Epilogue
TWO YEARS LATER
MERRITT
Laurel stands up from her desk, stretching her arms over her head, then rubs her hands over the taut skin of her belly. I've loved watching her change as our baby has grown, and there's something even more beautiful about her now than the moment we met.
I expanded the cabin, adding on space for a baby's room, and a small office. It's enough for us, at least for now. Who knows what the future will bring. As long as we're together, I'm happy.
Laurel left her job in the city three months after we met and started volunteering her marketing services to the Rescue and Restoration Shelter that was the reason we met. She goes into town three days a week to work from a community office space for virtual meetings and to submit her designs. Because of them, I have this woman in my life. A large donation was made to them to mark the day she crashed into my world. And another one in honor of our wedding. The investment group I'm part of is now working with the shelter to sponsor more veterans in their job training and residence program. I meant what I said to my wife in the truck that afternoon.
My money is there to care for what I love.
And I love this woman.
Laurel spots me standing in the doorway and smiles. Holding her hands out to me, she waves me forward.
"Give me a hug, big man. Your baby is kicking extra hard this morning, and I'm running out of space for him. If he doesn't decide to get her soon, I might explode."
I hold her close, careful not to squeeze too tight. She melts against me, and I hold her up, careful to watch for any signs that her blood pressure is causing her problems. When she gets excited and jumps up to do things without thinking, I'm always ready to catch her when she falls. Pregnancy has forced her to move a little more slowly, and I'm grateful for that.
My wife takes a deep breath and then smiles against my chest. "You smell like pine."
"Probably because I was outside. There are lots of pine trees out there."
She leans back, mouth open wide in fake astonishment. "Did the grumpy lumberjack I married just make a joke? I can't believe it."
I shrug and make another. "Seems like someone's been a bad influence on me."
That pulls a full laugh from her, and I revel in the sound, until she doubles over. Her hands grip my arms, nails digging in, and my happiness shifts quickly to concern.
"Laurel, honey, what's wrong?"
She raises her head, teeth clamped over her lower lip, then says, "Well, I think we're having a baby."
"What?" I look down at her, not quite believing this is the moment we've been waiting for.
"I was having some cramps sitting down, and I thought stretching would help. But now, I'm pretty sure those cramps were actually contractions." She winces, gripping me hard again. "Yep. Definitely contractions."
I'm moving before she can say anymore, striding into the bedroom to grab her packed bag and a coat, then back to where she's leaning against her desk for support.
"Time to go, honey." I don't give her a chance to protest or argue, just scoop her up into my arms, and carry her out of the cabin to the truck. The truck that brought her here in the first place. The same truck that will bring us back here after our baby is born, and I'll have the most important thing in the world.
A family.