Sophie Oak - Sirens in Bliss

Yes, he had big boots to fill. Enormous ones. He’d been named the mayor of Bliss just days before. He’d stood in town hall and sworn to protect this town and to fulfill his office to the best of his abilities.

He knew just how important the role was now. And he could spend a lifetime trying to live up to his predecessor. The good news was, he had a lifetime.

He looked around the cliff-top gathering spot at the highest point of the Mountain and Valley Naturist Community. The entire town had turned out for the celebration of Hiram Jones’s long life. They all stood, huddled together. Callie and Nate both held a baby while Zane had his arms around Callie. Jen was leaning on Stef while Stella cuddled her grandbaby and Sebastian stood close. Holly had a hand on both her men. Caleb had been pulled into their little conspiracy and Alexei had just gotten sniffly and talked in Russian. Gemma and Jesse and Cade stood beside Long-Haired Roger, Liz Two and their weird baby dog. The funeral seemed to have brought about a truce between long time rivals as Polly stood near Long-Haired Roger and not once did she attempt to kill him. Even Roger, Liz One and their whole brood had turned up, though they were carrying shotguns in case the apocalypse happened. Marie and Teeny stood with Seth and Logan and Georgia.

But Nell and Henry were standing apart. And Henry had a dark look in his eyes. After this was done, it was time for that meeting Cam had promised.

The mayor needed to know what the hell was going on.

But that was for after. For now, he held Laura’s hand and comforted her while Rye spoke and Max held on to his wife and baby girl. For all his stubborn craziness, Max Harper wasn’t a man who buried his sorrow. He loved Hiram and it showed on his face.

“Hiram Jones was loved and he loved and he would say that was enough. He helped build this town into something we’re all proud of, and it’s a sad day when we have to let him go.” Rye held an urn in his hands. “In his will, Hiram asked that the new mayor say a few words.”

Rafe’s breath caught in his throat. Wow, Hiram had wanted to push him. Well, it was time to open himself up, but this wasn’t a political speech. He would make enough of those. It was time to honor a man he admired by following in his footsteps and speaking from his heart.

Laura gave him a little push and Cam smiled, bringing Sierra’s hand up in a playful wave.

Rafe nodded, acknowledging that he might speak alone, but they were here with him. “I’ll just say a few words about Hiram because he would be deeply insulted if I spoke for too long. He would want to get on with the party, so to speak. We should mourn the fact that he’s no longer with us, but we shouldn’t mourn his life. His life was full and rich. I’ve been a person who counted success in terms of money and power, but Hiram taught me something different. Hiram’s success came from how well he loved the people around him. He was a builder—a builder of towns and families and friendships. He didn’t look outside his world for recognition. He knew that the best world possible is the one we build in our hearts. He knew that when the outside world says no, we do not have to accept it. When the outside world lays down roadblocks, we build a new road, a better, more inclusive road. We control our destiny and we build toward it with love and compassion. And we build it together. I will honor Hiram by learning the lessons he had to teach.”

He had already moved into the mayor’s office. The business of the town was never done. In his days as mayor, he’d already arbitrated a fight between Roger and Long-Haired Roger, had a fight with Hal the cook from Stella’s over whether or not the town’s health codes allowed puffer fish to be on the menu as the special of the day, and helped Noah Bennett start up an animal shelter. The days had been busy, and half the time he worked while Sierra kicked her legs in a playpen in his office.

It wasn’t what he’d expected from life.

It was so much better.

He turned to Rye and nodded. Max stepped up. This was their job.

Max took a long breath as Rye opened the urn. “Good-bye, Hi. Don’t think I don’t know why you did what you did. And don’t think she didn’t know it. I hope like hell you find her wherever you’re going. Find her because I think Momma knew she should have chosen you. Maybe you get another chance.”

Tears slipped from Rye’s eyes. “Thank you for being there for us. We love you, Hi. Happy journey.”

They released the last earthly remnants of Hiram Jones’s body on the mountain he loved. The wind picked up some of his ashes and took them down the mountain, a piece of Hiram to forever remain where he loved.

But another wind swept upward, to places unknown.

