Chapter 24

“What if he’s going to tell us that Travis is getting out? Or already got out?” Clare chewed nervously on her lip, glancing over at Rory as they held hands on their short journey over to Jimmy’s precinct. Ace stayed beside Clare, pressing close to her side.

“Clare, I’ve been telling you for two months now: That asshole is not seeing freedom anytime soon,” Rory assured her. “There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

“I know, but I just keep expecting everything to suddenly fall apart. Like it can’t possibly be this good, this real. Like you and I can’t also be real. What sense does it make that someone like me, with all I’ve done, ends up with Rory Kavanagh?”

“If it makes you feel any better, I can get my name changed?”

“I’m serious, Rory.”

“I know you are, mhuirnín, but that’s exactly why I refuse to go down that line of thinking. I’m not too good for you; if anything, it’s the opposite. You’ve made mistakes, but that’s all it was. Mistakes. In the past. The last two months—actually, it’s almost been four months I’ve known you—I’ve seen a woman who wakes up every day with the goal of being the best she can be. That’s all you can do.”

“You sound like a life coach,” she mocked him, as they arrived at the station and he held open the front door for her and Ace. She could have opened the door herself now that her arm was back to normal, albeit sporting a not-so-pretty scar down the side, but she appreciated his chivalry nonetheless.

“Rory, over here!” Jimmy waved them over as soon as they entered. The main room of the precinct was filled with officers at rusty old desks.

“Hey, bro,” Rory said, shaking Jimmy’s hand as they reached his desk.

“Hi, Jimmy,” Clare greeted him.

“Good news, guys,” Jimmy told them. “It’s over: Creighton is being sentenced tomorrow.”

“Already? I thought we were going to trial.” Clare looked surprised as she sat down across from Jimmy. Ace sat next to her, dropping his chin onto her knees. She absentmindedly stroked his head as she spoke. His bandages were gone, only a scar and some missing fur remaining to show his heroic history.

“Nope, he took a guilty plea.”

“What does that mean? When do you think he will be back out?”

“With the assault charge, the outstanding warrants from California, and the amount of drugs found on him? Creighton will be locked up for a long time. You don’t need to worry about him anymore,” Jimmy assured her.

“He deserves a fucking life sentence,” Rory griped from the seat next to her, draping an arm over the back of her chair and protectively holding her.

“If I could, I would,” Jimmy told his brother.

“So I don’t have to testify in court?” she asked him.

“No, not with a plea deal. It could result in a slightly shorter sentence, but it will save all of us a lot of time in the long run,” Jimmy explained. “Plus, it’s important that you be able to start your life and move on from all of this.”

“Wow.” Clare was stunned. She couldn’t even begin to wrap her mind around what this meant. That a portion of her life, the worst parts of it, were officially gone and done.

She was completely free.

“And as you already know, the contract that he made you sign is null and void,” Jimmy assured her.

“Thank goodness.” She nodded, relieved.

“You’ll be twenty-five in a few months. What do you plan on doing with the money?” Rory asked, curiously.

“Damn, Rory, are you a gold digger now?” Jimmy chimed in, teasing his brother, who just rolled his eyes, ignoring him.

“After I pay tuition, I want to donate the rest to Woodlawn Rescues. I love that place, and it needs help,” Clare said, putting her hands up in front of both men as if to separate them.

Rory agreed. “I like that.”

“Me, too. Switching topics for a second, Clare, I came across a few other warrants,” Jimmy lowered his voice, glancing around before he leaned closer to her and continued, “in your name. I spoke to the district attorney and he pulled some strings with the authorities in California. They’ve dropped all charges. Luckily, the Kavanagh name still has a lot of pull, so your record is clean.”

“Are you serious?” Clare exhaled, relief washing over her.

She had talked to Rory about the outstanding warrants, but not to anyone else. He must have told Jimmy about it, she figured. They weren’t for major felonies—she’d been wanted for possession and distribution of narcotics, all things that she had been forced to do while she was with Travis.

Despite her reasoning, the warrants had burdened her. She had been afraid to turn herself in, because Travis had convinced her that no one would believe her if she told the police about him. She felt silly now for ever believing him, but maybe it was good that she had. Travis didn’t have New York police in his pocket, but in California he definitely did.

“Yeah, and I don’t need to tell you that my assistance in that needs to be kept quiet,” Jimmy added, lowering his voice again. “I didn’t really break any laws doing it, but I didn’t follow any, either.”

“Of course—I’m just so grateful,” Clare told him.

“And I’m never going to see anything like that come over my desk again, right?” Jimmy questioned, sounding more serious.

“Come on, Jimmy,” Rory scoffed. “She look like a criminal to you?”

“First thing I learned as a cop—everyone is capable of crime.”

“What happened to the little kid who believed in superheroes?”

“Two of his superheroes started using drugs and alcohol, landing one of them in jail for two years,” Jimmy shot back, irritation on his face.

“You have to go there? I know I’ve made a shit ton of mistakes, but I didn’t get Kieran locked up.”

“Jimmy,” Clare tried to intervene, fearing that the conversation was quickly derailing. She wasn’t sure what they were talking about exactly, but she felt that there was probably some painful history there.

“Fuck it, sorry, you’re right.”

“Forget about it.” Rory stood to shake his brother’s hand.

Jimmy accepted the handshake. “Good—new topic,” he said, turning to Clare. “Everything is smooth sailing from here on out. Enjoy it.”

Clare couldn’t help but smile at his young advice, but he was right. It was time to stop running from life, and actually stop and enjoy it. She reached down and ruffled the fur on the top of Ace’s head. They were both free of their pasts and their pain. They had each other and they had Rory. Life was brand-new and limitless.

