"I thought you had concluded that the real reason Claudia sent you here was so that you could get wild and crazy."
"Yes, well, if that's true, all I can say is, mission accomplished."
"Not quite." His mouth quirked in sexy promise. He reached for her and started to pull her close. "But you know what they say, practice makes perfect."
She spread her hands against his chest, holding him off for a moment longer. "Before we get to the wild and crazy stuff, there's something I want to tell you."
"And that would be?"
"It may have been Aunt Claudia who sent me here to Eclipse Bay but you're the reason I decided to stay on even after it became apparent that the feud was ending."
"Is that right?"
"I love you."
He smiled slowly. The look in his eyes was so dazzling she could hardly catch her breath.
"I was hoping you'd say that," Nick whispered against her mouth. "Now can we get to the wild and crazy stuff?"
"Of course," she said demurely. "I'm sure Aunt Claudia would have wanted it this way."
"Do me a favor." He pushed her gently down onto the sofa. "Don't mention your aunt again for a while, okay?"
"Okay."
She put her arms around his neck and kissed him with all the love and passion that she had discovered within herself here in Eclipse Bay.
Wherever you are, Aunt Claudia, she thought, thank you.
Chapter 24
On a sunny afternoon in the fall, Mitchell stood with Sullivan at the end of the long veranda that wrapped around Dreamscape. Each of them held a glass of champagne in one hand. Their canes hung, side by side, over the railing. From their vantage point they had a clear view of the newlyweds, who were dutifully working their way through a seemingly endless reception line.
The entire town, from the current mayor and his likely successor and his wife to Mean Eugene and Dickhead Dwayne, had turned out for Nick and Octavia's wedding.
"Knew all along Octavia belonged here with us," Mitchell said.
"You won't get any argument from me." Sullivan smiled to himself at the sight of Nick standing so close to Octavia, one arm wrapped protectively and possessively around her waist, the other outstretched to shake hands with the next well-wisher in line. "She and Nick and Carson are a family already."
Mitchell glanced at Rafe and the now obviously pregnant Hannah. The pair was busy supervising the buffet tables.
"And there's more family on the way," he said proudly. "I'm gonna have me a great-grandkid, real soon now."
"Probably more than one," Sullivan said dryly. He motioned toward Gabe and Lillian, who stood with Jeremy and Gail. "I think I recognize that rosy glow on Lillian's face."
"Yeah?" Mitchell followed his gaze and grinned. "Think so?"
"I do, indeed."
Mitchell swallowed some more champagne and grimaced at the taste. "I think Rafe said he stashed some beer in the solarium. Want to go see if we can find it?"
"Good idea. This stuff tastes like fizzy water, which is a real shame, given what I happen to know it cost."
They gripped their canes and made their way around the corner of the veranda to a side entrance. A bright red ball shot past in front of them. A small bundle of silver and gray exploded out of the open door. The young Schnauzer seized the ball in his jaws and kept going, heading for the open lawn at full speed.
Carson and Anne burst threw the door, chasing after the dog.
"Come back, Tycoon," Carson shouted. "You're supposed to get the ball and bring it to me when I throw it for you. You're not supposed to run off with it."
"Zeb always brings back whatever I throw," Anne said with cheerful superiority. "He's a really smart dog."
"Tycoon is smart," Carson informed her as he dashed down the steps in pursuit of his dog. "He's still learning how to do stuff, that's all. Winston's teaching him."
Winston trotted sedately out of the doorway, following in the wake of Tycoon, Carson, and Anne with an air of patient authority and attentive vigilance.
Sullivan watched the pack of dogs and children race across the lawn in pursuit of the renegade Tycoon. "I'd swear that dog of Hannah's must have been a butler or a nanny in his past life, the way he keeps an eye on those kids."
"That's a fact."
They went into the lobby of Dreamscape and made their way to the solarium. The beer was there, as promised, resting comfortably in a chest filled with ice.
Mitchell handed a bottle to Sullivan and opened one for himself.
They each took a long pull.
"Sure beats the hell out of champagne," Mitchell said.
"It does."
They went to the window and looked out at the happy scene.
"You know something," Mitchell said, "it wasn't always easy, but in the end, we did okay, you and me."
"We did just fine," Sullivan agreed. "We hung on until dawn."