Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21817 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 109(@200wpm)___ 87(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21817 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 109(@200wpm)___ 87(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
“Perfect.”
He nods as we smile at each other. “Perfect indeed.”
Epilogue
Ava
Two months later…
“Be brave, little buddy,” I whisper as I pat down the soft earth around the baby tree. “You got this. I’ll come visit you when you’re as tall as my man over there.”
“Are you talking to the trees again?” Elias asks with a grin.
“No,” I say as I hurry over to him.
He gives me a look as he grabs another tiny tree from the huge bag slung over his shoulder.
“Okay, maybe a little. Just a few words of encouragement, that’s all.”
He leans forward, gives me a delicious kiss on the lips, and then scoops out a chunk of dirt with his shovel, drops the tree inside the hole, and gently pats it down. He does it all in one smooth motion, moving so fast it’s a blur. Meanwhile, I take forever with each one. For every one tree I plant, he plants about ten.
Every little bit helps though. We’re replanting all of the forest that Troy Novak and his company clear cut. It’s been a huge project—and we’re not even a third of the way done—but it’s been very rewarding and spending time with Elias is always a joy. He’s so fun to be around.
I love looking at the side of the mountain and seeing all of these tiny trees taking root. I can’t wait to come back here in twenty years and hike through the forest that my man and I planted.
Elias keeps going, planting tree after tree as I sit on a larger boulder and take a quick break. He’s so sexy. I love watching him.
Those big arms flex and tighten with each stroke of his shovel. He wipes the sweat off his brow with his thick forearm and I have to fan myself as I watch.
I love that he’s older too. Older men are so sexy. How did I not realize that before? He’s forty-five and I’m twenty-five, but that twenty year age difference makes no difference to us at all.
He knows how to treat me right and we always have the best time together. We really are meant to be.
I wanted some excitement and adventure in my life, and with Elias, I definitely got it.
He finishes off the trees in his giant bag and then walks over to the pile of other bags and slings another one over his big shoulder as I watch.
It’s late November with a chill in the air, but he’s only wearing a tank top and those big sexy arms are all jacked from the physical labor.
“Are you naming them again?” he asks with a smile as he walks past me.
“Am I that obvious?”
His smile widens and I can’t help but smile back. He points to a little baby tree beside a rock. “Who’s that?”
“Marvin.”
“And that?”
“Penelope.”
He grins as he drops the bag and comes over.
My heart races as he drops to a knee in front of me and places his big strong hands on my stomach, cradling it.
“Penelope,” he says as he stares at my belly that’s not showing at all yet. “I like that. We should put it on the list if it’s a girl.”
He leans down and tenderly kisses my stomach.
“But what will the tree think if we steal her name?” I ask with a grin.
He laughs as he shakes his head. “Can we name the tree something else? How about Rebecca?”
“Fine,” I say with a deep exhale. “But Penelope, I mean Rebecca, is not going to like it.”
He kisses my stomach once again and looks up at me with those big beautiful eyes. “I’m so happy we’re together, Ava. And I’m so happy you’re having my child.”
I cup his cheeks and pull his mouth up to mine. He kisses me softly and gently until my body is ready for more. “I’m happy too, Elias. More than I ever thought was possible.”
We kiss again as the sun shines down and the birds sing all around us. They’re scoping out the new trees, but they’ll have to wait a few years before they can move in again.
I can’t believe my luck.
I came so close to letting this all pass me by. If I hadn’t built up the nerve to dial that number and take a chance, none of this would have happened. I’d still be bored out of my mind in the library right now, instead of in the arms of my dream man in the most spectacular place on the planet with a baby growing in my womb.
Sometimes you have to take a chance in life and I’m glad that I did.
I wouldn’t have been living this adventure without it.
“I love you,” Elias says as he kisses my forehead. “And I’m so excited for our baby to arrive.”
I smile, happier than ever. “I love you too. I’m so excited for it all.”