Epilogue #2
I’d been shocked—at fifteen, the idea of being naked in front of a girl, much less one I had a massive crush on, would have been the absolute worst thing imaginable.
Not for my kid, though. “What’s the big deal, Dad?
” he’d asked the next morning when we were grounding him. “They’re just bodies. We all have one.”
I shook my head as I recalled the completely guileless look on his face. Fucking kids. They were a different breed these days.
Eden’s eyes twinkled as she caught Cole’s eyes. “How is Lucy?”
Cole’s face immediately flushed red, the dishrag in his hand going still. “She’s … she’s good,” he mumbled, suddenly finding the countertop fascinating.
“Just good?” Eden pressed, that knowing smile playing at her lips. “Didn’t you two have that science project due this week?”
“We got an A,” Cole said, his voice cracking slightly. He cleared his throat, shooting a look at me that clearly said, ‘ Help me out here, Dad .’
I grinned, enjoying his discomfort way too much. “An A, huh? Must have been some biology project.”
“It was about marine biology,” Cole said quickly, scrubbing at the counter with more force than necessary. “Nothing … nothing weird.”
Eden laughed softly, taking a sip of her juice. “I’m sure it was very educational.”
“Can we please not talk about this anymore?” Cole groaned, but he was smiling despite himself. He tossed the dishrag into the sink and turned to face us. “It’s bad enough that Benny keeps making kissing sounds every time she walks by.”
“Maybe don’t get caught kissing her, and he won’t,” I teased.
“Dad!” Cole’s voice went up an octave.
Just then, the sound of gravel crunching in the driveway saved him from further embarrassment.
“Saved by Uncle Gage,” I said, grinning.
Cole practically ran to the window. “Yeah, that’s him. I should go help him with his gear.”
“Tell him coffee’s on if he wants some,” Eden called after him as he bolted for the door.
After making sure Eden was settled upstairs for her rest and then finishing up some paperwork, I found myself standing in the nursery doorway, looking at the crib we’d put together last month.
In a few weeks, our daughter would be here. The thought still took my breath away—that something so perfect could come from something that had once felt so broken.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Eden appeared beside me, her hand finding mine.
“Just thinking about how far we’ve come,” I said. “How different everything is now.”
“But better, right?” she asked, though she already knew the answer.
“So much better,” I confirmed, pulling her close. “I used to think this kind of happiness wasn’t meant for me.”
“And now?”
I looked around the nursery—at the paintings I’d hung earlier in the day, at the rocking chair where I’d read our little girl bedtime stories, at the window where morning light would stream in to wake her up.
Then I looked at my wife, at the life we’d built together, at the love that had healed us both.
“Now I know that sometimes the best things come from the most unexpected places at the most unexpected times,” I said, my voice catching. “And I’m grateful for every single day.”
She smiled, that beautiful smile that had changed everything, and I knew that whatever came next, we’d face it together. Our family was complete, our love was strong, and our future was bright.
And that was more than enough.
Want to find out what happens when Gage Mercer meets his match? Keep reading for a sneak peek at the second book in the Three Pines Ranch series.
MADE FOR YOU
The resort was supposed to be proof that I could lead my family’s empire. It was also a way to honor the valley that had claimed my heart years ago.
I expected long, exhausting nights … just not with rugged cowboy Gage Mercer in my bed.
He was everything I shouldn’t want: rooted where I’ve always been a wanderer, content where I’m constantly chasing more.
I tried to keep my distance by telling myself I couldn’t afford distractions. But resisting Gage was like trying not to breathe.
We called it casual, a fire destined to burn itself out. And the more I resisted, the deeper I fell.
I didn’t just let go of the reins—I surrendered. And Gage knew exactly what to do when he was the one in control.
With him, I wasn’t just chasing success. I was exactly who I was meant to be.
His.
Chapter One
Gage
The second I stepped inside, I immediately spotted her—the kind of woman who belonged in a Manhattan penthouse, not propped against a rough oak bar in a Bridger Falls honky tonk.
She wore a form-fitting black dress that hugged her curves in all the right places.
Large, bright diamonds winked in her ears.
A slim platinum watch circled her wrist—one I knew she didn’t get at the mall.
Her dark, glossy hair was pulled up into one of those tight, sexy ponytails I loved to wrap around my fist and yank.
