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Epilogue

Eden

The night of the auction proceeds the amazing Thanksgiving dinner that we thoroughly enjoyed with all of our family. It really was a wonderful night and a sweet celebration for us getting back together. It couldn't have been better timing, or more perfect. Things are only getting better and better the more time we spend together, so making it official was always the next step for us.

Now I'm here with the girls at the town hall ready to bid on my man and take him home. That shouldn't be too hard to do, surely.

Word has certainly spread, but I'm not sure how far and wide.

It's only when I spot Dolly Simpson and Amber Jenkins together that I feel a little pang in my belly. I'm really hoping Amber got the memo and she isn't going to go all out, as she suggested to Brook that night at Moose's when her assets were out on display, in more ways than one.

Brook agreed to not disappoint the town committee by pulling out at the last second, even though he isn't technically a bachelor anymore. And since the auction is for a good cause, we figured it would be a laugh or two for me to bid on him and make things official and put to rest any rumors circulating. We don't even consider the fact that I might get outbid.

Kill me now if Amber, or anyone else, is on the prowl.

Georgia and Celeste come along for the ride, Carrie and Autumn too, and what looks to be like most of the town. I helped set up the event as well as out all the folding chairs in front of the stage where the guys will be auctioned off by Verne from the bakery. A tea and coffee station has been laid out, along with some sweet treats, compliments from Verne herself for a gold coin donation.

Carrie and Autumn are my wing ladies on the other side of me as we eagerly get our front row seats. Amber has just sashayed down the middle aisle to the opposite side of us at the front with another Mom, Peggy-Sue. Dolly and a few of her posse follow close behind.

"They're on the prowl for sure," Autumn giggles next to me.

They all know about the Amber incident by now and Brook may never live down how he got sprung in the carpark when she cornered him.

"I suppose you can't blame a girl for trying," Carrie adds. "I mean, come on, I might be married and all, but Brook is a smokin' cowboy. It's just a fact there's some very cute bachelors in Stoney Creek."

"Which means Autumn and Georgia should have a go for a bachelor!" I chortle.

Celeste, who's two seats up from me, agrees while Georgia gives me a nudge.

"I'm already bidding for Beau," Autumn whisper-shouts over the crowd of women already piling in. Hart and Skye have just found a seat directly behind us. Some of the guys have come along too to have a laugh.

Georgia-Blue whips her head around at Autumn's news. "Well, I'll be damned, A."

"It's not like that." She waves it off. "We've come to an agreement."

"You said yourself he was cute." I shrug.

Georgia's eyes grow round like saucers. "Am I the last to be told anything around here?" She grumbles.

"You really want me to harp on to you about your brother being cute?"

"I'm a great matchmaker, I'll have you know. And I could have picked you and Beau eons ago."

"I'm just here as his best friend," Autumn says. "He might be cute, but that's where it ends. It gets messy otherwise."

"I beg to differ," I say. "Look at me and Brookie. We were friends from the beginning, and that never stopped. I honestly think that's been a pivotal part in our relationship."

"If you take the accidental non-divorce out of the equation," Carrie reminds us.

We all have to laugh at that. "It came good in the end." Celeste smooths her palms together. "That's what counts."

"Here, here!" I laugh as the lights dim and everyone comes to a hush. Hart and Skye quickly scoot in behind us when Verne appears on the stage with a bright spotlight over the podium. She has a title stand for her notes and looks almost peculiar out of her bakery attire and her apron.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to this year's Annual Charity Bachelor Auction!" Everyone claps in succession, along with a few hoots holler from the back and everyone laughs. Verne smiles at the crowd, looking back down to her notes and bends back in toward the microphone. "Before we bring our bachelors on stage, I just want to give a huge thank you for being here tonight, and for the money we'll raise, which you all know will go to an amazing cause. Can I get three cheers for this year's contestants!"

She waves her arm towards the side of the stage where we can see some shuffling going on before guys start walking out onto the stage one by one. Lining up along the back of the stage like they're about to be… raffled. I laugh internally at my own thoughts.

I spot Brooklyn, and he immediately finds my gaze and gives me a wink.

I smile back. I have my paddle clutched tightly in my hand, ready to go for it.

"Oooh, Travis is looking really cute!" Georgia whispers as he walks on in his cowboy hat and boots. Just like all the other bachelors since it was kinda cowboy themed tonight.

My eyes are on Brooklyn though. I stare at him under the lights in his dark jeans and button down. He's polished his tan cowboy boots and hat, and he's groomed his beard. I can only imagine how good he smells, and I sure as hell know how good he tastes.

