Epilogue
GIA
TWO YEARS LATER
The sound of my eighteen-month-old son chattering to himself in his crib pulls me from sleep, his voice carrying through the baby monitor like morning sunshine.
Klaus Kane has inherited his father's early rising habits and what appears to be an endless supply of energy, even first thing in the morning.
"Mama! Dada! Up!"
Beside me, Rosco groans and pulls a pillow over his head. "Your turn."
"I got him up three times last night because he was teething." I stretch, feeling the pleasant ache of muscles well used. Last night was spectacular, even with Klaus's interruptions. Two years of marriage has only made the chemistry between us stronger.
"Fine, but I'm making coffee first."
"Make it strong. We've got the final custody paperwork review at ten, then lunch with your family, then the contractors are coming to look at the nursery addition."
"Busy day." Rosco sits up, his hair sticking up in directions that should be illegal. Even rumpled and grumpy, he's the most gorgeous man I've ever seen. "You nervous about the meeting?"
"Not anymore." And I mean it. The final custody hearing is just a formality at this point.
Zack pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges eighteen months ago and is serving a five-year sentence.
The restraining order keeps him away from us permanently, and Klaus's birth certificate lists Rosco as his father.
"Good. Because you know what today really is, right?"
I grin, sliding my arms around his neck. "Our second wedding anniversary."
"The anniversary of the best day of my life." He kisses me softly, the kind of gentle morning kiss that promises better things later. "Happy anniversary, Mrs. Kane."
"Happy anniversary, Mr. Kane."
Klaus's chattering gets more insistent, punctuated by the sound of him throwing his stuffed animals out of his crib. Our son has strong opinions about when his day should start, and sleeping past seven am is apparently not acceptable.
"I'll get him," Rosco says, kissing my forehead. "You take a shower. We've got time before we need to leave."
I watch him pad down the hallway in nothing but boxers, all muscles and confidence and Dad mode. Two years ago, I never could have imagined this life. Waking up happy, safe, surrounded by love and laughter and the beautiful chaos of a family.
The shower in our expanded master bathroom is one of the improvements we made last year when we added the second story to the cabin. Rosco designed it himself, with dual heads and a bench that's perfect for lazy Sunday mornings when Klaus naps.
When I emerge from the bedroom twenty minutes later, I find my boys in the kitchen.
Klaus is strapped into his high chair, cheerfully destroying a bowl of Cheerios while Rosco makes coffee and scrambled eggs.
The sight hits me the same way it does every morning, a wave of gratitude so intense it takes my breath away.
"Mama!" Klaus reaches sticky hands toward me, his face lit up with the kind of pure joy only toddlers can achieve. "Up! Up!"
"Good morning, baby boy." I kiss his cheek and steal a Cheerio from his tray. "Did you sleep well?"
"No sleep! Play!"
"Play later. Breakfast first." I settle at the table with my coffee, watching Rosco move around our kitchen with easy familiarity. Two years of mornings like this, and I still get butterflies watching him.
"Penny for your thoughts," he says, setting a plate of perfect eggs in front of me.
"Just thinking about how different my life is now. How different I am."
"Better different?"
"So much better." I catch his hand as he passes, bringing it to my lips. "I never thought I could have this. The safety, the stability, the absolute certainty that someone has my back no matter what."
"Always." He squeezes my fingers. "You'll never have to doubt that."
"I know." And I do know. The bone deep certainty that Rosco will always choose us, always put our family first, always be the man I can count on.
The drive to Vancouver takes an hour and a half, with Klaus napping in his car seat and classic rock playing softly on the radio. The final legal meeting is indeed a formality, just signing papers that officially close the last chapter of my old life.
"Congratulations, guys," Silas says as we leave the courthouse. "Your family is officially yours, free and clear."
Klaus wakes up as we're walking to the car, blinking sleepily and immediately reaching for Rosco. "Dada!"
"Hey, buddy. Ready to go see Uncle Noah and Aunt Talia?"
"Tay! Tay!" Klaus squeals with delight.
The drive to Iron Vine Estate is familiar now, the winding mountain roads that lead to our extended family's heart. The vineyard is thriving, and the main house has been completely renovated into a combination family home and event space.
"Looks like everyone's here," Rosco observes, noting the collection of vehicles parked around the circular drive.
"Good. I want the whole family to hear our announcement."
"You sure about the timing?"
"Perfect timing." I pat my still flat belly, where our second child is growing. "Eight weeks along, past the scary part, and what better way to celebrate our anniversary than sharing good news?"
The Kane family gatherings are legendary, loud and chaotic and filled with more love than should be legal. Klaus immediately toddles off to play with his cousins while the adults gather on the massive deck overlooking the vineyard.
"So," Noah says, raising his beer in a toast, "I hear congratulations are in order. Final legal stuff all taken care of?"
"Zack officially has no claim to Klaus as of this morning," I announce, accepting the glass of sparkling cider Talia hands me. "We're finally completely free."
The cheer that goes up from the family is heartwarming and slightly deafening. These people have been with us through every step of our journey, offering support and love whenever we needed it.
