Epilogue
THREE YEARS LATER
SAMI
That couldn’t be right? The wand I was holding shook as I tried to contain my shock. So many wonderful things had happened since I moved to Misty Mountain, and here was another. The first had been Finn’s unwavering love and devotion. Theo Mason Campbell had been the second.
The hazel eyed, chubby baby had necessitated me saying goodbye to the Pine and Petal, but only from behind the counter. Unfortunately, the various smells of the coffee and baked goods had made my near pregnancy long morning sickness unbearable.
Thankfully, once he’d been born, I was able to visit Ms. Clara’s cafe and indulge in one of her honey and lavender lattes again while she ooh’d and aah’d over her godson.
Now at thirty-seven, I couldn’t have been happier. Becoming a mom was the blessing I never thought I’d experience. But this? It was beyond what I could have dreamed of.
Plus, Finn had just published the first book in his new series, and the novel recently became a New York Times Bestseller. Life had never been more exciting especially as our raven-haired two-and-half-year-old son ruled the roost with his daredevil antics.
The latest was riding empty cardboard boxes down the staircase. He was keeping me on my toes in between working on my design projects when he napped or after he’d gone to bed. Finn and I would take turns depending on our deadlines. Finn was even now knee deep in his next manuscript. I was beyond proud of him and the little family we’d created.
And most nights, after Theo went to bed, Finn made sure I never forgot how much he loved my curves. But I should have realized that when a new wave of exhaustion hit me a couple weeks ago that it had nothing to do with our toddler, but the new life the positive pregnancy stick in my still shaking hand had just declared.
I wanted to run and tell him, but he was on the phone with West. They’d been working on dates when Finn could make another visit to the veteran’s retreat in his hometown of Pineville, Idaho.
I’d been hoping to go with him this trip since it would be the first time we could introduce Theo to his friends. Maybe my morning sickness wouldn’t be as bad this time as it had with our son. I couldn’t wait to call my cousins and the friends I’d made the last few years. Each one had discovered their own happily ever after in Misty Mountain with one of the men who came to this small town looking for either solitude or a fresh start and had found love instead.
An hour later, after I put Theo down, I was settled in our bed. I was practically vibrating with excitement as I tried to appear normal, but feared my perma-grin would give me away. But I ruined it when Finn walked into the room, when I burst into tears.
“Babe.” He sat on the bed next to me and tugged me into his arms. “Let me guess. Rough bath time with the wild child?”
Sniffing, then laughing, I wiped my tears. “Yes, but that’s not why I’m crying.”
“If I guess the reason, can we get naked? I’ll make it all better, promise.” Finn’s heat-filled teasing had my stomach flipping with anticipation.
“Deal.” Would I ever tire of this man’s need for me? Not likely.
“Great, I love our deals. But I love you more.”
And there went my hormones. I burst into tears again. “You really have no idea what you do to me, Finn Campbell. And I will always love you, even when I’m cursing you again when I push out this second baby.”
His handsome face wasn’t filled with shock. Instead, he was frowning and for a moment I feared the grumpiness that I thought he’d buried for good was back.
“You didn’t give me a chance to guess. Because of course I knew you were pregnant. How could I not? You’ve been tired and ornerier than a mama bear emerging after hibernation with her cubs. Now come here so I can take off your nightgown.”
“I should have known. Nothing gets by you, does it?”
“Not much. And in case you’re worried, I’m happy. Maybe this time we’ll have a little girl. Because lord knows our son needs a sister, whom I pray will have your temperament. We need another female in the house to balance out the wildness he inherited from me.” Finn dropped a kiss on my forehead and another surge of tears hit me. “Oh, Finn.” I sighed.
“Oh, wait. What did you and West decide? I really want to go, but if I’m as sick as last time….”
“A worry for later, sweetheart. He’ll understand. He knows family comes first. Besides, it sounds like he has his hands full with a woman of his own. Something about the caterer they hired to help out with meals, being too stubborn and independent for her own good. Which is something I have had experience with, so I should be able to talk him off the cliff.”
Pinching him, we shared a laugh. “Hey, I resemble that description. Do you think he has a thing for her?”
“Rangers seem to have similar taste in the women they fall for, so I would say there’s more than a good chance that my buddy has finally met his match. Now, back to our deal.” Finn removed my nightgown and placed his hands on my belly, then kissed me sweetly.
I hadn’t quite lost all my baby weight from Theo, but Finn’s every touch assured me he loved my curves as much as he did me and didn’t that make me the luckiest woman in Misty Mountain?
I helped him undress in between long, hot kisses and, like every other time we made love,
I counted my blessings. His love, our children, and our life together had been the dream I’d never dared myself to have and so damn glad he refused to let me walk away after that first night together.
Thank you for reading Finn and Sami’s story. If you have a moment, I would be grateful if you left a review—no matter how short, it really helps other readers discover my book.