Epilogue
EIGHT YEARS LATER …
Paisley finished telling Dr. Linda about the latest grant The Packman Foundation had awarded. She met with the therapist once a month now, liking having that anchor in her busy life.
The past eight years had flown by. She’d become pregnant a month after their wedding, making her and her new husband very happy.
Summer also was expecting her first baby, and they compared notes throughout their pregnancies.
Summer had Burt and a week later, Paisley gave birth to Megan, who shared her father’s caramel hair and hazel eyes.
They’d decided to share a nanny, with Gretchen coming to the Montgomery household a couple of days a week and the Blackstone ranch the other weekdays.
As the foundation’s work increased and Summer’s publisher requested her to write faster, Paisley and Summer added to their workdays.
Gretchen bounced between both households.
They quickly learned Megan and Burt enjoyed being together, so the nanny kept both children at the same time, switching which house the kids would play at, based upon their moms’ schedules.
As a couple, she and Sawyer decided they would like to have four children.
They wanted to give birth to two and adopt two from the foster care system, hopefully alternating between births and adoptions.
Then an opportunity occurred which changed those plans.
They were introduced to Tim, who was eighteen months old, and they fell in love with the blond-haired, blue-eyed toddler.
He had been placed in foster care when his mother died after a house fire.
The mother had managed to get Tim outside to safety and returned for her baby.
She saved Hayley, too, but smoke inhalation damaged her lungs, and the mother had died the following day.
Sawyer said they couldn’t adopt the brother without also adopting his sister.
Eli and Jace had been separated as children when they’d been placed into foster care, with only Jace being adopted.
Paisley agreed wholeheartedly, wanting the brother and sister to remain together.
Suddenly, their family of three had increased to five overnight.
Megan was three and thankfully potty-trained.
Now they had a boy eighteen months younger than Megan, plus a six-month-old baby.
Summer, who was pregnant again, told Paisley she should use Gretchen full time.
Summer said she would put Burt in a Montessori preschool in Hawthorne.
Megan was having none of that and demanded that she, too, get to go to school with Burt.
Gretchen agreed to work only for the Montgomerys, caring for Tim and Hayley.
Two years later, they added Andrew to their family, naming him after Sawyer’s dad.
Their youngest had Paisley’s chocolate brown hair but possessed his father’s hazel eyes.
All their children got along well and had different personalities and interests.
Megan was seven and very outgoing, playing soccer and softball.
She also liked to sing. Tim was now five and very tall for his age.
He was quiet and smart and spent every moment he could shooting baskets in their driveway.
Hayley was very girly and refused to wear anything but dresses.
She enjoyed her gymnastics and dance classes.
At two, Andrew was all boy. He loved stomping in mud puddles and climbing and swinging.
He liked to throw and kick balls, but during quiet time, he also liked to do puzzles and read.
Paisley felt blessed to have such a large, loving family, as well as the friendships she’d made during her years in Hawthorne.
It had all been possible because of Bill Packman.
Her friend had given her the opportunity to lead the foundation and be the guardian of Bill’s legacy.
Her career change had led to her being able to experience the kind of family life she wanted.
“Anything else?” Dr. Linda asked, interrupting Paisley’s thoughts.
“No. I think I’ve covered everything,” she told the therapist.
“It’s Olympics time again,” Dr. Linda mentioned. “Any feelings about that?”
“I can look back fondly on the years I participated in the Olympics. I realize how special it was to represent my country and come together with athletes from all over the world.” She grinned. “And I do have a former player involved in them this year. That’s pretty thrilling.”
“Ah, yes. Desi. I know she looks to you as her mentor.”
“I’ve had a blast watching her play in her first Olympics.”
The therapist studied her a moment. “And no regrets still about stepping away from coaching?”
“None,” Paisley said with certainty. “It was the right decision for me. It’s given me the chance to make a bigger impact with my work through the foundation. More importantly, it’s given me the kind of time I wanted to have to spend with my family. I am very fulfilled, Dr. Linda.”
“I’m glad you’re so content, Paisley. We’ll talk next month. Goodbye.”
“Bye.”
She closed her laptop and looked up. Her office had French doors, and she could see Megan standing patiently outside. The children knew not to interrupt her when she was in her office, and they were very good about sticking to that rule. Paisley stood and crossed the room, opening the door.
Megan threw her arms around her mom. “It’s almost time to go to West and Kelby’s. And we get to watch the Olympics and see Desi again!”
Her daughter knew Desi because the former player was a frequent visitor.
Desi had spent college vacations in Hawthorne, stopping by to get advice from Paisley and seeking help with her basketball skills.
Desi had even asked Paisley to help her train before the WNBA draft, and she had agreed to do so.
The one-on-one coaching worked well, and Desi was selected in the second round by the Atlanta Dream.
They didn’t see as much of Desi these days, but all of Hawthorne had been excited when the former Lady Hawk had been tapped to be a part of Team USA in the Toronto Olympics.
“We will definitely be cheering Desi on during this final game,” Paisley said, kissing the top of her daughter’s head. “Let’s go round everyone up.”
She gathered her children, while Sawyer grabbed several food items from the kitchen for today’s cookout.
Their group of friends looked forward to these occasions, which occurred about once a month.
Since West and Kelby had the largest house, it was easiest to meet at their place each time, especially since the number of kids continued to grow amongst their friends.
They strapped their children into their car seats, listening to them chatter happily during the short ride.
Sawyer reached out and threaded his fingers through hers. “It’s like music, hearing them all talking and laughing. We’ve done good, Paisley.”
“We have,” she agreed, squeezing his hand. “I don’t see how I could be happier than I am right now, in this moment.”
He lifted their joined hands and brushed a tender kiss on her knuckles. “Thank you for saying yes all those years ago. I knew you were the one for me from that first conversation we had on the phone.”
They arrived at the Sutherlands’ house. Sawyer opened the door to the van, unbuckling kids, who spilled out and ran, finding their friends.
Paisley looked and saw a volleyball game going, as well as half a dozen children kicking a soccer ball.
Andrew ran toward that group and even though he was the youngest, he immediately found the ball and kicked it hard, squealing in delight.
She helped Sawyer carry the bags into the kitchen, greeting everyone. Autumn asked about the latest grant. She now served as the chief human resources officer for Triple H, with Eli still its medical director. They had two girls and had adopted a boy two years ago.
Summer came and pressed a book into Paisley’s hands. “The newest. Hot off the press!”
“You know how I love to escape into your romances. Thank you.”
Summer had sold her first trilogy to a publishing house in New York.
Not the one she had worked for, but an even bigger name in the business.
Romance readers took to the small Texas Panhandle town Summer wrote about, and she had now set three other series in various regions across Texas.
Chance still managed the ranch, and he was happy to give riding lessons to the children of his friends.
Paisley hadn’t known how to ride, and Chance had also taken her on as a student.
She now rode a couple of times a month at Blackstone Ranch, sometimes alone, sometimes with Megan or Tim.
Hayley and Andrew were already begging to learn how to ride, so she supposed that would happen before she knew it.
Darby appeared in the kitchen, Jace leading her to a chair.
With a deadpan delivery, he told everyone, “Darby promised she would not go into labor at this cookout,” causing laughter.
“I don’t mean to,” Darby protested. “Just because I went into labor at Sawyer and Paisley’s reception and at Flynn and Quinn’s christening does not mean that’ll happen today.” She paused. “Well, maybe not today. We’ll see.” She looked up at Jace. “Stay close, honey. Just in case.”
Kelby leaned down and hugged her best friend. “If you do, West and I will keep the kids for you.”