I looked in the rearview mirror at Alex and Colt whispering back and forth to each other. I put the truck in drive and began making my way back to the house. I knew my kids, and I knew they would want to stay home.

Alex cleared her throat. “Colt and I would like to grill hot dogs on the fire pit and then make s’mores.”

I glanced over at Ellie, and she smiled and winked at me.

“Then, I think we’d like to watch Cars!” Colt said with a big smile.

Ellie and I both started laughing.

I grabbed her hand and pulled it to my lips. “Do y’all know that was the first movie Mommy and I watched together? It’s kind of a special movie to us.”

“Really?” Alex let out a giggle. “Then, we have to watch it tonight!”

Ellie tilted her head and gave me the sweetest smile ever. “I think that sounds like the most perfect night ever.”

Both kids yelled, “Yeah!”

“All right, let’s head home and get homework and chores done. Then, we can plan our night.”

Alex and Colt both whined and began arguing over who had to feed the dogs. I squeezed Ellie’s hand as I looked at her.

She smiled as she said, “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

I laughed and said, “Agreed.”

By the time Colt had his fifth s’more, I was pretty sure he was going to throw up.

Ellie reached for the chocolate bars and marshmallows. “No more, young man. Now, both of y’all, go on in and get cleaned up. We’ll watch Cars in a bit after everything is cleaned up and put away.”

“Yes!” Colt yelled. He jumped up and began wiping chocolate and marshmallows on his pants.

Following him into the house, Alex said, “Colt, I will never get used to the way you eat. Ever. I don’t care if we are old and gray and living together in an old folks’ home. I will never get used to you being a pig.”

“Hey! Alex, don’t call your brother names!” I called out after them.

They were both in a full-blown argument and couldn’t even hear me at this point.

I helped Ellie clean up. We popped some popcorn and put the Cars movie in. It didn’t take long before both kids were sound asleep. Alex was snuggled next to me, and Colt was lying across Ellie.

I motioned to her that I was going to carry them up to their beds.

Ellie smiled, nodded her head, and mouthed, Ka-chow, to me.

I began laughing and wiggled my eyebrows up and down. When she nodded her head, I knew we would be sneaking off to the barn tonight.

I stood and picked up Alex. I carried her upstairs and put her in her bed.

When I covered her up, she whispered, “Daddy?”

I leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. “Yeah, sweetheart?”

“I want to marry a guy like you someday.”

I felt my heart begin to slam harder in my chest. “No one will ever be good enough for my baby. No one.”

She smiled. “I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you more, Alexandra. I love you so much more.”

I shut her door and leaned against it as I tried to contain my tears. I pushed off and made my way back downstairs to get my little man.

Colt was out for the night. He didn’t even budge when I placed him in bed and covered him.

I shut his door and ran back downstairs. Ellie was in the kitchen at the back door, holding the quilt Emma had made for us for our wedding present. We only used it when we were in the barn.

“Gunner, what if one of them wakes up?”

“They won’t.”

She tilted her head and said, “What if?”

I walked up, grabbed her, and picked her up, and she let out a small squeal.

“Gunner…” she whispered.

I pushed the door open and made my way to the barn.

“Thank you for the last few days.”

I walked into the barn and slowly set her down. I placed my hands on the sides of her face. “Thank you, Ells. Thank you for loving me, for being an amazing mother and wife, and for taking care of all of us like you do.”

“Now that you have me in your barn, what are your intentions, Mr. Mathews?”

“I intend on making love to you and showing you just how much I love you. I’m going to show you how much you’re wanted over and over again, Ellie.”

The End

Saved Short Story

I walked into the house and heard Ari on the phone with Heather.

“What if they get hurt? I’ll be so far away. I know. I know you’re right. I can’t help but worry.”

I smiled as I walked into the kitchen. I looked at the table and saw Luke and Grace. They were both making something with paper and crayons.

“What are y’all doing?” I asked as I pulled up a seat and sat down.

Grace looked at me and smiled. Her light brown hair and green eyes pierced mine as she smiled at me. “Daddy, we’re making happy-birthday cards for Bandpa!”

I smiled as I nodded my head. I loved that my father was a huge part of our lives.

“What is that, Grace? A horse?”

She snapped her head up and looked at me. “What? No, Daddy! It’s a flower vase.”

I quickly glanced over to Luke, who shrugged his shoulders and smiled. I looked back down at the drawing and tried to see where in the heck she was drawing a vase.

I nodded my head. “Of course, of course. I see the vase now. I must have horses on my mind.”

Grace giggled and said, “Silly, Daddy.”

Ari walked up, kissed me on the cheek, and then moved her lips to my ear. “I totally saw a horse, too.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“Dad, can I help Uncle Gunner while you’re gone?” Luke asked.

Ari sat down on my lap.

“I’ve already talked to him about it. Since you and Grace will be staying over there, Gunner said he will wake you up earlier to help with the feeding, if you’d like.”

Luke jumped up and did a fist pump. “Yes! Yes! Dad, I swear, I’m gonna learn everything, and make you and Uncle Gunner proud some day at how well I can help with things around here.”

I smiled and felt my heart growing bigger. I nodded my head. “Luke, son, you already make me proud.”

“Well, don’t be too proud of him just yet. Luke, you want to tell me about this dye you gave Alex to put in Colt’s hair last week?”

Luke slowly sat back down and gave his mother the most innocent look ever. “Mom, I’m not to blame for that. I told Alex it wouldn’t come out. She didn’t believe me. I put it on Lady, and—”