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EPILOGUE III
Thalia
Five years after that...
“Mama, go faster.”
I glance down at my nearly four-year-old daughter as she giggles with a smile. I’m leading her around the arena in her basket saddle on her little Shetland pony, Bronze. Luna squeals as I pull Bronze into a trot and she bobs around, me holding onto her leg the whole time. I can’t help but laugh with her.
“Was that fun, bambina?” I coo.
She nods. “I want to show daddy.”
I grin. Always the daddy’s girl. “Come on, then. I bet he’s in the barn.” I lead them out of the arena to where I know my husband will be.
After winning gold at the Olympics and Theo’s epic proposal, life has been nothing but bliss. We married, eight months after getting engaged, in Lake Garda, the same spot my parents married. It was an intimate gathering with only close family and friends, perfect for us. Not long after that I found out I was pregnant. We weren’t trying but we also weren’t using any birth control, so it wasn’t a surprise. The amount of sex we were having, it was amazing I didn’t get pregnant before that.
I was competing up until I was six months pregnant, but I stuck to smaller competitions at Theo’s insistence. When I stopped riding, he took over my horses, making good results and keeping them fit for when I returned to the saddle.
Although we loved the smaller farm that Theo owned, we decided we needed something bigger and not just because we had a baby on the way. After making the Olympic team, Theo had owners and investors throwing money at him. After much discussion we knew we needed to upgrade in size.
We ended up buying a farm with fifty acres, a five-bedroom main house, a one-bedroom staff apartment, a two-bedroom staff house, twenty stalls, a good size arena, and a horse exerciser. It was my dream home. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was the place for us.
Even with my father offering to give us money and invest in some horses for Theo as well as myself, Theo refused. He didn’t want to take money from my family, didn’t want people to think that’s why he was with me. I told him no one thinks that and that my father wanted to buy horses for the both of us, but he wouldn’t go for it.
He said that was how his relationship with Mel was and he didn’t want that for us. I was the most important thing in the world to him and he didn’t want to tarnish that by having something like what he had with Melody.
I loved him even more for it.
“Okay, I will let her know,” I hear the love of my life’s deep drawl come from one of the stalls. He steps out in the next second, pausing when he spots us. His lips curve up into a breathtaking smile before he strides towards us.
“Daddy,” Luna squeals.
He grins, bypassing me and going straight for my mini me. He unclips her strap and pulls her out of the basket and into his chest. “Hey, bambina.”
“Daddy, Bronze. I want to ride Bronze. You watch me,” she scolds. He kisses her head and pops her back in the saddle. Straightening, his eyes lock on me. He grabs my waist and pulls me to him.
“Piccola,” he breaths against my mouth, making me shiver. I feel rather than see him smirk. His effect on me hasn’t lessened over the years.
“Piccolo,” I breathe.
He pulls back. “That was your sister. She’ll be here in an hour.”
I smile. I’ve missed Aria. We both have busy lives, so when we get to spend time together, we make the most of it. Theo and I are competing at the Winter Tour right now and then we head to Europe for six months in May. My family always comes to visit wherever I am, but it’s nice to get this time together.
Luna claps, making us both look to her. “Auntie Aria, yay. I can play.”
I lean forward and kiss my daughter’s cheek. “Yes, you can, baby. Let’s go and show daddy how you ride Bronze and then get cleaned up.” She nods so enthusiastically, her head wobbles all over the place.
Theo takes my hand, and we lead our daughter through the barn and out to the arena. Happiness fills me and my heart feels so full of love, I’m surprised it hasn’t burst.
I sigh in contentment. My husband. My daughter. My horses. Our families.
I have everything I ever wanted and more.
The End.
