Epilogue

(Continued)

MACKENZIE

D ylan glances back at me from his position at the boat's steering wheel. I don't think anything could wipe the smile from his face. When he stands behind that wheel, it's as though nothing can touch him. This is his happy place.

Now that the boat is finally finished, he has been looking into starting up his own dive charters and I can't wait to see him living his dream.

Chance bounds from one end of the boat to the other, barking furiously, his attention on the pod of dolphins that emerge beside us. This is only his second voyage on Dylan's boat, and he hasn't become accustomed to marine life yet. I tug gently at his collar, pulling him in to give him a scratch behind the ears and it seems to settle him. For a moment, at least.

I move across the deck to Dylan, curling an arm around his neck. He reaches for me, tucking me into his side.

"This isn't so bad, is it?" he asks me.

A reluctant smile forms on my lips. I know that he's referring to the fact that I hadn't wanted to celebrate my birthday today. I hadn't needed to explain to him why all my other birthdays sucked. As usual, he just understood.

But I have to admit that he's right. This isn't so bad. In fact, if this was to be how all my future birthdays would go, I wouldn't have a single thing to complain about.

"Yeah. It's not so bad."

"I love you, Kenz," he says as his chocolate eyes bore into mine, their golden flecks made all the more prominent under the pink-orange sunset.

"I know," I say. Because I do. He doesn't even have to say it. The way he cares for me and puts me first every time speaks louder than any of his words ever could. "I love you, too."

His fingers drag along the small of my back as his grip tightens around me. "You ready to head back in?"

"No," I say. "I could stay out here forever."

He laughs. "I'm sure you could, but we're losing daylight, and I don't want to be out here alone with you when you start getting hangry."

"Fine," I say. "But I'm not cooking."

"Of course, you're not. It's your birthday," he says as he turns the wheel and steers us towards the marina. "I was thinking we could grab something at the tavern."

I ponder his suggestion. Honestly, I can't wait to get back to his place. Our place. Especially knowing I have free rein of the remote control now. Who am I kidding? I always have.

But on the other hand, dinner at the tavern sounds good too. "Okay."

Within minutes, Dylan has navigated us back to the dock. He climbs out first, then holds his hand out to me. Chance waits for neither of us, energetically bounding over the side of the boat and racing up the jetty.

"Chance!" I call out. I chase him as Dylan secures the boat, clipping his leash to his collar once I've reached him. "Good boy."

I lead him to a park bench, where we wait for Dylan, then a few minutes later, all three of us are piling into the old RAV4.

We cruise down the boulevard, where we find a parking spot on the curb outside the Tavern. Chance isn't allowed inside so we opt to sit in the outdoor courtyard around the back.

We take the laneway down the side, but when we round the corner to the lawn area in front of the shore, I stumble back at a sudden disturbance that sets my heart racing in my chest.

"SURPRISE!"

Several people spring forward and it takes me a moment to realise that this display is for me, and that the voices are coming from all those I've come to know since moving to this tiny seaside town.

"Oh my god." My eyes are wide as I clutch at Dylan's forearm, only letting go of him as Pamela and Ben embrace me in a group hug.

"Happy birthday, Mackenzie," they both say in unison.

Next, it's Kristen and Henley's turn, followed by Liv and EJ and then Grace and Harper. Even Corey and the other bar staff are here, smiling at me from the tavern's back doors.

Lastly, my father approaches, encasing me in a hug. "Happy birthday, Mac."

"Thanks, Dad," I say, a tear slipping from my eye as I wrap my arms around his shoulders.

My father left rehab a few months ago, and against all odds, has remained sober. Though our relationship could still be best described as fragile, I'd have to be blind not to see the effort he's been putting in to repair our broken father-daughter bond.

He releases me from his embrace and shakes Dylan's hand, the other resting firmly on his shoulder. "Thank you. For taking care of her."

Dylan merely nods, though there's a hidden message conveyed through his eyes as he squeezes my father's hand in response. Once my father moves aside, he takes a step in my direction, watching as I take in the scene.

I scan the large wooden table set up on the lawn, the various platters scattered from end to end and the simple chocolate cake that sits in the centre. "This was all your doing?"

"Happy birthday, Kenz." He leans into me, his breath warm on my cheek as he pulls me close.

"Thank you," I say. "You always know how to make me feel special. I can't believe you got everyone here just for me."

"You are special," he says, tucking a curl behind my ear. "And I couldn't keep these guys away even if I wanted to. Everyone here loves you, Kenz. Whether they're blood related or not, this is your family."

I smile as he thumbs away another tear that rolls down my face.

Family.

My heart used to ache hearing the word, but now I realise that family isn't just one thing.

Family means unconditionally loving someone in spite of their flaws.

It means having a soft place to land. A light in the dark. A safe haven from the storm.

Family doesn't always mean the one you're born into. It's finding the ones who will stand by you, unflinching, even in your darkest times.

It's cuddles with a stray dog during a thunderstorm. It's chocolate chip pancakes on a rainy day.

It's finally finding a place where you belong.

Family isn't just one thing.

No.

It's everything.

And this is mine.