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EPILOGUE

ROSALIE

The one thing about getting badly hurt? The months of physical therapy you had to do in order to heal correctly. But it was all behind me. Last week, I had been officially told I didn’t need to come in and to just keep doing certain stretches at home for another few weeks to keep everything limber as I got back to work. So, that meant, this week, I was officially back at Kayden’s Customs full-time!

If only I hadn’t felt like crap the past couple of days, it would be better, but I sucked it up and tried to shake it off as I finished tying my shoes and grabbed my wallet and keys from the table by the front door.

“I’m heading out!” I yelled back into the house.

AJ walked around the corner in only his dark gray joggers. His abs, trailing down to the V that dipped below the waistband, had me almost drooling over this man. He stretched and then brought his hand around my waist, pulling me into him as he leaned down and kissed me.

I kissed him back, letting my tongue trace the edges of his lips before pulling back.

“See you tonight, baby girl,” AJ said as he smirked at me.

I blushed and tucked my short hair behind my ear. Yeah, getting it cut again was totally the right choice. I felt like me again.

“Yep! I’ll see you tonight! Don’t miss me too much! Have a great day!” I kissed him one more time before jogging out the door and driving to work.

When I arrived, I was surprised to see it was just Dad who had opened up the shop today. Mondays had been a little lighter lately, which meant we didn’t have to work all weekend to stay on top of jobs not finished on Friday nights. We could pick up where we’d left off. So, that was nice. I could ease into the day’s work with a little more leeway than usual.

Dad’s face lit up when he saw me park my car outside the shop, and he waved excitedly before disappearing upstairs into the loft and into his office. He reappeared a few minutes later with something in his hands.

Wait a minute.

“My jacket?!” I exclaimed as he walked over to me and held it out.

“I took it home from the hospital once we knew you were going to be okay and had it cleaned and repaired for you,” he said as he handed it over to me.

I ran my fingers along the gunshot hole on the outside of the back. It had been stitched so it wouldn’t tear more, but it was still obvious what it was. I felt around on the inside of the jacket patch. The interior of the jacket had been fixed perfectly, but there was something that felt odd around the bullet hole area. I turned the jacket over in my hand, and my eyes went wide as I sucked in a breath. Where the bullet had pierced was now a golden four-leaf clover stitched into the fabric.

Dad wrapped his arm around my shoulders, leaned in, and kissed the side of my head.

“Told you the jacket was lucky,” he whispered as I tried to hold back the tears threatening to spill down my face.

You sure did. And it was. I will never question the luck of this jacket again.

“I don’t know what to say,” I whispered.

“You don’t have to say anything, honey. Just enjoy your jacket and trust it will always keep you safe. And the same goes for your mom, me, Jayden, and AJ. We will always be here for you, no matter what.”

“Thank you!” I turned and threw my arms around him, giving him a tight hug.

He returned my hug and then pulled me back to arm’s length.

“Now, no tears. It’s your first day back. I want you to take it easy, and if you need any help, you ask me or Reece, all right? Promise me?”

He gave me a fake serious dad look, and I smiled.

“Yes, sir! I promise! But I’m just going to put this other jacket up in your office so I can wear my lucky jacket. Be right down!”

I walked up the stairs and took my old jacket off, slipping into the soft interior of my yellow-and-black jacket. I was about to come back downstairs, but my stomach did a nasty flip-flop. I glanced over at the soda machine. Maybe one of those would help my stomach.

Cracking the top of the lime soda, I walked back down the stairs and over to sit on the stool by the old hot rod Dad was working on.

This soda had better work. I want to do something besides lie around for half the day again.

Watching Dad work on cars was like watching a magician at the best magic show in town. He had this way about how he went through an engine rebuild that was captivating, and if he knew I was watching, he would just walk you through each step as he went. Almost making it a conversation instead of just pointing things out like a textbook. I continued to sip on my soda, but it didn’t seem like it was helping much with my stomach being in knots.

“So, has AJ mentioned anything lately about that job I offered him again?” Dad asked as he glanced over at me.

I shook my head. “I did ask him about it again, and he still insists that he’s good with doing his own thing. But I do think he appreciates the offer!”

Dad nodded and kept working on pulling apart the engine block on the counter.

“Well, it’s still there. I might have to hire someone for now just to get it off the ground, but if he decides to do it, I’ll get another truck for him to use.”

I smiled at him, and then my stomach growled.

Okay, tummy, you need to get it together! Are you hungry, or are you sick? Make up your mind.

Dad chuckled and looked back over at me as he wiped his hands on a shop rag. “Looks like it’s a good time to break for lunch. Steak tacos on me?”

