by Unknown
Although Lacey accepted the occasional wildlife shoot, these days, most of her days and nights were spent at home with him and the kids. They’d fought for their love, their happiness, both giving and taking. Danger couldn’t think of anywhere he’d rather be than wrapped in the beauty of his wife’s love.
Epilogue Two
(Jace and Kaycee)
A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on.
~Carl Sandburg
Dancing Star Ranch
Rimrock, Montana
Jace Remington stood at the back screen door, a three year old in his arms and two at his sides, doing the same thing he was doing—watching for Mommy to pull up in the driveway. His daughters, so adorable.
The twins, Faith and Hope took his breath every time he looked at them. They were so much like his wife, Kaycee, it boggled his mind. But Charity, God, she was going to be a handful one day. She had her mother’s beautiful violet colored eyes, independence, and temper, but she had his dark hair, coloring, and the Remington stubbornness.
“Ah, there she is, girls. There’s Mommy.”
Silent, he watched Kaycee get out of the Ford Expedition he’d recently bought her. Five months pregnant, she’d gone for her second ultrasound and today they’d learn if it was a boy or a girl. He didn’t care which. He was glad it was just one baby this time and not triplets again. Not that he wouldn’t love three more, he would. He had so much love to go around, his heart swelled with happiness.
Grinning, he held the door open for his wife. “Well? Don’t keep me in suspense.”
She smiled. “It’s a boy,” she announced, a wide smile on her lips.
“A boy?” Jace wrapped his free arm around her neck and held her tight. “A boy? They’re sure?”
She laughed and leaned back. “Trust me, it’s a boy. He has his daddy’s rather…large equipment. No mistaking the sex.”
Jace couldn’t control the grin on his face. “A boy…we’re having a baby brother, girls. What do you think of that?”
They stared at their mother’s round belly. “But…where is he?” Charity asked, her eyes huge.
“I want to see him now,” Hope announced.
“Me, too,” Faith chirped. “What’s his name?”
Jace glanced at his wife. “Well, what’s his name, woman?”
Kaycee laughed and hunkered down in front of the twins. “How does Wade Dakoda Remington sound?”
“It has a nice ring to it,” Jace said. “You hungry? The girls and I threw some steaks on the grill and tossed a salad. They should be about done.”
Kaycee nodded. “I’m starving, but I didn’t want to stop and eat in town. I wanted to hurry home and share the news.”
Jace pressed a quick kiss to wife’s mouth. “Let’s eat.”
Yeah, these days his life was pretty full. He had a beautiful wife, three lovely daughters, and a son on the way. What more could a man ask for to rock his world?
Epilogue Three
(Dianna and Taylor)
Love is a canvas pattern furnished by Nature, and embroidered by imagination.
~Author Unknown
Western Australia
S and R Station
“Dianna!”
“Daddy’s home,” Dianna exclaimed, excited. Setting her cup of hot tea aside, she rose to her feet. Her husband had been away for almost two weeks and she, along with their two sons, was hungry to see him. She raced them to the living room where Taylor waited, presents for the boys in his hands and a large bouquet of red roses for her.
As the boys charged him, he laid the roses aside and lifted both of them in his arms. “Did you two take good care of Mommy while I was away?”
They nodded, their green eyes round as they clung to their father and their gifts.
“How were things back home?” Dianna asked. She loved Montana. It was where her roots were and would always be, but Australia had become home. Both Raider and Jace kept Taylor hopping, plus they now ran a few sheep and horses of their own. Raider had sectioned off a piece of land and they’d built a home on it. They were as much a part of her Aussie cousin’s lives as they were her family in Rimrock.
After their plane crash five years ago, she hadn’t thought either of them would ever want to see the Land of Oz again, but it got under one’s skin and simply sucked you in.
Taylor dipped his head and took her mouth in a deep kiss. Leaning back, he eyed her. “You look tired. Is everything okay?”
She grinned. “Every thing’s fine. I’m pregnant.”
He lifted a brow. His fierce blue eyes sharpened. “Do tell. How many times did we try for this one?”
Dianna felt the warmth color her face. “Once?”
“Am I good or what?”
“You only tried once for Jacob and Chad.”
“I have the power, honey.”
She grinned. “Yes, you do, Taylor Spencer, and don’t you ever forget it.”
He locked his arms around the small of her back. “I never intend to. If this baby isn’t a girl, you wanna try again…a couple of years from now?”
“Isn’t that how Chad and now this one got here?”
“It is, but don’t you think with all that practice, that sooner or later we’ll get it right?”
Dianna sighed. “We got it right every time.”
“We did.” Taylor nodded. “I still love practicing in between.” He wiggled his dark brows.
“Oh, we’re going to practice, cowboy. Just as soon as the boys are down for their naps, I have a whole new ride just for you.”
“Boys,” Taylor said, “Nap time.”
Epilogue Four
(Duel and Flayme)
Life is not always fair. Sometimes you get a splinter even sliding down a rainbow.
~Terri Guillemets
Rimrock, Montana
The Dancing Moon
Flayme poured two cups of coffee and joined her husband on the long front porch. She settled on the swing beside him.
“Ahh, just what the doctor ordered,” Duel said, grinning. “You finally get Houston to go to sleep?”
“His three year old imagination is wild.” She sipped from her cup before nodding. “I had to tell just one more time how you saved his mommy’s life by stuffing me inside an animal. You should have seen his face. That kid never stops talking.”
