“What?”
“If I have it together,” he said. “It’s because of you.”
Mel’s eyes filled. Damn it.
“For years something’s been missing,” Bo said to her. “I always thought it was my dad, or that I couldn’t get the restoration business going, or maybe location…I always had a reason for not feeling…whole.”
Undone, she put her head to his chest. “Bo.”
“It’s you, Mel. You make me feel whole.”
Her heart was so full she could hardly stand it. “Really?”
“Oh, yeah.” He sounded as if maybe his throat was as tight as hers, and his eyes were as shiny as they’d been when he’d first seen the Beechcraft again. “And I do love you, Mel. So much.” He took a deep breath. “But you’re bleeding. You probably have glass embedded in your flesh, and I’m feeling a little drafty here, so-”
Two cops burst into the room, guns drawn. “Hands up!”
“Right on cue,” Bo said, and lifted his hands.
Mel, still on his lap, lifted her hands, too.
Sally just groaned.
“No one moves,” one of the cops said. “Until we straighten this out.”
Bo looked at Mel. “Actually, I’m good right here.”
Mel laughed through her tears and kissed him. “Me, too.”
Epilogue
Three months later…
AC/DC blared from the boom box on the counter, next to a tray fat with fresh donuts. Standing around the counter chowing down on said donuts was the usual morning crowd.
With some obvious differences.
Dimi was on a school break from her nursing program. And though the hour was obscenely early, she was smiling-grinning, actually-up into Danny’s face. She had a sunburn across her nose and cheeks from yesterday afternoon’s surfing lesson.
“You almost stood up that last time,” Danny told her proudly.
Dimi was learning to surf.
And to love.
“Shhh!” Char cranked up the music from ear splitting to glass cracking. “I love this song!” she shouted, and began to boogie her pregnant belly around the kitchen floor.
Al caught her up in his arms, laughing as he nuzzled his wife’s neck. “Hey, don’t drop my kid.”
Ernest rolled his eyes, grabbed his broom, and stalked off, muttering about displays of public affection.
Some things never changed.
Bo turned down the music. “Sorry, Char. I just want to say something.” He looked at Mel, whose entire heart gushed at just the sight of him, as it had every single day since he’d walked off that Gulfstream so many months ago now. “Mel and I would like to announce a new adventure.”
Char gasped hopefully.
So did Dimi.
Mel kept her face even, knowing what they thought. “We’re merging Anderson Air and Black Aviation,” she said.
“Oh.” Twin faces fell.
“What’s the matter?” Bo asked. “Aren’t you happy for us?”
Danny shook Bo’s hand. So did Al.
The women, both of them, tried to even out their clear disappointment. “Yes, of course,” Dimi said. “But I already knew that.”
“But what you don’t know,” Mel said, “is the new title for the company.”
“Black,” Bo said, letting his grin escape as he stole a peek at Mel, making her heart tip right on its side…“and Black Aviation.”
Dimi blinked.
Char blinked.
Black and Black Aviation.
As it sank in, they both squealed together and began jumping up and down as they crossed to Mel and gathered her in close.
“Does this mean-” Dimi started.
“That you’re getting married?” Char finished.
“Does it?” Dimi demanded.
“Tell us!” Char demanded.
Mel laughed and hugged them both, pulling back to show them her finger.
And the brand-new diamond on it.
This caused more screaming and more squeals, and Mel endured it all, finally pulling gently away to look at Bo. “Maybe we should have called the new merger Just Plane Trouble.”
Bo laughed, and snagged Mel’s heart all over again. He knew, as she did, that it didn’t matter what they called themselves, as long as they were together.
Jill Shalvis
