Epilogue
“Just where are you taking me, Jesse Cates?” Liberty struggled to keep her wedding dress from dragging on the ground as Jesse led her across the pasture behind the barn.
The wedding reception was winding down and most people had already headed home. Which was exactly where Liberty wanted to go. She and Jesse had partied with the townsfolk and danced the night away. Now, she was ready to head home to the bed-and-breakfast where she intended to make love to her new husband until dawn.
But Jesse seemed to have other ideas.
“Where do you think I’m going, darlin’? I’m taking you to my absolute favorite place in the whole wide world—the place where I first met a wildcat that changed my life forever.”
She smiled as she stumbled behind him. “Cooper Springs.”
He glanced over his shoulder at her and his teeth flashed in the darkness. “That would be the place. You ready to get your butt whooped, Libby Lou?”
“That depends. Are we talking about swimming or sex?”
With a shouted laugh he whirled and picked her up, swinging her around until she was giggling. “God, I love you.”
She loved him too. She thanked God every day that he hadn’t let her temper keep them from getting married. There was only one man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with . . . even if he had more energy than she did.
“It’s one o’clock in the morning, Jess,” she said when he set her back on her feet. “Couldn’t we wait and go to Cooper Springs tomorrow?”
“Now, darlin’, are you saying you’re too tired to beat me in a challenge?”
She scowled. “Never.”
He winked. “That’s my feisty gal.”
When they arrived at Cooper Springs, Liberty was surprised to find multiple camp lanterns encircling two sleeping bags spread out close to the water. An open cooler with bottles of champagne sat on a nearby rock.
She smiled. “So sex was on the agenda.”
“You know making love to you is always on my agenda.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. A sweet, loving kiss that made her melt. But before she could deepen it, a rustling sound had her drawing back.
Mickey Gilley burst through the trees, followed by Buck Owens. The huge dog hit Liberty at full gallop and would have knocked her to the ground if Jesse hadn’t been holding her. She laughed as the dog covered her face with sloppy kisses while Buck wedged his fat body in between her and Gilley, begging for his own attention.
Jesse sighed heavily. “Well, I guess both sex and swimming are out of the question now. Buck almost drowned last time he followed us into the springs. I guess we’ll have to settle for cuddling and looking at . . . the stars.”
“That sounds perfect to me.” She gave Gilley and Buck good ear scratches before returning her attention to Jesse. “I’ll whoop your butt later—at swimming and sex.”
“I look forward to it, darlin’.” He kissed her. But once again, it was cut short by a rustling. This time Belle and Corbin stepped out of the trees. Belle had the train of her wedding dress hooked over one arm and Tay cradled in the other. She looked as surprised to see Liberty, as Liberty was to see her.
“Libby?”
“Belly?”
They greeted each other with a tight hug before they turned to their new husbands and spoke at the same time. “What’s going on?”
Jesse and Corbin exchanged grins before Jesse spoke. “We planned a little surprise for y’all. Shall we get comfy?” He toed off his boots and started to take off his tuxedo jacket when Liberty stopped him.
“Now hold on right there, Jesse Cates. Belle and I might have occasionally pulled the twin switch, but if you think we’re going to do the twin swap, you got another think coming.”
Both Jesse’s and Corbin’s eyes widened before they busted out laughing. Corbin sobered first.
“I’m not into twin switching or swapping.” He pulled Belle close and looked at her as if she hung the moon. “You’re the only twin for me, Bella.”
Belle smiled at her husband. “Then what’s the surprise?”
“You’ll see.” Jesse said. “For now, let’s pop open that champagne.”
When everyone had a Solo cup of champagne, Corbin held his up and made a toast. “To the twin sisters who gave these two ornery brothers something they always wanted . . . the love of a good woman and a place to call home.”
“Amen to that,” Jesse said. “Corbin and I both thank our lucky stars every day that we found our Fourth of July girls.”
Before Liberty could blink back the tears that had formed in her eyes, Jesse whistled loudly. A second later, there was a series of sizzling pops and trailing lights shot up into the sky before exploding into blooms of brilliant fireworks.
Liberty had no more gotten over the breathtaking sight then the rest of her family and Jesse’s family burst through the trees, yelling “Happy Birthday!” Mama carried a small cake with lit candles that Shirlene, Jesse’s mama, held her cupped hands around so they wouldn’t blow out in the summer breeze. All her and Jesse’s sisters carried paper plates, napkins, and presents, while the rest of the Cateses and Holidays trailed behind talking and laughing.
There was no blinking back the tears this time. When she glanced over at Belle, her sister was crying too. They smiled at each other, communicating their feelings without one word.
They were blessed.
Truly blessed.
“What do you think, Libby Lou?” Jesse asked. “Is this enough fireworks for you?”
Liberty turned to her new husband. He was smiling that smile that made her heart burst as brightly as the shimmering display exploding overhead.
She hooked her arms around his neck. “Nope. But I figure we have the rest of our lives to make fireworks.”
THE END
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