"About damn time," Roman says, kissing my cheek. "Now you can focus on the important stuff."
"Speaking of important stuff," Micah adds with a grin, "when are you two going to give Klaus a sibling? He needs someone else to boss around."
I catch Rosco's eye across the deck and grin. "Funny you should mention that."
"Oh my God," Talia gasps, her hand flying to her mouth. "Are you..."
"Due in March," I confirm, and the deck erupts in chaos again. Hugs and congratulations and excited planning for another Kane baby to spoil.
"March?" Silas calculates quickly. "That means..."
"Conceived on our first anniversary," Rosco says proudly, his arm tight around my waist. "We're calling it our anniversary baby."
"That's the most romantic thing I've ever heard," Jordyn says, bouncing her own toddler on her hip. "Klaus's going to be such a good big brother."
The afternoon passes in a blur of family time, good food, and the comfortable chaos that defines Kane gatherings. Klaus runs himself ragged playing with his cousins, and by the time we're ready to head home, he's practically asleep on his feet.
"Thank you," I tell Noah and Talia as we're loading a sleepy toddler into his car seat. "For everything. For the rescue, for the support, for making us part of this incredible family."
"You don't thank family," Noah says firmly. "You just show up for each other. Which you've done from day one."
The drive home is quiet, Klaus sleeping in his car seat and Rosco's hand resting on my thigh. The sun is setting behind the mountains, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink that make me grateful all over again for this life we've built.
"Penny for your thoughts," Rosco says as we turn onto Timber Ridge Road.
"Just thinking about how far we've come. Two years ago, I was running scared with nowhere to turn. Now I have a husband, a son, a baby on the way, and a family that would move mountains for us."
"You have a life worth living."
"I have everything I never dared dream about." I squeeze his hand. "And it all started with a desperate woman showing up on your doorstep."
"Best surprise of my life."
"Even with all the complications? The legal drama, the rescue missions, the toddler who doesn't sleep through the night?"
"Especially because of all that." He brings my hand to his lips. "Easy doesn't build character. And everything we've been through just proves how strong we are together."
Home looks perfect in the evening light, warm and welcoming with our addition nearly complete. The new nursery waits ready for baby number two, and there's talk of adding another bedroom if we keep expanding our family at this rate.
Bath time is a production involving rubber ducks, bubbles, and Klaus's determined attempts to flood the bathroom. Rosco handles the logistics while I sit on the closed toilet seat, watching my family and marveling at how natural this all feels.
"Daddy," Klaus says seriously, looking up at Rosco with those dark eyes that mirror my own. "Baby?"
"What about baby?" Rosco asks, shampooing his hair with gentle efficiency.
"Baby come soon?"
"In a few months, buddy. You're going to be a big brother."
"Big brother!" Klaus claps his hands, sending bubbles flying. "Teach baby trucks!"
After Klaus is asleep in his crib, surrounded by stuffed animals and the soft glow of his nightlight, Rosco and I finally have our house to ourselves. The baby monitor crackles softly from the kitchen counter while we clean up the day's chaos.
"So," Rosco says, pulling me into his arms as I finish wiping down the high chair. "How should we celebrate our anniversary?"
"I can think of a few ways." I press closer, feeling the familiar heat that always flares between us. Pregnancy hormones are already making me more sensitive, more aware of his hands on my waist.
"I got you something." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small velvet box. "I know we don't usually do gifts, but this felt important."
"Rosco, you didn't have to..."
"Open it."
Inside the box is a delicate silver charm to add to the necklace he gave me for our first anniversary. The original pendant holds Klaus's birthstone, and now there's a new charm with what looks like an aquamarine.
"The new baby's birthstone," I whisper, touching the blue stone. "March."
"Our growing family," he says simply. "All of us. Together."
Tears prick my eyes as he fastens the new charm beside the original. "It's perfect."
"Not nearly as perfect as you. As this life we've built."
"I love our life too." I loop my arms around his neck, going up on my toes to kiss him. "I love you."
"I love you too, baby.”
Later, lying in bed with Rosco's arms around me and the baby monitor quiet beside us, I think about the journey that brought us here. The fear, the uncertainty, the moments when I thought I'd lost everything.
"No regrets?" Rosco asks sleepily, his voice muffled against my hair.
"Not a single one." I turn in his arms to face him. "Even the scary parts led us here."
"Here is pretty damn good."
"Here is perfect."
And it is. The life we've built together, the family we've created, the love that grows stronger every day instead of fading. It's not the fairy tale I dreamed about as a little girl, but it's better. It's real, complicated, messy, and absolutely perfect.
Tomorrow will bring new challenges. Toddler tantrums and pregnancy symptoms and the endless demands of running a business and raising a family.
But tonight, lying in the arms of the man who chose me every single day, carrying our second child and listening to our son sleep peacefully down the hall, I am exactly where I belong.
Home. Safe. Loved beyond measure.
And knowing that no matter what tomorrow brings, we'll face it together.
The Kane family way.
Thank you so much for reading The Mountain Man's Mail Order Surprise.
If you loved Rosco and Gia's Story then you'll love Poppi and Cash's story in The Mountain Man's Curvy Bride.