Epilogue
EPILOGUE
TWO YEARS LATER
“ I feel so bad that you have to do this.”
Spencer dipped the paint roller into the tray, getting a good, thick coat on the brush. “You have nothing to feel bad about. I’m happy to do it. Seriously.”
Trinity made an unconvinced face. “Spencer, this original paint job is only a few years old. It seems like just yesterday that we were testing swatches and comparing colors over a picnic dinner on a drop cloth-covered subfloor.”
“To be fair, this is a lot more colorful than what we originally picked. Is white even considered a color?” He painted a big swath of pastel pink across the wall while Trinity stayed grounded, holding onto the base of the ladder to keep him steady. It had been an all-day job, but with one more swipe, he would finally complete the first coat.
They hadn’t even been home from their honeymoon a week, but already the kids were begging to paint their rooms and put up new décor. Trinity was close to insisting that they practice an exercise in patience and wait until springtime to make any big changes, but Spencer said this was just as much their house as it was his. He wanted every square inch of it to reflect their presence and personalities.
“Why do I have a feeling Mia’s going to say she should have gone with the purple shade when she sees this?” Trinity asked, head cocked as she took in the fresh coat of paint.
“Because that’s her thing right now. Switching things up at the last minute. I’m still shocked she signed up to compete in the English class this weekend when all she’s been riding lately is Western.”
“I’m telling you, Spence. These kids will keep you on your toes.”
“Or up on ladders,” he joked, stepping down the rungs until his feet were on solid ground. “But if she does take a look at this and it’s not what she wants, I’m more than happy to repaint it. No biggie.”
“Spencer, there is something to be said for standing by your decisions.”
“Like your decision to never get on the back of a horse?” He eyed her with amusement.
“Bluebell is an angel. If any horse was going to make me fall in love with horses, it’s that mare.”
“And if any guy was going to make you fall in love with cowboys, I guess it had to be me.”
She stepped up to him, pressing her palms to his chest. “If anyone was ever going to make me fall in love again, period, it was you. You were equal parts cowboy and knight in shining armor. You were meant to rescue me.”
“I don’t think you needed any rescuing.” He bent to place a kiss on her forehead before returning the roller to the paint tray and hammering the lid back onto the paint can.
“I did, though,” she said. “I needed to be rescued from my grief. Pulled out of my loneliness and away from the fear that two great love stories were more than anyone should expect.”
“I think you should always expect the best, Trinity. And it’s my goal to give it to you.”
She didn’t doubt the sincerity in his words. Since the beginning of their relationship, he’d shown up for them—all three of them—in every way possible. He taught Mia how to ride confidently all on her own, Liam how to find tadpoles in the creek and fish in the stream, and Trinity how to open up her heart again. Together they raised baby chicks and planted gardens and built forts and started patching together their own keepsake quilt. They made memories from cherished moments and never stopped to look back. They planned for the future and embraced each day with hope, knowing it was all they were ever truly guaranteed.
And side by side, on a hilltop in high country, they stood together and watched their beautiful life bloom.
Thank you so much for reading High Country Homestead . If you’re like me and can’t get enough of Snowdrift Summit and its lovable cast of characters, I’ve got great news! Check out the fifth book in the series, December Detour, for some festive holiday romance.
December Detour:
A Snowdrift Summit Romance
Emery Hastings has her mind made up. She’s booking a cross-country flight, ready to return her engagement ring to her cheating ex-fiancé in person. She’s all about closure, and she’s determined to get hers before the new year.
Logan Brightwell, on the other hand, is heading home for the holidays with mixed emotions. His family has been running a beloved restaurant for generations, and with his dad hinting at retirement, the pressure is on to finally take over the business.
But a blizzard grounds all travel headed out of the tiny Snowdrift Summit airport, making both Emery and Logan miss their connections. With no other options, they reluctantly accept vouchers to stay at a nearby inn to ride out the storm. But there’s a clause: in order to rent the only remaining room, they must participate in the Winter Wishes Gift Exchange, a cherished tradition observed by every resident in Snowdrift.
As they settle into the town’s festive atmosphere, they unknowingly draw each other’s names. And through their gifts, they reveal pieces of themselves, making Emery wonder if maybe it wasn’t a missed connection at all, but just the detour her heart needed.
When skies clear and travel restrictions are lifted, they must face the difficult decision of parting ways, not only with one another, but with the magic of Snowdrift Summit.
Will they follow their original plans and continue on their separate paths, or will they dare to embrace the truth that sometimes, detours can lead to the most extraordinary and unexpected destinations?