Harlow Hartley is back in my life and back in my bed right where she belongs. After spending all day yesterday rolling around under the covers, I talked her into getting up early this morning and heading out for what just might be one of the toughest days we spend together. We stopped by the florist and each picked up a bouquet of flowers, then to Hallowed Grounds where we picked up coffee and scones. We head back into the truck and head to Friar’s Corner.

“You sure you don’t want your sisters to meet us out there?”

“Nope.” She takes a careful sip of her coffee. “I think this day should be just for us.”

We make small talk on the way there, talking about everything under the sun, from religion to politics, to what color we should paint the restrooms down at The Sloppy Pelican. It’s easy like this with Low. Not once did anything feel easy with Mer. It was, more or less, walking on eggshells twenty-four seven. I tell her about Chip and his newly appointed title as a single dad.

“That doesn’t shock me. Mer’s sort of a mare—pardon the pun. She’s chasing something, and I don’t think you or your brother fits the bill.”

“She’s chasing money. She’s never hidden the fact she wants a lot out of life, and all of those things can be purchased with a credit card. She’ll find what she’s looking for one day. I’m just glad both my brother and me got out when we did.”

“There’s a cute little baby with Masterson blood in her, though. I want us to be there for her and for Chip.”

And just like that, Low fills me to the brim with love. I reach over and give her hand a quick squeeze. “You don’t know how much that means to me. Yes, we’ll be there for Maxie and my brother, together.”

We drive another ten minutes, and Low leads us to the intersection where we need to be and I pull to the side. It’s busy here, a major thoroughfare that leads to a freeway on both ends.

“I can see how tragedy can happen here,” I whisper as we get out. I head over and wrap my arms around Low and hold her like that a very long time while the cars whiz by and the people bustle around us on the sidewalk.

“That’s where we ended up.” She points a finger to the left of the utility pole. “That’s where my mother took her last breath. I walked away with a few scrapes and scratches, and my mother was shattered from the inside out.” Low lands a kiss to the bright yellow roses she’s holding. “Yellow was her favorite color. She said it just made her happy. Lisa had us all wear yellow to her memorial service, and then after, we went to the farm she grew up on and scattered her ashes.” Her voice breaks as she clings to me harder. “After the accident, the town gathered and we had a vigil for her here. There were heaps of flowers, candles, teddy bears, handwritten notes. An old boyfriend of hers even brought a box of her favorite chocolates. My father didn’t show. But weeks wore on, the flowers died, the candles were flooded with rainwater, the teddy bears went black from exhaust, and the box of chocolates were torn into and eaten by night creatures. The city came and cleaned it up, and it was as if nothing ever happened, as if my mother never existed. There wasn’t a trace of her left.”

“Not true.” I press a hard kiss to the top of her head before lifting her gently by the chin and meeting her gaze. “You and your sisters are here. There is nothing more representative of your mother’s time on this planet than the four sweet girls she left behind.”

“You’ve met Lisa, right?” She gives a sly wink. “I’m teasing. And I get what you’re saying, but she just feels—for a lack of a better word—gone.”

“She’s not. You are your mother’s eyes, her ears, her life force on this planet. She’s left an entire legacy. Your nieces are a part of her.” I wipe a tear from her cheek. “And one day our kids will be, too.”

Low’s eyes widen with tears spilling freely. “Our kids? Are you hitting on my ovaries?” She gives my sides a pinch.

“I’m hitting on all of you. I see us together for a long time to come.”

She swallows hard and gives a solemn nod, her eyes never leaving mine. “I do, too.”

Low places the flowers near the light post, and we leave and head back toward home—only, there’s one stop we’ll be making, and it feels every bit as tragic as that intersection we just left.

The Hollow Brook Cemetery is a lonely place. Although, from an outsider’s perspective, with its lush rolling green lawns and meticulously neat landscaping, it looks more like an inviting city park than anything as morbid as what it really is.

I park up near the ridge and lead us over to the place where Mer and I buried our child. Low and I hold one another before I deposit the flowers onto my son’s grave.

