Epilogue
Lennix
Afew months later
I stood at the entrance of my barn, leaning a shoulder against the open doorway as I watched Raylan and Toby brushing down Corona and Zephyr.
Not long after that day in the woods, Raylan had moved in with me officially, giving up the tiny apartment over the barn.
A few days later, we cleaned out the empty stall so he could move his horse in as well.
I was pleased to say that my sweet, gentle mare was able to smooth the rough edges of the grumpy gelding.
He was happy here. Hell, he even loved my crazy donkey, Dexter, as much as Corona did.
Though he could still take or leave me, it seemed. But I was working really hard on winning him over. Raylan kept promising it would happen, but I thought he was only trying to keep me from taking it too personally.
My heart clenched when Toby said something that made Raylan’s head fall back on a deep belly laugh.
I would never get tired of hearing that sound, but what really hit me was the way Toby’s entire face lit up as he watched him.
Making Raylan laugh like that was a gift to the kid, one he clearly cherished.
Seeing that only solidified the decision I’d made a few weeks ago.
One I’d already put into motion, although I still needed to tell Raylan.
I was sure he’d be happy with my plan, so I wasn’t worried.
Toby had been spending a lot more time with us since that fateful day.
Everything that happened had given my man a new perspective on life, and he’d decided he wasn’t going to waste a single moment holding himself back from the people he loved.
That included the little boy who needed him as much as Raylan needed Toby.
They were two peas in a pod, and every time I got the chance to watch them together like this, my heart swelled a little bit bigger.
Raylan’s head came up, his eyes catching mine, and that dimple popped as he smiled, lighting the barn with its beauty. He said something to Toby that made the boy nod, then he looked back at me as well. “Can I go play with the goats?” he asked.
The pygmy goats from the hobby farm were officially living it up in their new home, enjoying the shelter Raylan and Toby had built them with their own hands. They’d quickly become his favorite. “Sure. But remember what I said.”
He rolled his eyes teasingly. “Yeah, yeah. No headbutting.”
A giggle slid up my throat as he took off toward the pen. I had a feeling there was going to be at least one headbutt. I prayed it didn’t end with a concussion. Though, according to my mom, that was par for the course when it came to young boys.
My belly knotted with hunger, warmth building in my core as Rayland turned and sauntered my way. God, he really was the most beautiful man I’d ever laid eyes on.
“I see those wheels spinnin’ in your head, baby,” he said, looping his arm around my waist just as soon as I was within reach and tugging me flush against him. He smelled like hay and dust, but underneath it was the leather and spice that was all him. “What’s on your mind?”
It wasn’t the first time he’d asked something like that, and it wouldn’t be the last. Since everything that had happened with Davis, he felt the need to keep his finger on my pulse in case he needed to step in and pull me out of the darkness.
But that darkness was growing fainter with each passing day.
Thanks to hours of therapy and the love of a good man, life had finally returned to normal.
What happened that day would always stay with me.
It would stay with Raylan as well, but eventually it would be nothing more than a distant memory.
Together, we’d make sure it didn’t fester, turning into something insidious that held on and refused to let go.
Like I told him all those months ago, I knew exactly how strong I was.
I could have done without having to prove it, but now everyone else knew as well. Not that my man ever had a doubt.
“I was thinking that we need to clear all the junk out of that back bedroom and get some new furniture for it.”
His brows pinched together with curiosity. “Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
“Because I’ve been talking to my mom, and she said if we want to qualify as foster parents, we need to create a space for Toby that is all his.”
Raylan’s body locked up for a second before his gaze turned to molten metal. “Chaos,” he breathed reverently.
I placed my hands on his chest and tipped my head back so he could see how serious I was.
“This is what we were always meant to do, Raylan. I can feel it here.” I tapped my chest, right above my heart.
“We were meant to find each other so we could become what he needs, and the three of us were meant to be a family.”
He squeezed his eyes closed, leaning in to rest his forehead against mine. “Just when I think I couldn’t possibly love you any more than I already do, you go and do something like this, and I realize my heart can get even bigger.”
God, I loved this man. “I told you once that we deserved each other. That I chose you. Well, that kid over there deserves us. So I’m choosing him. And I want you to choose him too.”
“It’s not even a question, baby. I’ll choose both of you every single day for the rest of my life.”
My smile was so big, it made my cheeks hurt. “Good. Because Mom’s already got everything in the works to make sure we qualify to become his foster parents. After that, we’ll make him ours.”
“And we’ll give him the kind of love our families gave us.”
We certainly would. Because this was only the beginning for us. And I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.
The End.
Thank you so much for reading, and keep an eye out for information on the final book in the Second Hope series, coming soon!