That sounded amazing. Steak tacos and green sauce always made me feel better.

“Yes! I thought I was getting sick again, but maybe I’m just that hungry! All I had was a little granola and yogurt this morning before I came to work.”

“I’ll wash my hands, and we can head out. Grab my Viper’s keys for me?”

Ohhh, we get to take the Viper today too? Nice!

A few short minutes later, Dad walked down, and I tossed him his car keys. He got into the driver’s seat, and I followed and got into the passenger seat. We chatted as we drove and talked about some upcoming projects and car meets Dad was planning. I was even feeling a little better by the time we got to the taco shop. The waiter brought the beans and chips out and they were settling decently in my stomach. It wasn’t until we got our order of steak tacos with green sauce that my stomach did a one-eighty again.

I slapped my hand over my mouth as the scent of my normally delicious-smelling tacos hit my nose. Suddenly, those chips and beans were on the move and not in a good direction. I shoved my chair back from the table and dashed into the restroom, barely making it to the toilet before losing all of my food.

Throwing up was horrible, and once I finally finished heaving in the stall, I used so much toilet paper to clean myself up. I weakly made my way to the bathroom sink and splashed some cold water on my face and neck, hoping that would help. But from the concerned look one of the servers gave me when she peeked her head in the bathroom door, I knew that the main dining area had heard me.

Great, like I already didn’t feel bad enough. Time to face the music.

I kept my eyes looking at the ground as I left the restroom and walked back over toward Dad at our table.

“Are you sure you’re feeling all right?” Dad asked me as I sat back down and shoved my plate of food away from me.

I shook my head.

Nope, there’s no way to keep pretending I don’t feel absolutely horrible right now.

“I don’t know. I think I have some sort of stomach bug from eating out on Friday night. Ever since, I haven’t really felt right. I thought maybe getting a little food in me would help, but just getting a good smell of the tacos made me lose it. Maybe I should just go home and rest, if that’s okay with you, Dad?” I asked as I rubbed my stomach. I wished it would just settle down. It was already embarrassing that I’d just lost my breakfast in the restroom of my favorite taco place.

Dad stood up and walked over to the food counter with our plates. “Can you package these up to go? Thanks.”

He paid for our food, even though I protested and tried to pay for mine, especially since it was going to go to waste.

“If you want to go wait in the car, I’ll be right out,” Dad said as he handed me the car keys.

I sighed, but as much as I wanted to still insist on paying for the food, sitting in front of the AC vents on full blast did sound like it would feel really good.

“Fine, but I’ll get yours next time!” I said as I took the keys and walked out to the car.

Dad’s Viper was looking good. He must have waxed it recently because the black-and-red paint shone brightly in the sunlight. I slipped into the car and relaxed as the interior of the car cooled down. Dad was out a few minutes later, and we drove back to the shop.

“Do you need me to drive you home?” Dad asked as we pulled next to my car that was parked outside of the shop’s front doors today.

“No, I should be fine. I’m not as nauseous now. But thanks! Hopefully, I’ll feel all better by tomorrow!”

Dad smiled back at me, and I got out of his car and right into mine. By the time I got home, I was feeling a little better, but still couldn’t shake the feeling of wanting to just throw up again. I walked in the front door, kicking off my shoes and hanging up my jacket as I let out an exasperated groan.

“Damn, baby girl, didn’t expect you back yet. Why do you look upset? Everything good?”

I turned my head to see AJ as he leaned against the wall next to me, crossing his arms. He looked a little concerned.

“Yeah, everything is fine. Well, besides the fact that I’m feeling sick again today and I completely lost the little breakfast I had eaten in the toilet at my favorite taco place. It was so embarrassing. There is no way everyone in there didn’t hear me throwing everything up.”

AJ reached out and cupped my chin, his thumb dragging along the side of my cheek. “Again? This is the third day in a row that you’ve felt like shit. Do you need to go to the doctor and get something for it?”

I shook my head. “No, I’m pretty sure it’s just from dinner on Friday. I felt fine until we ate there, and then the next morning, just, bam, sick. So, it’s probably just some bug working out of my system.”

“If you need me to help you feel better, just let me know,” he said with a wink.

“I will. I just want to feel better.”

I could handle a cold, no problem. But vomit? I hated to do it.

“I bet you will soon. Can’t have you feeling like this for long, baby girl.”

“Right? I mean, the other option that’s not food isn’t possible. Good thing I’m on the pill! Could you imagine, like, if I wasn’t sick, but I was actually pregnant instead?”

I laughed, but as I did, the reality of what I had just said settled in. Matched by the shocked look AJ was giving me.

My laughter trailed off. “Oh no.”