“Then our work here is complete.”

GARTH EASED HIS CAR up the long driveway.

“Where are we going?” Kathy asked anxiously from the passenger seat.

“It’s a surprise.”

The look she gave him told him that in her world a surprise wasn’t a good thing. Something else Jed had done to her, he thought grimly.

“I have something I want to show you,” he amended. Kathy didn’t look reassured. He reached out and patted her arm. “It’s right there.”

He pointed to Glory’s Gate.

The large house stood silhouetted against the blue Texas sky. It seemed larger than usual, with windows staring down like eyes and a white fence that rolled to the horizon.

“Who lives here?” Kathy asked as the car came to a stop.

“No one, right now. I want to show you the house.”

It was something he’d been planning since he was fourteen and Jed had thrown him out of his office, he thought as he parked the car, then came around to the passenger’s side and opened the door.

Kathy got out slowly, cautiously. He held out his hand and helped her out of his car. She stared up at the house.

“It’s big.”

“Yes, it is,” he told her. “And very pretty inside.”

She didn’t look convinced.

“Jed used to live here,” he said.

That got her attention. She smiled. “I know Jed.” The smile faded. “He’s very sad. He cried. But he’ll be better soon.”

Nothing Garth was hoping for.

“Is he here now?” she asked.

“No.”

Jed was in jail. The judge had seized his passport and revoked bail. The list of charges grew every day. More people were coming forward with information to help the prosecution. It seemed that everyone Jed had ever screwed wanted payback.

“I knew him,” Kathy said slowly. “A long time ago.” She screwed up her face, as if trying to remember something, then shook her head.

Garth nodded, then released her hands. “Come see the house.”

She followed him up the stairs, then through the wide front door. He’d been by earlier, to make sure the place was clean and there were fresh flowers. Now he led her from the entryway to the living room. He started toward the kitchen, but she came to a stop and shook her head.

“I don’t like it,” she whispered.

“It’s my house, Kathy. I bought it for you.”

She shook her head again. “No. It’s too big.” Tears filled her eyes. “I want to go home. Please take me home.”

Anger filled him, quickly followed by helplessness. Why couldn’t she see he’d done this for her? He wanted her to have everything…

And then he knew. In one of those blinding flashes of insight that were never comfortable, he got it.

All these years and all the effort that had gone into winning, into beating Jed into the ground, had one purpose. He’d always believed that if he could defeat the man who had let this happen to her, if he could just hand her Glory’s Gate, then she would be healed. He’d allowed himself to think that simply stepping through the doors and knowing this was her home would be enough. That the magic of victory would replace the damaged cells in her brain.

He’d been wrong.

“Garth?” she whispered.

He crossed to her and put his arm around her shoulders. “It’s all right,” he whispered. “I’ll take you home now.”

“Do I have to come back here again?”

“Not if you don’t want to.”

GARTH RETURNED AT SUNSET. It had been the kind of day moviemakers dream about. Clear and bright with a brilliant sun. He stood in the middle of the house, where his mother had stood. He stared at the walls.

How many generations of Titans had lived here and died here? How many lives had been altered? What secrets existed that he would never know? Glory’s Gate. After all this time and all the effort, it was just a house. Nothing more. He’d been the one giving it power it had never earned.

Kathy was back in her house, with her caretakers and her pet store. She was happy again, if still fighting the demons Jed had unleashed. The psychologists said it would take time. The one thing they all had.

He heard a car outside and crossed to the front porch. Dana parked her truck next to his BMW. The contrast made him smile, as did seeing her climb out.

She wore jeans and boots, a long-sleeved T-shirt. He couldn’t tell from this distance, but he would bet she wasn’t wearing any makeup. Which was just like her. Her gaze met his, then she started toward the house.

“You texted,” she said when she was halfway up the stairs.

He’d sent her a message earlier, asking her to meet him here. He hadn’t been sure she would show up, but he’d hoped.

He didn’t know why he hadn’t seen it before. He’d spent his whole life chasing justice, never realizing it couldn’t replace what had been lost. He’d been searching for the wrong thing. He should have been looking for love and connection. But until today, he didn’t think he would recognize love if it came up and bit him on the ass. He was hoping to change that.

Dana slowly crossed the porch. She didn’t know what to think, what to expect. Garth’s half smile was a little scary.

But seeing him was good. He was as tall and handsome as she remembered. He was the kind of man who made women look twice. The kind she never would have looked at even once, mostly out of fear. Now she stared hungrily, taking in all of him. Being without him had been harder than she would have thought. More painful. Being around him made everything easier…better.

She didn’t know why he’d gotten in touch with her. In a few minutes she would ask, but for now it was enough to be close. Which made her one sick puppy, but it was a weakness she could live with. She wanted to hope, but she knew better. His text message could mean anything. It wasn’t as if he’d sent her a message saying “meet me at Glory’s Gate. I can’t live without you.” Life wasn’t that tidy.

“I’m here,” she said when she reached the front door.

“Thanks for coming. Tell me what you think of the house.”

She looked at the place where she’d spent so much time growing up. “It’s big and I’m sure it’s a bitch to heat in the winter.”

He led the way inside. She followed.

“I brought Kathy here,” he told her. “I thought being here would fix her.”

Pain sliced through her. “It didn’t. I’m sorry.”

“I’ve spent most of my life fighting ghosts,” he said, staring at the large rooms around them. “I told myself if I won, if I could defeat Jed, then things would go back to the way they were before. I didn’t even know that’s what I believed until I brought her here. But she doesn’t want this. The house only scared her. It’s been a hell of a day.”

“I’m sorry,” she repeated. “Is she okay now?”

