She jumps into my arms and wraps her legs around my waist. “I can’t believe you knocked out a wall and set up a room for both of us.”
“Charlie did me a favor. I think Magnolia helped, too. They love you, you know. Charlie was practically threatening me,” I tell her with a laugh.
“It’s nice to have friends.” She leans forward and presses a kiss against my cheek. “It’s nice to have a kissing buddy too.”
“Kissing buddy? Is that all I am to you now?” I exclaim in fake outrage.
She tilts her head back and laughs loudly. “I love annoying you.”
“Well, you’re going to have to work harder at it, because I still want to kiss you.”
And so I do.
Epilogue
BLISS
Zaneand I are sitting next to each other in the hot tub. It’s not even dark yet, but we spent the day working calves together, and I’m beginning to think I’m the older one in this relationship because my bones hurt. Moving cattle panels is fine as long as you stay in motion. But when you sit down in your truck after a day of setting up corrals…I always wonder if I’ll be able to walk again.
Tonight, Zane carried me straight from the pickup to the bedroom to put on swimsuits. He even grabbed us a couple of drinks while I waddled out to the hot tub. It’s wildly unfair that he seems unfazed by today’s work.
He still amazes me.
It’s been three months of pure joy. I didn’t know it could be so much fun being married to your best friend.
Zane has finally won me over to the fact that wearebest friends. He tells me it’s the highest compliment he can give me and that he’s so lucky that he has a sexy best friend who’s also his wife.
Now that I know I don’t have to separate the two—being friendsandbeing in a relationship together—I, too, am enjoying our dynamic.
We’re enjoying a slower week together before Briar gets here next week. She’s flying up with her family, including the new baby, Billy, and staying for two weeks.
Zane and I are spending as much time together as we can, because I know we won’t have much alone time for a while. Briar said she’s going to be glued to my side while she’s here and that she’s long overdue for some girl time.
Poor Belle isn’t going to make it up yet because she had her baby, Belinda, three weeks ago and isn’t able to fly yet.
“Do you suppose we could fly to Texas for a quick weekend?” I ask Zane.
He stretches an arm around me. “Sure. When were you thinking?”
“Maybe after Briar’s visit?”
He smiles down at me. “You want to meet Belinda, don’t you?”
“If I’m going to be her favorite aunt, she should at least meet me before her first birthday,” I argue.
Zane laughs. “You don’t have to convince me. I think we could get all of our work straightened away and fly down for a visit.”
I turn and press a kiss against his cheek. “You’re the best husband.”
“Hmm, tell me more.” He turns to kiss my lips.
Our kiss is interrupted when my phone rings. With a sigh, I pull back and then lean over the edge of the hot tub so I can stare at the name on the screen. It’s Magnolia.
“I probably don’t have to answer that, right?” I ask Zane, staring at the phone on the small table next to the hot tub.
Zane leans down and pulls me tight against him. “As long as she’s not video calling, it’s probably safe.”
We’re sitting in our hot tub, waiting for the sunset. Life doesn’t get any better than this.
