“Sarah, are you okay? Don’t crack up on me.” Sugar put her drink down and clapped in Sarah’s face. “Oh my God, I’m going to have to call Mia or something. Snap out of it.”

She tried for a breath, but it turned into a snort. Then she started laughing all over again. It felt great.

Sugar covered her mouth. A bright lipstick-covered smile peeked out from behind her fingers. Then she laughed too. They laughed and drank and laughed some more.

Finally, Sarah shook her head. “I hated that house. I didn’t want to go back there anyway. Starting new will be awesome. New house. New school. Hell, new marriage.”

A pool boy brought them fresh drinks.

“But you’re keeping Brock, right?” Sugar slurped the last of her drink and grabbed the new one.

“Yeah, but we’re going to try to keep things a little more exciting.” She wagged her brows.

Sugar clapped again. “Good for you.”

“Now I just need a job and—”

She sat upright. Excitement bubbled onto her face. “Come work at GUNS!”

“What?” Sarah laughed, shaking her head. “Me at your gun range? My last visit there was traumatic, and I barely know a pistol from a rifle. You don’t want me.”

“I’m serious. I need a little help around the office. Some marketing stuff. I want to play with logos, branding. Things are changing a little since I left the ATF, and, ya know, it’d be fun.”

Fun? “I can…” Other than Brock, she hadn’t let anyone know she could draw and design. “I can do artistic stuff.”

Sugar bounced in her seat. “Perfect. Decision made. You can work with me.”

“What the heck?” The decision was liberating. “All right. I’ll do it.”

Sugar sat back in her lounger. “The boys are gonna love this. And look, here they come.”

Sarah glanced over her shoulder. Brock limped in clean, baggy pants next to Jared. They rounded the corner of the pool, and she giggled watching just as many people jump out of their way as stared at them. They looked like action figures crashing a beach party.

Sugar bounced up. “J-dawg.”

“Baby cakes.” He hooked an arm around her. “Didn’t know you packed a bikini.”

“Yup, did that while you were running around, placing C4 charges in their kitchen.”

He glared at her. “Sorry about that, Sarah.”

She shrugged. “I’m good.”

Brock’s jaw dropped. “You’re good?”

She nodded. “Gives us an excuse to move closer to GUNS. I work there now.”

“What?” Both men were in unison.

Sugar laughed. Sarah did too. Talk about shocking two guys who thought nothing fazed ’em. As if on cue, the pool boy walked up and offered pink frozen drinks. Jared took his. Brock waved his away.

For the first time, Sarah was completely relaxed. She kicked back on her lounger, grabbed her daiquiri, and closed her eyes. All would be okay.

EPILOGUE