Epilogue
Ollie
Buy Dirt by Jordan Davis
Boxes are stacked everywhere, half labeled, half not, and Owen barrels past me with an armful of something fragile, yelling that it definitely needed bubble wrap.
Ellie toddles behind him on unsteady legs, holding onto boxes and furniture, clapping like she’s the one in charge of this whole operation.
Poppy laughs from the kitchen, where she’s trying to figure out which box holds the coffee maker.
It’s been over a year since I got her to agree to be my pretend wife.
There was nothing pretend about that for me.
I knew I loved Poppy a very long time ago.
I just needed to get her to believe it and see the future that I saw.
No matter what came our way. Sibling adoption, new jobs, a surprise baby.
..whatever has come our way, we’ve powered through it together.
Ellie will be one in a few weeks. She’s got one of my ball caps on that keeps slipping over her eyes, and she is a curious and happy baby.
Owen has his own horse at the big barn and a grin that doesn’t leave his face anymore.
He runs out there every morning like he’s afraid she might disappear if he doesn’t check on her fast enough.
He rides her everywhere and they’re practically inseparable.
The house is done for the most part. We still have to paint a few things and add on some hardware, but that’s nothing.
We made the cabin work, and now we have a barndominium.
The barn is being built next, but for now, we can use Jack’s until we can save up.
We’ve got plans tacked up on the fridge with magnets shaped like cows and horses.
Poppy keeps adding animals to the list like it’s a joke, but I know she loves it.
I used to be scared of wanting this much.
Turns out, there was nothing to be scared of because it’s a pretty great life.
Poppy still teaches at the high school, and she loves it.
She comes home talking about students and projects they’re working on.
She runs the shop part-time now, too, confident and respected.
She didn’t give anything up. She gained space to breathe.
We are a team and work hard to make everything happen.
We rented out the loft above the shop, and that income is helping us save up for the new barn.
I watch her cross the living room barefoot on the hardwood floors we picked out together. This life fits her. It fits all of us. Her dream became our dream.
By late afternoon, the housewarming party is in full swing.
Jack and Cami are playing bartender and handing out drinks behind a makeshift wooden bar that Tucker and Jack built that has wheels, and we can use for all of our family parties.
Maggie’s set up in the corner, holding court.
Walker and I are manning the grill, cracking jokes as we sip our beers and fill trays of burgers and hot dogs.
Weston stands near the back porch, quiet and observant, nursing a drink and watching everything like he’s taking notes. Weston’s usually the quiet one of the group. But this time he sees a little quieter.
Then the bikes roll in. Engines cut, and a few of the guys from the club step out carrying gifts from their saddle bags.
Jack and Weston stiffen, unsure of the visitors.
I’m not. They’ve been around, they respect the hell out of Poppy, and they run the business fairly and work hard alongside her.
I have had no problems with the Pine River MCs.
Jonesy hands Poppy a ridiculous oversized stuffed horse for Ellie, and she laughs so hard and gives him a hug. Another gives Owen a pair of riding gloves, which he immediately puts on and Poppy shakes her head. “You’re not riding a bike,” she says, ruffling his hair.
Jack leans toward me. “You good with this?”
I nod. “Yeah. I am. They’ve been all right.”
Because people can change when they choose to, I’ve seen it. I’ve lived it. And others don’t change and that’s just the way life goes.
As the sun drops and the lights flick on, Poppy finds me by the porch and slips her hand into mine like it’s instinct. Ellie toddles between us, holding onto our legs, safe and certain.
I look around at the house, the land, the people who showed up and stayed. The life I never let myself imagine because it felt like tempting fate. I was wrong. I thought love would cost me everything. Turns out, it gave me everything.