“I always felt bad about not giving him a formal name.” The marker simply reads Masterson.

“Masterson is a wonderful name.” She reaches up and gives my ear a gentle tug. “I think you gave him the right one.”

I think on it for a moment. “Maybe. You know, the moment you find out you’re expecting, you have all of these hopes and dreams for your child. I had so many plans for him, and this wasn’t one of them. But if that was all the time he was allowed to have, then I’m just honored to have been his father. Still am.”

“Levi”—Low pulls me down by the neck and lands a warm kiss to my lips—“you’re a great father because your heart is full of love.” She tugs on her lower lip with her teeth. “And you’re going to be a great father to our children one day.”

A warm laugh thumps through me. “Are you hitting on my sperm?” I wince as the words come out of my mouth.

“All of you. I see us together for a long time to come.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” My lips find a home over hers, and we share an intimate moment, something holy and right. Today has brought closure along with something altogether new. Low and I have a future, one filled with love and family—and most importantly, with each other.

* * *

The grand reopening of The Sloppy Pelican was Low’s brainchild, and here we are on a heated Saturday night with the entire restaurant flooded with people, the band playing cover songs that have the crowd eager to stay, eager to order more food and drinks from the bar. Low invited her sisters out, and they’re all dancing away to the band along with Raven and Low’s psychotic friend, Lex.

I nudge Brody with my arm as we oversee the pleasant chaos from the bar. “Now this is what I envisioned when we thought up that hair-brained scheme.”

“You mean that night at the Black Bear where we brainstormed over a napkin? Yup, I think we’ve surpassed any of my expectations by a landslide. We finally have that grown-up version of the Black Bear we always wanted, minus competing for the girls with a bunch of frat boys.”

“I’ve got my girl. I’m set for life. How about you? See anyone you like?” I pan the crowd along with him. The Pelican has had its fair share of loyal customers who happen to be female, and I know for a fact Brody can have his pick of the litter.

“I see someone I’d like to get to know better.” His gaze is set intently on the dance floor, but Axel steps in and blocks my view of this mystery girl.

“Ax”—I slap him over the shoulder—“your girl’s here tonight. You ready to make your move?”

“Only if I want my balls skewered and served up for a meal.”

Brody barks out a laugh. “We’re talking appetizers, right? Because you’ve got balls the size of marbles for not even saying hello to the chick.”

Axel grunts at the thought. “You don’t know her like I do. It’s not that easy.”

“I know her about as much as I want to,” I offer. “And I happen to agree with you. She’d make a meal out of you and not in a good way.” I watch as Lex whoops it up with Low and can’t help but shake my head. “She’s been a good friend, though. I’m glad Low has her in her life.” I look to Ax. “So, what do you think? Is there a chance for the two of you? You’re both free agents. There’s nothing standing in your way.”

“Except for the past.” His gaze grows heavy as he looks that way, and his smile drops from sight without any hope of coming back. “I don’t know. I don’t think so.” He heads back to the kitchen without saying another word.

“Hey,” I bark over to Brody. “Don’t bust his balls—tiny or otherwise. He’s hurting.”

Brody stares off at the dance floor with a look of discontent. “I get it.” He slaps the back of his neck before picking up a rag and wiping down the bar. “I’d better get back to work.”

Low bounces over with Lisa in tow, and I grimace without meaning to because I’m hoping I’m not about to get my own balls handed to me. “Looking good out there.”

Low sneaks in a kiss to my cheek. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

Lisa steps in, and that hardened façade she’s held up softens. “I think I owe you an apology. I’ve been a little too judgmental when I should have given you a chance. I just needed to trust my sister’s judgment instead of my own. It’s something I’m still learning to do.”

“No need to apologize. In fact, I love how you look out for your family. Low told me how you stepped in when your mother passed. You’re a hero in my book. I’m glad you were looking out for Low. And I’m glad you’re looking out for Sadie and Everly, too.”

