As I looked out toward the west pasture, I couldn’t help but smile.

Garrett pulled me closer to him and said, “What is that smile for?”

I shrugged. “I’m not sure. I just see so many wonderful things happening on this ranch in the future.”

He nodded his head. “I hope so. I really hope so.”

I slowly turned and looked at him. “Thank you for my letter.”

He smiled that smile that melted my heart. I knew that smile would forever melt my heart.

“I meant every word.”

I pulled his hand up and kissed the back of it. “I know you did.”

Garrett let out a long sigh and said, “I had a dream last night.”

“Oh, yeah? What was it about?”

He shook his head. “I was sitting on this porch, talking to the boys, I guess. They were older, our age when we got married. I was telling them about our story.”

I smiled as I thought back to the first time I’d laid my eyes on Garrett Mathews and how foolish I had been, fighting my feelings for him.

“Do you know what my hope is for our boys?” Garrett asked.

“That they find a love like ours?”

He looked back at me and smiled. “Yes. My hope is for them to find a love like ours.”

I nodded my head and whispered, “That’s my wish, too.”

We sat there for a few minutes in silence before Garrett pushed the quilt off of him, and he stood up. He held his hand out, and I placed my hand in his.

“Where are we going?” I asked as I raised my eyebrows.

Garrett’s eyes lit up with a fire I hadn’t seen in a few months, and I couldn’t help thinking of how badly I needed to feel him inside me.

“It just dawned on me that it’s been five weeks, and I think I’ve waited long enough to make love to my wife. I’m taking you inside, and I’m going to make you feel like you’ve never felt before.”

“Oh,” was all I could say.

I let Garrett lead me into the house. After a quick check on Jack, Garrett gently laid me down on the bed, and he slowly began making love to me. He took his time, and I was so glad he did.

“Garrett…you feel amazing,” I whispered.

He slowly moved in and out of my body.

When I felt the familiar buildup, I grabbed on to his shoulders and looked into his eyes. “Garrett…I’m coming.”

Garrett closed his eyes and let out a long moan as he slowly came to a stop. He stayed inside me for a few minutes. Neither one of us wanted to break the bond we had. When he finally pulled out of me, he placed his hands on either side of my face and kissed me so tenderly. It didn’t take long for me to be so overcome with emotion that I began to softly cry.

Garrett was resting his body on his elbows, and he slowly smiled as he wiped a tear away from my cheek.

“Emma Rose, will you marry me?”

I smiled. “I do believe I’ve said yes…a few times.”

“Marry me again,” he whispered.

“Only if you promise to love me forever.”

As he slowly sat back, he pulled me up. He moved my body to where I was straddling him.

“Emma Rose Mathews, I promise to love you forever.”

I smiled, and I was about to kiss him when I heard, “Emma? Garrett?”

Garrett’s mouth dropped open, and he quietly said, “Are you fucking kidding me?”

I let out a giggle. “An unlocked door is an open invitation.” I gently kissed my husband on the lips and whispered, “I love you, Garrett.”

He moved his hand behind my neck as he smiled that smile that would forever be my undoing. He whispered back to me, “I love you more, Emma.”

Present Day

I couldn’t help but smile as I watched all the girls sitting there with tears in their eyes—well, all of them but one. Ari was sitting with her arms crossed over her chest, and her mouth was dropped open.

“I knew it! I knew there had to be some reason you always walk in on us, old man,” Ari said as she shook her head.

Emma let out a chuckle. Ellie glanced over at Ari and hit her on the arm before turning back and wiping away her tears.

Ellie took in a deep breath. “That was the most beautiful story I’ve ever heard, Garrett. I had no idea you were behind all the letters.”

Emma reached for my hand. “It seems like it was all just a moment ago.”

“Grams, Gramps…that was the most amazing story I’ve ever heard. Thank you for sharing it with us.”

Jeff nodded. “I always knew that quilt was a good-luck charm.”

Everyone began laughing as Emma and I looked at each other and smiled.

“It seems like it was just yesterday when Emma was handing me that quilt and we were going on that picnic. My bride is just as beautiful today, if not more beautiful than that day.”

Heather cleared her throat. “I think it is pretty clear where Gunner got his romance from, but I have to say, I think you blow them all out of the water, Garrett. Oh my goodness…the charm when the boys were born.”

Amanda blew her nose. “So beautiful.”

Ari smiled. “The honeymoon and Nat King Cole’s song. Swoon the hell out of me!”

Ellie nodded her head. “The honeymoon night!”

Amanda said, “Yes…in the back of the truck.”

Josh started laughing. “Garrett, I’m pretty sure we learned from the best when it comes to the romance department.”

I glanced over to Gunner, and he smiled and winked at me.

Jessie cleared her throat. “Garrett, I never knew about your father. That just breaks my heart.” She broke down crying again.

Emma reached across and took Jessie’s hand in hers. “The only way to truly appreciate the happy times in your life is to go through the bad times.” She looked back at me and grinned. “Garrett and I learned that very early on.”

She glanced back at the kids. “Kids, not everything in your life is going to be wonderful. You’re going to get upset and fight with each other. We tend to make it much harder than we should. We question our love, and we place doubt in our minds, but you have to believe in the very thing that got you this far—love. It breaks down the walls we have built and shows us the light we’ve always known is there. Nothing is stronger than love.”

Emma looked over to me.

I smiled. “Especially when it is a forever love.”

The End

The following section includes letters written from Gunner, Jeff, Josh, Brad, and Scott after the birth of each one’s first child.