Carnal (Mail Order Mountain Men #3)

Epilogue

Sasha

One Year Later

Most people love warm, sunny days. They prefer spring and the summer when the birds are singing, and the flowers are in full bloom. A few folks like fall because of the changing leaves and the milder temperatures. Me, I’ve always preferred winter. There’s something about the frigid cold, a light snowfall, and a crackling fire that make me feel warm and cozy inside. Plus, it’s a great excuse to stay in, snuggle up, eat snacks, and talk about nonsense all day long.

I lean into Ryder on the couch and spread my swollen feet out lengthwise. Lately, it’s been harder and harder to find a comfortable spot for this expanding stomach, but with Ryder, I always find a way.

“How much longer do ya think?” He twists my hair in circles around his thick finger as he says, “I was readin’ that mothers somehow know when. Is that true?”

I laugh. “I know I’m pretty uncomfortable, so any day now would be great.” We’re eight and half months along with our first baby and I’m pretty sure we’re both desperate to meet her. We’ve already made plans to bring her home in a cute little flannel dress to her room decorated with horses. I imagine she’ll love taking care of them with her dad. I’ve already had half a dozen dreams of the two of them in the barn spreading hay and filling feed buckets. “You hear from Mason lately? I haven’t talked to him since our wedding.”

“Heard from him yesterday. He’s been workin’ down at the mines. I guess he’s seeing a few girls. Nothing serious, though. Ya don’t need to worry, baby. He’s comin’ around.”

I’m not sure how often we should see him, but I know as weird as it is, I want him to be a part of our daughter’s life… and a part of our life for that matter.

“Right now, I think ya should focus on Ellie May and that book up on the shelf.” He nods toward the fireplace, and I stare at the pretty, pink covered novel that I finished a few months back. It’s funny, for years I’ve tried writing every genre under the sun. Nothing really stuck until Ryder and I connected. The second we were real about our feelings for each other was the second my creativity blossomed. I felt things that I’d never felt before and wrote in ways I’d never imagined myself writing. It’s real and heartfelt, and every word means something. Readers identify with that. I know I always have.

Ryder runs his fingers through my hair, grazing my skin softly with each gentle movement. “This time next year, you’ll have a dozen of those in the library all checked out.”

“That’s a fantasy, but thank you. It’s wild that I even finished the book. I’m thinking I might focus on one for kids next. I want to write something we can read to Ellie. A sweet little love story about a lumberjack and a librarian. That would be nice.”

He leans in and kisses my forehead gently as the fire crackles before us. A year ago, I was scared to take this leap. More than scared, I was paralyzed with indecision. Deep down, I knew I couldn’t move on without him. I can’t imagine what my life would be right now had Mason not come to see me at the bakery that morning. I can’t thank him enough for that day or apologize enough for falling for his father. At our wedding, he stood as the best man, hugged me, and welcomed me to the family, but I know it’s hard to see his dad and I like this. Hopefully, at some point, it’ll be second nature.

A sharp pain shifts in my lower stomach and the gush of something warm and wet soaks the couch.

Oh God! Did my water break? My water broke! Oh my God! My water broke!

I glance up at Ryder, my heart hammering against my chest. “The baby is coming. I’m soaked.”

He grins wide and sits still for a long moment as though his brain is processing all that’s happening. “Oh fuck. Yeah! Let’s do this! Let’s meet our little Ellie May.”

Ryder helps me from the couch before stripping my soaking clothes off in favor of something warm. I’m not sure all men would be thinking like this, but he’s always putting me first. He has since the day we met, and I know he will for the rest of our time on Earth.

I tuck my hand into his and lean my weight against his giant frame.

“I love ya so much, baby. You’re gonna be a great mother.” He kisses my forehead and lifts me from the ground, carrying me out into the snow toward his pickup truck.

Tears fall down my cheek and my heart swells with love as another story begins to write itself. This one about a woman who has everything she ever dreamed of.

THANK YOU FOR READING.