EPILOGUE
The Last Chapter
Two years later…
Summer was always beautiful in McKenzie Ridge. It was warm, not hot, the air was clean and fresh, and the skies bluer there than anywhere. The things that made it special, though, were the people who lived there.
When tragedy struck, it took McKenzie Ridge to its knees – but only for a minute. The day after the fires, the very day after total devastation, people from surrounding towns started showing up with their trucks, extra wood, whatever tools they had, and they lent a hand.
That was the McKenzie way. Anyone who had been to McKenzie had a special place in their heart for it, so donations started pouring in and the rebuilding of their beloved town started in the blink of an eye. It was a special place, full of special people, whether they lived there or were just in for a visit didn’t seem to matter. McKenzie felt like home to all it hosted – long term or just for a weekend, all the same.
It took time, but this special town was back on its feet quickly. Neighbor helping neighbor, from next door or the next town over, didn’t seem to matter.
Lou Shaw had said that everyone there, in their family of friends, had somehow ended up in McKenzie for a reason, and that was
the truth. When one fell, they all lifted them up and held them until they found their feet again. That’s what they did for Blake and Jessie…even Carly.
After a week in Portland, the group had gone home to assist in the rebuilding effort and get on with their lives. It was only a matter of weeks before Blake proposed, and Jessie rolled her eyes and accepted. Meg took over wedding planning, of course, and it was the grandest wedding McKenzie had seen.
Jessie had turned a new leaf, leaving her black leather behind with the rest of her past and even let Meg put her in a flowing gown, complete with unicorn make-up and curls in her hair. There were flowers and a romantic ambiance that was rumored to be responsible for the new babies born the following year. One thing Jessie hadn’t given up, though, was her combat boots and middle finger. You can’t always teach an old dog new tricks, and some habits die hard as they say.
Everyone was at the ranch, celebrating the second birthday of the babies, who each shared their special day. The terrible twos times four was more than any of them could have imagined. They weren’t the youngest in the heard of kids, however.
Morgan was newly pregnant with twins – again
– and already threatening no more sex until Beck took care of things
. Four was going to be their magic number. Four
was plenty for them.
Sam and Dawson were new parents again, too. They added baby number four to their brood, another girl. Sam was open to as many kids Dawson would give her, which worked out great, because little Gavin and Dawson were now outnumbered and wanted another shot at a boy.
Meg and Colton had expanded too. Not only was a miniature pony part of the family, but so was their unborn son, due in the fall. Colton grew up without a family but had all that he needed now – both human and those with fur.
Everly and Doc hadn’t added to their family, but baby fever was real in their household. They were content with RJ, who was sharing the birthday festivities with the others because he only had a few weeks in age on them. If anything stalled the baby fever, though, it was a party with five toddlers. They agreed to practice a lot and let nature take its course; they weren’t in a hurry to add to the chaos.
Carigan and B.J. were the newest parents. Their little boy was only weeks old and the star of the O’Reilly – Baker clans. B.J. took a lot of hard hits from the O’Reilly brothers when they found out he knocked up their sister. They didn’t care that they were married and had been for a few years…she was still their little sister, and they made him pay for what he did
to her.
Granny Lou and Stone Williams…they were far beyond the years of children, but they had as much joy with all that they were doing together. Sugar Pine Stables was fully operational as Stone’s new home base. He brought Texas to McKenzie with all of his cowboys, prize winning studs for breeding, and generally cool cowboy swagger. They built a house that overlooked the stable, and it became the core of their chosen family. They were happy, and Lou was still packin’ heat because you just never know…
Finally, Blake and Jessie. Life had tipped up on its axis and spun out of control for a minute there, but every obstacle made where they were now just that much sweeter. They were still full of angst, albeit playful now, and had such a deep smoldering love and devotion for each other that they were the envy of those who knew them.
They were made for each other, and despite their troubled pasts, they were now blessed beyond measure. They had added another member to their family, a stray kitten with a missing tail that Colton found for them – of course. It seemed that Baby, as much as she loved Flea Bag, just needed a baby of her own. She cared for the kitten like it was her own, even when it grew far bigger than she was. Baby was done shredding pillows, perfectly content with her fur family now.
Blake and Jessie were standing at the food buffet along the deck where he was holding their eight-month-old daughter, Shayne, on his shoulders while Jessie filled a plate to share as she rubbed her already pregnant belly. Frozen in time, locked in each other’s gaze, oblivious to the audience they had, Blake leaned down to kiss his wife.
“Hey, keep it clean, or get a room. You know how that swollen belly thing keeps happening, right?” Colton shouted from the table. “Blake’s going to knock her up again before number two is even born!”
They broke their kiss and laughed as both turned to Colton and flipped him off.
“Screw you, Sparks,” Jessie said.
In unison, the moms yelled, “Ears!
” as they each covered the eyes of their nearby little ones.
Jessie just shrugged and smiled.
THE END
Thank you for your hospitality, McKenzie…