I could feel my fingers practically twitching to grab hold and hang on for the ride.
And when she crossed her legs, the flash of red under her stilettos told me exactly the type of money I was dealing with, which made me wonder: what the hell was she doing in a place like this?
I took a few steps toward the bar, then paused, hooking my thumbs in my front pockets and debating whether to go up to her.
I rolled my shoulders back, trying to shake off a sudden case of nerves, and ran a hand through my hair before I could stop myself.
Truth was, I wasn’t sure if I should bother.
The girls I usually hooked up with were tourists wanting their authentic cowboy experience or hometown girls who knew the score. Sweet, simple, no strings attached.
This woman, though? She looked like she’d eat me alive and enjoy every damn bite.
And for some reason that I couldn’t explain, the idea of messing up that cool, polished composure? Yeah. That thought had me harder than I cared to admit.
My older brother Colt, whistled beside me. “Damn.”
I dragged my gaze away from the woman to see him staring at her, too.
Fuck. I didn’t usually go up against Colt when it came to hookups.
Not because I couldn’t hold my own—I did just fine, thank you very much—but the guy had that whole tall, dark, and brooding thing down cold.
Women ate that shit up with a spoon. Me?
I was more of a golden retriever than a lone wolf, and I wasn’t about to get caught in a pissing match.
“Don’t worry,” Colt said with a grin, clapping me on the shoulder. “Not my type, but I can see why she snagged your attention.”
I grinned. “She’s not my usual type either.” Something about her wasn’t just beautiful. She radiated control. Like she owned the room without even trying. A woman like that would normally scare the shit out of me, but maybe that’s what had caught my eye.
Colt shook his head, his mouth quirking to the side in a wry smile. “You say that, but if I asked you to describe your ideal woman right now without stopping to think, how would you answer?”
“Easy.” I faced him fully and started counting off on my fingers. “Wide hips.” One finger. “Tiny waist.” Two. “Thick thighs.” Three. “Long hair. Plush lips.” I finished the list with a shrug, my palm open.
He lifted his right eyebrow before tipping his head in the direction of the woman. “You were saying?”
I turned back toward her, dragging my eyes down the length of her body and cataloging her features. Wide hips, check. Tiny waist, check. Those thighs? Shit. Long hair pulled tight into that ponytail I wanted to do very bad things with. And those lips pressed on her wine glass? Plush as sin.
My mouth went dry, and heat shot through me. My jeans got uncomfortably tight, and I had to force myself not to adjust my stance. This woman didn’t just tick my boxes. She was the whole fucking list.
“Huh,” I huffed in surprise.
“Good luck, brother,” Colt said with a laugh, already turning toward the pool tables.
You only live once, right? I thought, shoving a hand through my hair. I wasn’t about to let a woman like that walk out of here without at least trying. The worst she could do was shoot me down.
I straightened my shirt and made my way over, my steps slow and casual as I tried to calm my beating heart and pretend I hadn’t been staring at her like a dumbass from the moment I walked in.
When I reached the bar, I angled my body toward her, leaning on one elbow.
Her scent hit me first—warm and heady, like jasmine and vanilla wrapped in smoke and silk.
The kind of perfume that lingered on your skin and in your damn memory.
Expensive and sensual as hell. Christ. I was already half-hard, and I hadn’t even spoken to her yet.
Shit, get it together, man.
“That seat taken?” I asked, my voice coming out low and rough as I gestured with my chin toward the empty stool between us.
She looked up slowly, cool green eyes sweeping over me like she was appraising livestock, starting at the tips of my boots and going all the way up to the top of my forehead and then back down.
She took a deliberate sip of her wine, never breaking eye contact, before setting the glass down with a soft clink.
Her lips tilted into a smirk. “That depends,” she said, her voice a rich purr. “Are you going to be interesting?”
I laughed nervously, my heart kicking in my chest as her response caught me off guard. I shifted my weight from one boot to the other, suddenly aware of how she was studying me. “I can try.”
When was the last time a woman had made me work for it? Lately, it felt like all the girls I’d been fucking had come easy. The sex was fun, sure, but somewhere along the line, I’d started missing the thrill of the chase. The spark that came from having to earn it.
“Is trying the best you’ve got?” she asked, turning slightly in her seat to face me more fully. Her wine glass dangled from her fingertips, the red liquid catching the low light.