Heather laughed and shrugged her shoulders. Josh and Heather had sold their house in Fredericksburg and built a house on fifty acres just down the road from Gunner’s and Jeff’s ranches.

“Hey, don’t look at me. Your child is the oldest, Ari, and according to Will, Luke comes up with all their plans,” Heather said as she looked at Ari, who was flipping hamburgers on the grill.

Ari rolled her eyes. “Pesh. I can’t even begin to argue with you on that one. That child is worse than his father with his grand ideas.”

Ellie laughed and nodded toward the pool. “Look at those three.”

I turned and saw Colt with Maegan and Taylor. He was showing them something that had both of their attentions.

“Good Lord, my son is a player at ten years old,” Ellie said.

“That’s my boy,” Gunner said as he walked up behind Ellie and wrapped his arms around her. “Three boys up against six girls. I think he’s doing pretty good since he has two all by himself.”

Ellie slapped Gunner on the arm.

“Oh, come on, Ells…give me some sugar stamps.”

“Go play with the other daddies.” Ellie kissed Gunner quickly on the lips.

Scott, Jeff, Brad, and Josh were all walking up from the barn. Gunner grabbed a football and threw it to Josh, who jumped up and caught it.

“I want to play!” Will, Luke, and Colt all yelled as they ran up to the guys.

“Hey, we want to play, too,” Grace said as she put her hands on her hips.

Alex walked up next to Grace and did the same thing. “Yeah. We want to play, too.”

Will came up to Alex. “You can’t. Alex, you’re a girl, and you could get hurt.”

“Aww…he’s worried about her getting hurt,” Ellie said as she looked at Heather.

Heather smiled and shook her head. “I swear, I think Will has a crush on Alex. She is all he talks about.”

Gunner walked up. “Don’t be silly, Will. Alex is my daughter, and she’s as tough as any ole boy. Ain’t that right, sweetheart?”

He held up his hand, and Alex slapped it.

“That’s right, Daddy,” Alex said with a smile.

Colt stomped his feet. “Dad, for once, can the girls please just sit out a game? Grace, Alex, and Libby are too good of players.”

Josh and Jeff both smiled as Gunner let out a laugh.

“Well, son, you might actually learn something if the girls play,” Gunner said.

Grace held up her hand. “No…it’s fine, Uncle Gunner. If Colt is afraid of being beaten by a few girls, then we are more than happy to sit this one out.”

“We are?” Libby, Alex, Lauren, and Taylor all said at once.

Maegan did a fist pump and started to walk away. “Yes! I hate football.”

Amanda busted out laughing. “God, it kills Brad that Maegan hates football…that she hates any sport really.”

“Oh, gesh, if Grace ever told Jeff no to football, I think he would curl up into a ball in the corner somewhere and cry his eyes out,” Ari said as she put cheese on some of the burgers.

Ellie and Heather both laughed.

“Same here. Gunner would resort to bribing Alex in some way or another,” Ells said.

Heather went back to cutting tomatoes. “I’m just glad I have a daughter who can throw a football, and she still stops to make sure her hair is pinned up to her expectations.”

As the day went on, more football was played, and more screaming girls ran by as Colt chased them with a garden snake in his hands.

I saw Scott standing off to the side, leaning against a tree. I walked up to him and put my arms around his waist.

“What are you thinking about?” I asked.

He looked down at me and smiled. “How blessed we are.”

I leaned my head against him. “Mmm…that we are. Very blessed indeed.”

I looked out to each of our friends and smiled. Jeff was attempting to talk Ari into sneaking off somewhere to make out. Gunner had Ellie on his back while Josh carried Heather on his back as they ran after the kids in a race around the barn. Brad and Amanda were lost in their own little world, talking to each other.

When Scott brushed his hand up and down my arm, I felt that familiar tingle. Even after all these years, his touch affected me still.

“What are you thinking about, baby?” Scott asked as he pulled me closer to him.

I looked around again. Nine beautiful kids were all running around, playing and laughing, and each one was healthy and happy. We had eight amazing friends who had been there for each other through the good times and the bad times. Not once had any of us ever turned our backs on each other or ever stopped to ask questions. I felt the tears building in my eyes as I looked at each of them. They were more than friends. They were family.

I turned and faced Scott as I smiled. “I’m thinking how we each got everything we’ve ever wanted.”

He smiled and nodded his head. He lifted my chin up and kissed me softly on the lips. He put his arm around me and led me back toward everyone. I watched Gunner and Josh attempt to grab a hold of Ellie and Heather.

Gunner yelled, “It’s tickle-the-moms minute! Grab a mom and tickle them for a minute!”

Scott held me tighter. “You have a thirty-second head start.”

I pushed him away as I began laughing, and then I took off running.

Nothing in this life made me happier than just being right where I was with the people I loved.

As I made my way to Ellie, Heather, Ari, and Amanda, we all formed a circle and tried to keep the rest of the crew away from us. The next thing I knew, we were all rolling around on the ground, laughing and tickling each other. When Ari threatened to pee on someone, the kids disappeared, and we all started laughing.

Ellie fell back and looked up at the sky, laughing. “Holy hell. I’ve never been so happy in my entire life.”

Ari let out a sigh. “Well, my mother would kill me if she knew I wasn’t quoting the great Katharine Hepburn, but I love this quote.”

We all turned and looked at her as she continued to look up at the sky with a smile.

“I believe it was Ben Sweetland who said, ‘Happiness is a journey…not a destination.’ ”

The End…almost.

“Will, if my father catches us in here, he is going to be really upset,” I said as I looked back at the barn door nervously.

“Lex, we’re both leaving for college in a few months. Don’t you think you need to let your dad know what school you picked?” Will asked as he reached for my hand.