“I’m moving here.”
“Here?” Cassidy asked, looking over at him. “To the lake?”
“Yes. Change of pace. The aunts, sisters, mother—too many women in the Bronx. Besides, Mac and I can work from here.”
Mac’s brows went up. “That is news.”
“Why not? Good side hustle.” Grady asked. “And help with the rebuild. I already talked to the new manager, Slane. Easy decision, really.” He wagged his eyebrows.
Cassidy glanced up at Mac, her eyes full of pride and love. He could have slammed her up against the porch pole and pounded into her based on that look alone, company present and all.
The curve of her lips meant she’d read his thoughts. His fingers gripped her more tightly. But he tore his gaze away and addressed Grady, “Sure, bro, be a pleasure to work with you while you chase your woman.”
Grady choked. “What? The fuck? I have no idea what you’re… There’s nothing… Damn it, man.”
Cassidy giggled, hiding her face in Mac’s shoulder.
Mac raised a brow. “Okay, we done here? ’Cause I promised Day a night of—”
Cassidy smacked him in the chest with a scandalized look of warning.
“Jenga. Loves the game,” he finished.
The others knew full well Jenga wasn’t on the agenda for the night. Silas coughed in embarrassment while Grady fought to hide his smirk. Marge, however, gave Mac a stare like she wanted to paddle an errant schoolboy. Her expression softened to tolerant affection when she looked at Cassidy.
They took their turns in hugging Cassidy good night, climbing the steps in turn. Silas, Grady, then Marge. She and Marge stared at each other silently before the old woman clasped her cheeks and kissed her forehead.
Mac extended his hand to Marge. She paused, looking at his hand. A wave of anxiety washed over him before she stepped closer and awkwardly embraced him. He wrapped his arms around her, shocked and honored at the same time. It felt like permission. It felt like acceptance. It felt fucking awesome.
His gaze moved to Cassidy. Her eyes were bright with unshed, happy tears. So, yeah, this was a moment.
Mac and Cassidy watched the vehicles drive away, his arms wrapped around her from behind.
Jesus, the roller coaster of this day.
Cassidy held on to his arms and angled her head back. “That was good, right?”
Mac nodded, his eyes still on the vacant spot where the vehicles had been. “That was good.”
A rustling in the woods caught their attention. Seconds later, Fred came hobbling through, a smile on his face to see his two favorite people, tail whipping in a frenzy.
“Oh, look! He came to us!” Cassidy said unnecessarily, pulling out of Mac’s embrace and rushing down the steps to meet Fred in the yard. “Fred!”
The dog excitedly hopped over to her, stopping when she dropped to her knees to hug him. He sniffed her aggressively, and she laughed. “Yes, that’s Daddy you smell all over me.”
Butterflies; she gave him butterflies. He lost his breath. This was the first time he’d experienced the sensation. Swallowing hard, he tried to tease, but the word was strangled with emotion, “Daddy?”
“You broke my dog! And you know what they say: you break it, you bought it. He’s yours now, too.” She tossed him a grin over her shoulder.
His fucking heart exploded. Because even though it was evening, with that simple smile of hers, the sunlight broke through. There was no more fog, just a beam of warm, nourishing light—his Day.
He was supposed to celebrate the anniversary of when he survived the explosion: his Alive Day. But he hadn’t really lived after that. He couldn’t discount the significance of the date because it’d brought him to this moment. But today…
Thisis his Alive Day.
Epilogue
One Year Later