Lisa tosses her hands in the air. “Those two hellcats are putting gray hairs where gray hair shouldn’t be.” She pulls Low into a tight embrace. “But this one, she’s all yours now. My job is done. We’ll just have to go back to being best friends.”

“I think I’d like that.” Low gives her sister a quick peck before Lisa takes off for the dance floor again.

Raven and Lex come up and take a seat at the bar, their faces piqued with color, and they’re laughing it up over something. I’m not sure if I should be pleased or alarmed that Raven is taking to Lex as well.

“Don’t worry.” Raven winks our way. “We’re not friends by a long shot. We just so happen to have the same sense of humor when it comes to men.”

“And there’s that.” Low wraps an arm around me and runs her finger over my lips. “I happen to have a friendlier take on the male species. You in particular.”

“And I’m forever grateful.”

Brody taps me on the shoulder and nods to a small group headed this way.

“Bryson!” I slap my buddy from the Black Bear five. “Holt.” I pull him into a partial embrace. “I’m so glad you could come out.” I went down to the Black Bear myself and gave the invite in person. I let them know we’re not looking for a war between businesses. We’re both in it to win it, and they agreed.

“We wouldn’t miss it.” Holt steps back. “This is my wife, Izzy. Bryson’s wife, Baya. My sister, Annie, and her husband, Blake. He’s the—”

“Star of the show,” I cut him off with a laugh as I shake everyone’s hand. Blake is the lead singer of the 12 Deadly Sins, the Black Bear’s house band that’s wildly popular with the kids at Whitney Briggs.

Brody and Axel pop up, and I do a quick round of intros before Axel offers to get them a table.

“The food is on the house.” I slap Bryson over the shoulder, and he hangs back as the rest of his party takes off to be seated.

“It’s looking good,” he muses as he sweeps the place with a glance. “Is being your own boss everything you thought it was cracked up to be?”

“It’s one glorious headache after the next, but I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“That’s the right answer, man. So, where is she? I’m dying to meet the girl that shattered you and put you back together again.” I shared with Bryson and Holt the happy resolution to my story. As good as it felt to let it all out to begin with, it felt that good and better to let them know things worked out in the end the way I hoped they would.

I glance up, and Low flies over and wraps an arm around me, and I do the introductions.

“You’ll have to meet my wife, Baya,” Bryson offers. “I know she’d love you.”

“I will for sure.” Low salutes him.

Bryson takes off to meet up with the rest of his party, and we head back to where Raven and Lex sit at the bar.

“You’re looking good, big bro.” Raven gives my legs a slight kick. “I talked to Chip. He said things were better between you two. Is it true? Or is he just feeding me a line to keep me out of his hair?”

“He was feeding you a line.” I try to hold back the smile, but Low gives me a hard pinch in the ribs so I go with it. “Of the truth. I think Chip and I finally squared everything away. Or at least I’m hoping we did. Time will tell. But I think we’re good.”

“Wow.” Raven gives a wistful shake of the head to her best friend. “I guess you were good medicine after all.” Her eyes widen, and she gets that mischievous look on her face I’ve seen one too many times before. Raven hops up and steps in close, her breath slightly tinged with alcohol. “I have a tiny confession to make.” She giggles to Low. “That day you called and said your life fell to shit? Well, I could have easily allowed you to stay at my penthouse, but I just knew you needed someone, and my ice cube of a roommate was the last person who could give you comfort. So, I thought about it.” She turns my way. “And I knew you needed some comfort, and I wish to God I could have been there for you more, so I thought why not send you the next best thing? My very best friend, Harlow Hartley.” She bites down hard over her bottom lip, her eyes filling with tears. “I knew fireworks would go off fast. And deep down, I was rooting for just that.”

“What?” Both Low and I shout over the music at the very same time. There’s no way Raven just said what we think she did. Not after riding us hard—warning us to not even glance in the other’s direction.

