Me: He might be a little too.
Harmony: Just a little?
Me: A lot.
Harmony: That’s better. See you soon.
Me: Be careful and let me know when you stop for lunch.
Harmony: Yes, Dad.
Me: Where’s the ass-spanking emoji?
She sends me a slew of dirty ones, and I laugh. I can’t imagine not having her in my life now. Everything before seems so black and white. Now, I see the world in all its vivid colors.
I pull on my boots by the mudroom door and step outside. It’s a perfect day for her to come home. I don’t have fields of bluebonnet because they’re actually poisonous to cattle, but I know they line the roads right now. Even the flowers welcome her home.
Reacher and I try our best to stay busy. Of course, there is not a thing wrong with any of the troughs. Ross has made sure of that. He’ll be leaving for college at the end of the summer. I’m not worried though. Turns out he has a younger brother who started showing up with him to help. He’s already expressed an interest in taking over when Ross leaves.
I make sure I’m around the house when Harmony stops for lunch. There’s no way I’m missing that call. We only have acouple more hours before she pulls through the gate. It seems like every minute on the clock now takes hours. Is this what it will feel like every time we’re apart? Reacher joins me as I stand on the front porch watching.
My eyes squint as I see a small wisp of dust in the distance. It’s enough to send my heart racing. I’ll never survive if that’s anyone but her. The dust trail grows a little larger until, finally, a candy-apple red SUV pulls up in front of the house.
Her smile is the first thing I see as she gazes through the front windshield at us. Finally, she’s come home.
epilogue
HARMONY - ONE YEAR LATER
“Hello, Austin!”I yell, stepping onto the stage. It seems like I’ve lived a lifetime since I’ve said that. Little did I know the last time would lead me to where I am now.
This time, I say it with a little more gusto. It’s the last time I’ll be on this stage for a while—any stage. When the proverbial curtain closes tonight, I’m taking a much-needed six-month break.
My gaze casts briefly to the man standing just off stage. His arms are folded over his chest, and there’s a scowl on his face. Most people can’t see, however, the warmth in his eyes. I can. I can see past his concern for me as I stride out in my boots to begin the first song. I can see the love he envelops my soul in.
To say our newest album has taken off would be an understatement. Uploads of our performance in Dallas were lighting up social media before we even walked off stage.
Then our fans found out about the man in my life. Poor Beau. He had his life splashed across every site almost overnight. It never seemed to bother him much though. I guess if there are no skeletons in your closet, you can still sleep easy at night.
About the time life in our sleepy, little world calmed down again, he proposed. It was the most romantic thing ever. We packed a picnic and spent the day by the river. He lit a fire as the sun dropped and, with the sunset in the background, got down on one knee. I knew he was a romantic at heart.
I accepted of course. Not in some beautiful, graceful way. I sobbed tears into his shirt until I broke out in hiccups. Thankfully, that didn’t make the rounds on social media.
Instead, there were a million shots of his grandmother’s gorgeous engagement ring on my finger. I haven’t taken it off since. Our wedding was perfect with just family and friends.
Let me be the first to explain how incredibly hot a sexy cowboy looks in a tuxedo. Our wedding night in a fancy hotel in Austin was a challenge. I had a hard time deciding if I should simply marvel at him looking like something I’d like to lick or actually ripping the tux off and doing just that.
I did the latter. I’m no idiot.
The next day, he swept me off to Peru where I managed to twist my ankle on the way to see Machu Picchu. I did post some great pictures of the donkey that hauled me down if that’s any consolation.
“Here,” Beau says, thrusting a bottle of water into my hands the moment I walk off stage for my first wardrobe change. My wardrobe is a lot more complicated now. Gone are all of the skin-tight jumpsuits and crop tops. Now, I’m in roomier outfits. Yep, you guessed it. Six months into our marriage, I got pregnant.
It was planned. No failed birth control, super sperm, or any of that other stuff for me. We just decided we didn’t want to wait to start a family.
Beau was beyond excited when that little stick showed two lines. It caused a few disagreements over me immediately beginning the tour. I worked out a compromise with the label to divide it into two sections with a six-month break in the middle.
“How are you feeling?” Robin asks when I reach the dressing room. I have two mother hens watching over me now.
