Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 20145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 101(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 67(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 101(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 67(@300wpm)
I shake my head, a huge smile on her face.
I’ll love and protect this woman for the rest of my days.
Of all the things in this crazy world, that much I can be sure of.
EPILOGUE 2
JUNE
Jennings rides. His bull whips and tries its damnedest to throw him off, but he’s at the top of his game. He rides it around the ring, gripping the reins hard even as the bull charges and stops, trying everything it can to get him off.
My stomach flips and struggles when I see him being tossed about like this. He’s done this hundreds of times but I can’t help but worry when I see it.
My brother has fully recovered from his accident, he’s even working up to riding in shows, but I’m still worried about it happening again, to either of them. And how it could come out even worse.
But Jennings knows I worry. He keeps his mind clear, his focus strong. He knows he’s not just living for himself anymore. Or even just for me.
He’s living for his family.
He does a fanciful dismount from the bull, rolling off it and to his feet. He’s getting clever, being more of a showman than just a skilled rider. With a round of applause, he takes a bow, then goes to calm down his bull.
Usually I’d prepare to go out behind him, but I’ve been taking my leave from my performances recently. I went as long as I could, but the doctor eventually put a hard limit on how long I could keep riding hard before I needed to take it easy for a few months.
I wait for Jennings in the dressing room and it’s not long before he’s bursting in, his hands all over me. “Have I told you how beautiful you are today?” he says, pulling me close and looking right into my eyes.
“Yes. Several times.”
“Then I think it’s time for your hourly reminder. You’re beautiful, Junebug. And always will be.”
He knows that pregnancy has been tough for me. It’s taken me off Fillia for a bit, and there’s all the usual hormonal nonsense that comes with the territory. It’s been quite the ordeal, but it’s how we wanted to start our family, so I struggle through it. It’s not that bad knowing I have his support.
Jennings kisses me, his hands going down my body. My flesh ignites with need from his touch, just like it’s the first time. I want him. I need him. This has been so very important in managing those aforementioned hormones.
He picks me up, and I’m immediately hit with intense pain and let out a gasp that’s not the kind he’s used to.
I grit my teeth and start taking deep breaths.
“What’s the matter?”
“The baby. It’s coming.”’
I’m a week off of nine months. I should have expected this, but Jennings is on the ball. He grabs a bag we’d been carrying around and takes my hand. “Let’s go. We need to get you to the hospital ASAP.”
I take his hand, letting him lead.
We rush to his truck as I brace for the contractions and the pain. Wincing all the way.
But I take comfort in Jennings. He’s keeping his cool, but I know him enough to know that he’s just as anxious as I am about all this. About doing the right things, about taking care of me, about the oncoming responsibility that is being a father.
He does everything right. He gets me to the hospital, gets me checked in. He’s right there beside me through the worst of it, never letting go and being a constant calm face by my side.
It isn’t easy. It’s immensely painful, in spite of the drugs they give me. But I hold myself together. It’s a messy, chaotic experience.
But it’s all worth it when they give her to me.
Our darling baby girl.
She’s everything I ever wanted.
Jennings holds me his new daughter close.
We’re a family now.
And I’m over the moon.
I can’t wait for what the next chapter of our life brings.