped up onto the stage and clapped Ezra on the shoulder before taking the mic from him. He looked right at me, a faint smile on his tanned, handsome face.

"I figured since everyone knows who I am now anyway, I could finally sing on karaoke night. You have no idea how much it's killed me not to be able to get on this stage." The crowd was loud and rowdy, but I heard nothing but Dec's smooth voice coming out of the speakers. "Not sure about you, but I'm sick of hearing Harley sing."

Harley, having entered the bar at some point, booed from behind us. Everyone else cracked up laughing. Dec pointed to Ezra and an old familiar track started playing.

"Tonight is for Sunshine Key, my home."

And then Dec opened his mouth and sang.

His voice was beautiful. Deeper and raspier than it had been ten years ago, but better in its maturity. The words and notes flowed over me, reverberating through my ribs and into my heart. My lips mouthed the memorized words while my eyes drank him in. The hat he always hid behind was nowhere to be seen. He wore the same black leather cord around his neck, but now a small silver disk winked in the lights above the stage. He'd fixed the good luck charm I'd given him, wearing it proudly. Like he was making a statement, one only I'd know.

When he ended one song and immediately launched into another one, he shot me a wink and a smile that obliterated all the uncertainty I'd been feeling. Char grabbed my arm and squealed, bobbing up and down in her seat. The bar was now packed, as if word had gotten out ahead of time that Dec would be performing. Bodies pressed in around us, but we stayed center stage. I couldn't have looked away from him even if the place was on fire.

When the final note of that song faded away and the crowd clapped and cheered, Dec waited for the hubbub to die down. He looked out into the crowd and explained that the next song was a new one, one he'd written a month ago. He hopped down from the stage and sauntered up to our table before reaching for my hand. The crowd noise was hushed as they all waited to see what he'd do. My heart was in my throat, cutting off my breath. His thumb swept along my skin.

"This song is just for Kenna."

Harley appeared on stage with a guitar and began to play. Dec didn't let go of my hand. He began to sing a slow love song about a woman rising from the ashes with her head held high and lighting the way for him too. Every word out of his mouth was our story. Every word an apology. Every word a plea.

And when he was done, I got off my barstool and let go of his hand.

So I could throw my arms around his neck. He dropped the microphone on the table and held me close, his face buried in my neck. The man was practically trembling.

"I'm so sorry, sunshine. I love you, and I know I fucked up."

There was a huge difference between Dec and Justin, a realization I came to on the plane back home to Sunshine Key. My ex-husband had never been sorry for deceiving me and his deception had happened while we were together. Dec's inability to tell me the truth about his past was simply pain he wasn't ready to address. If Dec could be mature enough to face his past trauma for me, I could be mature enough to offer forgiveness. I pulled back to make sure he heard me.

"You're forgiven. And I love you too."

He crushed me to his chest in relief and then spun me around. The crowd cheered obnoxiously loud and hands patted us on the back. Harley took over the mic while Dec hauled me through the back hallway, past the bathrooms, and out the back door. He spun me around and pulled me in close, his hands on my hips.

"I was too busy running from myself to see the truth," he said. "You pulled me out of hermit mode, and now that I've seen what life can be like, I want more. I need you, Kenna. I want to wake up next to you and have your gorgeous hair across my face. I want to see you draw and hear you talk to Maeve's urn when you think no one hears you. I want to sit around a table with our parents and roll our eyes. I want to weather every storm with you. I want to be there next to you during your highest highs and your lowest lows. I love you, sunshine. So much. Please say we can have a life together. Please say you'll give me another shot."

The tears had gathered in my eyes during his love song and now they freely flowed down my cheeks. They weren't the same tears I'd cried at the beginning of the summer. These were tears of happiness. Hard-fought happiness and contentment that couldn't be contained in words alone.

Dec caught my face in his hands, thumbs swiping away the tears. He gazed down at me adoringly. "I want to give you the salt life, sunshine, but not from tears."

My face felt like it might split in two with my smile. "Nah, we have a salt love."

His head dipped and his warm lips set my brain ablaze, blocking out the world and promising forever. And this time, when his tongue met mine, he truly let me inside.