Epilogue - Charlotte
Three years later
I play with my engagement ring and wedding band. It’s been three years since Grant proposed. Three years since I said yes. Two and a half since I said ‘yes’ again in front of a small group of friends without my parents there, since one meeting with them was enough to prove they’d never support Grant and me.
We’ve had a few disagreements, like when I pleaded for a dishwasher or the times one of us needed space but didn’t want to leave the house. But every fight has ended with a conversation, an assurance that we love each other, and new promises we’ve upheld. We have a dishwasher, I helped Grant build a garage so we could actually use the spare room, and he goes with me every Saturday to sell my soap in town at the farmer’s market while supporting my online sales too.
All that love, all the energy we’ve put into our relationship to make it work, to love and like each other, has come naturally and effortlessly.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Grant asks seriously.
I look back at him from where I’m trying to hang a painting in the newly renovated guest room. Grant grumbles and shakes his head. “We’ve talked about you doing too much.”
He hammers the nail effortlessly despite the fact I’ve been trying to do it for five minutes. I put a hand on my hip, but my hand slips to my back. “I can do some things. I don’t chop wood and haven’t all winter. I don’t-”
Grant turns around and kisses me softly before cupping my very big belly. He lifts ever so slightly as I groan. I love when he does that. It takes all the pressure off my back and feels so good. I sigh.
“I love you, Charlotte. I know you can do plenty, but I want you safe, unstressed, and relaxed. Eight months pregnant means I’m the one who takes care of things,” he argues while kissing my forehead.
I smile. “You missed.”
He presses his lips to mine, then dips down to his knees to lift my shirt and kiss my belly. “Tell Mom it’s time for her to lay down.”
Our baby kicks and Grant beams. He looks up at me and shakes his head. “I can’t believe our baby is growing in you.”
“And he’s active,” I say as I rub my belly. “Definitely like his dad, determined to do everything.”
Grant stands, then looks at the baby’s room with me. “So…we have birds, a baby-friendly forest theme, a crib I’ve tested ...”
“You built it, it’s perfect,” I promise, rubbing my husband’s chest. “We have books, diapers, clothes, stuffed animals, a night light, plenty for the baby.”
“Is it enough? Will I be enough?”
I love how worried he is about giving the baby everything. We’ve both talked a lot about our childhood since we found out I’m pregnant. Grant’s been nervous that he’s too rough to be a dad, but every moment of our relationship proves he’s not.
“You’re perfect with me, Grant. Always the right amount of gentle and clear. You’ll be perfect with our baby too,” I promise. “I can’t wait to see you as a dad.”
“Don’t you get that look in your eyes, missy. You had me this morning,” he chuckles.
A fun side effect of my pregnancy is constantly being horny. Without Grant, I wouldn’t get anything done between the raging hormones, the exhaustion of functioning, and the constant food cravings.
Grant picks me up honeymoon style and carries me to our couch. He sets me down, piles pillows behind me and rubs my feet. He chuckles softly and I arch an eyebrow. “What?”
“We’re married, you’re pregnant, and I still can’t believe it’s real,” he says. “Three years and two months of knowing each other and I’m sure I’m going to wake up and see an unread message on a dating site I never wanted to join.”
I giggle and rub my belly. “Meeting the right person online on our first try seems pretty lucky.”
“Destiny, Charlotte,” he says, giving my foot an extra squeeze. “We’ve been destiny because I can’t imagine feeling like this for anyone else. No one has ever made me feel the way you do. I was sure it was a myth.”
“We’ve built this together, Grant. We’ve had plenty of fights, but we choose to love each other and to make our happiness every day. It doesn’t matter how we started, we’re here now ... and growing,” I say as I rub my belly.
The look in his eyes is nothing short of pure love. It doesn’t matter what anyone says about us, the second they look at Grant and me, they know that once we met, there was no going back. He brags about me constantly, has always supported me, and I do the same. We challenge each other, support each other, and love unconditionally.
And this still just feels like the start. I reach for my husband and he grins. “What is it, wife?”
“I’d really like to kiss my husband right now,” I whisper, trying not to get choked up with my own feelings.
Grant pulls me closer and kisses me gently, then deeper. “I love you, Charlotte Walker.”
“And I love you more and more every day, Mr. Walker,” I say before kissing him again.
One message changed everything in my life, and I’m so thankful I took the leap with Grant. I know, without a doubt, that I was destined for the mountain man , and I wouldn’t trade this life, or the love we’ve built, for anything—forever feels like just the beginning with him.