Epilogue

Present Day

Stanley

"What are you smiling about, old man?" Marshall, my youngest son, asks me.

"I'm happy." How could I not be? I have the world's most beautiful, loving wife. We have five amazing sons, and with those sons, we gained five incredible daughters. And the cherry on top of the cake is our grandchildren. We have ten grandsons and nine granddaughters. Nineteen grandchildren. That's a whole hell of a lot to be smiling about.

"What's going on over here? Is this a meeting of the minds or what?" Conrad asks.

"Dad's all smiley and it's creeping me out." Marshall laughs.

"What's creeping you out?" Grant asks, joining the conversation. He hands the three of us a beer, leaving one for himself.

"That." Conrad points at me.

"I see how it is. Y'all have a meeting about manly things and don't include the two older and wiser brothers," Owen says as he and Royce join us.

"What are we talking about? Taking the boat out?" Royce asks. "I know the kids have been begging since we finished lunch."

"No. Look at him." Grant points at me.

Owen and Royce both turn to face me. "Why are you smiling like that?" They ask at the same time. It makes me laugh while their three younger brothers nod their agreement.

"This right here—" I wave my arms to where my wife, our daughters-in-law, and our grandkids are all sitting beneath the pavilion at our lake. "This was my dream. To raise our family here and to one day watch as you boys did the same. I have a hell of a lot to be smiling about."

They're all quiet, but I see each of them nod. We sit quietly, watching as those we love the most run and laugh and play. It's music to my ears.

"You know, when you told me that my first wife, let's not bring her name into this day, wasn't my magic, I thought you were losing your mind. I grew up listening to you talk about it, but I thought you and Grandad were shooting the shit, telling tall tales. Then I met Sawyer." He stops talking as if he needs to collect his thoughts, and we all remain silent, letting him work through them.

"When I met Sawyer, my entire world flipped upside down. She changed me, and she changed my view of the world. That's when I knew the magic of love you'd talked about my entire life was real. I wish I would have listened to you then."

"Ah, words that every parent loves to hear." I chuckle. "Royce, that was your path to Sawyer. I truly believe that. Sure, you fought against it, but you can't outrun the magic."

"Tell me about it." Owen snickers. "Even when they're wearing shoes with holes."

We all laugh. We can laugh about it now, but my daughter-in-law Layla was in a rough way when Owen met her. He felt the connection instantly and fought for her.

"It took me a few days, but less time than it did Royce to realize what was happening." He points his beer at me. "I knew when I couldn't stop going back to the restaurant that something was different and that you and Royce were on to something."

"I didn't fight it," Grant speaks up. "I mean, the magic of my wife's sweets was more than enough to convince me she was meant to be mine."

We all laugh. Grant has always had a sweet tooth, so it's fitting that he found his magic with the owner of a bakery.

"Took me a little longer," Conrad confesses. "I can't believe she was right there under my nose for months, and I never realized she was the one for me."

"You weren't ready for her. Just like Royce wasn't ready for Sawyer. It all has a way of working out," I tell him.

"Yeah, I got the girl. Thank fuck for snowstorms." He laughs.

"I got you all beat," Marshall speaks up. "I got double the magic with Maddie and Wren. She made me work for it. Her heart needed time, I guess." Marshall shrugs.

"It did." I nod. Wren had also been through so much and was struggling to find her place when Marshall came into her life. Little Maddie stole our hearts, and his, just like her momma.

I finish off my beer and toss it into the recycling bin. Leaning forward, I rest my elbows on my knees and make eye contact with each of my five sons.

"I love you. The five of you, your momma, and your families are my greatest gifts in this life. I'm so damn proud of each of you for the men you have become, the husbands and the fathers. That's why I'm smiling."

"Way to get us in our feels, old man," Marshall says, clearing his throat.

"Damn allergies," Grant mumbles, looking out at the lake.

"Come on. Enough of the heavy. Let's get that boat out on the water and have some fun." I stand, and Royce does immediately as well, pulling me into a hug. He releases me, and Owen takes his place. Then Grant, Conrad, and Marshall all take their turns.

"I love you, old man," Royce says, and his brothers repeat their "I love yous," just as they did when they were little.

My heart is full.

Breath by breath, these five men have a piece of me no one else ever will.