Bonus Epilogue
LYRIC
“Nora!” Asa shouted from the kitchen.
Lyric lowered the mascara wand and stuck it back into the tube. Little Nora’s giggles floated into the bedroom from the hallway where she was fleeing whatever mess she’d created this time.
Asa’s lumbering footsteps followed a toddling Nora into the bedroom where he scooped her up to blow a strawberry against her neck. The girlish giggles continued as he peppered kisses over her rounded cheeks.
Lyric reached for Nora as she tried to dot kisses on her daddy’s face in the same way he had moments ago. “I hate to break it up, but Miss Priss needs to get dressed.”
Asa handed the squirming Nora to Lyric. “We should have named her NoNo. I swear I say that more than I say her name.”
Lyric nuzzled her nose against the soft button nose of her daughter. “What did you do this time?”
“I think she tried to put her carrots back in the ground. I have a mushy, orange mess to clean up in the kitchen.”
Lyric leaned Nora back to see the pureed carrots smeared onto her white onesie. “It’s a good thing I didn’t put my dress on.”
Jacob appeared in the doorway wearing a navy suit, holding a silver cuff link in each hand. “Can you help me with these?”
Lyric passed Nora to Jacob and took the cuff links. “You know, this isn’t going to be a formal wedding.”
He adjusted a squirming Nora on his hip and held out his arm. “I know, but I want to wear the suit. It looks really cool.”
“You’re right about that.” Lyric gave Jacob a once-over. “You look like a grown man. How did my baby get so big?”
Jacob rolled his eyes and shifted Nora to the other side. “I’m not a baby, Mom.”
He was right. In fact, she hadn’t known him when he was a baby, but he’d been hers since they met. He’d been ten years old when she became his mom, but she still saw him as her little boy.
“I know that. You’re growing into a wonderful man. Have I told you lately that I’m proud of you?”
“You said it this morning,” Jacob said as he pressed a kiss to Nora’s head and handed her back to Lyric.
“I think I need to say it again. I love you, and I’m proud of you.”
Jacob fidgeted with the cuff links as he turned and walked out of the room. “Love you too.”
Lyric bounced Nora on her hip. “Let’s get you dressed.”
Nora kicked and fought against the frilly dress every step of the way, but Lyric was a champ at wrangling the fussy toddler. She’d just stuffed the last arm into the outfit when Asa walked in.
“I’ll take that.” He picked up Nora and lifted her in the air, coaxing another squeal out of her.
“Now, it’s my turn to get dressed.” Lyric pointed a finger at Nora. “No more food fights. Orange will not go well with my pink dress.”
Nora tugged on Asa’s sleeve. “Daddy. Up.”
He lifted her again before swinging her down and back up. After a few more laughs, he settled his daughter against his chest. “Can we have another one?”
Lyric’s jaw dropped. “You just cleaned up her kitchen mess and you want another one?”
Asa moved closer, sliding his hand behind her neck to pull her in for a soft, slow kiss. She melted against him seconds before Nora tried to squeeze her little lips into the action.
Lyric pulled away smiling. “How could I say no to more of this?”
Asa’s grip tightened on her hip before he released her. “It’s a date.”
Olivia
“Liv, where is Betsy’s leash?”
Olivia glanced at Betsy, sprawled out next to her on the couch. The leash was attached to her collar, and Olivia held the loop in her hand. No amount of hype had coaxed her to her feet yet.
“In here.”
Dawson appeared in the hallway wearing a white button-up shirt and navy slacks. The man was handsome in his police uniform, but he was unfairly gorgeous when he dressed up.
As soon as he saw her sprawled on the couch, his brows lowered. “Are you okay?” He knelt beside the couch where she’d decided to rest. “Do you need water?”
“Are you saying I look like a beached whale?” Olivia asked with more snap than she intended.
Dawson’s hand rubbed over her bulging belly. “Not a chance, my queen. You’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Defeated despite Dawson’s sweet words, she held up the leash. “I was going to take Betsy out, but I turned into a potato instead.”
Dawson lifted a finger. “That’s enough of that. You’re a million times prettier than any potato I’ve ever seen.”
Olivia let her head fall back against the couch. “I meant a couch potato. Actually, I could go for some french fries.” The baby squirmed in agreement.
Dawson took the leash and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll take Betsy out, then I’ll be back to carry you to the car. We’re making a pit stop at The Basket Case on the way.”
“Then I’ll smell like fried food at the wedding!” Olivia shouted at Dawson’s back as he headed for the door with an excited Betsy on his heels.
