Epilogue
Logan
July
“Oh. My. Gosh. Seriously, Logan. This view.”
“Happy anniversary, sweetheart,” I whispered in Rhett’s ear as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pulled him back into my body. We were standing on the balcony of the apartment we were staying at in Paris, staring at the Eiffel Tower.
“This is by far one of the best presents you’ve ever given me, you know that, right?”
“Well, hopefully next year you’ll be happy with Hawaii or something,” I joked. I couldn’t take all of the credit though. James had helped a lot with the planning of this trip.
Rhett turned in my arms and wrapped his around my waist before resting his head on my chest. “I’m happy spending time at the ranch with you. We don’t have to go places. And I’d think it’ll be difficult to travel with the twins in a couple of years. Just think about traveling with Mack.”
I shuddered at the thought. I loved the little guy, but Rhett had a point. Those terrible twos, they were a real thing, and we had twins. That meant two going through them at the same time.
“Okay, so maybe somewhere closer to home?” I suggested. We still kept promising each other we’d go back to the cabin we’d honeymooned at in Canada again, next time in the summer when it was warm, but so far, we’d only gone in the winter when it was too cold to do anything.
“I’ll go anywhere with you. You know that. Do you think we should go see what everyone else is up to?”
“Sure. I still can’t believe you turned our anniversary trip into a family vacation,” I told Rhett as I leaned down and kissed the top of his head before turning and tugging him inside with me.
“What? Kait hadn’t been here yet, and you have to admit, it’s so much easier to vacation when we have two sets of grandparents to help wrangle four kids.”
“I’ll agree. But maybe next year we can make it just the two of us? Maybe by then you’ll be ready to leave the twins with someone for a week or so,” I suggested hopefully.
“If that’s what you want, yes.” Rhett walked toward the sound coming from the living room.
Phoebe was giggling while chasing Ash and Abi, who were rolling and scooting around on the floor. Yes, we’d brought my family with us—no, we’d brought our family with us. Rhett was right though. Kait hadn’t been to Paris and had desperately wanted to go. James and Taylor had been several times, and when I’d asked about where to stay, he offered not only the perfect solution of renting an apartment instead of a room, as well as his plane. It truly was the only way to travel. Especially when it came to long flights.
“There they are,” Taylor said as we reentered the room. Abi squealed when she saw us, and Rhett immediately went to her and picked her up. And they said I’d be the one that was wrapped around her little finger. I’ll admit, I was. But Rhett was more so.
“Any news from Sean?” Rhett asked his dads as he bounced our daughter on his hip.
“No, but he said he wasn’t going to bug us during our vacation anyway,” Taylor told us.
“You two ready to head out and see the sights?” I asked Boone and Kait.
“I thought we were all going to the Eiffel Tower?” Kait asked.
“Are we doing that now? I thought we were doing that tomorrow,” I said.
“We were, but the girls want to go today. I thought if we got that over with, you could leave the kids here with us and we could watch them while you go exploring tomorrow. You could take the day for yourselves and see so much,” Mom suggested, and I had to agree, that did sound good.
None of the kids would have nearly as much fun exploring museums as much as the adults would. We’d agreed that the kids would hang out with the grandparents during one day and then the parents the next. James and Taylor were more than capable tour guides, and I knew they’d have no problems entertaining my parents.
“Okay, sounds good. So we need to change diapers and make sure we have extra bottles,” Rhett said as he walked over to the couch and laid Abi on it. Once the twins were changed and strapped into their carriers that Rhett and I both wore on our fronts, we were off, ready to explore.
The twins were only just over six months old, but we’d learned a whole hell of a lot in those six months. Things like laundry room blowjobs were sometimes the closest thing you got to having sex for days at a time. Or the fact that with twins under the age of one, you never go anywhere spur of the moment. No, going anywhere with young children took a great deal of time. Things had to be planned and organized.
We’d also learned that our family was the best. We’d had a really rough start, but we knew that their hearts were in the right place, and our parents meant well. They loved their grandkids, and they often took turns keeping at the same time. That took a great deal of effort on Rhett’s part, and he still wasn’t quite ready to let the twins stay overnight, but he’d get here. Eventually.
I looked at my husband as we walked down the street toward the Eiffel Tower. I had a beautiful husband and children. My brother and I were successful ranch owners with our three cousins, and we had an amazing family. I truly was blessed, and I knew it.
I reached for Rhett’s hand and laced my fingers with his, earning a smile from him. “You having fun?” he asked.
“I’m with you, aren’t I? Of course I’m having fun. We’ll have to come back someday when these two are old enough to remember it,” I said as I tugged Ash’s hat back in place. He didn’t like hats at all, something Rhett found hilarious but I found to be troublesome.
“I agree. But let’s give it ten or so years?”
“Sounds like a plan. You ready to do this?” I asked as we reached the base of the tower and looked up. Way up.
“Logan?”
I looked at Rhett, and when I saw how white his face was, I smiled at my husband, pulled him into my arms as much as having two infants strapped to our chests would allow, and rubbed his back.
“Hey, I think we’re just going to sit this one out. You guys enjoy. We’ll hang out down here,” I told the rest of the group.
“You sure?” Taylor asked as he walked over to us. When he got a look at his son’s face, he nodded in understanding before he gave Rhett’s shoulder a squeeze and rejoined the rest of the group.
“I don’t get it. I’ve been here before, and I’ve been up there before.”
“Well, you were different when you were a teenager. It doesn’t matter, sweetheart. Come on, let’s walk around and enjoy the flowers. They’re beautiful and it’s such a nice day out,” I told Rhett as I once again laced our fingers together.
We enjoyed the grounds around the tower while the rest of our family went up to the observation deck. I didn’t want to admit it, but I had reservations about going up as well. Maybe it was because of the twins, maybe it was because of Rhett. Who knew?
“You enjoying your trip?” I asked, throwing the same question back at Rhett.
“I am. But why wouldn’t I? I’m with you, pumpkin. It’s beautiful here, but it’s nothing compared to Wild Creek. I miss it more every time we leave.”
“It has that way about it, doesn’t it?”
“How’s that?” Rhett asked when he stopped and looked at the tower.
“It has a way of getting under your skin. Of becoming a part of you.”
“Yes. That’s exactly it. But the best part is that it’s you. I see you in every corner of it. It’s what helped shape you into the person you are, and without it, I know you wouldn’t be the same.”
“Probably not. Ranching is something I’d always dreamed about. When we made it a reality, I finally felt settled. When I found you, I felt whole,” I told Rhett.
“I love you, Logan.”
“And I love you.”
I kissed my husband there in Paris, in front of the Eiffel Tower, with our twins babbling between us. Life couldn’t get any more complete than having the three most important people in my life with me in that moment.