EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER
Jax, that grill’s smoking way too much,” I call out, laughing as I carry a tray of potato salad across the yard.
“Woman, smoke means flavor,” he grins as he flips a burger with a flourish.
“You mean smoke means disaster,” Ace teases, earning a round of laughter from the men gathered around the grill.
Jax points his spatula at him. There’s an exasperated look on his face, but I’ve come to learn Ace and all the other men – Jordan, Hank, Cody, and Damien – all shit talk with each other most every time they’re together. “Ace? My house. My grill.”
“Sure, boss,” Ace says, rolling his eyes and gesturing behind Jax’s back, and the men all laugh again.
I smile as I set the tray on the picnic table, the red-and-white checkered cloth fluttering in the light breeze. The yard is alive with chatter and laughter, the air thick with the scent of grilling meat and fresh-cut grass. This isn’t what I thought my life would be like, when I fled my wedding—it’s so much better and fulfilling than I ever imagined. Jax and his sisters, the men who work for Jax, and the Jefferson community have all welcomed me with open arms. My heart is overflowing with gratitude and happiness for this life I have now.
I scan the yard, catching sight of Andrea setting out drinks on a smaller table near the shed. She waves at me, and I wave back, noting the way her head tilts toward Ace as he strides over to her. Even from across the yard, the attraction between them is plain as day—Andrea with her half-smile and Ace with his easy confidence. Jax has been warning Ace about the consequences of touching Andrea since I met Ace, but that doesn’t seem to deter him much. But with the way they look at each other, I’m not sure how much longer Ace or Andrea is going to hold back.
“Leesa,” Jax calls, his voice drawing my attention back. “Can you give me a hand?”
I smile at the man I love so much as I walk over. I carefully wrap my arms around his waist when I join him at the grill, and lean into him. “What can I do for you?”
“First,” he says, putting down the tongs. “This.” He pulls me into a kiss and everything in me glows with happiness. His tongue pushes against my lips, but I pull back, color burning my cheeks.
“Later,” I say, running my fingers through his beard.
“If you insist,” he winks at me, and my heart expands more. “Could you take these burgers over to the table? We’re almost ready to eat.”
He hands me the plate, his fingers brushing mine, and the way his eyes soften makes my heart flutter. One year in, and the way he looks at me still steals my breath.
“You’re the best thing here, not the burger,” he murmurs, low enough for only me to hear.
I shake my head, grinning, and step closer to kiss his cheek. “I love you, too.”
“Jordan,” I say, going over to where he’s sitting on the edge of the clearing. “How are you?”
His head lifts at my voice, and a faint smile crosses his face as I hold out a cold beer. He takes it, nodding his thanks, and gestures to the empty seat beside him.
“Didn’t mean to pull you away from the fun,” he says, his voice quiet but steady.
I settle into the chair, stretching my legs out in front of me. From here, the clearing around The Lodge looks perfect—laughing friends, kids chasing each other, Jax finishing up at the grill. It’s a sharp contrast to the tension I sense from Jordan, sitting rigid beside me.
“You didn’t. I needed a breather.” I tilt my head, studying him. “What about you? Are you okay?”
He exhales, running a hand through his short-cropped hair. “Yeah. Just...it’s been a long week.”
I don’t push, but watch how his fingers tighten around the bottle. Tension and grief are rolling off him.
“I just got back,” he says finally, his voice low. “From Keenan’s funeral.”
“I’m so sorry,” I say softly, and he nods without looking at me. “I wish I had a chance to meet him.”
“Yeah,” he murmurs. “It was hard. Seeing Hanna…” His voice trails off, and a shadow crosses his face.
“That’s his wife, right?”
I wait, giving him space to continue if he wants to. His jaw tightens, and for a moment, I think he might stop. But then he sighs, a sound heavy with things unsaid.
“She’s holding up,” he says, almost to himself. “Strong as ever.”
There’s something in the way he says it—an ache that feels deeper than just grief for his friend. I glance at him, but he’s staring at his beer, picking at the label with his thumbnail.
“You must have been close,” I venture.
He nods once. “We were. Keenan was the brother I never had. I’d almost convinced him to come live up here at Silver Pine Ridge.” He smiles ruefully, then shakes his head with a bitter smile.
“If you ever need anything,” I say after a moment, “you know Jax and I are here for you. Whatever we can do, you just have to ask.”
His smile is faint but genuine this time. “Thanks, Leesa. That means a lot.”
We sit in silence for a few minutes. Jax’s men aren’t much to talk about their feelings, but I know that sometimes just being present counts more than anything else.
After we all finish eating, Jax stands, his chair scraping lightly against the ground as he rises. He clears his throat, holding a beer in one hand and resting the other on the back of his chair. The murmur of conversation around the tables quiets almost instantly, heads turning toward him.
“Well,” he starts, his voice steady but carrying that natural authority he always seems to have. “I’m not much for speeches, but I reckon tonight calls for one.”
A few chuckles ripple through the group, and Jax smirks before glancing around the tables. “You all know The Lodge has been in my family for more than a hundred years. My great-granddad built it, back when folks needed a place to gather out here in the middle of nowhere. Over the years, it’s been a rooming house, seen weddings, holidays, and even the occasional brawl when the whiskey flowed a little too freely.”
More laughter, a little louder this time. Jax waits a beat before continuing, his voice softening.
