Page 93 of Buried Secrets

“I already know about the talking in your sleep, but I can live with both of those things,” Matt said, his smile wide and genuine. “Fair warning, though, I leave coffee cups everywhere and my work hours can be very irregular.”

“I think we’ll manage.”

Ryan cleared his throat dramatically, as he approached. “Are we witnessing the official coupling of the sheriff and the town clerk? Because Mom’s going to have an opinion.”

“Ryan,” Marissa scolded as she joined them, though she was smiling.

“What? My sister’s shacking up with the local law enforcement.”

“We’re not ‘shacking up,’” Kaitlin protested, laughing. “We’re… cohabitating responsibly.”

“Much better,” Matt agreed solemnly.

As the evening wound down and people began to drift home, Kaitlin found herself helping to clean up—stacking chairs and collecting plates that clattered together like a skeleton reassembling itself—with the easy familiarity of someone who belonged. It struck her that this was what she’d been searching for without knowing it. Not just family, but community. Not just acceptance, but participation.

“You don’t have to do that,” Mayor Hartwell said as Kaitlin carried a stack of folding chairs toward the storage closet. “You’re the guest of honor.”

“I’m a town employee,” Kaitlin corrected gently.

The mayor’s smile was warm with approval. “That you are. Welcome aboard, Kaitlin.”

As the hall emptied, Matt helped her gather her coat and the flowers that had been presented to her during the evening.

“How do you feel?” he asked as they stepped out into the crisp winter night.

“Grateful,” Kaitlin said after considering the question. “Overwhelmed. Happy. A little scared about living up to everyone’s expectations.”

“You’ll do fine. You’re already doing fine.” Matt took her hand as they walked toward his Jeep. “And if you ever doubt it, just remember that you’ve got backup now. A whole island full of people who want you to succeed.”

“Including you?”

“Especially me.” He stopped walking, turning to face her under the streetlight. “Kaitlin, I know we haven’t been together very long, and I know things have moved fast between us. But I want you to know that that this… us, your place here… it’s not temporary for me. I’m in this for the long haul, if you want me to be.”

The sincerity in his voice made her chest tight with emotion. “I do want that, and I am too.”

“Good.” He leaned down to kiss her, soft and sweet and full of promise.

As they drove through the quiet island streets toward their respective homes, for now, Kaitlin looked out at the familiar landmarks that had become dear to her. The harbor where fishing boats bobbed at their moorings. The lighthouse with its beam sweeping across the water. The mansion on the hill.

She’d come to this island searching for her past and found her future instead. Not just with Matt, but with this entire community that had embraced her and made her one of their own.

She was home. Finally, completely, perfectly home.

Epilogue

Matt adjusted the final security camera bracket on the mansion’s front porch, testing the angle to ensure it captured the entire entrance. The March afternoon was crisp but pleasant, with the kind of clear light that made everything on the island look newly minted.

“That should do it,” he called to Amy, who was inside monitoring the feed on her laptop. “Can you see the whole walkway?”

“Perfect,” Amy’s voice drifted through the open front door. “Come see how clear the image is.”

Matt gathered his tools and headed inside, finding Amy seated at the dining room table with her computer open, multiple camera feeds displayed on the screen. The renovation was coming along nicely with carefully restored period details. Matt knew the contractor was putting his heart and soul into making it right.

“The system’s more sophisticated than anything we have at the station,” Matt admitted, settling into the chair beside her. “Motion detection, night vision, cloud storage. You’ll have a complete record of everything that happens on the property.”

“Good,” Amy said, though her tone held an edge of worry. “After everything that happened here, I want to know about every person who sets foot on these grounds.”

Matt noted the tension around her eyes. “You’re having second thoughts about the retreat.”