“You heard me.” She presses her fists to her hips. “I simply implemented a little reverse psychology—you can’t have this—don’t touch that, and before I knew it, the two of you were glued at the hip.” She frowns over to Low. “And when you sent me those bogus texts about Evie, you really threw me. Lucky for me, I had an ace up my sleeve, someone willing to snap pictures of Evie when you weren’t looking. I knew you were bullshitting me from the start when you sent me those pictures of Lex.”

Low gasps. “Who ratted us out?”

Raven looks to me and gives a little shrug. “Mer. Don’t get mad. We’re still friendly. And I want to be. She happens to be the mother of my favorite little niece. I plan on playing nice for a very long time.”

“Mer.” I look to Low and frown.

Low shakes her head at Raven. “I don’t know what to say.”

Raven takes a step back toward the bar. “Just say thank you!” She laughs as she falls back into her seat next to Lex.

I press a kiss to Low’s lips and nod toward the band. “How about you and I hit the dance floor?” Usually I’d be the last person to be anywhere near a dance floor, but I think I’ve got this next dance down to a science.

“Really? Is this some sort of grand reopening miracle? Because I’m pretty sure I’ve seen you boot scoot your way out of the dancing vicinity for the last few months.”

I belt out a laugh. “Let’s just say you have the power to make me do things I wouldn’t normally do—and that’s a good thing.” I take her by the hand and lead her all the way down to the heart of the dance floor just as a song is finishing up. I flag the lead singer down with a wave, and he winks my way.

He leans into the microphone as the girls around us sigh. “We got a request tonight for something a little old school. Hope you enjoy it.”

That familiar tune rips through the speakers, and Low jumps up and down as if she just won the lottery.

“‘Key Largo’!” she screams so loud a few other girls join in just for the hell of it. “Who do you think requested that?” She gives a quick look to the bar, then back at me. “Did you plan this?”

“I may have had something to do with it.”

“You!” She latches her arms around me as we begin to sway to the music. “This is why I love you. You’re full of surprises.”

I frown playfully at the idea. “Why am I suddenly hungry for brownies?”

“Because I’ve trained you well. That’s not the only Pavlovian method I’ve got up my psychological sleeve. Your sister wasn’t the only one paying attention in our psych class.”

“Duly noted.”

“And speaking of all that higher education I went through the trouble of getting—is there any chance I could put it to good use around here again?”

“I’ve already put a desk in the office for you.”

She gasps. “Really? I’m pretty sure I’ll have zero use for it—but hey, that’s pretty cool! You’re just full of surprises tonight, aren’t you?”

“You could say that.” I reach back into my pocket and pull out the big surprise I’ve been holding close to the vest the entire day. “Something for you.”

“What’s this?” She takes the paper and unfolds it. “What?” she squeals before wrapping her arms around me tight, and I rock her as we hug it out right here on the dance floor. “Two tickets to Key Largo? Are you kidding me? I’ve never been! This is going to be amazing.” She wipes the tears from her eyes. “When do we leave?”

“Next week if you’re okay with that.”

“Hell yes, I’m okay with that.” She buries her face in her hands a moment before looking up at me. “All my life it felt as if every step I took led to disaster, and here you are, proving me wrong. The day I stepped into this bar was the best move I ever made.”

“Bailing you out of jail was the best move I ever made.” I give a quick wink before landing a kiss to her lips. “And those bedroom moves,” I whisper hot into her ear. “You know all the right moves in there, too.”

“I learned from the best.” Low reaches up and takes a bite out of my bottom lip before sealing her mouth over mine. We finish up that song and dance through the next three just like that, conjoined at the mouth, at the hips, at the heart.

* * *

Key Largo is every bit as beautiful as we thought it to be. Low and I spend our days diving the coral reefs, our nights walking along the white sandy shores hand-in-hand. It’s a dream come true—one I didn’t even realize I had.

She gives my hand a squeeze on this navy balmy night as we walk along the shoreline. “Have I told you how relaxed you look?”

“I guess I needed a vacation.” That may be true, but I’m not feeling so relaxed at the moment. In fact, I’ve been sweating bullets all day long, and it has nothing to do with the weather.

