Chapter 30
The Start Of Forever
My palms are clammy as I grip the steering wheel tight on our way to the far side of the ranch’s property. I shouldn’t be so damn nervous after planning this surprise all week, but what I’m about to show Charlie is a big deal and I really want her to like it.
“If we drive much farther, I’m going to need a snack and a bathroom break. This daughter of yours has me on a very short leash,” she teases from the passenger seat.
She has the window down, her hair dancing in the breeze as she smiles over at me. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful, and I’ll never take for granted that she’s my wife.
“We’re almost there,” I promise. “I packed a cooler with some of Ma’s famous chicken salad sandwiches, pickles, and cottage cheese. There’s also a bathroom where we’re going, but it’s nothing fancy—just a toilet with four walls.”
Charlie glances over, eyeing me suspiciously. “You’re very brave for surprising your pregnant wife, Mr. Halstead.”
“I’m about to be outnumbered. I’m going to need all the courage I can get,” I tease.
She presses her fingertips to her temples, eyes fluttering shut. “Ah yes, I see lots of pink glitter and tulle in your future.”
I shake my head, laughing as we round a thick cluster of trees, the open-framed house I’ve been building coming into view.
The wooden frame features tall rafters and expansive openings for windows that’ll fill the house with natural light and a stunning view of the vast Montana sky, with the mountains as a backdrop.
And off to the side of the house is a picturesque meadow dotted with wildflowers.
As we come to a stop out front, Charlie sits up straight in her seat. “What is that place?”
“Our home,” I state.
She turns to me with wide eyes. “Our what now?”
“I’ve been building out here for a while now. It wasn’t high on my priority list since I wasn’t sure I’d ever need it. But now that we’re married with a baby on the way, I figured it was about damn time to finish it so we could have a place of our own.”
When I got back from Wyoming, I not only resumed interviewing for a foreman but I also hired a local crew to finish the house.
It’ll be done before the first frost, which means the baby will be two or three months old when it’s ready for us to move in.
That might not be ideal, but I like the thought of us staying in the apartment when we bring her home from the hospital.
It’s where Charlie and I started out as husband and wife, and I’m looking forward to creating some of peanut’s first memories in the place that brought her mom and dad together.
“Heath, I’m at a loss for words,” Charlie admits softly. “I had no idea you owned the property this far out.”
“My parents bought a stretch of land for each of us kids and gave it to us on our eighteenth birthdays. It just took me a while to figure out what to do with mine,” I explain.
It’s not exactly a secret, but hardly anyone ever comes out this way, and it sat untouched until I started building on it.
Jensen and Briar’s house is on the other side of the ranch, and Walker has a good-sized lot nearby if he and Birdie ever decide to build. Still, I doubt they’ll ever leave her place, especially since her parents gifted her the property behind it so she could expand her animal sanctuary.
Eager to have Charlie close, I get out of the truck and go around to her side.
I open the door and lean against the frame as she watches me with intrigue. “I know it’s far away from your shop. We can keep the apartment, and if you decide you don’t want to live here full-time, we’ll come out here on the weekends.”
“How about you give me a tour of what looks like will be fancy ranch house, and we’ll figure out the logistics after I decide if the primary bathroom gets my stamp of approval?” She winks as she lets me help her down from the truck.
I chuckle. “You got it, hellcat.”
I lace our fingers and place my free hand on Charlie’s lower back as I guide her up the makeshift wooden steps. When we get to the top of the stairs, she comes to a sudden stop as she takes in the space around us.
“This is a wraparound porch,” she whispers, her brow furrowed in confusion.
“Sure is,” I confirm.
She tilts her head, swallowing hard. “Was this part of the original layout plan?”
I shake my head. “No, it wasn’t.” I guide her through the structure to the back porch. “Once it’s complete, there will be a porch swing out here overlooking the mountains, just like I promised.”
I spent the past couple of days working on this part of the house myself so she could get a better picture of what it’ll look like once it’s finished.
Tears well in her eyes. “I can’t believe you’d do that for me.”
I lean over to press a kiss to her forehead. “I’d do anything for you, sweetheart.”
The morning after we got married, when Charlie jokingly agreed to accept my help with the bills in exchange for a house with a wraparound porch and a view of the mountain, I knew I had to make it happen.
Not out of obligation, but because it’s the honor of my lifetime to be the man who provides for her and makes her dreams come true, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant they might seem to others.
After losing Florence, I wanted to give her something to look forward to. A space that will hopefully become her sanctuary and start a new chapter filled with love, happiness, and healing.
Charlie walks over to the wooden railing as she takes in the view of what will eventually be our backyard. The sun is starting to dip low in the sky, painting the mountains in hues of gold and pink.
“It’s so beautiful,” she murmurs.
I step in behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and placing my hands on her belly.
“Yeah, it is,” I agree, my gaze never straying from her.
She tips her head, smiling up at me. “This is all truly remarkable, Heath. I couldn’t have asked for a better surprise.”
I rest my head against her shoulder. “You haven’t even seen my plans for the primary bathroom yet. What if they don’t meet those mighty standards of yours?”
“It could be an outhouse without indoor plumbing, and I’d still love it because you helped build it for us,” she remarks softly.
“Hmm,” I muse, nuzzling into her neck. “You might be onto something. Maybe I’ll just keep the temporary bathroom I had installed while we finish construction. That would save us a pretty penny.”
Charlie looks back to shoot me a playful glare. “Do that and be prepared for me to move back into the apartment permanently.”
“Wait, does that mean you want to live here? As long as there’s proper plumbing and you’re in charge of decorating?” I add with a hopeful grin.
Once the structure is finished, I want her to pick out all the finishes, fixtures, and final touches. She’s passionate about thrifting and finding unique pieces, and I want to give her the freedom to turn this place into a home filled with warmth and character.
She turns around to face me, winding her hands around my neck. “Yeah, I think it does.” She rises to her toes to kiss me. “I love you, Heath.”
I gaze at her with utter devotion as I smooth back her hair. “I love you too, hellcat.”
There was a time not too long ago when I’d resigned myself to the idea of spending the rest of my life alone, solely focused on expanding Pops’s legacy. Then Charlie came along and gave me a reason to hope for more—a family of my own.
As we stand wrapped in each other’s arms on what will soon be the back porch of our forever home, I can already imagine it filled with laughter, music, and the sound of little feet running through the halls, courtesy of the gaggle of kids Florence predicted.
And nothing more could make me happier than building a lasting legacy of my own with the woman I love.