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A familiar voice cuts across the coffee shop. “Yes!!”

We all turn at the same time. Heath is standing in the doorway, pointing at Hayzel and I with a wide smile on his face. Hayzel runs to hug him and they scream in unison, “We did it!”

I laugh against Damien as we watch them walk toward us.

Heath’s hand comes to my shoulder, his eyes soft, almost watery. “I knew it,” he says. “I knew you two were going to get in.”

I smile, holding Damien’s hand on my waist and reply softly, “Thank you Heath.”

He pulls Hayzel close to him, ruffling her hair as she complains. “Don’t thank me, you worked your ass off.”

Hayzel raises her coffee cup from the table and screams, “To us, official federal agents!”

I laugh, lifting mine to hers. “To us.”

She mouths a small ‘I love you’, and I mimic her to reply, ‘ to purgatory and back’.

Heath points at us as he goes back behind the counter with a grin. “You two better remember who taught you how to make the best coffee out there.”

I laugh, still tucked against Damien for another second before pulling away, his hand never leaves mine.

Hayzel is already walking to the door, phone in her hand. “I’m calling Nana, I’ll tell her about this,” she says. Then she turns back around and shakes her head. “You can kiss or whatever now.”

I barely have time to look after her before his fingers catch mine. He gives my hand a gentle tug and pulls me back toward him.

My arms wrap around his neck, then he leans in asking with a low voice, “Can I get a kiss?”

I smile, tilting my head to the side, letting my lips brush his for a second then pull back to look at him properly. “Careful. You’re talking to an official federal agent now…”

He grins faintly before leaning in again, “Am I?” he asks before stealing a quick kiss from me.

I blink at him, a small giggle escaping my lips. “That was highly unprofessional, Mister Caldwell.”

He nods, kissing me once more, softer this time, slower, then breathes against my mouth, “I’ll take the risk, Miss Vitelli.”

I laugh quietly, and his hand is still wrapped around my waist when his expression shifts.

“So, what are you choosing?” He asks. “You have two offers.”

“I think I already know…” I pull him closer, letting the smallest smile pull at my mouth.

His eyebrow lifts. “FBI?”

I nod, “Yeah.”

“Why?”

I pretend to consider it then kiss the side of his jaw before whispering, “I don’t know. Something about it seems…convincing.”

His jaw tightens beneath my lips as he murmurs near my ear, “Convincing?”

“Very…” I reply, lifting my head to look at him. His eyes are on mine, and I can see that he understands exactly why I’m choosing this option.

“Then we need to celebrate that.” Before I can answer that, his hands go lower as he presses me against him harder. “I might have an idea.”

Play - Another Love by Tom Odell

By the time we reach the beach it’s already one in the morning.