Epilogue | A year later
I have officially changedall my legal papers back to Maggie Mapleson this past year and transferred Nana’s Diner fully into mine and Megan’s name. My cousin, and partner in crime.
“Maggie!” Logan calls from the front door. I look up at him.
“Want to go for a ride?” he asks me with a flirty smile.
I grin and get up from the table, pull my boots on at the front door and walk out on the porch with him. He knows my favorite thing to do, lately, is going on our evening rides.
Walking into the barn, Tiny’s head sticks out, greeting me from his stall. I rub his nose, “Let’s go for a ride, Bud.” I grab his halter and tie it around him before opening his stall door.
Logan does the same with his mare and ties her beside Tiny while we saddle them up.
“Where to today?” I ask him, slinging my saddle on Tiny’s back.
Logan’s silent for a minute and clears his throat, “I was thinking the back pasture, near the pond.”
I smile, thinking about the Magnolia Tree. I loved it before, but now knowing its purpose, it is now my favorite spot on the farm.
We mount our horses and walk off into the pasture that leads to the pond. Logan is quiet most of the ride.
Tiny prances a little as if something spooks him and his ears shoot forward, hearing something ahead of us.
Tiny trots up the hill and Logan follows behind. I’m concerned that a calf is out, or a coyote may be out here.
Coming over the top of the hill I see Megan’s truck parked at the Magnolia Tree and I get excited. “Are we going swimming?” I ask Logan with a grin, and he just grins back at me.
I break Tiny into a lope and head towards the pond. The wind blowing through my hair is the best feeling with Tiny moving steadily under me. The green grass blows all around me but the pond water is as still as it can be when I get up to it. The Magnolia Tree leaves move just a little as the slight breeze blows.
Megan and Collin smile at me as I dismount Tiny and let him eat the grass by the dock as I hug them. They hug me back and Logan comes riding up behind us. He dismounts his mare and lets her graze beside Tiny.
“You guys ready to go swimming?” I ask, looking at them.
They both look at each other confused and then back at Logan.
He lets out a cough and grabs my hand. I look at him confused, and he leads me away from Megan and Collin, towards the edge of the dock.
That’s when I notice it. There are flags placed out in the middle of the land towards the back side of the pond where I plan to build someday. My eyes widen and look at him but my voice hitches.
“Magnolia Rose Mapleson,” Logan says as he gets down on one knee. “A while back, I told you nothing is random, and you didn’t believe me at first. But you see, I believed it the moment my eyes met yours at Hilltop.” We both grin at the memory.
He rubs his thumb over my hand and looks back up at me, “I’m not going to say I’m going to make all your dreams come true because, let’s face it, you are hard-headed enough to not want help.” I laugh at the truth in that statement. “But I do want to be the one beside you when all your dreams come true.” He pulls out a box from his back pocket. “Will you marry me?”
I gasp and tears fill my eyes. “Y-yes!” I squeal and he picks me up, spinning me around. I hear Collin “hoot hooting” in the background and Megan is jumping up and down. Logan puts the ring on my finger and they both run down to the dock and meet us. Collin picks me up and spins me around in a hug! “I never dreamed the girl who was so rude to me at the restaurant that day would be my neighbor...and cousin.” He laughs at the last part and Megan comes over and hugs me.
“Oh,” Logan says as Megan and I pull out of our hug and he takes my hand, “Welcome home, Maggie.” He kisses my forehead. “We break ground next week.” Tears fill my eyes, and I couldn’t be happier.
On this farm, with my family.