Epilogue
Four years later
I wake to the gentle sway of the water rocking the boat and look at the time, seeing I’ve been asleep for a little over an hour. Rolling out of bed, I put my feet on the cool wood floor then grab my sweater, wrapping it around myself as I make my way through the kitchen to the stairs.
The sight that greets me makes every harsh breath I have ever taken worth fighting for. Austin is standing near the edge of the boat with our son Jacob, who we named after my dad, between his spread thighs, both holding onto a fishing pole.
As if he senses me standing there, his head turns in my direction, our gazes lock, and his face goes soft as his eyes sweep over me.
“Hey, baby,” he says softly, holding out his hand towards me.
“Mommy, wook! I’m fishing.” I pull my eyes from my husband, look at my son, and smile as I make my way toward them. As soon as I’m close enough, Austin’s arm wraps around my shoulders and his mouth dips to kiss my neck.
“What are you guys fishing for?” I ask my son, running my hand over his blonde hair that’s shaggy just like his fathers.
“Hawwobit,” he replies, biting his lip in concentration.
“Did you sleep okay?” Austin asks.
I tilt my head back and answer, “Yes.”
His eyes go even softer, his hand runs over my stomach that has just started to protrude, and he mutters, “Good,” placing a soft kiss on my lips.
“I love you,” I tell him, feeling like the words are so insignificant. Every day, I work at giving him a fraction of what he has given to me, but really, how can you ever repay the person who breathed life back into you?
“You more, baby.” He smiles, kissing my nose, then bends away, saying, “You got a big one. Are you ready?” to our son.
“Yes,” Jacob says, and they begin reeling in the line, pulling up a large halibut, with both eyes on the top of its head. Once they have the fish on deck, they work together to get it in the tank as I stand by, watching.
“Are you guys hungry?” I ask, observing as they drop the line into the water once more.
“No,” Jacob says, not even bothering to look at me.
“Let’s go have some lunch. We’ll come back out and fish after we eat,” Austin tells Jacob, making him frown. He may only be four, but fishing is already in his blood.
“But I don’t want to eat,” he complains as he is picked up.
“I brought your favorite cookies, and if you eat lunch with me, I’ll let you have two,” I bribe him.
“Do I get his cookies if he doesn’t eat his lunch?” Austin asks as we head down to the kitchen.
“You get your own cookies,” I tell him, smiling when I hear a rumble come from his chest then feel his hand on my ass.
“Yeah, Daddy, you get your own cookies,” Jacob repeats, making me laugh and Austin chuckle.
*
Two years later
I lean back against the kitchen counter and smile as I watch Lea look through the telescope out on the deck. Pouring her a glass of wine, I grab a beer for myself then grab the baby monitor off the counter and slide the door open.
“Did they go down okay?” she asks as I take a seat and pull her into my lap.
“Josie made me read her three stories before she finally passed out, and Jacob was asleep before I even got him out of the bath,” I say, watching her eyes soften as they always do when we talk about the kids. I put my beer to my lips and take a pull then hand her the glass of wine I brought out for her.
“I can’t have this,” she says softly, and my stomach clenches.
“You pregnant again?”
“Don’t act like you’re surprised. You have super sperm, and all we have to do is say we’re ready for another one, and I’m pregnant.”
“True.” I smile, pulling her closer so I can take her mouth in a deep kiss that soon has her turning and straddling my lap. Running my hands up her thighs, under my shirt she’s wearing, I notice she’s only wearing her panties and the fucking socks that have gotten her fucked more times than I can even count.
“Fuck,” I growl into her neck then move her to lean over the balcony; where I make love to her under the Alaskan sky before carrying her into bed.
Listening to Lea breathe I tilt my head back and look out the window as a large shooting star passes overhead. Twenty-six years ago, I wished on a star that Lea would be my wife, it took awhile, but my wish came true. I hoped that whoever was wishing on that star was as lucky as me.
Wide open spaces
The story of Zach and Shelby
Coming 2016