Josie’s breath caught. “Ma?”
“Is that all right?” Jonas asked, concern etched in his creased forehead.
Josie’s eyes burned as her tears brimmed. She placed her hand on his cheek and smiled. “Yes,” she said in a breathless whisper.
“I love you,” Jonas said, snuggling under the covers.
“I love you, too.”
This was a miracle—being here with her children again, all under the same roof. She couldn’t bear to imagine how things might have been if the day had turned out differently. In this moment, she was the happiest woman on earth.
Josie closed the bedroom door and inhaled a deep breath. Behind the door of the master bedroom was her husband, her real husband. He loved her, just as much as she loved him. She twisted a strand of her hair and giggled softly. She remembered earlier when Travis looked down at her bashfully, as though he was contemplating kissing her. And she respected that. Josie wanted their first kiss to be special, one that would stand the test of time. She wanted to think back on their first kiss and feel warm and giddy inside. How could she feel that way, knowing Marcus tried to kill him right before?
Josie straightened her spine, standing tall. She put a smile on her face and sighed. All was over, her once-tense muscles now at ease. Behind that bedroom door was her future. This would be different than their wedding night. That night was full of lies and deceit, not of love. This night would be full of honesty and no secrets. She would give him her all, never pulling back.
With a steady hand—definitely not a trembling one—Josie opened the door. There Nathan was, snug in his crib and sound asleep. She softly shut the door, trying not to disturb him or this moment. Josie looked up at Travis seated on the bed, still dressed in his clothes from earlier, his ear cleaned and stitched up. His eyes met hers with a tenderness that softened her heart, and a gentle smile curved his lips.
“The children are tucked in,” Josie said.
Travis sighed. “It feels good to have us all together again.”
Josie smiled, stepping forward. “I have a feeling it will all be different for us now. Like we’re more connected than ever before.
Travis stood from the bed, and Josie found herself just below his chin. His hand rose to softly touch her face, and she instinctively closed her eyes. She had never thought he would touch her this gently again, not like this. No more threats and troubles existed to keep them apart.
The question was whether they should take a chance, and Josie never wanted it more. She’d welcome uncertainty with open arms, making it her new acquainted friend. No more would she shy away from Travis. She trusted him without any doubt in her mind.
“I love you, Jo,” Travis whispered, making Josie’s heart thump. “After today’s events and thinking I’d lose you forever, I’ll never let a day go by without telling you.”
Josie pulled him closer, one arm wrapped around his back and the other resting behind his neck. “I love you, Travis Blythe,” she said softly, her gaze locked with his.
Hardly a second passed before Josie’s dream became reality. Travis gently pressed his lips to hers, sealing their future together as husband and wife. Her first kiss—her first real kiss. She could hardly contain herself, deepening the gesture, erasingthe distance that had been their constant companion since they married. There were no more gaps. No more secrets.
At last, they pulled away breathless. Travis pulled a strand of hair behind Josie’s ear. “My wife.”
“My husband,” she whispered back, her hand resting against his chest. Then her gaze drifted down to his shirt’s buttons. Slowly, she undid one, feeling heat rise to her cheeks. She glanced up at Travis, catching the sparkle in his eyes.
“Is this what you want? Truly?”
Josie pressed her lips to his then pulled back, caressing his stubbled cheek. “Yes. I want to move forward as your wife in every way. More than anything.”
Travis kissed her one last time and pulled her close, wrapping his arms firmly around her waist. Without warning, he swooped her into his strong arms, causing Josie to gasp in surprise. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, soft laughter bubbling. Travis laid her gently onto the bed and looked down at her with a smile.
Josie had finally found a man like no other, a rare man that was hard to come by. If Aunt Tia was alive, she’d never doubt her again. Taking the journey to Montana was worth every mile for in the end, it led her to Travis, the man who would always be hers. Until she found him, there was only darkness and fear, and now she had what she always dreamed of—a family, love, and peace.
Epilogue
Willow Grove, Montana; May 1873
“Areyoucertainyouhave everything you need?” Travis asked for the third time as he placed a new reader on each of the children’s desks.
Josie opened a wooden crate resting on her desk and pulled out books for arithmetic, science, history, and literature. “I am.”
Her school supplies had arrived a day late, leaving much to unpack and sort before the second day of school began. But having Travis there to help had been a blessing. She and her husband had woken before dawn to organize the schoolhouse, making up for the chaos of the first day when the lack of supplies had made everything more stressful. Now, as she unpacked the last crate, a sense of relief settled over her.
“You won’t have to escort us to school tomorrow,” Josie told Travis, glancing up as she stacked the books by subject. The day before, he had ridden behind them all the way to town. “There’s planting to be done.”
Travis set his empty crate on Josie’s desk and smirked at her. “Planting can wait.” Taking her hand, he brushed his thumb over her skin in a slow, tender motion. “I’m going to miss you.”
