Epilogue

K nox

The towering evergreens surround us, their dark silhouettes glowing in the soft light of a thousand fairy lights strung between their branches. The air is crisp, and the quiet hum of nature feels like it's holding its breath, waiting for this moment. Our moment.

I stand there, staring down at Perry, my wife-to-be, as she smiles up at me, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, her lips curved into that sweet smile that has always unraveled me. The setting is surreal—exactly the way she wanted it—our family and closest friends gathered beneath the trees, the truck in the background, decorated with wildflowers that spill from the windows and bumpers. It's the wedding that reflects us perfectly. Simple. Natural. Full of love.

I can't stop looking at her. The way the fairy lights cast a golden glow over her skin, the way her dress moves like it was made of air. Perry is the definition of magic. She's always been that way to me, ever since the day she walked into my forge and flipped my whole world on its head.

"I've waited for this," I say, my voice rough but steady as I take her hands in mine. The cool mountain air does nothing to calm the heat simmering inside me. It's the kind of heat Perry has ignited since the very beginning. "You. Us. This. I never knew something so simple could feel this big."

Her fingers squeeze mine, and I catch the way her breath hitches, like she's holding back a wave of emotion. "Knox Steele," she whispers, her voice barely above a breath, but every word is crystal clear, "you've made my heart fuller than I ever thought possible."

The officiant, one of the local women from town that's known the Steele boys since we were kids, clears her throat with a teasing grin. "If you two could save a little of that for after the vows, I think everyone here would appreciate it."

Laughter ripples through the small crowd, and I glance around at our family and friends gathered under the canopy of trees, their faces lit by the warm glow of the fairy lights. Creed, Judge, Archer, Arrow, King, Pope, Barron, and Cruz—my brothers—stand off to the side, grinning like idiots. Betty, the café waitress and matchmaker with the sharp tongue and even sharper instincts, has a knowing smile that reaches her eyes.

I turn back to Perry, holding her gaze, my thumb tracing gentle circles over her knuckles. "I do," I say, the words heavy with more meaning than just a promise. It's everything I am, everything I'm offering to her. My love. My protection. My heart.

"I do," she echoes, her voice steady and clear, the promise in her eyes unwavering.

The small crowd bursts into cheers, and as soon as I hear those words, it's like a dam breaks inside me. I pull her into my arms, my lips finding hers, not caring that everyone is watching. The kiss is slow, tender, filled with the weight of everything we've been through and everything we're about to face together.

I break away just enough to rest my forehead against hers, breathing her in, my heart pounding in my chest. And then, in the softest voice, she leans into my ear and whispers, "I'm about to steal the air from your lungs, Knox."

My heart stutters, and I pull back just enough to see her eyes glimmering with something more than just joy. There's excitement, anticipation… something else. "What are you talking about, Petal?"

She bites her bottom lip, looking a little nervous but glowing in that way only Perry can. "I took a test last night," she murmurs, her voice so soft only I can hear her. "Knox… we're going to have a baby."

Everything inside me stops. My heart. My breath. Everything. For a second, the world goes completely silent, and all I can do is stare at her, trying to process the words she just said. A baby. Our baby.

"Say that again," I manage to get out, my voice breaking in the quiet.

She laughs, the sound bubbling out of her, and her hand presses to my chest, right over my heart. "We're having a baby, Knox."

It hits me all at once. The woman I love, the woman I just vowed to spend the rest of my life with, is carrying our child. I feel it like a punch to the gut, a good one, one that knocks me sideways with a mixture of shock, awe, and the deepest kind of love I've ever felt. My hands come up to cup her face, and before I know it, I'm kissing her again, the world around us fading away as the reality sinks in.

We're going to be a family.

Just then, Betty's voice cuts through the crowd, loud and proud. "I knew it!" she crows, her laughter ringing out as she claps her hands together. "Another generation of Steele boys is on the way! You mark my words."

The laughter that follows is filled with warmth, and I feel the tightness in my chest spread into something so big I can barely hold it. I pull back from Perry, blinking against the sudden emotion burning behind my eyes. "You…you just told me I'm going to be a father," I choke out, my voice thick with a mixture of disbelief and overwhelming joy.

Perry grins, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I did."

I can't help the laugh that escapes me, low and shaky. "You turned everything upside down from the moment I met you, Petal."

She presses her forehead to mine, her fingers brushing the back of my neck, grounding me in this moment, in this life we're about to build. "Is that a complaint, Knox?"

"Hell no," I whisper, my voice rough with emotion. "It's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Betty's voice rings out again, cutting through the intimate moment with her signature no-nonsense tone. "Come on now, let's hear it for the next Steele generation! This is what I've been telling you boys for years, isn't it?"

My brothers hoot and holler, their voices mixing with the laughter and cheers of our friends, and I can't help but laugh too. It's a kind of happiness I never knew I could feel—pure, unfiltered joy. I look back at Perry, seeing the same thing reflected in her eyes, and I know that this moment, this night, will be etched into my soul forever.

"Betty might be right," Perry teases softly, her lips curving into that playful smile I love so damn much. "She did predict this, didn't she?"

I grin, kissing the tip of her nose. "That's just another feather in her matchmaker cap. She called it with Barron and Tamlyn too. Seems like Betty's got a sixth sense for Steele boys finding forever."

Perry's laughter is soft, but the way she looks at me, her eyes shining with love and hope, makes my chest tighten all over again. I tighten my arms around her, pulling her closer, and kiss her deeply, letting all the emotion I can't put into words pour into that kiss.

"I love you," I murmur against her lips. "I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone."

"I love you too," she whispers back, her voice filled with the same intensity I feel. "Always."

We turn to face the small crowd again, and as everyone raises their glasses in a toast, the fairy lights twinkling above us, and the scent of pine and flowers filling the air, I know that this is the life I was always meant to live.

A life with Perry. A life with our future child. A life full of love, hope, and endless possibilities.

And as I hold her close, her body warm and soft against mine, I realize that everything I ever needed, everything I was searching for, has been right here all along.