It’s been a long time coming and it hasn’t been the easiest journey to get to this point, but it’s totally worth it. I’m officially my own woman at last. I have lost the last name, Bishop, and I’m back to being Nova Curtis once more. I never thought that was going to happen.
“That was the easiest, but the hardest case of my whole career.”
I spin and wrap my arms around this man’s neck, so grateful for him.
“Thank you so much, Dan. You have no idea what this means to me.”
Of course, Zane couldn’t continue working on the case af
ter it became public about me and him, which terrified me at first, but he worked with Dan to make sure we got the right result in the end. He has still been instrumental in saving me.
Clara, Kem, and Zane all fly around the corner and they embrace me and Dan. We’ve become this big team, it’s like my own little family all wrapped up here. It isn’t my biological family, they can’t ever replace my parents, but I’ve got to make my own family in this world, and this crazy bundle of people are perfect for me. Dan, the playboy lawyer who really makes me laugh. Clara, the most incredible person in the whole world who’s been there through my whole life, and her husband who I’m now closer to than ever before. And of course, Zane, the most amazing man that I’ve ever set eyes on. The man who’s made my heart grow wider, my life grow bigger, my experiences widen that much more.
As they all mutter congratulations in my ears, everything swells. Jeremy is in jail now where he will stay for the next few decades, and even when he gets out he can’t go anywhere near me. He will also never be my husband again. I feel brilliant.
Especially when Zane brings his lips down to mine and he kisses me softly. The chemistry sizzles between us, I can feel every single move that he makes. The longer me and Zane are together, the more it becomes like breathing. There’s just an ease to us, a connection that pulls us together. Even when he isn’t around me I can feel him. I know what he’s going to do, how he’s going to behave, he isn’t scarily unpredictable, but he still manages to surprise me in the most amazing way possible.
“We should go out to celebrate,” Clara announces. “This is such good news.”
“I can’t stay out too long though, I have work in the morning.”
Clara ooh’s excitedly at me as I say this, extremely happy for me. Everyone is surprised at how well I’ve slotted into the workforce. I’ve found something that I’m passionate about, something that I love, and I want to do every single day.
Cooking is my dream, and right now I might only have a small job in a kitchen, but it’s a start. I will continue to grow it every single day. This is something just for me, and I love it.
“I know, I know, I’m being boring. But I have to have a clear head in the morning.”
“Come on.” She slings her arm over my shoulder, completely ignoring my worries. “Let’s go and have dinner and a couple of drinks. We’ll all be really sensible about it.”
I roll my eyes, knowing that isn’t true. “Okay, sure, let’s have fun.”
Zane slips his hand through mine as we walk, and I cling to it with sheer joy. I’m strong on my own. I have learned that I can be really powerful, but it’s better to have him by my side. I much prefer having him to lean on if I need it.
I never thought that I would find such an incredible man to fall in love with, such a sexy, sweet guy, but here he is, still with me after everything. Who would have thought when I walked in his office and he made my heart skip a beat, that we would end up here? Back then, I wasn’t even thinking about a happy ever after, I was just trying to escape my personal hell.
Once we reach the restaurant, Zane pulls me to one side for a bit, so we can have a little moment, just me and him. He gazes at me with such love, it creates new butterflies in my stomach. I don’t think a time will come when he stops affecting me like this.
“I’m so proud of you,” he gushes and kisses me on the nose. “You are so strong.”
“I don’t know about that. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“You could. I mean, obviously, I’m glad that you did come to me or we might never have met…” He laces his fingers through mine, even managing to look at my hand with love. “God, it’s weird to think that there’s a world where we might not know one another.”
“That’s horrible! I don’t want to think about that at all.”
I shudder, the idea of my life without Zane is now impossible. He’s such a big part of me, rapidly becoming my other half. I really cherish having him around.
“Well, at least we don’t have to worry now. Thank goodness we do have each other. And we’ll never have to find out what life is like without one another again.”
“Zane! Nova!” Clara breaks the magical moment, not that she knows what’s going on, I’m sure. She’s just so keen to have a good night. “Come on, let’s celebrate.”
We head on to join the others, but the bubble still remains around us. I guess after everything that we’ve been through, there will always be a little part of the world that feels like it only belongs to us. Me and Zane against the world…
* * *
I spread across the bed sheets, content in this amazing feeling of post-coital bliss. Me and Zane are always hungry for one another, always keen to get a hold of each other’s bodies, but tonight was a little different. It was slower, more considered, the start of the rest of our lives together. Now, there really isn’t anything in our way and that’s everything to me.
“Oh, is that my laptop?” Zane asks. “I think my mom is calling.”