Falling Fast (Falling Fast #1) - Tina Wainscott Page 0,96
after a long cessation. He had performed that miracle many a time, reviving a car that had been sitting in a garage unloved and unwanted for years. Mia had performed that miracle on him.
Epilogue
TWO WEEKS LATER…
An unexpected knock on the door wasn’t scary anymore, but Mia still felt a little trepidation. She smiled at the sight of Pax on the front porch, Harley sitting politely at his feet, tail scraping on the porch floor. “Hey, come on in. We’re having drinks out on the deck. Happy hour.”
“Margaritas?” he asked hopefully.
“Lemonade. Though if you brought your own vodka, be our guest.”
“I can do without.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose as he stepped inside. “Had enough whiskey lately to last me awhile.”
She took in his bloodshot eyes. “Things still stressed with your family?”
“To say the least. And with Cassidy off the force, too, my dad’s pressuring me to come back.” He gave a slow-motion shake of his head. “No way.”
“Good for you. It’s important to follow your dreams.” She pulled a glass from the cabinet.
Pax accepted the lemonade, then made a face as he took a sip. “Tart. But good. Is it fresh?”
“Only the best for my crew.” She grinned. “And our friends.” She definitely considered Pax a friend. She filled a bowl with water for Harley, and they headed out to the back deck. The sun was still high in the sky, even though it was nearly dinnertime. It had become a tradition, happy hour on the deck, playing Frisbee, and maybe some swimming, then dinner.
Pax poured himself into one of the chairs and gestured for Harley to stay close. “What about your dream? I hear you start at Gulfshore Hospital in a week. But they don’t have a burn center.”
“Funny thing, when I talked to my future boss about my aspirations he said they’ve been thinking about opening a burn-trauma unit.” She couldn’t help the grin that spread over her face every time she thought about it. “And I will be instrumental in making that happen.”
“A-stounding.” He shared her smile. “I’m happy for you. For both of you.”
She watched her guys, totally involved in their game, and her smile grew wider. “Thing is, I wanted fulfillment. I have that right here.”
Harley was leaning to the side so that he could see through the deck opening, his black-and-white body straining to join the boys on the beach. He flung a piteous look at Pax, along with a whine.
“Wait just a second, boy. I want to tell Mia something before Cody knows we’re here.” Pax focused on her. “Don’t know how much you want to say in front of the kid. My dad’s been talking to the assistant state attorney, and it looks like they can come to an agreement: if Rose turns herself in, they’ll only go for manslaughter.”
“A-stounding!” she said, mirroring his favorite expression. “Grace is pretty sure they’d give her a reduced sentence, if they convict her at all, given the self-defense component.”
He flicked a glance toward the letter on the table from Charlotte Webb, postmarked from South Carolina. “Maybe a little birdie can tell her.”
Rose had had second thoughts soon after she left, knowing she was setting a terrible example for her son.
“How’s Cody doing?” Pax asked.
“He’s settled in. His therapist feels that he’s processing everything.”
“Kid’s got a lot to process.” Pax gestured with his hand. “Good boy. Go on, then. Sounds like you’re dying over there.”
Harley raced toward the beach. Cody hugged the dog, and Raleigh waved and headed up. Pax pushed to his feet, and they traded their casual handshake.
“Heard the sale of the garage is going through,” Pax said.
“Yep. And since we’re not selling this place anytime soon, I don’t stand a chance of getting a loan to buy something else.”
“Found any suitable buildings to rent?”
“No.” He’d thrown it out casually, but Mia knew he was tense about it. The buyers were going to commence construction immediately after closing, in another month.
“Got a place that might work pretty well.” Pax, too, was downplaying his news, but his green eyes sparkled and his dimples winked playfully. “You know the storage building at the track, where I keep the equipment and helmets? It used to be a garage, where the owner kept his personal race cars. I’m using one of the three bays for my car, which leaves two wide open, once it’s all cleaned out. Plus room for parts and equipment, even a desk for, say, a high-performance mechanic to set up shop.” He