Jim nearly bursts out laughing. “Of course not! The last thing I heard was that he wants to get the Hell out of here and take you two to San—”
“San Diego?”
“Right,” Jim nods. “San Diego, where it’s always sunny.”
I feel tears beginning to well up in my eyes. I don’t even know why. This should be good news. I should be feeling relieved and happy, not sad.
“I promise you,” Jim says. “He lovesyou, Yara. I’ve been his friend forever, and I can tell by the way he was talking about you that there isno wayhe would ever go back to Delilah.”
“You’re sure?” I ask, one step away from full-blown tears.
“I’m sure.” I gasp and look up to see Lyle standing by the door, phone in hand, smiling at me like my wonderful prince. He walks toward me, eyes focused on me the entire time, filled with focus and certainty.
Jim leans close and whispers, “I texted him when I saw you buying your ticket.”
I try to keep it together as Lyle gets closer, but it’s impossible. I break down when he’s just a few feet away, collapsing into full tears.
He drops down in front of me and wraps his arms around me, pulling me into what feels like safety – what feels like home.
“I don’t know why I’m crying,” I whimper into the warmth of his chest.
“It’s okay, baby,” he whispers back, threading his fingers through my hair. “I’m here. I’m right here.”
Epilogue
Lyle
Five Years Later…
I takea deep breath and gaze out at the setting sun. Being able to leave the garage doors open in January is just one of the benefits of living in San Diego. Working five blocks from the beach is another.
“Hey, boss, you want us to start on that three series in the morning? Or should we put it off and finish up on the Toyota?”
I turn around and see Jim standing behind me, covered in grease, grinning with a wrench in his hand.
“Finish the Toyota,” I grin back. “The three series can wait.”
“Roger that,” he says with a salute before turning around and heading back inside.
Starting my own shop out here and taking my best friend with me has been one of the greatest achievements of my life.
Yara and I knew we had to get the Hell out of Tangerine Forks if we ever wanted to be together, and that’s exactly what we did. We caught the first bus to Logan Airport and the next flight to San Diego. Jim helped send out my stuff over the course of the next month and then helped me put my house on the market. Then, slowly but surely, I put everything I had into starting my own shop.
It wasn’t easy – in fact it was pretty rocky at first – but after a year or so, things leveled out to the point that they’re at now. I’m not rolling in money, but I’m doing well enough and things are picking up to the point where I think I’ll be able to expand soon and start hiring more men and maybe even look for a bigger garage.
From what Jim told me, Clint and his men scoured the Tangerine Forks for me for the few weeks after Yara and I left. They questioned everyone at the shop, checked all the local motels and apartments and are still convinced I’m living in Vermont somewhere. As far as I’m concerned, they can keep wasting their time hunting through New England for as long as they’d like.
There area few things left for me to do in the office, but my day’s mostly done. I say goodbye to Jim and the rest of the boys, let Jim know it’s his job to lock up tonight, then hop in the car and head home.
It’s good being the boss. No more being told I have to clean up the shop, no more having to open, and no more having to stay late and miss seeing my wife.
My wife. What would I do without her?
She’s my rock. My anchor. She’s the reason life gave me to finally stand up to Clint and get out of that prison I’d been put in. She’s the reason I’m here in San Diego with a business of my own, being my own boss, starting my own family.
Yara.
She’s standing in the living room when I come home, wearing nothing but a cute little pink thong and a crop top T-shirt with her hair up. It’s not an outfit she would wear if she was trying to be sexy for me, and I think that’s what makes it sexy.