I can't wipe the cheesy smile off my face as he keeps his intense gaze directly at me, giving me serious eyes.

"This is going to be a hoot!" Georgia says next to me excitedly.

I'm surprised by the amount of single guys in Stoney Creek we never knew about. And I can't help but smile the way Brook, Beau, Owen, Easton and Travis all line up next to each other with a dozen others.

"You sure did a good job of roping everyone in," Celeste tells her.

"Except Hudson, of course." Georgia pouts. "It would have been hilarious to see him get palmed off by some man-eater. Dolly Simpson could've gone in for seconds."

Is it just me, or is there some bitterness to her usual chirpy tone?

"Are you sure that's what you want?" I hear Celeste ask, but I don't hear Georgia's response as Verne starts up the auction and the guy before Brook — a local realtor, Hanson Corby — is first under the chopping block. She gives off a quick intro before they're straight into it.

I have to admit, for a little lady that owns and operates a bakery, Verne sure commands the attention of the room as soon as she gets the mike.

The bidding starts off at twenty-five bucks and goes up in ten to twenty-dollar increments. Hanson is a pretty cute, well-dressed guy, so the bidding gets up to a hundred dollars really fast.

"You should have a go," I whisper to Georgia. "He's cute in a suit and tie kinda way." He's not wearing a suit and tie tonight, but that's all you ever see him in around town.

She laughs. "Maybe I will." She pretends to raise her paddle and Celeste pushes her hand down. "GB!"

"What? He could be Mister Right!"

"Or Mister Right Now!" Autumn giggles from the side of me.

"One twenty-five!" Georgia hoots through her cupped hands. Verne looks our way and acknowledges with a nod as the bids ensue. We can't contain our giggles. Hanson is looking quietly confident as the bids fly back and forth. He quickly gets up to two hundred with Peggy-Sue in the lead.

"Going once to paddle fifty-five Peggy-Sue Lamont… are we all finished… can I say two hundred and twenty-five?" She looks down towards Georgia, who indicates she's out.

"Going twice." Another pause. "SOLD! Congratulations Peggy-Sue!"

The crowd is all in fits of giggles as a round of applause erupts and Peggy-Sue takes a bow, waving to the crowd, and giving Hanson a wide-brimmed smile.

Brook steps forward as Verne gives the crowd a rundown on Brooks' social standing and a few interesting facts. "Brooklyn spends his days bottling the finest bourbon in the south at Bassett Brothers Bourbon Distillery. He loves horse-back riding ladies, vegetarian cooking, and tending to his garden and animals…"

My mind wanders as her spiel goes on. I dropped by to see Brook when Blake was at school, where we were supposed to be discussing the fast approaching holidays and what we might do as a family this year. Instead, he gave me a very explicit rendition of how he wants to spend his time…. In bed wrapped around me.

I quickly snap out of our graphic morning romp when the opening bid comes out of nowhere before Verne has even started.

"Seventy-five dollars!" Us girls all turn our heads to see Amber Jenkins waving her paddle crazily from the front, not taking her eyes off poor Brook.

His eyes grow wide under the spotlight and flick to me. I press my lips together.

Oh God no, maybe she didn't get the memo after all.

"One hundred," a voice behind me calls out. I don't know where from. Maybe our news hasn't spread as much as I thought.

"Oh, Lord, you better get in the game." Georgia nudges me. "Amber is really going to go all out tonight, I can sense it."

"Are you letting him sweat it out?" Carrie chuckles, leaning forward to look at me across Autumn.

When I glance at Brook, looking ever the cowboy with his hand on his hip while the bids keep flying around, he gives me a look which tells me in no uncertain terms that I better get my paddle raised. "Three hundred!" I yell, blowing it out of the water, as a gasp rings out. Amber almost breaks her neck to look and see where the bid came from.

Brook swipes a hand over his face, but admittedly looks relieved.

"Three fifty!" she calls back, undeterred.

I don't believe it. Even after everything, she's still after my man!

"Four hundred." I don't even look at her anymore. If it's a bidding war she wants, then game on.

The girls are losing it next to me, and behind, in fits of laughter, in both anticipation and trying to keep straight faces.

"Four fifty!"

Is she actually insane? She's going to pay four hundred and fifty dollars to have a date with my husband?It's not going to happen on my watch.

I literally roll up my sleeves and stand with my paddle high. "Five hundred!"

