Page 65 of Faking it with my Bad Boy Crush

"Like what?"

She looked at me, flour dusting her hands, her honey-brown eyes warm. "Like a law practice that protects people instead of corporations. Like helping small businesses fight back against predatory investors. Like being the lawyer this island actually needs."

The possibility settled into my chest—not corporate litigation, but community protection. Not maximizing profits, but defending legacies.

"That would mean staying here," I said. "On Lopez Island. Permanently."

"Would that be so terrible?" Maya's voice was careful, hopeful.

"No." I moved closer, cupping her flour-dusted face. "That would be exactly what I want. If you want it too."

"I want it." She kissed me, soft and certain. "I want you here. Building a life with me. Figuring out what comes next together."

My phone buzzed one more time. An email from Judge Morrison, sent directly to me:

"Mr. Caldwell—Your actions on Friday exposed criminal fraud and protected a valued local business. While the ethics questions surrounding your methods are legitimate and must be addressed, please know that your integrity and principles were evident throughout these proceedings. Whatever the state bar decides, you conducted yourself with honor. The community you protected is fortunate to have someone willing to sacrifice for them. —Judge Patricia Morrison"

I showed the email to Maya, and we stood there in her bakery kitchen, reading it together.

"You did good," Maya whispered. "Whatever happens next, you did good."

"We did good," I corrected. "Together."

And standing there in Honey & Hearth Bakery, surrounded by the smell of rising dough and the legacy of five generations, I realized something: this was what success actually looked like. Not corner offices or six-figure salaries, but protecting what mattered and building something worth more than profit.

The ethics investigation would come. Marcus's civil suit would continue. The future was uncertain.

But for the first time in twenty years, I knew exactly who I wanted to be.

And that was worth more than any career I'd lost.

Chapter twenty

The Moment That Breaks Open

Maya

Tuesday morning, Sweetheart Week officially began with a sunrise ceremony at the community beach—a Lopez Island tradition where the mayor lit a symbolic beacon to welcome visitors and celebrate love in all its forms. I stood beside Ethan in the crowd, his hand warm in mine, watching the sky turn from pink to gold over the water.

"This is nice," he said quietly. "Being part of the community instead of just observing it."

"You are part of the community now." I squeezed his hand. "You protected us. Exposed fraud. Sacrificed your career. That makes you one of us, whether you planned it or not."

He smiled, but I saw the tension in his expression. The ethics interview was yesterday—he'd driven to Seattle, spent three hours answering questions from the state bar investigators, and come back exhausted and anxious. He wouldn't tell me exactly what they'd asked, just that it had been thorough and uncomfortable and he wouldn't know their decision for weeks.

After the ceremony, we walked back toward the bakery, where I had three hours of prep work before opening for the Sweetheart Week rush.

"Come over tonight?" I asked as we reached Honey & Hearth. "I'll make dinner. We can actually talk without legal crises or phone calls interrupting."

"I'd like that." Ethan checked his watch. "I have a few calls this morning—lawyers who want to discuss potential cases, people asking if I'd consult on whistleblower situations. Apparently, I'm becoming the go-to guy for ethical dilemmas."

"That's good, right? Potential work?"

"Maybe. If I keep my license." He kissed me quickly. "But yes. It's something. I'll see you tonight at seven?"

"Perfect."

I watched him walk to his car, noticing the way islanders greeted him now—not with suspicion or curiosity, but with respect and gratitude. He'd become part of Lopez Island in a way neither of us had expected.