“When I moved back here, I thought I’d be picking up where my family left off—keeping the place running, doing my own thing. But it felt...empty. The Lodge is far too much space for one man, even if that man is me.” His lips twitch into a faint smile, but there’s a depth in his tone that silences the group again.
Jax’s eyes find mine across the table, and the weight of his gaze makes my chest ache in the best way.
“But then I found Leesa on the side of the road. I don’t have the words to explain how, but I knew from the moment I laid eyes on her that she would be mine,” he says, his voice deepening with emotion. “I’m thankful each and every day that she chose me. Leesa has brought more than just her laugh, her stubbornness, and her ability to keep me on my toes. She brought life back to this place. To me.”
The crowd murmurs softly, a few whistles and “awws” breaking out, but Jax doesn’t take his eyes off me.
“Leesa, I don’t know how I got lucky enough to call you mine, but I do know this: The Lodge is now a home. Because of you.”
He raises his beer, his lips curling into a small but unmistakable smile. “So here’s to my woman—the one who makes me the happiest man alive. I love you, darlin’.”
The crowd erupts into cheers, glasses and bottles clinking as the toast sweeps through the tables. Heat rises to my cheeks as Jax steps around the table and pulls me to my feet, his arms wrapping around me and holding me tightly.
“Come here,” he mutters, his voice low and full of affection.
He kisses me, and I lean into him. My core sparks with desire and as much as I love everyone here, I can’t wait until it’s just the two of us tonight.
“I wondered where you got off to,” Jax’s voice rumbles behind me, low and teasing.
I glance back, my hands still wrapped around the cool glass of lemonade I snagged from the drink table. He’s standing there, barefoot in the grass, his apron slung over his shoulder, the last rays of sunlight catching in his hair. He looks as much a part of this mountain as the pines towering behind him.
“Just needed a moment,” I say, leaning against a tree at the edge of the clearing. “It’s too pretty to ignore. No matter how many days I’ve been here, I’m still speechless at the beauty right outside our home. I never tire of looking at it.”
His gaze slides past me to the horizon, where the sky is spilling into shades of gold and crimson. “It is,” he says, stepping closer, “but not as pretty as you.”
“Smooth,” I laugh, but my breath hitches when his arms circle my waist, pulling me against him.
“Not trying to be,” he murmurs, dipping his head so his lips brush my temple. “Just telling the truth.”
The warmth of his embrace wraps around me, the strength of his chest steady against my back. I lean into him, letting the moment wash over me. In Jax’s arms, I feel more sure of myself and more loved than I imagined was even possible.
“You’re gonna spoil me if you keep talking like that,” I say softly, tilting my head to catch his eyes.
“Good,” he replies, and the word is full of quiet conviction. He turns me to face him, his hands settling on my hips. “Leesa, you’ve given me more than I ever thought I’d have. This life, this love...you’ve made me the happiest man in the world.”
My throat tightens as his words settle into the deepest part of me. I rest my hands on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath my palms.
“I think you’ve got it backward,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “You’re the one who saved me.”
His hands slide up, cupping my face with a gentleness that takes my breath away. “We saved each other.”
He kisses me then, his lips soft but insistent. Desire surges through my body and I slip my hands up to his neck, pulling him closer, and letting myself fall into the depths of our love. Jax’s hands roam over my body, heating my skin and making me yearn for more.
When he pulls back, his forehead rests against mine, his breath warm and even. “I love you, Leesa. More than anything.”
“I love you, too,” I say, and it feels like the first time, every time, all at once. Every time I tell Jax I love him, a new level of love opens in my heart. It always feels like my heart is full, but somehow as my love for Jax grows deeper, my heart is expanding and holding more love.
“Oh,” I say, pausing and stopping. “I wanted to ask about Jordan.”
Jax’s eyes meet mine and he nods slowly. “It’s terrible what happened to Keenan. He was a good soldier and a good man.”
“I wish I could have met him. Jordan clammed up when I asked about Hanna. Is everything okay there?”
Jax exhales loudly and rubs his hand along his jaw. “That’s… That’s a story of its own. Jordan has been in love with Hana for a long time.”
“What?” I say, surprised. I was expecting something the opposite.
“Yeah. He doesn’t talk about it, but Jordan has been mooning over her for as long as I can remember.”
“That must be…” I say, but stop. I don’t even know how to put words to what I imagine that must feel like for Jordan.
Jax nods. “It is.”
“Do you think he might pursue her?”
Jax looks at me and shrugs. “Don’t know. That’s an emotional minefield.”
“Well, we both need to remember to check on him. He’s a good man.”
“That he is,” Jax says, tightening his arm around my shoulders. “I appreciate that you’re looking out for him, too.”
“Of course. He’s part of the family. We look out for each other.”
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last year, is that family isn’t necessarily by blood. Instead, it’s the people who stand beside you when things are tough and who always have your back, no questions asked. Everyone on Silver Pine Ridge is family.
“Come on,” he says, his voice quiet. “They’ll come looking for us if we’re gone too long.”
I laugh as he threads his fingers through mine, tugging me gently toward The Lodge and our guests. The sun sinks lower, casting the yard in twilight, but I don’t mind. The best light is the one shining from Jax.
This man saved me on the worst day of my life, and now every day with him is the best day of my life. I am thankful each day we wake up together and go to sleep together. Our love is greater than any I’ve ever seen, and we just grow stronger with each passing day.
I wouldn’t change a thing about my life.