TRACEY LAY IN bed early Saturday morning, snuggling with Diesel as he slept, thinking about how much her life had changed since coming to Peaceful Harbor. If someone had told her a year ago that she’d reunite with her mother and fall madly in love with Diesel Black, she’d have wondered if they’d ever met the growly man. But now she knew that she was the only one lucky enough to really know him. As much as she loved that, he had so much love to give, she hoped one day he’d see how much everyone else cared about him and open up to them, too.

She glanced at the picture on the nightstand of the two of them that Anna had taken right before they’d left last weekend and had texted to Tracey. They were standing by his truck in front of her mother’s house, and she was tucked beneath his arm, her hand on his stomach, her head resting against him. Diesel was kissing the top of her head, and she had a drunkenly happy look in her eyes, caused as much by the reunion with her mother as by Diesel. It was one of Tracey’s favorite pictures. They’d made an extra copy that Diesel now carried in his wallet, which made her beyond happy.

Her gaze moved to the other pictures they’d had printed and set around the room. She knew her mother and her family would be happy to see the pictures she’d hung at her house when they visited tomorrow. When they were hanging them, Diesel had asked Tracey why she’d never decorated her room. She hadn’t thought about it before, and she’d realized she’d been at a standstill. She’d had her feet firmly planted in her new life, but she hadn’t been able to move forward in the little ways that counted until she’d gotten answers about her mother. Diesel had built that bridge for her.

She knew she was helping him cross the bridge from his past to his future, too. It was evident in everything he did and said. They’d had a busy week, but after their workout with Lior on Wednesday, they’d snuck in a quick trip to the Whiskeys’ old cabin and had taken a walk by the creek. Diesel told her about all the places he’d traveled and the bounty hunting he’d done, and he’d surprised her by sharing what he’d missed most about his mother—her smile and hearing her play the guitar on the porch late at night when she thought he was sleeping. It seemed easier for him to talk about her now, and Tracey was glad.