More gasps ensue, this shit is getting real, but all I see is Brook. He smiles down at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners. I can see his shoulders shaking from laughter. The guys next to him seem thoroughly entertained, too.

My eyes flick left down the aisle to Amber, who thankfully sits back down, defeated.

"Eden's bid at five hundred big ones… do I hear any more takers?" Verne finally gets a word in with all the commotion going on.

Smash that gavel, Verne, before I do it myself!

"Going once… Going twice… SOLD to Eden Bassett… Oh my…" It's like she finally realizes who we are to each other.

I waste no time in rushing up to the stage with my paddle still in hand because I want to collect my prize right now.

I take the few steps at the side, two at a time, hearing the cheers and hollers circulating the room and literally jump into Brook's arms as he grabs me and swings me around and around.

We kiss under the spotlights, not caring the whole town is watching.

"I love you Brooklyn Bassett!"

Verne is speechless, standing there with the mic still in hand. Everyone is still clapping and cheering, except Amber Jenkins, of course.

"And I love you, Eden Bassett!"

They're the best words I've ever heard. I throw my paddle up in the air and kiss my husband.

It may just be the best money I ever spent.

Brooklyn

The following week…

I look around the distillery and pride swells through me as Georgia, Celeste, Aunt Patti, Beau and my mom stand behind the tasting counter busily making sure every single person has their glass filled. The press are here. The local paper, as well as a reporter from Nashville. Gabe and Gray are talking to the mayor, along with my dad. All three of them turn simultaneously as the mayor raises his glass in my direction. I nod back at him, but my eyes shift to my brothers and Dad. They're all smiling and looking just as proud at me as I feel. That means a lot. I swallow hard. It's a hit.

The buzz has been all around the room tonight. Georgia organized a pre-order before tonight's event which she's streaming online as we speak. They've been busy packing orders all day, and we'll have more to do after tonight's success.

It's been a long road getting here from when I first had the idea to create something different that could hit a wider market, and it looks like all of it is paying off. Having my family stand beside me and look at me like I've achieved something; it's all I ever wanted.

I feel hands slide around my middle. I grin and turn to look at my wife. "Hello, beautiful girl."

She reaches up onto her tippy toes and kisses me. "Hello, handsome cowboy."

I peck her lips. "Do you think anyone will notice if we sneak out of here back to the barn."

"Brooklyn!" she scolds. "Keep it in your pants for a little bit longer, at least until everyone has gone home. We can celebrate in the rickhouse."

I move my mouth to her ear. "I love it when you talk dirty."

"Dad!" I hear my daughter from behind as she crashes into me, effectively hugging me around my waist.

"Hey, what's the rush?" I laugh. Then I realize that she's being chased by Trudy and Trinity, along with Noodle and Daisy.

"Holy crap!" Eden's eyes widen as she goes to scoop up the dogs, one in each arm, and I give her a look of admiration.

"I wish you could do that again so we could film it, Mom," Blake laughs. "That looked so cool."

"I'm so sorry!" Trudy whisper-shouts as she scoops Daisy out of Eden's arms, still holding onto Trinity's hand. "They all had a little too much sugar and ran off on me!"

"I don't want to ask what the heck that means." Eden shakes her head. "But let me take you guys back to Grandma and Grandpa's so the party can go on without any runaway dogs, or children, bowling them over."

"Oh, yum, are those canapes?" Blake points at a tray of crackers with cheese and an assortment of finger food.

"How do you even know what that is?" I shake my head.

Blake rolls her eyes. "Dad. I'm eleven."

Touche.

"I'll fix you a plate, then we all have to get out of here before anyone really notices…"

I roll my lips. "I think it's a little too late for that."

"Could I get a picture?" Autumn smiles. "This is going to look so stinking cute with the dogs, real farm life, you know people love that kind of thing."

"Uh, I…" Eden turns to look at me.

I smile. "It's fine, honey."

"Then I want one of all the Bassett siblings and your mom and dad too." Autumn shuffles us together in front of the barrel on the corner of the long counter.

"I should really get going…" Trudy starts.

"Don't you dare," Eden orders. "If I have to be in this photo, so do you."

"Uncle Bwook?"

I look down at my niece. "Yes, little one?"

She forces her hands in the air. "Up."

I grin, lifting her into my arms as we turn to get into position. The dogs are, thankfully, behaving, and while it wasn't the greatest idea them running through the tasting room on opening night, nobody seems bothered by it. In fact, everyone around us turns to look, smiling.

