Page 55 of Cheshire

“Look at them,” I whispered, nodding toward Hatter and Jo. “They’re so happy.”

“Deserve it,” Cheshire replied, his voice rough with emotion.

“Yeah, they do.”

“Like us,” he added, turning to look at me.

“Like us,” I echoed.

The darkness that had clung to our lives was receding, pushed back by the light of new beginnings. When I looked up at Chesire, I saw a man who’d walked through hell with me, who’d fought for a peace we could finally call our own.

“Ready for this?” he asked, his thumb stroking the back of my hand. “For a new life?”

“More than ready.” I leaned my head against his shoulder.

Epilogue

Cheshire

I leaned against the frame of the kitchen doorway, arms crossed. Eliza and Jo were a whirlwind of motion in front of the stove. Jo’s laugh, a rare sound, cut through the sizzle of the pan, and mingled with Eliza’s lighter chuckles. It was a good sound. Honest. Real.

They tossed ingredients back and forth like they were born to it. The scent of spices hit the air, sharp and inviting. The whole place smelled like comfort, like something you could sink into and forget the rest of the world.

My gaze stuck to them, watching how they moved together. Eliza had this way about her -- graceful, like she danced through life. She’d relaxed so much over the past few weeks.

Jo’s movements were always more careful, measured, but there was strength there.

I thought about the roads we’d all traveled to get to this point. It hadn’t been an easy ride. My past -- a twisted road of mistakes and close calls. Eliza had lived a miserable existence thanks to her father. And Jo, she’d had it rougher than anyone should. But there they were, the two of them, finding some kind of peace while doing something as mundane as cooking.

The club had been my family, always would be. I would bleed for them. But this -- Eliza and Jo -- it felt different. The two of them were a breath of fresh air.

“Cheshire, are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to come help?” Eliza’s voice snapped me back, her tone playful and happy.

“Thought I’d admire the view a bit longer,” I shot back, a grin spreading across my lips.

Eliza spun around, her smile lighting up the kitchen. The look in her eyes made me feel like she had a secret just for me. Through the clang of pots, and their chatter, I watched her and admired her every move.

“Need a taste tester?” I asked, stepping closer.

“Always,” she said. “But I’m still learning. Be thankful Jo is here to guide me.”

I always had the answer, the next plan. But not this time. For once, it felt like I was standing on a precipice. Was I ready to jump?

She turned back to the stove, unaware of the storm she’d stirred in me. My hands itched to pull her close, to sink into that warmth and light she exuded. But there was more I had to do, a promise I needed to make real.

“Eliza,” I started, then stopped. Get your shit together, Charlie. And yes, right now I was Charlie and not Cheshire.

“Cheshire?” She looked at me, head tilted, concern flickering in her eyes. “You good?”

“Yeah,” I said, but my voice sounded rougher than I wanted it to be. “Better than good.”

I’d been waiting for weeks, and now I knew this was it. The perfect time. No chaos from club business, no past ghosts howling at our backs. Just her and me in a kitchen that smelled like home.

“Eliza,” I tried again, and this time my voice held steady. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to --”

The words hung there, suspended between us. Her eyes locked on mine, and I could see it -- the question, possibly the beginning of understanding. Before I could say anything, she turned away.

Even though I no longer had her attention, I knew it had to be now or never.

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