He looked at her. “Yes. I took her home.”

“I know it’s hard, but in the end, you got everything you wanted.”

“Did I? I’m not so sure.”

He stared into her eyes. She looked back, wanting to protect herself, but knowing there wasn’t much point. She loved him and she’d already told him. There weren’t any more secrets between them.

Then he smiled at her. “Damn, but I wasn’t expecting you.”

“You asked me to come.”

“That’s not what I meant. I wasn’t expecting you to invade my life, my bed, my house, my soul. I’m doing this wrong, aren’t I?”

As she didn’t know what he was doing, she couldn’t answer. Hope returned and even though she tried to squash it, she couldn’t.

Then he did the most amazing thing…in the history of the universe. He dropped to one knee, took her hand in his and said, “Dana Birch, I love you. I’m sorry I didn’t get it before. I never thought I would love anyone. I didn’t believe in love. You’re amazing and I’m so lucky to have found you. I love you. Marry me, please. Marry me.”

The unexpected words stunned her. She couldn’t breathe. Then, to her amazement and horror, she started to cry.

“Of all the times to turn into a girl,” she muttered as he stood and pulled her close.

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not. It’s humiliating.”

But it was hard to feel anything but good when his strong arms hugged her tight against him.

He kissed her, his mouth warm and sure.

“I love you,” he whispered against her lips. “I love you.”

Words she would never get tired of hearing.

“But I thought…” she began.

He drew back and stared into her eyes. “I panicked.”

“You know I heard you?”

“Yes. Please forgive me. I’ll do anything.”

The kind of apology she liked best, she thought with a smile. “Maybe,” she said. “Over time. If you convince me.”

“Absolutely.”

He kissed her again and she felt the familiar melting begin inside.

“You haven’t said yes,” he said. “Are you going to marry me and live with me here?”

She rested her head on his shoulder. “I’ll marry you, but we’re not living here. This house is from another time. I want us to plan our future. We’ll find a new place in the suburbs.”

“Seriously?” He sounded worried. “The suburbs?”

“Uh-huh. You can cut the lawn on weekends.”

“Can I get a rider mower?”

“If it makes you happy.”

“You make me happy.” He pulled a diamond ring out of his pocket and slid it onto her left ring finger. “I bought this, in case you were wondering. I have a receipt.”

She laughed, then caught her breath. The diamond sparkled on her finger. She never would have thought of herself as a diamond kind of girl, but she totally got the appeal.

He pulled her close again. “I need you, Dana.”

“Not as much as I need you.”

Then his mouth was on hers and absolutely everything was exactly how it was supposed to be.

EPILOGUE

Christmas Eve

“I’M GOING TO THROW UP,” Skye said dramatically. “And I can’t breathe. What if Mitch changes his mind? What if he’s not there? What if he’s found someone else?”

Lexi looked at herself in the mirror. “I’m a whale.”

“A beautiful whale,” Dana said. “Skye, you need to start breathing. And where the hell is Izzy?”

“Probably having sex with Nick in the closet.”

“The ceremony is in ten minutes,” Dana said. “I refuse to be in charge.”

“Too late,” Izzy said, breezing into the downstairs study. “You are, by default. Which is kind of funny if you think about it.”

“Am I laughing?” Dana asked. “Do you see me laughing?”

“Someone has to be and it’s not me,” Skye said, turning from the mirror, where she’d been pinning up her hair. “There are-” Her eyes widened. “Your dresses. They’re so beautiful. And they match.”

“We knew you really wanted bridesmaids, but didn’t think you should,” Lexi said, hugging her. “Surprise.”

Skye’s green eyes filled with tears. “I love you guys so much.” She waved her hands in front of her face. “Help! I can’t cry. I’ll ruin my makeup.”

“Crabby thoughts,” Izzy said quickly. “Think crabby thoughts. The last time you were cut off in traffic. Or how some people don’t recycle.”

“That would be my annoyance,” Lexi told her.

“Oh, right.”

Skye sniffed. “I’m okay now. I’ll be fine. I can’t believe you did this for me.” She sighed. “But we don’t have flowers for you.”

Dana rolled her eyes. “Seriously? You think we’d go to all this trouble to buy matching dresses and then not take care of the flowers? You’ve got to trust us.”

“I do,” Skye said earnestly. “I love you all so much. But we can’t hug. We’ll wrinkle.”

“Sentimental to the end,” Dana said.

Fidelia, Mitch’s housekeeper, bustled into the room with Erin at her side. Skye’s daughter was dressed in a satin plaid dress of black and Christmas-green and red. Her hair had been curled, she proudly wore lip gloss and carried a basket of flowers.

“Mommy, you look so beautiful.”

“Thank you, Bunny Face. So do you.”

Dana took in Skye’s long ivory gown, the spray of flowers she’d pinned in her hair and the glow of happiness that made her even more stunning.

This day had been a long time coming. They’d been through so much together. First fighting Garth, then fighting Jed. But they’d clung to each other through all of it, and had survived to walk out the other side.

No, not survived, she told herself. They had thrived. Jed was in jail. Every day brought new charges, as more people came forward with information. He’d been the bad guy for a lot longer than anyone knew.

Lexi and Cruz had made a life for themselves and were expecting their baby in a few weeks. Lexi was determined not to know the sex of the baby until she was surprised at delivery, but Cruz had hinted he knew it was a boy. They were planning a wedding sometime in the late spring.

Izzy and Nick would spend most of the winter remodeling Glory’s Gate. Garth had given it to them to use for the disadvantaged kids they hosted. They were going to turn Glory’s Gate into a year-round facility.