I put my arm around Eden who's holding Noodle, and then Blake nudges in between with Trudy on the end, still holding Daisy.

Autumn snaps away and as people watch on, I know that accolades and attention don't matter. What matters is I have my family all around me. And the best part? Eden and I are back together for good.

Family. I grin wider. There's no place like home.

Christmas Eve

"… You know I fetched five hundred bucks at auction once," I joke to my wife when we're wrapping the last of the Christmas presents. We haven't gone crazy this year, mainly because Blake wouldn't let up if we didn't hold back the usual present buying a little and make a similar contribution to Stoney Paws Rescue like we did for her birthday. It's becoming a theme.

"Oh, don't you just love telling that story." Eden laughs while sipping on the eggnog she made. We're heading to my folks for Christmas lunch tomorrow where the whole family, plus her parents, will be there, too.Much like at Thanksgiving.

"You bet I do. This hot little cowgirl went all out," I sigh.

She leans over to kiss me, pressing her little body into mine. "When will you ever stop reminiscing?"

"Probably never."

She secretly loves reminding me about it too. If it didn't get so intense there for a while, it would have been even more comical for her. "I thought I was going to lose you to Amber Jenkins for a minute there!"

"Me too. But I think she finally got the message." After the auction, she even came to bid us congratulations, stating she didn't know we were getting back together.

Both Eden and I remain suspicious about that, and Eden even muttered at how different she looked with her clothes on. That was a real facepalm moment.

We certainly took advantage that night when Eden took me home and showed me how country girls like to stake their claim. We had dinner at Mary-Lou's on the creek the weekend after. I suppose us kissing with wild abandon up on stage in the town hall in front of everyone was a sure-fire way to let everyone know how we felt.

We've been going strong ever since.

Eden has been staying at the farm more and more since the auction. She's having some much needed time off after her busy season.

From the talks we've already had, it looks like she will keep her house in the long-term as she still wants to work from her home office when she's not over at the distillery come early spring. She may even rent the house out as an Airbnb in the future, she isn't one hundred percent sure. We're not rushing moving in together, but just staying over at each other's places and getting to know each other intimately again, though she's over here with Noodle more often than not. She's even started hanging some of her clothes in the closet.

What we are both sure about is how getting back together is the best thing we've ever done. Every day is a gift in itself. We're discovering so many new things about each other, as well as rediscovering some of the old stuff, and there's nothing that I'm not enjoying about the whole process. Blake is over the moon that her parents are back together, and we all get to do family stuff, all three of us, rather than separately. There's no more coming back and forth for her. And we have two new adoptees; Bert and Jasper, Blake's New Guinea pigs. We've taken on a new role through Stoney Creek Paws and officially co-ordinating the rabbit and guinea pig side of the rescue. Including finding foster families for new arrivals, and taking in any animals that don't have a home until we can find them one. Blake has led the charge and is deeply committed to looking after the little ones. We have our first bunny, a gray dwarf lop-eared called Mable, who I made a pen for inside the house next to Bert and Jasper. Though, I'm thinking she might be our first foster fail. I did promise her she could get a bunny or two after all.We have plenty of space to expand the operation if we need to.

"Are you sure you're going to want to still live here when the place resembles a zoo?" I chuckle as I secure Mable's pen for the night, making sure she's comfortable.

The animals are all doing well as the winter sets in and I'm on the lookout for a new friend for Sawyer. Come spring, Gabe wants to bring Trinity over for some horse riding lessons with Sailor as her guide, so she can get used to horses early on in her life. I know she and Blake are pretty excited about it. We're still toying up with a cat or another dog in the future. Noodle is quite happy being the center of attention for the moment and loves farm life.

"It wouldn't be the same without all the animals," Eden says.

I try to give her my best puppy dog eyes. "You sure?"

She gives me a playful shove.

"You wanna see what Santa has in his sack for you, Baby Doll?"

She tries to cover my mouth with her hand, but I grab it and pull her toward me.

"Brook, you'll wake Blake!"

"Don't worry, she's a heavy sleeper like her daddy."

"Until the one time she isn't."

"You worry too much, E. I'll take you to bed soon, don't worry. I can put something in your mouth to keep you quiet."

"It's not me that needs to be quiet!" She giggles while taking another sip of eggnog.

I try to swipe it away from her. "Now, now, Mrs. Bassett, remember what happened the last time you got drunk and disorderly, and I had to carry you home?"

She laughs, shaking her head at the memory of that night in Moose's when she'd had one too many. "Don't remind me…"

"Oh, I will because it was so darned cute. I bet you're glad now!"

