Epilogue - Wayan
Ten Years Later
It’s my forty-fifth birthday, and our cabin is full of all our loved ones, from my brothers, their spouses, and children to Fern’s sisters, their spouses, and children, along with our own eight children.
We’ve all come a long way in ten years. Even our cabin has tripled in size since the day Fern and I met on my thirty-fifth birthday, making room for all of our children.
Fern and I didn’t waste any time getting married.
We got married on New Year’s Eve of the year we met.
Our first child arrived nine months later.
For someone who never thought she wanted to get married and be a mother, Fern is the best wife and mother anyone could ever ask for.
As far as all of our nieces and nephews are concerned, she’s also the best aunt ever.
“What are you doing hiding in our bedroom?” Fern asks, walking into the room and closing the door behind her.
“Just giving thanks for you, our children, and the fantastic life we've built together.” And it truly is a fantastic life. Fern and her sisters have opened numerous Curvy by Design bridal shops across the country, even though they all decided to stay here in Temptation Ridge to be closer to each other and raise their families together. Fern gave up her job with Aspen’s mail-order bride company, deciding she wasn’t cut out to play matchmaker after failing to find me a match within the Forever Yours database. Even though she did find me a match.
My brothers and I have also expanded our family business, creating five hundred new jobs in the mountains over the years. We make sure to give back to the town that started it all, Temptation Ridge.
She wraps her arms around my neck, swaying to some unheard tune. “The kids are spending the night with Laurel and Walt. I thought we could do that thing you like to do on your birthday.”
“We do that all the time, Fern, not just on my birthday," I tease.
“Ha, ha, very funny. You know I meant that we could actually sleep in late and make love all night long.”
“Sounds like the best birthday gift ever.” I bend down and place a kiss on her lips, something I make sure to do every chance I get, since I was denied her kisses when we first met and agreed to the friends-with-benefits idea. “I love you, Fern,” I whisper against her lips.
“And I love you, Wayan.”
-The End-