Epilogue #2
"She gets that from me." I lean against him, overcome with love for this man and the family we're creating. "Thank you. For this. For everything."
He wraps his arms around me, one hand still on my belly. "I should be thanking you. Two years ago I was alone on this mountain, convinced that's how I wanted it. Then you stormed in with your sassy mouth and your art supplies, and suddenly nothing made sense unless you were part of it."
"Quite a Christmas miracle," I tease, though my eyes are damp.
"The best one." He kisses me softly. "Though this year's miracle might give it competition."
We stand in his workshop, his hands cradling our growing daughter, snow falling outside, the sounds of our friends and family filtering through the door. It's everything neither of us knew we were looking for until we found each other.
Back in the living room, Chellie is teaching baby Noah how to "properly" open presents by demonstrating with one of her own gifts.
Ridge and Stella watch indulgently while Mason snaps photos.
Chloe and her boyfriend are deep in conversation with Dr. Matthews about the upcoming New Year's Eve celebration in town.
"Everything okay?" Ridge asks as we rejoin them.
"Perfect." I settle onto the couch, tucking myself against Jared's side. "Just got a preview of my husband's latest creation."
"Another woodland creature?" Stella asks. "The nursery's starting to look like a miniature forest."
"A cradle this time." I can't keep the pride from my voice. "Handmade and absolutely gorgeous."
"Of course it is." Ridge grins at Jared. "Jay doesn't do things halfway."
"Never have." Jared's arm tightens around my shoulders. "Never will."
Later, after our guests have departed and the cabin is quiet again, I stand at our bedroom window watching the snow blanket our mountain home. Jared moves behind me, hands automatically finding my belly, his now familiar touch instantly calming our active daughter.
"She always settles for you," I observe. "Daddy's girl already."
"She knows my voice." There's wonder in his tone. "I still can't believe we made a whole person."
"Well, she's not quite finished yet. Still cooking." I lean back against his chest. "But yeah, it's pretty miraculous."
We stand in comfortable silence, watching the snow, until the baby delivers a particularly enthusiastic kick that makes us both laugh.
"Definitely your daughter," Jared murmurs against my hair. "Already making her presence known."
"Just wait until she's actually here. Between my stubbornness and your intensity, we're in for quite the adventure."
"I can't wait." His sincerity warms me from the inside. "Every day with you is already more than I ever thought I'd have. Adding her to the mix? It's everything."
I turn in his arms, cupping his face in my hands. The scar on his cheek is smooth beneath my palm, as familiar now as every other part of him. "I love you, Jared.
"I love you too, Jen. With all I have."
"And to think it all started with a fake marriage scheme." I laugh softly. "Not exactly the romantic meeting most couples brag about."
"I don't know." His eyes crinkle at the corners. "Hiring a fake wife who becomes a real one? Sounds like the plot of one of those Christmas movies you love."
"True." I kiss him lightly. "But our ending is better. Happily ever after with a baby on the way and a lifetime of Christmases to come."
"Not an ending." His hand spreads across my belly, warmth seeping through my nightgown. "Just the beginning."
As if in agreement, our daughter kicks again, a gentle reminder of the future waiting for us. A future neither of us could have imagined that snowy December day when a desperate mountain man hired his best friend's sister for a holiday charade.
The Mountain Man's Fake Christmas Bride. Except there's nothing fake about the life we've built together, the love we share, or the family we're creating in this cabin on the mountain.
And as the snow falls silently outside and my husband holds me close, I know with absolute certainty that some Christmas miracles are meant to last forever.
Jared and Jen’s HEA have only just began. Want to see how life is going for them? Check here for an exclusive bonus epilogue.
If you loved Jared & Jen in The Mountain Man’s Fake Christmas Bride, you’ll love Curvy Christmas Magic for the Mountain Man by Kat Vroman
Next up we are exploring the journey to love for a group of ex-special forces operatives who've "gone dark" into the Nevada mountains in Whisper Vale, living off-grid mountain man lifestyles while running an elite, discrete security firm.
They're the guys you call when you need protection but want to disappear into the wilderness to stay safe.
First up is Decker "Deck" Cross - The Commander in Guarding The Witness: A Mountain Man Bodyguard Romance.
A steamy mountain man bodyguard romance featuring a grumpy ex-Delta Force commander who lives off-grid, the sassy witness who invades his carefully controlled world, and forced proximity that ignites into explosive passion. Guaranteed HEA with no cheating.