He leans forward and places his hand on my cheek. “Are you trying to steal my thunder, beautiful?” He smiles.
“Just trying to right my wrongs.”
“And all I want is for you to be my wife.” Leaning back, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small black box. “I’ve had this for a few weeks. I’ve been waiting for you to be ready. I know we’ve had a tough year, and there are going to be more tough years. The only difference is that we will be side by side for the rest of them.” He takes my hand and slides the gorgeous ring with a large diamond, which is way too big, on my left hand. “I don’t want the good times or the bad times with anyone but you. Riley Burke, will you marry me?”
“You trying to steal my thunder, handsome?” I smile at him through my tears.
“Just trying to make our family official.”
“In that case. Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you. I love you so much.” I climb onto his lap and kiss him. I put everything I’m feeling into the kiss. Sadness for the time we lost, excitement for what the future holds, and love. So much love that I’m overflowing with it.
“When?” he asks, breaking our kiss. “When do we make this official?”
“I’ve never really wanted a big wedding. Not since my parents passed. I just want to be Riley Fleming.”
“Fuck,” he grumbles. “Plan it. I don’t care where. Just try to make it soon.”
I hold my hand out to admire my ring. “We’re really doing this? We’re getting married?” I ask, just to make sure I’m not dreaming.
“It’s not a dream, baby. It’s a fairy tale. Our fairy tale.”
EPILOGUE HUDSON
Hudson
It’s hard to believe that my little slugger is turning one tomorrow. This past year has been better than I ever could have imagined that it would be. Riley and I married nine months ago. We had a small ceremony in our backyard. It was simple and elegant and one of the best days of my life.
For a wedding gift, I received a copy of Hayes’s birth certificate with my name listed as his father. I cried like a baby, not gonna deny it. We’ve been living life in wedded bliss ever since. Our boy grows more each day, and the little guy started walking a few weeks ago. We can’t keep him out of anything. Riley and I took him to Raven one weekend and then spent all damn day baby-proofing everything we could.
He’s such a happy little boy. He has my eyes and his momma’s smile, and that’s perfectly fine with me. I’m hoping the next one is a little girl who looks just like her momma. Speaking of my wife, I know that tomorrow has been weighing on her mind. She left to take a walk about thirty minutes ago, and she’s not back yet. Lucky for me, Uncle Brett showed up, so I left Hayes with him so I could go find my wife.
I take the trail that leads to the lake. I know it’s one of her favorite places on the farm. Sure enough, as I reach the lake, I see her sitting in the grass, staring out at the water. I give myself a minute to take her in. It’s sometimes still hard for me to believe that she’s mine. That after all the years I spent wanting her from afar, we’re finally together. She’s my wife. Even after nine months of being married, I continue to call her my wife instead of her name as much as I can. I can’t help it. I love that woman with every fiber of my being.
I approach her slowly, not wanting to scare her. “Fancy meeting you here,” I call out to her.
She turns to look at me and smiles. “I’m not very good at hiding, huh?” she calls back.
“Is that what you’re doing? Hiding?”
“No. Not really. Just clearing my head.”
“Can I join you?” I don’t want to intrude on her me time, but then again, I do want to intrude on her me time. I want us time twenty-four hours a day.
“Always, you know that.”
I take a seat behind her and pull her into my arms. “Much better,” I say, kissing her temple. “Talk to me, baby.” She turns, and her emerald-green eyes find mine, and she lets it all go.
EPILOGUE RILEY
Riley
“It’s hard not to think about what tomorrow represents. The birth of our son and what I took from you.”
“Hey.” He rests his forehead against my temple. “We talked about this, baby. That’s behind us. We’re in a good place, and we’re about to celebrate our boy.”
“I know. It’s just hard not to think about it. A year ago today, I thought you didn’t want us. Now here we are happily married and celebrating his first birthday.”