Page 11 of The Mountain Man's Chance

I waited so long to get back to my girl. It was a huge risk, considering some other chump could’ve gotten in the way, but I should’ve known she’d wait for me whether I let her go or not.

It doesn’t matter; I would’ve waited a million years if I had to.

All that matters now is that we’re together. Forever.

EPILOGUE

Camille

One year later

“Okay,ladies, Camille will walk around the room and let you all see how big her belly is. Take a good look, as she’s only coming around once!” Lena announced from where she stood in Zach’s and my living room. She held up a spool of yarn. “Each person will cut a piece of yarn the length they think would fit around Camille’s belly. The winner will be the lady closest without going over.”

Sloane took me by the arm and walked me around so all the ladies could peek at my oversized belly.

I was only in my eighth month, but I was pregnant with twins and felt like I was ready to pop any day now. Since twins are known to come early, Zach and I decided to host the baby shower in our new home well before my due date.

After our night together all those months ago, things moved pretty fast. Zach put a ring on my finger a week later, and two months later, we were married in a small ceremony at the diner with only our closest friends and family. In the meantime, we went house shopping but couldn’t find anything we wanted. So instead, we hired Kai and his construction crew to build us the exact house we wanted, within walking distance of my parents’ home.

Many nights, I pinched myself to check I wasn’t dreaming.

While our house was being constructed, I moved into Zach’s rental house temporarily, and while I worked at the diner, he devoted his time to his business.

We fell into an easy routine.

And then my period was late.

We agreed on stopping my birth control the night of our wedding, but I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly. I was off the pill for only two months when my very regular period suddenly was nowhere to be found.

My mother had trouble conceiving me, and she never tried again after finally having me in her late thirties. I was afraid it might take me some time too but apparently, I was wrong.

Not only did it happen quickly, but somehow, my egg split. When we found out we were having identical twin girls, Zach and I freaked out, then cried, then screamed with joy, and then cried again.

Let’s just say it’s been one hell of a roller-coaster ride of emotions. But after the shock wore off and we got used to the idea of twins, I couldn’t be more excited. And neither could Zach.

Every night, he massaged my belly with lotion and played classical music or sang lullabies or read fairy-tale stories to the babies. He was so attentive and protective, and I knew he would be the best father to our little girls.

Was I scared to be a mom? Hell yeah.

Yet I was so ready, too. With Zach by my side, I could handle anything.

“Okay, time’s up, ladies!” Lena clapped her hands to grab everyone’s attention. As the room quieted down, a roar of applause and laughter came from the finished basement, or Zach’s man cave as he liked to call it. The men must be enjoying whatever sport they had on.

“Glad they’re down there and not bothering us!” Ruby laughed, and we all laughed along with her.

Lena went around the room and checked everyone’s piece of yarn to the one she measured around me. All of the ladies from town were there along with my mom, and a couple of other women—Margaret and Barbara.

“We have a winner!” Lena cheered. “The winner is Sloane!”

The entire room erupted with laughter.

“What? No way!” Ruby said. “All of us mamas over here couldn’t get it right, but the one not pregnant yet gets it right.”

“I guess I have a good eye.” Sloane winked. “Besides, it’s fun watching all you ladies have babies.”

“Isn’t it?” Lena chimed in.

Dallas smirked. “Oh just you wait, Lena!”

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