“I’ll be the one sitting beside you, and I won’t complain.”
The door closed behind him, and Olivia hefted herself to a sitting position.
With one hand cradling her belly, she got to her feet with the last of her strength.
“Come on, love. We have to go see our friends get hitched. Oh, and please don’t make my water break at the wedding. That would be slightly embarrassing.”
“What would be embarrassing?” Dawson asked as he unclipped Betsy’s leash.
“My water breaking at the wedding. I was having a heart-to-heart with baby girl.”
Dawson cradled the sides of her belly, rubbing their child lovingly. “She’s my kid too. You might as well get ready to be embarrassed often.”
Olivia chuckled. Dawson certainly kept her on her toes, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “She’ll probably be just like you—silly and playful.”
Leaning down to brush his nose against hers, Dawson whispered, “Remember the first wedding we went to at Silver Falls Ranch?”
It took a moment to remember, but everything came back to her in a rush. “We didn’t even go to that wedding together.”
“Yeah, but who’d you end up with at the end of the night?” Dawson flashed a devilish wink before sealing his lips with hers.
The woman who’d gone to that wedding had been heading down the wrong path. She’d pushed Dawson away fearing she couldn’t have children. Now, after years of prayer and patience, they were only a few weeks away from meeting the child they’d prayed for every step of the way.
Thankfully, she’d taken a chance and allowed her heart to love Dawson the way he deserved.
Hadley
Gage handed Hadley another tin can. “How many of these are we going to do?”
“All of them. I want everyone in Wyoming to hear them coming,” Hadley said as she tied the string through the hole in the bottom of the can.
“Do you really have to be out for blood? What they did to us wasn’t that bad.”
Hadley lowered her hands to her lap and glared at her husband. “We drove halfway to Montana before I realized she’d written ‘The mail-order bride finally arrived’ on my side of the car!”
Gage shrugged. “I thought it was funny.”
“We should write something about him kidnapping his bride on the side of the car,” Hadley said. A bunch of people had gotten a good laugh at her on her wedding day, and now it was Lauren’s turn.
“We are not doing that. Anna would give us a lecture, and Beau wouldn’t talk to me for a week.”
Hadley pointed to the can in Gage’s hand. “Poke a hole in that. I thought Beau didn’t talk that much, anyway.”
“He doesn’t, but it makes working with him hard when he’s extra moody. It’s like a megaphone for everything he’s not saying. Don’t you need to get ready? The wedding starts in less than an hour.”
Hadley quickly tied the last knot. “It won’t take me long to put on a dress. Can you believe we’ve been married for six months already?”
Gage handed her the last can and pressed a kiss to her cheek as he stood. “Best six months of my life. I’m getting in the shower, but don’t hesitate to call if you need help with your dress.”
“Yeah. Yeah. I know what that means. I can get ready in twenty minutes, but not with your help. I still have to tie these to the car.”
Gage took the string of cans from her, and metallic clanging filled the room as they fell to the floor. “I could think of a much better way to spend the next hour.”
Hadley slid her arms around him as he pulled her in. “Tempting. Love or revenge?”
He pressed a kiss to her jaw. “Didn’t we say we were going to start working on our big family when we’d been married for six months?”
Hadley gasped, jerking back to look at him. “We did say that! Are we really doing this? You’re sure?”
The short scruff of his beard rubbed against the sensitive skin of her neck. “I told you I’d be happy to have a bunch of kids running around. I meant it. Well, as long as they get more from you than me.”
“Oh, so you’re okay with a herd of kids who may or may not gang up and prank you?”
Gage lifted his head and leveled her with a piercing stare. “You wouldn’t.”
She slid her hands up his chest and over his shoulders. “I can’t make any promises.”
Gage pulled her closer, stealing her breath as he whispered in her ear. “I can make promises. I promise to love you forever, sunshine.”
“I promise to love you forever too.”
Bella
“Ready or not, here I come,” Travis announced from the living room.
Ariana grabbed the shower curtain and held a finger against her lips, signaling for Bella to be quiet as she hid from her daddy.
Bella grabbed her makeup compact and pressed powder over the dark crescents beneath her eyes.
Zach and Lauren’s wedding wasn’t a formal affair, but Bella didn’t want to look like a tired sloth.
The vitamins made her stomach roll day and night, and she’d barely slept the last few nights.
It was impossible to relax when her stomach was ready to protest at any moment.
Travis opened the bathroom door and looked around. “Have you seen a cute little girl?” He bent to hold his hand out at his knees. “About this tall with frizzy hair and one brown tooth?”