Epilogue Three Months Later Jake
Epilogue
Three Months Later
Jake
“Really? You think another goat is a good idea?” I’m standing looking at the trailer. “I didn’t purchase that trailer when my house sold so we could accumulate more animals.” Like the one on the back of it that’s eyeballing me. We definitely won’t be friends.
Stupidly I thought getting us a trailer with a cage around it would be a good idea in case we ever need to move the animals in a hurry again. But instead, all it’s done is give Ashley a way to bring another stray home.
“But she needed someone to love her. Look at her, she’s been neglected. It’s not like we don’t have room, and she will make a great friend for Daisy.” Ash starts backing her off the trailer as Herb calls all the others to the fence.
“I’m sure she does, like every single one of this noisy menagerie.” I point to the group, who are calling out their greeting. “Do I dare ask what her name is?” I walk toward Ash to help close the gate on the trailer.
“Well, since you were the last stray to move into Windemere, maybe you should get the honor of naming her.” Ash pats the goat’s head to calm her for a moment.
“You are lucky there is an animal between me and you, because otherwise I would have you over my shoulder and take you into the house to remind you just how much you love having this stray calling Windemere his home. And let’s be honest, I was virtually living here anyway.
” Stepping around the back of the goat, leaving plenty of distance between me and its hind legs, I wrap my arms around Ash and kiss her forehead. “Hi, beautiful, how was your day?”
“Long, and you are never going to guess what happened today.” She looks at me like she can’t believe whatever it is either.
“A letter arrived in the mail at the clinic, which is weird in itself because nobody sends letters anymore. So, when I opened it and saw it was Jeremy’s handwriting it took me by surprise. ”
I can feel my whole body tensing up.
“The contents of it totally blew me away, though. He apologized for what he did to me when he left and for the phone calls. He has a job now and has started therapy and drug counseling to help work himself out. Can you believe it, drugs. I never would’ve picked up on it but it just goes to show we didn’t really know each other, even though I thought we did.
He wished me well and a happy life. Like what the hell. ”
She throws her hand that isn’t holding the rope into the air. “He actually sounded like the guy I fell for in college.” She takes a deep breath before finishing. “I didn’t know how much I needed closure on that relationship and that he wasn’t just going to turn up here one day, until I read it.”
And I can see the relief on her face, and deep down I feel the same.
“After that I’m just so thankful it’s now officially the start of my weekend off, and I can’t wait to lie around and do absolutely nothing.” Ash is reaching up on her toes to have her lips touch mine, and she tastes just perfect.
“Well, I suggest that after you get this new family member in the barn that you go have a shower, because as much as I love you, you stink like cow shit, woman.” I tap her on the ass, bringing a little giggle.
“Only if you plan to join me. That double shower has so much room to . . . get clean.” She looks at me with that cheeky grin I love seeing on her these days.
“Like you even need to ask. Why do you think I installed it, and with the extra-large water tank? Not for you to shower alone, that’s for sure.” I step back to give Ash room to start walking the goat to the gate on the yards at the barn.
“So, what’s her name?” Ash looks at me.
“Well, in true Windemere style, if she’s a girl, she gets a boy’s name, so how about Billy?”
“Okay, not very imaginative, but I’m sure you’ll get better at this,” Ash calls to me over the fence now that she’s in the yard with Billy.
“Why would I need to get better at it? It’s not like we are getting any more pets.
” I lean on the railings and smile to myself that the piece of wood is perfectly secure since for the past few months we have been working on fixing everything up.
My days are spent at Heatherbrae with the guys, and then I do a few hours here, either with Ash or on my own if she’s on call.
And then on her weekends off, we usually spend a bit of time on the farm but always make sure we have at least one day just for us. We call it date day, and it can be whatever we want it to be, as long as we are together and there is no work involved.
“It’s cute that you think that’s the case.
Just because you live here, it doesn’t mean the animals will stop coming.
” Ash slips the harness off Billy and watches her get sniffed by Daisy.
They check each other out and then start walking farther into the yard and through the open gate out into the pasture.