Nothing was chasing her anymore.

“I’m going to the shelter—Patty said she wanted to talk to me about something,” Clare told Rory as she brushed her hair up and back into a bun in front of the mirror.

“You are? Now? You’ve been there every day this week.” Rory stood up from the bed in his apartment and moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her neck.

“Like you’re not? You’re probably there more than me anyway—classes have really been killing my schedule lately,” she teased, leaning to the side so that he had more access to her. “Why are you asking?”

“No reason. What do you think Patty wants to talk about?” His hands on her hips turned her around to face him, his lips meeting hers.

“I have no idea—why are you being so inquisitive?”

“I have to go to Legends,” he said suddenly, stepping back.

“Okay?” She wondered why he was acting strangely.

“I’ll see you tonight for dinner? Don’t think I forgot about our six-month anniversary.” He grabbed a sweatshirt off the chair in the corner and pulled it over his head.

“Sounds great.” She smiled, but still found herself eyeing him warily.

“What’s wrong? You don’t sound excited.” He circled her with his arms again, kissing her gently at first, then a bit more fiercely.

“I’m excited about dinner, but I’m not excited about whatever it is you’re hiding right now.”

“Oh, come on, I could never hide anything from you.”

“I call bullshit,” she teased, sauntering away from him and out of the bedroom, grabbing her purse to go.

He caught up with her at the door and they kissed good-bye for a few moments, wrapped in each other’s arms, as they always did. Finally they parted ways and headed to their respective destinations, except Ace went with Clare, as he did most of the time now. The shelter was only a few blocks away from Rory’s apartment, as was everything in Woodlawn, so Clare and Ace made it there after only a short walk.

When she rounded the last corner and found herself in front of the shelter, she had to do a double take. There was construction happening on one side of Woodlawn Rescues, and the lot was full of construction workers and building materials.

She and Ace weaved their way through to the front of the building, where Clare saw a man on a ladder holding a new sign. She squinted up at the figure, only to realize it was Rory, hooking up a large sign to the front of the building.

“Clare, you’re here!” Patty waltzed out of the building, looking excited.

“Hey, Patty,”

“Such a beautiful dog.” Patty smiled at Ace, letting him sniff her hand and then stroking his head gently.

“ ‘Beautiful? Ace is an amazing dog, but I don’t think anyone has ever called him beautiful before.” Clare patted his side affectionately.

“Nonsense, all of his scars are what make him beautiful. They tell a story of survival, and there’s nothing more beautiful than that.” Patty grinned at them both as Clare nodded, agreeing with her and liking the sentiment.

“Oh, Rory, you’re here, too?” Just noticing him, Patty called up to where Rory was still perched on the ladder.

“Hi, ladies,” he greeted them as he worked his way back down the ladder.

“What’s going on, guys?” Clare asked them both, still feeling confused.

Patty started to explain. “I asked you to come down here today because I’ve decided to retire.”

“Oh, no.” Clare frowned. “I mean, that’s good for you, but what’s going to happen to the dogs?”

“That’s the thing—I wanted to retire a long time ago, but I didn’t want to just abandon this place, or these dogs. I mentioned it to Rory a few days ago and…well…he bought the shelter from me!” Patty announced, motioning to Rory, who was now standing beside them, grinning widely.

“You bought Woodlawn Rescues?” Clare gaped at the new sign above the entrance. Colorful large letters spelled out ACE’S DOGS.

“Surprised?” Rory asked.

“Oh, my goodness, this is what you were acting all sneaky about earlier?”

“I have no idea what you’re referring to.” He winked.

“He’s renovating the whole place, adding an expanded wing of kennels onto the side and a larger medical facility in the back,” Patty interrupted, clearly excited about the changes.

“That’s amazing,” Clare agreed.

“You’re helping,” Rory said, pulling her into his arms. “We’re going to put the donation you made from your inheritance toward the medical center, turn it into a low-cost animal clinic for the entire community.”

“I love it!”

“That was my idea,” Patty added proudly.

“Did you see the new name?” Rory pointed up to the sign. “You’re the one who said he needed a medal, so I figured this was the next best thing.”

“It’s my favorite part of all of this.”

“That’s not going to be your favorite part after you hear what else Patty has to tell you,” Rory said, and Clare turned questioningly to her friend.

“Dr. Prentiss has agreed to take you on as a full-time apprentice with him at his practice and at all the shelters where he works. Once you complete your degree and get your veterinarian license, you can work here as the head vet! If you want, that is. But I think you will definitely want to after you see the construction plans for the clinic, particularly since Rory is naming it Clare’s Canine Clinic,” Patty told her.

“Are you serious?” Clare said and gasped, looking back and forth between the two.

“Yep—Dr. Prentiss told me all about it last night.” Patty was practically shaking with excitement.

“Oh, really? Last night?” Clare smirked mischievously at Patty, knowing that there was a lot more to the story than that. She had known for weeks now that Patty had been trying to hide a private affair with Dr. Prentiss.

“Anyway, I’m going to be in the office if you need me.” Patty blushed deeply, waving her hand in an attempt to redirect the conversation.

“So, what do you think?” Rory asked Clare when they were alone.

She smiled and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, pressing her body flush against his. His silver eyes became hooded as he stared down at her, and she could feel how much her closeness affected him physically. She brushed her lips against his, not fully committing to a kiss before she pulled away again.

“I think that I’m the luckiest girl alive,” she whispered to him.

He smiled back at her. “Tabhair póg dom, cailín t-ádh.”

Give me a kiss, lucky girl.