Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
Cruz is the first to break the moment, his grin wide as he shouts, “Well, it’s about time! We thought you two would never seal the deal.”
“And now we’ve got to start worrying about when the first Copper Mountain baby’s gonna show up!” Knox adds, raising his beer in a mock toast.
Betty, never one to miss a moment, chimes in from where she’s standing with Perry, her voice full of teasing joy. “You know, I’ve been saying for years this mountain needs a new generation! Don’t keep us waiting too long now, you hear?”
My face flushes with heat, but the teasing feels like home—like family. I lean into Barron’s side, my hand resting on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath my palm. I look up at him, and he meets my gaze with a soft smile.
“I guess we’ve got some expectations to live up to,” I say, my voice light but filled with affection.
Barron chuckles, his hand slipping to the small of my back as he pulls me closer. “Yeah, but I think we can handle it.”
As the crowd begins to disperse, Barron pulls me off to the side, away from the laughter and banter. His hand is warm and steady at my back, and when he turns to face me, his eyes are soft, vulnerable.
“You happy?” he asks, his voice low, but I can hear the weight of the question. He needs to know that this—us, the life we’re building—makes me as happy as it does him.
I lean into him, feeling the solidness of his chest against mine, the way his heart beats in time with my own. “More than I ever thought I could be,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.
Barron nods, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He presses a kiss to my temple, his lips soft against my skin. “Good,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my hair. “Because this is just the beginning, Tamlyn. We’ve got a lifetime ahead of us.”
And as I look out over the endless view, with Barron’s arms wrapped around me, I know he’s right. This is just the beginning of our life together, a life that stretches out as far as the eye can see—filled with love, with family, with home.
Second Epilogue
Barron–three years later
The cold air nips at my cheeks, but it’s the kind of chill that’s familiar—comforting, even. I sit on the porch of the cabin, the one I built with my own two hands. The snow falls gently, coating everything in a soft, white blanket. It’s quiet up here, the only sound the crackle of the fire inside and the occasional squeal or laugh from the boys. My boys.
I never imagined this would be my life.
The cabin stands solid against the winter, just like it always has, but now it’s different. It’s not just a place anymore. It’s not just wood and nails and stone. It’s a home, filled with life—Tamlyn’s life, our sons’ lives, my life. I think back to when I started building it, years before Tamlyn walked into my world. Back then, I thought it’d be a retreat, a place to escape, to be alone with the land. Funny how things turn out. Now it’s the heart of everything I hold dear.
I lean back in the chair, watching the snow drift down. Each flake falls slow, deliberate, like it’s got all the time in the world. It reminds me of those quiet moments in the early mornings, right before the boys wake up and chaos reigns. The twins have endless energy—one minute they’re laughing, the next they’re tackling each other, making it sound like they’re going to take the whole cabin down with them. And then there’s my youngest, our miracle boy. He came into the world too early, too fragile, but he’s a fighter.
A thud sounds from inside, followed by a chorus of giggles. Tamlyn and I share a look—one we’ve traded a hundred times. The kind that says those boys are trouble but fills me with pride anyway. I never thought I’d be a father, let alone to three wild sons who’ve got more life in them than I know what to do with. And yet, every sound they make, every laugh, every cry, it roots me deeper into this life. This family.
I feel Tamlyn’s gaze on me before I even turn to meet it. When I do, her eyes are soft, filled with that quiet love she’s so good at showing. There’s something unspoken between us—always has been. The way she looks at me, it’s like she sees more than just the man who swings an axe and chops wood. She sees the man who’s learned how to be a father, a husband. And damn if that doesn’t hit me right in the chest.