“Just can we make a no more goats rule? They don’t like me.
I mean, look at Daisy; it’s been months, and we still aren’t friends.
I swear that goat is jealous that I get more of your attention than she does.
” I lean my arms on the top railing of the fence where Ash has just climbed up and sat so we can make sure that Billy is accepted by the Noah’s Ark family.
“You do realize we are having a conversation here about you competing with a goat for my affection. And you think Tiff is the crazy one?” She places her arm around the top of my shoulder, when we look at each other and reply at the same time.
“She is.” And then laughter fills the space around us.
We stay outside for a while until Ash is happy that the family is getting along, and then it’s time for a shower, which is exactly what we both need.
But I have plans for us both.
Keeping Ash busy helping me cook my love meatballs, I have tasked Declan and Chase with setting up my surprise.
After we finish devouring our dinner and then clean up, I pull a white blindfold from my pocket. I hold it up for Ash to see.
“Jake, what is that for?” she asks nervously.
“Do you trust me, Ash?” I take a step toward her so our toes are touching, and she nods.
“Of course I do.” And I lean in and kiss her gently after her reply.
“I’m just going to put this over your eyes, as I have a surprise for you.
” I slide it on her head and make sure it’s secure, because I don’t want anything ruined.
And before she’s got time to think about it, I pick her up in my arms and carry her outside.
She shrieks the moment her feet are off the ground, but I’m not taking the risk of her falling as I try to walk her out while blindfolded.
Opening the front door, I can see everything looks perfect. Just like I imagined.
Spread out on the grass is our blanket that we use every time we picnic out here or lie out looking up at the stars. So far we have never managed a whole night as yet, but tonight’s the night.
Around our blanket is a huge heart shape of little tea lights in jars, because nobody wants another fire started.
Then there is a double sleeping bag in the middle of the blanket and a couple of pillows. Beside it is a basket of snacks and a bottle of champagne on ice with glasses. White rose petals are scattered around, which I figure Daisy and Billy will just eat off the ground tomorrow.
As I carry her in my arms into the middle of the candles arranged like a heart, I slowly place her feet back on the ground and make sure she’s balanced. Releasing her, I move one step back and take one last moment to soak in the scene before me.
Ash had no idea what was about to happen tonight when she slipped on her favorite long green strapless dress that she also wore the night I poured my heart out to her and asked her if she loved me.
Every time she wears it, it’s a reminder of how fragile a relationship can be if you don’t nurture it with good communication.
It’s something I work hard on every day.
Her hair is flowing over her shoulders with a slight curl in it from letting it dry naturally after our shower, and peeking out from the bottom of her dress are her pink-painted toenails.
It’s something new she has started since we met.
She likes to do little things for herself that make her feel feminine, so on those hard workdays where she looks down at her clothes and she’s covered in some sort of animal byproduct, underneath it all there is something pretty.
As much as I appreciate the lace underwear and painted nails, I love the fact that she isn’t doing it for me, but for herself.
Ashley sets the bar of how she wants to be treated in this world, and now my job is to make sure that I’m always aiming above it.
“Jake.” Her soft whisper sends goosebumps all over my skin.
“I’m still here,” I reply as I lower one knee to the ground and pick up the wooden box I carved out of a branch from the white oak tree on Heatherbrae. “You can take off the blindfold now but don’t open your eyes just yet.”
She pushes it up over her head and lets it drop to the ground. Her hands are by her sides, and she rubs her fingers together with nerves.
“Slowly open your eyes, beautiful, and take it all in.” I watch her eyes focus on everything around, and her mouth drops open as she does.
“Oh, Jake.” She gasps as her hands land on her mouth, and already there are tears building in her eyes as she sees me on my knee, holding out to her a flat round diamond ring set in a gold band.
We had talked about jewelry one day and how for her she will never be able to wear anything that is big and showy.
But she was okay with that because it’s not who she is.
Instead, she wanted something that even when she was working, she could still wear every day under her gloves.
I thought I would be as nervous as hell today, but I’m not. Instead, excitement is buzzing through me.
This is the beginning of sealing our lives together.