Page 25 of Mountain Daddy's Girl
I slide the ring onto her finger, leap to my feet, and pull her into my arms.
The arena erupts; everybody cheers and stares atkiss-camon the huge screens as I hug and kiss the love of my life. Well aware … I’m the luckiest man alive.
EPILOGUE
Lila
Six Months Later
Iwalk around the lodge, warmth blooming in my belly, as I spread my hands over the front of my dress and try not to let nerves win.
He’ll be happy. Why am I being so weird?
The Montana day burns brightly, the sun cresting the mountains and painting the pines golden. I stand at our front window, looking out at the shimmering lake. Boone has properties all over—he tells me they belong to us both now—but this is my favorite.
I turn, looking at the canvas with a bed sheet covering it. I brought the canvas exactly for this purpose, but I forgot to buy a special sheet. Hopefully he thinks this one is okay.
Going to the counter, I take my cup of hot cocoa and blow on it. I don’t care what season it is or how warm it is. Hot cocoa in the Montana mountains always hits just right.
When I hear his car, I return to the front window, taking a moment, taking a breath. He steps from his truck, spattered with mud. He’s wearing a check shirt and torn jeans, every inch the savage, every inch the beautiful strong man I married.
His beard is fuller, the deep silver winking at me as sun bounces off it. I go to the front door, swallowing a ball of nerves.
We both want this. I need to chill.
He sweeps me into a passionate kiss. Every time we kiss, it reminds me of our wedding. Each contact has the same want, the same desire, the same desperation. He presses his hands against the small of my back so that I can feel his solid rod pressing through his clothes.
“What’s that?” he asks, gesturing to the covered canvas. “Another snapshot, Snapshot?”
I take his hand, nodding. “I want you to do the honors.”
He tilts his head at me, curiosity in his eyes. “Okay …”
Letting me go, he approaches the canvas. He takes the corner of the sheet nervously, as though he doesn’t want to get too excited until he knows for sure.
He pulls it away.
The canvas shows a black-and-white photo of the forest. Except, in the middle, there’s a pregnancy test, impossibly bright, the only point of true light in the photo. I edited it so he could see the details. So he would know …
He turns, temples pulsing. “You’re pregnant.”
“Yeah. We’re going to have a baby.”
“You’re …” He lets out a choked noise. “We’re going to …”
I rush to him, squeeze his hands in mine. “Are you happy?”
“Happy,” he repeats, then his eyes clear. His smile spreads widely. “That doesn’t even come close. This isit, Lila. This is the beginning of the rest of our lives. I’m so damn lucky I found you.”
“No, Boone,” I whisper, standing on my tiptoes and pouting my lips. “I’m the lucky one. My baby gets to have you for a father. I get to have you for my husband.”
“I’m just hearing reasons whyI’mlucky again,” he says, chuckling warmly, then pulling me in tight and kissing me hard.
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
Boone
Five Years Later