"You were cute for not taking advantage of me."

"But I'd like to now, if you don't mind?"

"You're a bad influence!" But she doesn't mean it. In fact, she leans over to kiss me. I grab her and pull her down onto the rug in front of the fire.

"Brook!" she hisses.

"I can be real quick when I wanna be, babe, you know it."

"We're not having sex in the living room when our daughter is sleeping down the hall!"

"Who said anything about having sex?" I snicker.

She whacks me on the arm.

"I have a present for you." I reach down to my jeans pocket, moving my hand to the bulge between my legs and feel around my groin.

"I'm warning you!" But her protests are futile as I pull her into my arms and kiss her like my life depends on it.Our hot, wet lips can't get enough of each other once we get started.

"I really do have a present in there, baby!" I have the divorce papers sticking out of the front of my jeans, too. Granted, the papers aren't the only thing I have hiding. I lift up my shirt to show her as she crawls up into my lap and we kiss like we're teenagers again in the back of her Jeep and I'm about to take her virtue.

Oh, I'll be doing that tonight, that's for sure.Over and over again.

Her sweet little fingers trail along my belt buckle, then graze over my hard cock, while I pull out the rolled up paperwork. "Brookie, what is this?"

I grab her hand and slide it back to my groin, rubbing it up and down over my hard length. "What do you think it is?"

"Something big," she murmurs, as her tongue finds mine and we dance.

My spare hand slides under her Christmas sweater to her full breasts and I give them a squeeze each. "You're on the right track, Baby Doll."

"I bet I am."

"I'm gonna suck on these in bed until you can't take it anymore, right after we get the fire roaring."

She laughs, pulling back to finally see the paperwork I'm now holding. "The fire is roaring, Brookie. Wait, is that…" Her eyes widen as she takes it in what I'm about to do.

"This is the only copy in existence of our non-divorce. What do you say we burn the papers now and be done with it?"

"Should we hang onto them for safekeeping?"

"Like a memento?" I ponder.

"No, just in case we ever need them again." She tries to hold in her laughter.

I give her a look and drop my hands, still holding our non-divorce papers with one, the other tries to tickle her under her sweater. "Say that again, Mrs. Bassett."

She tries to wriggle from me, grabbing the papers and holding them away. "You just never know, Mr. Bassett!"

"I do know. It's all I've ever known. Now let's burn the fuckers so I can take my wife to bed."

Her lips reach mine and she melts into our kiss, handing the papers back over without protest and we both scoot over to the roaring fireplace. I pull the guard back and rip the pages in two, handing her one half.

"On the count of three…"

"Wait!"

I give her an amused look, because I know where she's heading.

"Is it one, two, then three, or…"

I dip my head to peck her beautiful mouth. "Let's save counting and just throw them in."

And we do just that simultaneously. Both sitting back on our heels to watch them curl up in the flames and burn right before our eyes. The words becoming more obsolete as they disintegrate.

"Finally, you're mine," I sigh.

"I was always yours, Brookie."

I tilt my head. "Yeah?"

"Always and forever."

I maneuver to face her, moving one leg so I'm on one bended knee, not two. I don't even hesitate. "Then will you marry me again, baby doll?"

She gasps in shock as she looks at me. I whip out a box from behind me with a diamond ring inside. It's in the shape of a love heart to recement our love and commitment.

"Brookie!" she cries seeing the box.

"Just say yes, and the rest is history."

"YES!" She throws her arms around me before she's even seen the ring.

I laugh as she kisses me over and over and I can feel the tears falling down her face.

My heart soars, it's beating so damned fast, I'm sure she can feel it too. She pulls back so I can open the box.

"Brookie, it's beautiful!" She peers down at the sparkler for a moment while I pull the ring out of its box and slide it onto her hand.

"Beats the crappy one I gave you the first time."

"Hey, I still have my wedding rings. I'll always cherish them."

My eyes glisten. I didn't know that. "Me too."

"This is so perfect," she whispers, leaning in to kiss me again. She pulls away to admire her ring as it sparkles before us.

"You're perfect, baby. And you ain't ever getting rid of me this time."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Bed?" she suggests, her eyes flicking to the hallway.

"Now that's the best idea you've had all night." I pull her up to her feet and grab her by the hips, hoisting her over my shoulder as she quietly squeals and I walk towards our bedroom.

My wife. I smile at the thought because while she was never really not my wife, it's more than official now.

Finally, we're back where we belong, and she's mine.

Always and forever.

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