Page 12 of Code Trauma (Extreme Measures #1.5)

EPILOGUE

H olly let the door shut behind her and carried the bag of groceries into the kitchen. Her spotless, newly painted kitchen. When the pastor said he had volunteers who wanted to paint and would she please pick out her favorite color for the project, she hadn’t realized he meant they intended to paint her entire place.

But she loved it.

It had been two weeks since Rachel had been caught, and Holly was working hard to put it behind her. Which meant having her home filled with love and laughter. Right now Raina, Andy, Penny, and Holt, were on their way to hang out with her.

Knuckles rapped on the door. “Come in!”

It felt weird to leave her door unlocked, but she was trying not to believe every person on the other side of it had ill intentions.

Andy stepped inside. “I’m early.”

“No, you have perfect timing. Wanna fire up the grill?”

He grinned. “I thought you might need me for something.”

She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He dipped his head and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Mm, now that’s worth being early for.”

“The grill, my sweet man, the grill.” She stepped back and he caught her hand.

“Have I told you that I love you today?”

“A few times.”

“I do, Holly.”

“I know.” She hugged him. “I have good news.”

“I already know it.”

She stepped back with a frown. “You do?”

“Yes. You said you’d marry me.”

“No, silly. Dr. Kirkpatrick called. I’ve been cleared in every way and am free to resume my duties on the chopper.”

He turned serious. “Aw, that’s great, Holly. I’m happy for you.”

Emotion wanted to choke her, but she swallowed it. “Thanks. I’m thrilled. I’m still so sad about Mrs. Hollister, but so relieved it wasn’t anything I did that caused her death. No mistake or?—”

He pressed a finger to her lips. “It’s a tragedy that we’ll think about forever, but we can pray for her family.”

“Absolutely. I’m so glad you and God are back on good terms.”

He laughed. “Yeah. It feels good. One more kiss, then I’m going to play with fire.”

“I’d say you do that on a regular basis,” Holt drawled from the open door.

Holly giggled, and her friends crowded into her living area and kitchen. “Time to light the grill.”

“Not without my kiss,” Andy said. “They don’t get to take that from me.”

She kissed him. A long, lingering cling to his lips that left her wanting to call the pastor and have him perform the ceremony immediately. Instead, she stepped away and gave him a light shove toward the small patio that held the grill. “Go.”

“I’m going, but I’ll be back.”

A gagging noise behind her spun her around. Holt was clutching his throat, but the grin on his face said he wasn’t in trouble. Medical trouble anyway. “Keep it up, Satterfield, and your steak might get more crispy than you’d like.”

The threat worked, and he immediately put on an innocent face. “Y’all are just the cutest couple ever.”

“That’s better. Now, you can go join Andy. My girls and I have a wedding to plan.”