Epilogue – Levi
Levi
Two Months Later
I knocked on the partially open door and peeked my head in. Emeline looked up and smiled as Moose made his way over to say hi. She stood and made her way quickly to me.
“You’re early!” she said, lifting onto her toes for a kiss.
“I had the schedule cleared this afternoon.”
She looked surprised and happy at the same time before a look of worry crossed her face.
I kissed her again and held her to me for a few moments before letting her go. When she chewed nervously on her lower lip, I reached down and pulled it free. “Don’t worry.”
“I can’t help it. I’m nervous, excited, and scared.”
Moose whined, clearly picking up how Emeline was feeling. I reached down and scratched between his ears.
“Did you tell anyone else?”
She shook her head. “I want this to be just for the two of us.”
I smiled. “Are you ready to go now?”
Emeline nodded, walked back to her desk, slipped her phone into the back pocket of her jeans, then grabbed her jacket and hat.
“Who are we taking?” I asked.
“I thought Starlight and Comet.”
Laughing, I replied, “I think that’s a great idea. They were there for the first ‘I love you,’ after all.”
She winked, and my chest filled with warmth.
We worked in silence as we saddled up both horses, then rode to the same spot where I’d first told Emeline I loved her. Moose would wander off the trail for a bit then suddenly appear again. He was never far from Emeline.
Starlight and Comet had become the best of friends since that initial ride. Where one was, the other was never far away.
Getting off the horses, we let them roam as we climbed the rest of the trail and stopped at the top.
The view was just as beautiful as the first time I’d seen it.
Snow covered the mountains that surrounded us, and you could see the river down below.
Parts of it were frozen over. The January day was warmer than usual, which I was glad for.
Emeline faced me. “Okay. I’m ready if you are?”
I nodded. “I’m ready.”
“You go wait at the boulder.”
I laughed. “You don’t want me seeing you do it?”
She shrugged. “I might not be able to do it at all if you’re watching.”
Holding up my hands, I replied, “Fair enough. You’re going to be freezing, though.”
Winking, she replied, “Only for a few seconds.”
I kissed her before I made my way to the boulder, Moose at my heels. I wiped off the snow and sat down.
About a minute later, Emeline joined me. She sat next to me and slid her gloves back on. We sat in silence, steam coming from both of us as we breathed.
Wrapping my arm around her, I smiled as she lay her head on my shoulder and said, “It’s so beautiful up here.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Have you ever seen the spot where my mother and father got married?”
I nodded. “Gosh, years ago, when I was much younger. Caden showed me, said that was where he was going to get married.”
Emeline sighed. “That’s where he asked Rachel to marry him. That bitch.”
Chuckling, I kissed her head. “Is it ready?”
Sitting back up, she pulled off her glove and reached into her pocket. Moose stood and we both laughed.
I shook my head and said, “I think he’s ready too.”
She held the test out in front of us, and we both looked at the same time.
“Oh my God,” Emeline whispered.
I jumped off the boulder and pulled her to me. Wrapping her in my arms, I spun her around as she laughed and cried. Moose started barking, joining in on the celebration.
When I stopped, I put her down and cupped her cheeks in my hands. Her big blue eyes stared at me as tears streamed down her face.
“We’re having a baby,” she said softly with a grin on her beautiful face.
I nodded. “We’re having a baby.”
She laughed with pure joy. “Levi, we’re going to have an instant family. Four kids! Two dogs and two cats.”
I smiled. After talking to our families, Emeline and I had decided to adopt Katie and Jimmy Mills before we even knew this pregnancy was a possibility.
“Don’t forget all the horses.”
Another bubble of laughter slipped free as she wiped her tears away.
“I love you, Emeline Tucker. So very much.”
“I love you too.”
Kissing me, she wrapped her arms around my neck. When we inched apart, I grew serious.
“One request.”
“Anything,” she replied.
“No naming our child after stars.”
She tossed her head back and laughed. “Deal!”