Page 132 of Axe-ing for Trouble
Alice rolled her eyes. “Ignore Chief Gagnon. She’ll be gloating about arresting her crappy ex-boyfriend for the next decade.”
Parker tipped her imaginary hat at me. “I owe you, Mila. Cuffing that fucker will go down as one of the greatest moments of my life.”
Willa raised her wineglass and Parker clinked her beer against it.
“How did you know to come?” I asked Parker. “When we spoke on the phone?”
She shifted the baby and took a long sip of beer. “I wasn’t being totally transparent that day on the phone because I suspected a law enforcement leak. Never thought it would be Bryce, though.” She chuckled. “He’s always been an uptight by-the-book asshole, but I guess even those types can go rogue. Also,” she sighed, “Gus called me. Told me what you two were planning.”
I looked over at Gus, who had his arm around his wife, a petite redhead, and had a sleeping baby on his shoulder.
“I knew your instincts were good,” Parker continued. “And when Gus told me about the location you suspected, it made sense. Had the state police on standby, and it turned out to be a bigger bust than we ever could have imagined.”
Victoria leaned forward. “Did you seize a lot of drugs?”
“Yes. Millions of dollars’ worth.” Parker nodded. “And weapons and cash. Turns out it wasn’t just drugs they were running, but illegal weapons. We stopped a lot of bad shit from ending up on the street today. And the dominoes will keep falling. This is big.”
Relief washed over me. I was bone-tired, but the knowledge that people were safer because of what we’d done gave me a surge of energy.
“We could not have done this without you,” Parker admitted. “We were so stuck for so long.”
Willa stood abruptly. “Everyone,” she said.
Slowly, people stopped talking and turned toward us. “I’d like to propose a toast to Mila and Jude.”
Jude shuffled over and Victoria and made space for him. He eased onto the couch and put his arm around me. “To the bravest woman I’ve ever met,” he said, his eyes shining.
“And the lumberjack she dragged along for the ride,” one of the brothers shouted.
The room erupted in laughter.
Without giving myself a chance to second-guess the move, I kissed him chastely on the lips. Even though it lasted mere seconds, heat crept into my cheeks as I pulled back.
“I’m thinking a summer wedding,” Debbie trilled, clapping her hands.
My heart may have lurched, but I didn’t have even the smallest inclination to backpedal or run.
“Mom, give them some space.”
I snuggled into Jude’s chest, soaking in the warmth and safety of his hold as his family bickered good-naturedly around us.
As the night went on, plans were made for Thanksgiving, the Gagnons challenged the Heberts to more wood chopping, and I played peek-a-boo with some really cute kids.
I had no job, no home, and no direction. I had no idea what my next chapter would look like, but I was certain it would start here, in Lovewell, with my sweet lumberjack.
Epilogue
Mila
Four Months Later…
The tranquil turquoise water was mesmerizing.
Side by side, Jude and I lay in beach loungers. His hair was ruffled, his shirt tossed over a nearby chair, his skin a warm tan. We’d woken up this morning for a kayaking tour where we’d seen turtles the size of small cars. And now we were in a shaded cabana on the beach, soaking up all the beauty of this place.
Jude had made good on his promise to take me away, whisking me out of an iced-over Maine for an incredible two-week vacation.
We were safe. My brain knew that, but my nervous system was still catching up. After the arrests, I’d spent months working with law enforcement while making frequent trips to Boston to see my mother and Hugo.
