Epilogue

 

Harper Long vowed before God and everyone she knew that she would plan her next pregnancy and it would not end in the sweltering month of August.

Monty enjoyed her griping because all he heard was that he would have more babies.

She may have spent the first few months blissfully still in her regular clothes, but when month five hit, Margaret Theresa took over Harper’s body. Popping straight out and knocking Harper’s center of balance off kilter.

Not that Harper or Monty minded in the least. The baby born late in the evening came out screaming like a Long with a full set of unmanageable curls like her mother. She was the blessing in the middle of a sea of doubt and gave hope for the future.

“Between you my sweet Maggie and your cousin Nessa, we might just have the gumption we need to save this ranch,” Monty mused as he cradled Maggie in his arms and looked out at the workmen setting up the solar farm across the grazing land. “The boys have had it for enough generations. Time for the Long girls to take over. Isn’t that right Maggie?”

The house he had built for his family was about a mile from his parents’ home on Harper’s insistence. She didn’t want to be far from his mother. Especially, as her pregnancy progressed. Her own mother came out a few times, the last was about a week after they brought Maggie home, but she still wasn’t approving of Harper’s actions.

Dylan was being tied up with lawyers left and right. Coral could not forgive Harper for the mess. It didn’t matter. Loretta and MeMaw had taken on the mothering duties she’d been lacking over the years.

As Monty stared down at his little girl, he smiled knowing she’d fight with Harper, but never feel unloved.

“You’re gonna spoil that girl,” Harper teased as she snuggled up behind him. Her body still had the cushion from pregnancy and although she was actively trying to lose the extra weight, he couldn’t be more attracted to her. “Then what will we do with her?”

“Buy her a third pony.”

Harper let out a little laugh before pulling away. “Ashleigh is coming by this weekend. I know I said I’d take a break, but—”

“It’s fine.” Monty sighed and walked into the living room to put the sleeping baby in her bassinette they kept by the couch because random gunshots weren’t uncommon on the ranch now. “At least here, I know where you are and can keep an eye on you.” He turned on his laptop and eyed her standing by the fireplace across from him.

“Monty I swear this will be over soon.

“And what about Miles? The damn ankle tracker they put on him won’t let him even go to MeMaw’s.”

“Get a smaller ranch,” she suggested, but he wasn’t in the mood to joke. She crossed to him and closed his laptop before straddling his hips. “Our house is close enough to your parents’, how about you have him come by and then you can stretch your legs?”

“You trying to get rid of me?”

“I know you want to go out there and check on those panels going up.”

“It just looks so different. It’s ruining my view.”

Her arms wrapped around his neck and she leaned in for a kiss.

“I planned that picture window for sunrises.”

“Have I still not introduced myself?” Harper smiled and leaned her forehead on his. “You should have planned for sunsets. Once Maggie gets sleep trained, I plan on avoiding sunrises.”

“Once she’s sleep trained, expect to be woken up by me.” Monty waggled his eyebrows and Harper smiled back. “I want everything perfect for you Harper. Whatever you want, I’ll get it for you.”

“I’ve had picture perfect and it sucked. I’ll take Long dysfunction mixed with a few beautiful sunsets behind the mountains on the other side of the house.”

“Just promise me everything will settle down and right itself.”

“Montgomery,” she purred. “I don’t know how the story ends. I only know we’re together.”

“Happily ever after and shit?”

“Can’t see any way out of it.” Harper snatched another quick kiss. “You’re stuck with me.”

Monty stood up with Harper in his arms and her legs wrapped around his waist. Walking back to the picture window he held her against the cool glass and she let out a little squeal.

“That’s a view I can live with.” This time, he claimed her lips and knew he’d found a woman of worth. Worth living for, worth killing for and the only woman to make him a man worth a damn. She was his other half and no matter what life threw at them, he could handle it, because now and forever…she would be his woman.