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“Of course I do, but today,happy for nowis more than enough. All I needed was to be sure that if we started dating, you’d be open to marriage and a family… one day.”
He frowns at me. “Happy for now?Is that a new thing?”
I smile. “Not a fan of romance novels, huh?”
He makes aduhface.
“Happy for now is where happily ever afters are born. When todays turn into tomorrows and all days afterward.”
Archie stands up and pulls me along, pressing my body against his. “I’ll take the now thing, Summer Knowles, but be ready because I plan on getting all those tomorrows.”
“Good,” I say, and close my eyes as my Prince Charming kisses me.
EPILOGUE
SUMMER
Some forty years later – Christmas Day
“What time are the little goblins arriving?” my husband asks, dropping the potato peels into the trash.
I look up from the stove where I’m stirring the cranberry sauce. “Should be here soon.”
Archie straightens up and kisses me on the side of the neck. “And how many of the little monsters are we having over this year?”
“Nine,” I say. “And don’t pretend you can’t remember how many grandkids you have; I know you love each of them to pieces.”
Archie chuckles. “Of course I do. They’re the best parts of us.”
I turn off the stove and wrap my arms behind his neck. I smile, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. It’s hard to believe that we’ve been married for over thirty years now and that the love and happiness we share has only grown stronger.
I kiss my husband, and he returns the kiss with the same passion that never faded over the years.
“If my back was still what it used to be,” he whispers in my ear. “I’d lift that pretty behind of yours onto the kitchen island and—”
The doorbell rings, interrupting whatever scandalous thing he was about to say.
“Easy tiger.” I playfully swat him with a wooden spoon. “You don’t want to traumatize the kids.”
He smirks. “They’re grown adults and at the rate they’re reproducing, I doubt I have anything left to teach them.”
I chuckle. “You might have a point.”
We both make our way down the hall to greet our children and grandchildren with open arms. As the house fills with laughter, love, and the smell of Christmas dinner, I can’t help but think back to that day at the edge of the vineyards when Archie and I talked about our future. We had no idea what was in store for us, but we knew that we had each other, that we wanted to make the journey together, and that was enough.
Looking at our family now, the love that radiates off of us is palpable, a blanket of warmth that wraps around me and cocoons me in pure contentment. The joy that we have shared and continue to share together is like a fire, engulfing us with its blazing light and heat, seeping into every crevice of our hearts. Archie was right, we’ve had our fair share of tomorrows, and with each passing day, our love only grows stronger. It has never wavered, even when life got tough. And for that, I’ll be forever grateful.
I sneak a glance at my husband, who’s playing with our youngest grandchild. He catches my eye and winks at me, and my stomach flips—no matter that I’m old and a grandma, that man still makes me feel like a blushing bridesmaid. Same as that first week when he stole my heart and soul.
Over the racket, I call out for everyone to get ready to eat. As we sit down to dinner, I look around the table at the faces of the people I love most in the world laughing and talking animatedly. My heart fills with joy and gratitude once again, knowing that no matter what happens in the years to come, we’ll always have these moments to carry us through.
The meal is a whirlwind of happy chaos. Followed by even more pandemonium as we gather around the tree to open the presents. As the kids play with their new, shiny toys, the adults watch a family movie together as is tradition, gathered around the fireplace. And when the little ones begin to fall asleep in their parents’ arms, our children—we ended up having four, two boys and two girls—one by one get up and return to their own happy homes.
Once everyone is gone, the house is a mess. Archie grabs a gigantic trash bag and starts collecting all the wayward wrapping paper. I grab his hand and make him stop. “Leave it,” I say. “We’ll take care of it tomorrow.”
“Are you sure?”
I wrap my arms around his neck and sink my fingers into his silky white hair. “Yes. Let’s go to bed.”