A man’s journey was never really over.

Rafe joined his family, his whole family.

His journey had just begun.

A special gift to my fans…

At the Talbot estate, the night of Leo, Shelley, and Wolf’s wedding…

Abby Barnes-Fleetwood looked up at her husband. She sighed every time she saw those damn Dom eyes of his. “Hey, Jack.”

Her husband shut the door to their room. “Hey, baby. Did I mention how lovely you were tonight?”

She was still dressed in her St. John suit, but there was a little bit of sadness that draped her now. She’d swelled with pride as her Lexi had given the speech of a lifetime. And then she looked around her and realized that Lexi was on the upswing of life. She and Livie had their whole lives before them. Lexi had figured out her love and herself at such a young age. It had taken Abby years to realize the same truths.

It hadn’t been until she’d come home and faced all her demons that she’d found her real world. Her Jack and her Sam.

“Thanks, hon.” She tried to put some emphasis behind her words. She just didn’t feel them tonight. She’d looked at all the youth and beauty around her. Everyone was twenty years younger than her, it seemed.

“Abigail, I know that tone of voice. Talk to me.” Jack always saw through her.

Jack was just getting better looking. The years had been more than kind to her husbands. She stared up at him with his emerald-green eyes and pitch-black hair. There was the lightest dusting of pure silver at his temples, but it just made him all the more dominant.

“I’m fine. There’s nothing to talk about.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.” His gorgeous mouth frowned, leaving a sexy crease around his lips.

“I said thanks,” she tried. She had to because she wasn’t sure she was up to a spanking tonight. She was tired in a way that had nothing to do with her body and everything with her soul.

“What are we thankful for?” Sam asked as he walked into their room. A broad smile covered his face, lifting his lips up. Such a sensual man. Sam Fleetwood oozed sexuality. At forty-two he was in his prime and Abby couldn’t help but damn near drool as he pulled his shirt over his head and uncovered perfect abs and those notches at his hips that always got her motor running.

She wasn’t forty anymore. She would always be older. She’d thought a lot about surgery, but Jack always said no. He said he loved her the way she was. How long would that last?

“Abby is doing that thing where she says all the right words but I hear another meaning behind it,” Jack explained.

Sam clapped his hands together. “Thank god. She’s been so good this whole trip. I’ve been dying to watch you spank her. Let’s get going.”

Sam was an optimist. Abby didn’t have any intention of letting that happen. She’d gained weight recently. “I’m fine. I don’t know what Jack is talking about.”

Jack’s hand came out, tilting her chin up. “No. You’re not fine and I want to know why. Tell me now, Abigail.”

She hated it when he did that. He just commanded, but she heard the words beneath it. Tell me now because I love you and I have the right to know.

Because they shared a love and a life and babies. Because she’d promised him long ago to share all of her burdens. All of her joys. In some ways, the burdens meant more.

“I felt old today, Jack.” Tears pierced her eyes. “I looked around at all those twenty- and thirty-somethings and I felt so old.”

A low chuckle started in the back of his throat. “Oh, my darlin’, that is the funniest thing I’ve heard in a while.”

She frowned his way. “Thanks for understanding.”

She hadn’t expected that. Abby turned away. She started to work the jacket off. If Sam was in the room, then Livie and Josh were in bed. It was time for her to turn in, too. They were going back to Dallas in the morning. They would sit in Julian’s jet and talk and laugh and she would be in comfortable company. Maybe she could forget how young these people were, how their whole lives were in front of them.

Probably not.

She just needed a good night’s sleep. That was all. Tomorrow she would get up and head home and everything would be normal again.

“Stay right where you are.” The deep timbre to Jack’s voice made a delicious shiver go up her spine.

They had been here for a week and the whole time they had been running after Livie and Josh and trying to keep them out of trouble. She’d been worried about Lexi. They had spent the night before with little Jack and Chelsea with them. She’d been playing the supportive mom and friend. They had fallen into bed exhausted every night.

Not once had she heard that dark tone in Jack’s voice.

“What do you need, Jack?” She didn’t move. She was well trained. He’d made sure of it.