Page 120 of Some Kind of Hero
Maddie had no idea what the future would bring—only that Dingo was alive, and she was, too, and they were going to be okay.
What was it her father had said, back in the truck?
Loving someone, and being loved in return, was averygood place to start.
EPILOGUE
One year later
Shayla was writing again.
In fact, she was on fire.
Peter had tried to take credit, and yeah, having him in her life was a very, very,verygood thing. In so many ways.
She’d also been inspired by talking to Hiroko and visiting Manzanar. There were important stories yet to tell.
But really, if Shay had to point to just one thing that had, as Peter suggested, “made her heart grow back,” that thing was probably Dingo, and the way he’d been willing to sacrifice everything—including his life—for Maddie. And yes, he was still too old for the girl, but that wouldn’t last forever. In a few years—which would pass even more quickly now that he’d enlisted in the Marines—the age difference would be no big deal. Until then, promises had been made, and threats had been issued, and chaperones were permanently on standby for his rare visits home.
Bottom line, it was one thing for a Navy SEAL to be a hero. It was, as Peter would say, part of hisskill set.But it was another thing completely when someone who had been somewhat morally challenged stepped up and went above and beyond.
Shayla had taken a screenshot of Dingo’s epic text, printed it out, and pinned it to her office bulletin board, typos and all.
She couldn’t read his words without getting misty-eyed and feeling her heart—still—growing bigger and stronger.
She was close to the end of writing her second book since “the garage.”
That’s what they called it.
“The garage.”
And while Maddie and Tevin and Frank, along with the many, many SEALs and friends who knew what had happened, believed that “the garage” referred to a local former—now incarcerated—druglord’s property in the little town of Clarence, California, Shayla and Peter both knew otherwise.
And yeah, okay, Izzy probably knew what they really meant when they talked about “the garage,” especially when they smiled at each other. But Izzy would never tell. He was a good friend, and doubly delirious these days because his wife Eden was happily pregnant and about to—his word—pop.
Life was good—even with Tevin off at college. His father’s son, he’d gotten into Berklee College of Music in Boston. It was far away, but it was where he belonged.
Tiffany had finally left Carter and was now dating a SEAL—smart young woman that she was. And, no, Shay’s old friend Kate still hadn’t left her douchebag husband, but maybe someday she would.
Anything was possible.
Shay’s phone whooshed as a text came in. She normally silenced it completely when she was writing, but Peter had been away with SEAL Team Sixteen for the past few weeks, and…
She looked, and yes, the text was from him.
Hello.
Shayla laughed and saved her document, then went to meet her Navy SEAL and properly welcome him home.
