* * *

Leigh began spending nights at Rob’s house immediately following the proposal staged by his sons and it was amazingly easy. She didn’t have to undergo a major move. She brought a few things over at a time and could still go to her house if there was anything she needed. Not only was Sean polite and welcoming, his efforts to be quiet and tidy were so exaggerated it was almost comical.

Fitting Leigh in there temporarily was going to work, but only in the short-term. Finn would be home for weekends, vacations and breaks, and there would be times it would get too crowded, especially after the baby came. So Leigh applied herself to finding a house that was more accommodating. It didn’t take long—she found a wonderful four-bedroom house, another vacation home, but this one was only a couple of years old.

“That happens more often than you think,” Claudia said. “People want a vacation home, sometimes go to great lengths to have one, then find they’re paying a small fortune for a place they can’t visit very often. Some people try to sell while others just let the bank foreclose. This place has seen very little action and it’s a great house. A little isolated but not too far from town.”

The house had barely the right number of bedrooms, but there was a large loft that could serve as an office that Rob and Leigh could share. It was roomy enough for two desks and some built-in shelves and file drawers. And there were two big bonuses—a small guesthouse and a beautiful view of the mountains from the loft and the patio.

All their bases were covered and Leigh loved the house. She couldn’t wait to get settled. But first, they got a marriage license. When the leaves were just starting to change color, they had a small wedding in a little chapel in Leadville. The only people in attendance were the boys, Dakota and Sid, Helen and Sully. They made their traditional promises in front of the minister, and to her surprise, Leigh’s face was wet with tears.

Rob gently wiped her cheeks and said, “I hope those are happy tears.”

“Way beyond happy,” she said. “I think this is the happiest day of my life.”

“Not scared anymore?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I think I fell in love with you right away. Maybe that’s what scared me—the idea that it wasn’t possible.”

“And now?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

The pub was closed for the night while the rest of Rob and Leigh’s new extended family and most of the town gathered for a wedding reception that included excellent food, drinks and music. They partied till midnight and then Rob and Leigh went to Leigh’s rental house while Sid and Dakota stayed with the boys at Rob’s house. Having Finn home for only the weekend, they didn’t want to leave town for a honeymoon.

A little time alone without a teenager in the next room sounded like a great idea. When Leigh pulled off the dress she’d worn to get married, she said, “Oh!”

“What’s the matter?” Rob asked from the bedroom.

“Something happened,” she said. She stood in front of him in her bra and panties. Then she turned sideways. There was a very obvious belly bump sticking out. “I didn’t even realize I was holding my stomach in. I swear this wasn’t here before I said, ‘I do.’”

Rob’s eyes glowed. “Bring that over here,” he said, lifting the sheet for her.

She slid into the bed and his hands were immediately on her belly. “I thought this was really inconvenient,” he said. “But I think getting you pregnant turned out to be an excellent idea. It slowed you down just enough for me to catch you.”

“I promise, I’ll love you forever. But I think three kids and a new house is about all we can afford.”

“Just come here,” he said, pulling her close. “I want you like I’ve never wanted you before. I think I’ll be better as a husband than I was as the guy down the street. Let’s see.”

She pulled his hand over her small mound. “We don’t need better, sweetheart. We just need to be together. Thank you for the baby.”

“The pleasure was all mine.”

Love is the only thing that we can carry with us when we go, and it makes the end so easy.

—Louisa May Alcott

EPILOGUE

Valentine’s Day

“SULLY!” HELEN YELLED into the store. “Sully! I’m going to Aurora! Leigh’s in the hospital. She’s going to have the baby.”

He came from the back. “I’ll drive you.”

“I can drive,” she said. “You don’t have to go. You know first babies. It could be hours and hours.”

“I’ll bring one of your books,” he said, coming up the steps. “Get myself a little cat nap.”

“Oh, you’re hilarious.”

“It could be slick. I’ll drive. Just let me lock the store.”

“I can’t believe it’s time,” Helen said. “I better take my duffel, my computer, my phone charger.”

“There’s prolly no rush,” Sully said, taking her arm and walking her back toward the house.

“But she’s there,” Helen said. “She didn’t want to call until she was sure she’d be admitted. She waited to call because she didn’t want me sitting around for hours. Now she’s had the epidural and said it will be a couple of hours.”

“Whatever that is,” Sully said. He whistled for Beau so he could leave him in the house.

“The anesthesia,” Helen said. “So she doesn’t have a great deal of pain. Oh, Sully, it’s here! The baby is here.”

Sully stopped in his tracks and just looked at her. “We knew it would come, Helen. Are you a little wound up?”

“Can we just move it, please?” Helen said.

“Certainly,” he said. He paused long enough to fill Beau’s water dish, put on his coat; he held Helen’s coat for her, then followed her to the truck. “Let’s try to stay calm,” he said. “Let me give you a boost.”

“I can do it,” she said, grabbing the hand grip and pulling herself up and in.

“I like the boost part,” he said, giving her a little pinch instead.

When they were under way, she fidgeted and that made him chuckle. “I knew you would be exactly like this. You’re jittery as a cat.”

“I can’t help it,” she said. “I’ve been so looking forward to this.”

“I didn’t hear a peep about the winter being too cold for you,” he said.

“It wasn’t so bad. And you kept your promise—you made delicious soup and you kept me warm.”

“I know four kinds of soup and that’s all, but they work. And keeping you warm is one of the perks. And I think you get some good murdering done in front of that fire.”

“I do,” she said.

Indeed, it was a whole new life for Helen. They still had walks, sometimes in town. The fire was cozy, but even though there was snow, there were days warm enough to sit on the porch for a while. The skating and gliders on the frozen lake were fun to watch. Despite the weather, despite the absence of campers and hikers, there were still plenty of people stopping by. Christmas with Leigh, Rob and the boys was a circus—they had a full house for Christmas Eve, including Sid and Dakota, Cal, Maggie, Sierra, Connie and all the little ones. Then that huge family gathered on Christmas Day, as well, including Connie’s mother and brother. There was a ton of food, nonstop cooking and baking, enough laughter to raise the roof.

Neither Helen nor Leigh had ever had so much family. It was fabulous.

When they got to the hospital, they found Sean and Finn in the waiting room with Sid and Dakota.

“I didn’t expect all of you,” she said.

“No one did,” Sid said. “Sean came over with Rob and Leigh and we brought Finn from Boulder. No one wants to miss it.”

Helen left her purse and coat with Sully and headed for the room. When she went inside, she found Leigh was holding a little bundle in a pink blanket. She was flushed with happiness, a beautiful smile on her face. “I’m sorry, Aunt Helen. I couldn’t wait.”

“Oh! How long has she been here?” Helen said, rushing to Leigh’s side.

“Fifteen minutes,” Rob said. “The doctor had just told her it would be a while—she was only at six centimeters. Impatient little devil.”

Helen reached for the baby. “Oh my God, look at her.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t wait for you,” Leigh said.

“There’s a full house in the waiting room,” she said, snuggling the baby girl close. “And after the crowd that gathered for the holidays, I suspect there will be a crowd for every event.”

“Quite a change for us, right, Auntie?”

“A perfect change,” Helen said. “Like finding home.”