Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 54888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
I knew how important Korrie’s father was to her—because he’d become important to me too—and I didn’t want to take that and what they had away by not having them close. It would have eaten at her, especially after the worry of him being hospitalized the night after I claimed her.
So yeah, I’d done everything in my power to make that our reality, and the sheer pride I felt when she saw the house, realized what I’d done, and kissed me senseless because of it, swelled inside me—even now, still—that I was riding this high like never before.
We updated the main and guest houses over time, and Walter was doing well. Mind you, he was still as grumpy and stubborn as ever, but that’s what I loved about him. He’d probably outlive all of us because he’d refuse to die first.
He’d even taken up the task of gardening, which wasn’t a hardship for him, since that was a passion he had and it showed. In fact, he had such a green thumb that we were stocked in vegetables all summer.
I felt myself smile as I lay in bed with my wife, our little boy, West, sleeping soundly in the crib that was tucked against the wall in our room. Although he had a room, we both wanted him close while he was still so little and Korrie was breastfeeding.
I pulled Korrie close to me, her back to my chest, her warmth filling me in more than just the physical way. I closed my eyes as I inhaled. God, she smelled incredible, and I’d never get used to her lemony scent. In fact, I was even more obsessed with the aroma all this time later. I had my palm flat on her belly, looking forward to the future. I couldn’t wait for more children with her. And when she was ready for another, I’d be the only man who would ever give her that. I’d be the only man for her.
She placed her hand on mine and hummed in pleasure. “Hey,” she murmured, sleep lacing her voice and making it deeper, huskier. God, she sounded sexy.
“I didn't mean to wake you up.”
“What were you thinking about?” She turned around to face me, resting her head on my chest. I tunneled my fingers in her thick curls, closing my eyes and inhaling deeply again and again.
“Just thinking about having more babies with you,” I said honestly and felt her little chuckle against my chest.
“Is that right?” she asked softly, her voice still sleepy. “Is it having more kids, or the process of making those babies that you’re looking forward to?” she teased.
It was my turn to smile, even though she couldn’t see. “Both.”
She laughed softly again, but as the seconds passed, I felt her body relax against mine as she started to let herself fall back to slumber.
The time had gone by so fast for me, and it was because I was deliriously happy. And it was all because of this woman, the son she’d given me, the life we were creating, and the prospect of an incredible future.
She had one hand resting on my chest by her face, and I looked down to see the ring on her finger. That had me smiling again. In the grand scheme of things, a ring, a piece of paper, saying vows in front of our friends and family didn’t mean she was mine any more than she already was.
The bond we had, my love for her, was unbreakable. It was eternal.
EPILOGUE THREE
Bishop
Over a decade later
“That sounds incredible,” Korrie said, this dreamlike quality to her voice as she listened to Adele talk about her anniversary trip with her husband, Oliver, to see the Northern Lights in Norway, and how they planned to go back for their twenty-year anniversary.
And right then and there, I knew I had to take my wife to see them too. I wanted that sound to come from her while she lay beside me and we gazed up at those iridescent colors as they swept across the sky. Of course they'd be something to see, for sure, but they wouldn’t be as beautiful as the woman I called mine.
The children were in the back room, and I sat on the couch with Korrie beside me, Adele and her husband across from us on the love seat. Adele and Oliver’s son and daughter were getting into trouble with ours, no doubt. Last I heard, their son, Xavier, was with our boy, West, playing some action war video game. I briefly heard shouts coming from the boys, then clapping as if whatever obstacle they’d encountered had been handled.
Their daughter, Lia, was with our little girl, Bexley. Although Lia was a few years older than Bex, she was a good sport and tolerated the tea party that Bexley begged her to join.