Epilogue
WOLF
Five years later, the morning air off the misty pines carries that sharp, clean scent of fresh pine needles and damp earth—the same scent that’s greeted us every day since we decided to build our life out here.
I step onto our new back porch, a warm mug of coffee resting in my hand.
Walking out onto these fresh cedar planks still fills me with a quiet kind of pride.
Over the last couple of years, we’ve expanded the old small cabin, adding two more bedrooms and another bathroom to make room for our growing life.
Looking out past the porch railing, I observe the narrow, winding roads that snake down through the valley below.
Watching the early light break through the trees over those roads always brings back a flood of memories; every long, open ride Hadley and I have taken together over the years, every mile that brought us right to where we're supposed to be.
Behind me, the screen door slides open, and soft footsteps cross the deck.
Hadley steps up beside me, leaning her side into mine.
I wrap an arm around her shoulders instantly, pulling her close against the morning chill.
She rests one hand over the gentle swell of her stomach.
Our firstborn is fast asleep inside in his new bedroom, and in just a few months, our second will be joining us to fill these halls with even more noise and laughter.
"Morning, handsome," she murmurs, looking out over the misty tree line with that soft, content smile I fell in love with years ago.
"Morning, love," I reply, turning to set my mug on the railing so I can pull her into my arms fully.
I draw her back against my chest, wrapping my arms securely around her waist, resting my hands over hers on her bump. She leans her head back against my shoulder, relaxing into my hold as the sun begins to burn through the fog over the valley.
I tilt my head down, pressing a lingering, tender kiss to the side of her neck, then up along her jaw until my lips meet hers in a slow, sweet kiss that feels like coming home all over again.
When we part, I keep her pressed close to my heart. I bend my head down and whisper softly into her ear, "I've loved every mile of our journey together, and I know the best is yet to come."
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THE END