Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Which means all of us will be in the same place once more. Well, except Austen, but Nashville was always her home.
As I watch my family frolic through Riggs’s family estate and get settled, I have one place I need to be. Ten years ago, I came to meet Riggs’s family, and I have returned now for one reason. My heart is full, and my soul is singing for the man who holds my hand as we make our way toward his family plot. When we reach the beautiful headstones engraved with photos of his parents and him as a young man, my heart aches a bit. I never got to meet the people who gave me the love of my life, but there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t silently thank them.
It’s the little things—how Riggs will hold me or make me eat. How he’ll clean out the bus for me even though I say I can do it on my own. How he makes me laugh and continues to promise me the world. Never once in the last ten years have I forgotten how important I am to him.
He reminds me daily.
And I remind him.
Riggs moves toward the graves, and I can’t help but bask in all his silver fox glory. My man is aging like a fine-ass wine, and he is still as insatiable as he was when we met. Our love has gotten stronger, and I know my life wouldn’t be the same without him. I watch as he crouches down and removes some leaves before gripping the headstone of his parents. “Ma, Da, the last time I introduced you to someone, I told you I’d love her forever. And while it’s only been ten years, I’ve kept my word.” I crouch down beside him, leaning into his side. “Now, I’ve come to introduce you to your grandkids.”
I take Shepherd’s chubby little hand in mine and whisper, “This is your grandson, Shepherd William, named after you, Mr. McCoy.”
“This is wee Kennedi Rose, named after you, Ma.” Riggs waves little Kennedi’s hand, and my heart explodes when she grins widely at her dad.
We spent eight years just loving each other and traveling like we wanted, but we knew something was missing. A piece of him and me. So, we started the process, and once more, Riggs gave me the world. The twins look just like him but have Elliot’s hazel eyes. Instead of asking Elliot to carry the twins, we had a gestational carrier since I didn’t want to put my sister through another pregnancy. All four offered me their eggs, but Riggs felt that Elliot looked the most like me.
Once more, my sisters were there for me, and I know that will never change. We all went through something that had the potential to break a person, but together, we’re strong. Nothing can touch us, especially when we’re loved by such incredible men and our children.
The emotion is clogging my throat, and I see the tears gathering in my husband’s eyes. There isn’t a day I don’t wish his parents were here to see what a gorgeous family he has made. Clearing my throat, I say, “I’m sorry we didn’t bring your three granddogs, but we didn’t want to put them through a trip on a plane at their age.”
As I wanted, Riggs chuckles, and Shepherd squeals happily. He loves his brothers, probably a lot more than his sister. My husband’s face breaks into a grin at the sound, and my heart soars. I never thought I could love this man more. He meets my gaze, and his grin widens. He leans in, and I cup his face with my free hand. “Always smiling so wide for me,” I say, stroking his cheek, and he cups my hand as his eyes burn just for me.
“Always for you.” He kisses the top of Kennedi’s head, then Shepherd’s. “You make me so damn happy, wife.”
I was upgraded to wife after our wedding, and it’s my favorite of all my pet names. Though, anything he calls me has the power to make me fall for him all over again.
I lean into his side, and he kisses my temple before laying his head on mine. “Same, snookums. Same.”
The End.