Epilogue
. . .
Axel
Archer
I let Mrs. Dowden go today.
Rafe
We should declare this a national holiday.
Easton
What made you finally do it?
Bridger
Was it because she never got off the damn chair?
Or maybe because Melody had become her caregiver?
Clark
Or the fact that she was charging you for the hours she was sleeping?
Rafe
I mean, she hit me up for foot rubs every time I stopped by. It’s shocking that that wasn’t reason enough.
Archer
You can all eat a bag a dicks.
Archer
But no to all of the above. The reason I let her go is because Melody told me that Mrs. Dowden told her that she was too tired to be her nanny, but she didn’t know how to tell me.
Bridger
For fuck’s sake. The five-year-old pulled the rip cord?
Archer
Sure, if you want to look at it that way. Melody loves the woman, and she’s been with her for a long time. And I knew Mrs. Dowden relied on that income. But apparently, she’s fine financially and she looked relieved when we spoke.
Proud of you, brother.
Rafe
I’m just relieved you won’t be bringing her to Paris for the wedding. I thought we were going to need to hire someone to care for her while we were there.
Clark
So what will you do now? You need someone to pick Melody up from school and to take care of her until you get home from work.
Archer
Yes. I’m looking now and I may have a possible lead. Or at least I think I do.
Bridger
It’s not Mrs. Dowden’s sister, is it?’
Archer
Archer
Mrs. Dowden is actually the one who may have found her replacement.
Easton
This just keeps getting better.
Archer
You know she’s good friends with Oscar and Edith, and apparently their niece is moving to town and she’s looking for part-time work.
I don’t have all the details, but I spoke to Edith this morning when I took Melody to the Honey Biscuit Café for pancakes and she said that her niece Winnie is great with kids.
I’m meeting her next week when she gets to town.
She may even want to do a trade, as she’s looking for a place to live as well and I’ve got the attached casita.
Easton
This sounds great, Archie. You need a break.
I feel good about it.
Clark
Maybe you’ll hire her on the spot, and she’ll be willing to come to Paris with you, so you’ll have some help while we’re there.
Archer
That would be ideal if it works out. I hope it’s a good fit.
Rafe
Happy for you, Archie.
So, is Mrs. Dowden officially gone?
Archer
Yes. But we’re having a retirement party for her this weekend, so you all need to get your asses to my house on Saturday.
Bridger
What is she retiring from? Napping at your house?
Archer
Years of service to me and my daughter, asshole.
Of course we’ll be there. Happy for you, brother.
I’d sent Wren a text to meet me at our tree because I had a surprise for her.
I’d been planning it for a few weeks now. Ever since we’d returned to Rosewood River.
It was nothing fancy, because I knew my girl well enough to know what she’d want.
I could see her and Wrax galloping toward me in the distance. It took me back to all those years ago when I’d wait for her in this very place.
This was where it had all started.
And in a way, we were starting our next chapter right here.
A new chapter of a story that had started a long time ago.
The sun was just getting ready to go down. Wren came to a stop in front of me and climbed off Wrax, then tied him to the tree, beside Honey.
“What’s all this?” She glanced around at the twinkle lights I’d strung around the tree. So maybe I’d done a few things to make it special. This was Wren, after all. And it had taken us a long time to get here.
“It’s just a little something.”
“A little something, huh?” she chuckled. “You’ve got lights strung and a dozen vases filled with wildflowers.”
“Well, we do know the best florist in town.” I dropped down on one knee.
“Axel,” she whispered.
“Take my hand, baby.” I took her hand in mine.
“You are the most amazing woman I’ve ever known, Wren Waterstone.
You’re strong and fierce and kind and confident.
I love your heart, Wren. The strong and the vulnerable sides.
I love that you’re the first person I want to talk to when I wake up in the morning and the last person I want to see before I go to sleep at night.
I cherish our history and the memories that we’ve made, but I look most forward to the future and the adventures we’ll have together.
I want forever with you, Wren. I want to ride horses, and make babies,” I said as she laughed.
“You want to have children or make babies?”
“Well, I’d like to have children eventually, but I want to spend a lot of time making the babies first.” I winked at her. “I want to grow old with you, sitting under this very tree, watching the sun set. Just me and my Horse Girl.”
“I’ve been yours long before you even claimed me, Cowboy,” she whispered as a tear ran down her cheek.
“Will you marry me, Wren?” I opened the box to show her the platinum band with the two-carat diamond sitting in the center, surrounded by a platinum horseshoe filled with twenty-five smaller pave diamonds. I showed her the inscription that I’d had engraved inside the band.
In a heartbeat.
“Always yes.” She smiled and lunged forward as I wrapped my arms around her.
“Thanks for making me the happiest man in the world,” I said as I slipped the ring onto her finger. She held her hand up to admire it.
She lay on top of me with a big, goofy smile on her face. And then she leaned down and kissed me just as the sun tucked behind the mountain. “Love you, Cowboy.”
“Love you more.” I tipped her back and I kissed her.
My heart.
My love.
My Horse Girl.
My forever.
THE END