Anonymous(56)

Jake sighs. “She’s right. Just let us know and we’ll be there to help.”

Bryan extends his hand and Jake shakes it. “Safe travels, you two. I’ll be in touch.”

Once we’re out of the room, I fall into Jake’s chest and cry from relief. He rubs my back and holds me close. “It’s all over now. We’re safe and our baby is fine.”

“I was so afraid I was going to lose you.”

He pulls me back and wipes away my tears. “I told you . . . you’re stuck with me, until I’m old and gray.”

I wink. “I look forward to it.”





Twenty-Eight





Ellie





Two Months Later





Owen’s death hit us hard. Packing up our stuff was even harder. With Owen being a part of my life for so long, there were so many things I had that he’d given me. Needless to say, a lot went into the trash. I didn’t want anything that reminded me of him. Easier said than done.

We helped Bryan move out of his house, and I made sure to pack all of Samantha’s belongings. Jake is in the process of designing him a home as we speak. He’s taken some time off to heal, both mentally and physically. His shoulder still gives him problems, but I know he’ll be back at the PD in no time.

Once news about Owen surfaced, people from my past came forward and talked about all the horrible things he did to them. One of the guy’s I’d only dated for two weeks had dumped me, and it turns out, that’s because Owen had threatened his life. Now I know why I never had luck dating back then.

Jake was a different story. He wasn’t a guy to be pushed around, and Owen knew that.

“What are you thinking about?” Jake shuts the glass sliding door and walks toward me, his bare feet slapping against the deck tiles. It’s seventy-four degrees in Phoenix. Much different from the thirty degrees in Pinecrest, North Carolina.

I shrug and turn back to the mountains. “Lots of things, I guess. It’s so beautiful here.” I never thought living in a place with cactuses and rocky mountains would be beautiful, but it is. The browns and reds of the landscape are different from the green mountains at home.

Jake wraps his arms around my waist, settling them on my swollen stomach. The baby kicks and he chuckles in my ear. “Yes, it is. And what are these lots of things you were thinking about?”

“Oh, you know . . . life. As much as I miss home, I’m glad we’re away. It got to the point where I couldn’t go to the grocery store without someone wanting to talk about what happened.” Sighing, I place my hands over his. “It was just too much. I’m hoping this place will be different. I don’t want people recognizing me.”

His lips touch my neck and I shiver. “You’ll be fine. Phoenix is a lot larger than Pinecrest. The only people who will recognize you are the ones I work with.”

“Thank God,” I breathe.

My dad shouts at the TV and I laugh. The Tarheels are playing and they’re losing. We’ve only been in Phoenix for a month and they’ve visited twice already. It’s their break from the cold mountain air, and also a chance to spend time with me.

After everything that happened in December, Jake and I decided to pack up and move as soon as we could. Our case had sparked media attention, and there’s even a producer who wants to turn our story into a film. Guess you can say the media frenzy became too much. Our move to Phoenix came right at the perfect time.

Jake turns me around to face him and I wrap my arms around his neck. “Are you excited about your interviews tomorrow? I know it’ll be hard to find someone like Vikki, but I know you’ll find someone good.”

Excitement bubbles in my chest. “I know. I miss my Vikki, but she’s enjoying being the boss.”

He bursts out laughing. “I bet she is.”

Sweet Sensations 2 is almost done being renovated and will be open in a few weeks, once I hire a couple of bakers. Phoenix is a lot busier than Pinecrest. It’s going to be insane when we open, especially where we’re located. I’m right in downtown, where hundreds of people will walk by every day.

The sun starts to dip below the horizon, giving the sky a purple-pinkish hue. “Are we ready to put the crib together?” he asks. “Our little tyke will be here in six months. It’ll fly by if we’re not too careful.”

I kiss him hard. “You think it’s going to be a boy, huh?”

He shrugs. “Doesn’t matter to me. I’ll be happy with whatever we have. And who knows, he or she might be born on your birthday.”

“Wouldn’t that be the best birthday present.”





Epilogue





Ellie





Today is the day of the gender reveal. It’s also the first day before the grand opening of Sweet Sensations 2. I wanted to spend it with my family and friends, so they all flew up to Phoenix.

Everyone is here, including my parents, Jake’s parents, my sister and her family, Vikki and her family, my two new bakers, Randy and some of Jake’s co-workers, and even Bryan, who also brought his new girlfriend. She looks completely different from Samantha, with dark-brown hair and sea-green eyes. He looks happy, which is all that matters.