Epilogue
OLIVIA
The drive up to the ranch takes my breath away.
The driveway is bordered either side with a low wooden fence and trees that offer shade.
Sprawling paddocks spread out around us with rolling hills and Jade Mountain as the backdrop.
I strain to look at more, spotting a creek in the distance that cuts through the land towards the mountains, likely fed by the melting snow.
Nearby I notice a large barn with a horse pen out front, and what looks like the beginnings of a space for cattle.
“Well, darlin’, would you look at that,” Ford says, voice low.
I follow his line of sight, breath catching in my throat.
The house is more than I expected; two stories, it looks like a true farmhouse, with the white exterior, black metal roof, dormers that overlook the land, and a front porch I can see myself growing old on.
Part of it is fenced off, making me think about Christopher.
In the field closest to the house, wildflowers bloom. The closer we get, the more I can see, like the raised garden beds for growing vegetables, the large, old trees that house a tire swing and memories yet to be made.
Ford pulls up to the house without a word and cuts the engine. “What do you think?”
I sit in the quiet for a moment, one that doesn’t feel like tension or expectations or the need to keep moving. For the longest time, I had to keep going. Keep doing something. Fighting for a life I didn’t know I want.
Turning to Christopher’s car seat, I look into the mirror attached to the end that allows me to see him, and him me. A smile forms on his lips, dimples appearing, and the air leaves my lungs in a huff.
“I think this looks like a great home,” I say quietly, turning back to Ford. “Like a good start.”
He nods once, jaw clenched. “Would you want this? With me? It’s not the life we talked about—”
“I think this is the best compromise we could have ever found,” I interject, taking his hand. “We get to be together. You continue doing what you love. And I can find something a little more me to do.” I take it all in again, heart rate settling, stomach calm, like my body knows this is right.
“The question is, are you okay with tapping into that old family wealth of yours to get it?” I ask, not feeling the slightest bit of hesitance.
Sure, a secret like that is life changing. But if I’ve learned anything about my accidental husband, it’s that he wouldn’t have hidden this if it weren’t important.
Ford follows my line of sight with a sigh, looking at the house, the sprawling land. The creek that cuts around the back of the property. The forest and the mountains. The potential for something new.
“Maybe these mountains have power to them after all,” he murmurs, meeting my eye. Behind us, a car comes up the long driveway. “Let’s do it, darlin’.”
I grin. “Alright, husband.”
An accidental pregnancy. An accidental marriage. And now, an accidental new start.
Or maybe, this might be one of the few intentional moments I’ve had.
Still unexpected, though.