“I needed this vacation.” She pulls us under a palm tree, and we gaze out at the moon as it dances over the crystal blue water. “This is paradise. Not only is ‘Key Largo’ our special song—I think it’s our special place. I foresee many a vacation spent here.” The dirty grin I love so damn much floats to her lips as she pulls me in by the collar. “In fact, I think when it’s time to make those babies, we should come down and kick off baby making season right here.”

“Mmm.” I kiss a line from her lips to her ear. “I think I’d like to practice. I’d like to have six or seven for starters.”

Low belts out a laugh while smacking me over the chest. “You are insane. Try two—okay, maybe four, but just because you’re cute.”

“I think you’re pretty cute, too.” I swallow hard as the waves lap the shore in what amounts to a perfect tropical setting. Perfection is something I wanted for this moment. It’s the real reason I flew Low down here to begin with. I drop to one knee and pull a box out of my pocket.

“Oh my God, are you okay?” She slaps me over the face three times fast before I can get to the good part. “You’re not having a heart attack, are you? Oh my God, I’ve killed you!” she howls as if her luck somehow played a part in all this. It did, but in a good way.

“I’m not dead.” I can’t help but laugh. The moon kisses her features, and she glows in this soft light. “I’m more alive right now than I’ve ever been.” I open the tiny velvet box and hold it between us. “Harlow Hartley, I love you more than words can say.” She gasps and falls onto her knees in the sand next to me. “I love you more than I ever thought humanly possible. I already know I want to spend forever with you. I don’t need another moment to decide that. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Low drops her head in her hands and instantly sobs. “Yes.” She struggles to blink back the tears as she tackles me into the sand. “Oh my God, the ring! Give me that rock right this minute!”

“Yes, ma’am.” I pluck it out of the box, three solid carats of princess cut perfection for none other than my princess. I slip it onto her finger, and it fits perfectly.

“Levi.” Her gaze is still set on that rock. “My God, this must have cost you a fortune. You could have given me a wire, and I would have gladly worn it.” She pulls me down and covers my mouth with hers, and we roll around on that sand, laughing, showing one another all of the affection you can on a public beach in paradise.

“Long or short engagement”— I rub my thumb over her cheek—“it’s entirely up to you.”

“Short.” Her eyes light up like pinwheels, and I can practically see a million ideas rolling around in there. “I say we hold the reception—and the wedding at The Pelican.”

“Really?” It hadn’t even entered my mind, but I like it. “If that’s what makes you happy, then consider it done.”

“I already have what makes me happy.” Her fingers float to my cheek as she gives a light scratch to my stubble. “That would be you, Boobear.” Her hand slides up my shirt, and her nails graze over me with promise. “I’m thinking we should head back to the room and celebrate our newly engaged status. I don’t want to let anyone else in on our secret until we get back to Hollow Brook and we can tell them ourselves.”

“I’m thinking you’re full of good ideas tonight. Correction, every night. You single-handedly saved The Pelican.”

“So that’s why you want to marry me—my ninja marketing skills have you captivated.”

I pull her on top of me, and her blonde curls rain down on my shoulders. “You remember that first night you walked into the bar and I said I hoped to own your heart? I knew exactly what I was saying. Every last part of you had me captivated right from the start. I love you, Peaches.”

“Peaches and Boobear forever.” She bubbles with a laugh, and I laugh right along with her through our open-mouthed kisses, teeth bumping over one another as we roll closer and closer to the waterline, until that next wave washes right over us, baptizing us—we are indeed born again, new without blemish, starting over with one another in this weary world on a perfect beach in Key Largo.

Some might say it’s a perfect ending to our story. But it sounds more like a perfect beginning to me.

Low and I spend hours on that beach with our arms wrapped around one another, dancing in the water, our mouths fused together as the future rolls out before us as certain as the tide.

Low and I each walked through a fire in our lives and came out on the other end, unsinged, without the hint of smoke on us, hand-in-hand the way I believe it was always meant to be. We took the pain life gave us and molded it into something beautiful, our love.

This isn’t how we end.

This is how we begin.