Duel laughed. “That he gets from his mother.”
Flayme giggled. She could hardly deny it. They’d had some tough times, what with Duel having to have two major surgeries to remove the bullet fragments lodged near his spine then months of physical therapy and his time in a wheelchair. She knew there were days he wanted to give up. He’d stayed strong, and that was what was important. He was walking again and free of pain and she was grateful for their lives together.
Then they’d built this ranch on Dancing Star land. Duel’s section of the property gave them plenty of timber and mineral rights. Their future was secured as well as the next generations to follow.
Flayme sighed and leaned her head back on her husband’s shoulder. “I saw a doctor today.”
“You did?” Duel turned her so he could see her face. “Is something wrong?”
“Wrong? No, not unless you count me being eight weeks pregnant wrong? However, we did take the risk on our honeymoon two months ago.”
Duel grinned and pressed a kiss to her mouth. “I sure tried to make it happen.”
“You didn’t have to try very hard, Duel Remington.”
He pressed a hand to her thickened midriff. “Do you regret it?”
“Not a bit. I can’t wait to fill all those empty bedrooms upstairs. We’ll have to go on at least three more honeymoons to accomplish that.”
Duel laughed. “I think we can accomplish it right here on the ranch,” he said, his voice husky. “Just let me know when you’re ready.”
Flayme nodded. “Count on it, cowboy.”
Epilogue Five
(Wild and Jayla)
I want a person
who comes into my life by accident and stays on purpose.
~Unknown
Havre, Montana
Regional Health Care Center
Hunkering down to eye level to his daughter, Wild fussed with her glossy pigtails, straightening both of them until they suited him. The pink bows he’d added at the end of the long braids looked adorable. He grunted, pleased that he’d managed to make them look halfway decent for his little girl. “Shall we go in now and visit Mommy?”
But with Penny, there was always one more question. “Do you love me, Daddy?”
Startled by his daughter’s serious face, he frowned. Lord, he never wanted his babies to doubt for an instant they didn’t own his heart. He’d kill for them—die for them, just like he would for their mother. “Of course I love you, pumpkin. You believe that, don’t you?”
“Yes.” Penny scrunched her tiny freckled nose as if debating what to ask next.
She reminded him so much of Jayla. She was definitely her mother’s daughter.
“I heard you talking to Mama last night and you said she owned all your heart. If she owns all your heart, then how can you have any left over for me and Rachel?”
Wild swallowed the lump filling his throat. “I have a big heart, baby, especially when it comes to you, Rachel, and Mom. There’s enough love in there to go around to all of you.”
“How much do you love me?” Penny asked.
Ah, now this game Wild understood. “As far as the sky stretches and back.”
“Do you love me as big as the sky, too, Daddy?” Three year old Rachel tugged on his jeans leg. “Do you, Daddy? I don’t wanna be loved as big as your sky, Daddy. I wanna be loved with all your heart. You know why?”
Wild drew a deep breath and slowly released it. Tears misted his eyes. He looked away for a moment so his girls wouldn’t see them. He never thought to be so happy, but his life was filled with love, laughter, and a beautiful woman who meant everything to him. “No, why, sweetheart?” he asked huskily.
“Because your heart is so big, you have room inside it for me, Penny, Mommy, and our new little brother. Can we go see Mommy now? I miss her.”
“And I wanna see baby Chase,” Penny piped up. “I miss Mommy too.”
“I miss her, too, baby girl. And yes, we can go now.”
Entering his wife’s hospital room, she looked up smiling. She held their son in her arms, gently rubbing the top of his head. “He has so much hair, it’s incredible.”
“Yeah.” Wild grinned. The girls settled on the bed beside Jayla oohing and aahing. He leaned over his wife and kissed her mouth. “How are you feeling?”
“Sore. What’s happening at the ranch?”
“Things are coming along great. The builders are just finishing up the last bunk house. By next spring, we’ll be able to start accepting applications.”
Jayla squeezed his hand. “I’m so glad you came up with the idea to build a dude ranch for cancer stricken children.”
“It’s a good way to use that portion of my land. Jace, Duel, and Dianna are all going to contribute to the cost.”
Jayla nodded. “And the nursery in our home?”
“Finished. The girls and I added the last bit of blue paint this morning.”
“No signs of pink, huh?”
“For my son? No way. Chase is going to be all cowboy one day.”
“I can’t wait to see him in chaps and a cowboy hat, just like his father’s favorite with those feathers,” she teased.
Wild laughed something he did frequently these days. Life couldn’t get any better. Happiness was two little girls, his beautiful wife, and their newborn son.
*The End*
Read more about Dianna and Taylor in the upcoming series, Men of the Outback, book one, A Hard Man, Raider Remington and Sabrina Holden’s story.
About the Author
Jaydyn Chelcee is a native of Oklahoma. She’s traveled extensively in the western half of the United States where she searched for settings for her novels. One of her favorite sites in her contemporary western romances is Montana. She’s the author of the best selling Montana Men Series.
In the Arms of Danger, No Holds Barred, Too Hot to Handle/Too Close to the Fire and Playing for Keeps are available in multi-formats at Secret Cravings Publishing and Amazon.com
Available now from Secret Cravings Publishing: Extended release of Witch’s Brew, Witch’s Heart, Witch’s Moon, Witch’s Magic, and Witch’s Fire, of the Winslow Witches of Salem Series written under Tabitha Shay.
All releases available at Amazon.com
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