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“Yes. I see your bond, Lia,” Brooke said. “I will never, ever do anything to hurt you or your wife again. If you can’t find it in you to forgive me, at least I hope you can believe that.”

Once again, Lia looked at her and saw how much she meant it.Oh, hell!Brooke had paid enough, had she not? Who was she to make it harder on her after all she had already gone through? Without another word, Lia reached for her and pulled her into a hard, emotional hug.

“It’s over now. I don’t want to fight with you, Brooke.”

“I don’t either. I never wanted to.”

You still mean a lot to me.”

“You too.”

“So let’s be friends again, okay?”

“Oh God, Lia, there’s really nothing I want more!” Brooke exclaimed. She held her tight for a second longer. Her brilliant eyes shone with a layer of tears when she pulled back, but her smile made her look ten years younger. “Friends.”

“Definitely.”

“Thank you so much. Really. It means the world.”

“It’s okay. No more tears now,” Lia instructed. She stood up, smiled as well, and offered Brooke a hand up. “Come on, let me introduce you to the rest of my people.”

???

Kim looked around as she relaxed beside her partner with a cool drink. Ellie and Janet sat nearby with their arms around each other, in easy conversation with Demi, Carole, and Brooke. Lia and Quinn had picked a spot on their own a few feet apart. The serious lieutenant lay relaxed in her wife’s arms, laughing at something Lia was saying. Not for the first time, Kim noticed the loving and easy vibe between the two of them.

“I really like your friends,” she declared.

Now at ease in denim shorts and a Lewiston P.D. tank top, Cody looked at her long and deep. “They are like family. So are you, Kim.”

Kim returned her glance, just as intense.

“I love you, Cody,” she said fiercely.

“You mean that?”

“You need to ask?”

“No, I’m pretty sure.” Cody laughed, and then her expression softened and grew tender. She looked at her the exact same way Quinn Wesley looked at her wife. “I love you too, Kim. It’s going to be okay, you know? With the psychic stuff.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“And I’ll be here for you, no matter what.”

“You mean that?”

“You need to ask?” Cody grinned.

“No…” Smiling, too, feeling deeply happy, Kim leaned over to brush a hot kiss on her lips. “I’m pretty sure.”

THE END