EPILOGUE - RAE

L aken and I wandered through the aisles of the baby store, our baskets slowly filling with adorable clothes, soft blankets, and all the necessities for the little one on the way. The store was warm and cozy, keeping the chilly winter air outside. Laken held up a tiny onesie, grinning.

“Look at this, Rae. Isn’t it the cutest?” It was blue, with a sleeping sheep on it and gray glittering hooves.

I smiled. “We don’t know it’s a boy.”

“I know it’s a boy,” Laken said. “I’m getting this.” She put it in her basket, and I laughed. Laken had been sure it was going to be a boy since the day I’d told her I was pregnant. I wasn’t sure exactly why she thought that, but I couldn’t change her mind.

“I can’t believe how many things we need for one little baby,” I said. “There’s still so much I need to do. I feel like I’m never going to get it all done.”

“You still have some time, right?”

I nodded. “Yeah, a couple of weeks, I think. But I still feel like I’d rather just sleep. What kind of a mom does that? Sleep instead of preparing?”

“Self-care!” Laken said and waggled her finger at me. “Taking care of you makes you a good mom.”

I smiled. “I don’t know, I’m just so terrified I’ll get to the point where I’m a mom and then I screw it all up.”

“You’re going to be a great mom, Rae. And with Tanner by your side, you two are going to be unstoppable. You have nothing to worry about.”

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks. “Thank you, Laken. You’re right. He’ll be such a great dad, and he’s so invested in this whole journey. I feel really lucky to have him.”

She nudged me playfully. “Lucky? Girl, you hit the jackpot. You two are perfect together. I don’t know what happened between you before…” She glanced at me, hoping I would say more.

“Nothing we couldn’t fix,” I said with a smile and looked at a stuffed toy, flipping the tag to look at the price.

“Come on, Rae. Spill the beans,” Laken said with a groan. “I’m so curious I could die. What really happened between you two before you came to Silver Ridge?”

I hesitated, not wanting to dredge up the past. There was no good reason for it. It was in the past, after all. When I’d told Tanner I’d forgiven him, I meant it.

“It was just a misunderstanding,” I said easily. Technically, it was the truth. A very simplified version of it, but I wasn’t lying to my best friend. “We’ve moved past it, and that’s what matters.”

Laken nodded, sensing my reluctance to delve deeper. “Fair enough. But I can see how happy he makes you. That’s what counts.”

I smiled, my whole body warming at the thought of him. He really did make me happier than I ever thought I could be.

“Have you thought about, you know, tying the knot?” Laken asked.

I laughed, shaking my head. “We’ve talked about the future, but I know Tanner. He’ll ask when the time is right. I’m not worried about it.”

“No? You don’t wonder secretly what’s up with him waiting and when he’ll ask?”

“Did you see the size of my belly?” I pointed at myself. “I won’t look good in anything for a wedding day like this. Seriously, I’m okay to wait.”

Laken rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to get married right away . You need time to plan, and tell me I’m the maid of honor so I can make it perfect.”

I threw my head back with a laugh. “You’re right, we do need time for that.”

Laken laughed and squeezed my arm.

I loved having her in my life. From the day we’d met, I’d liked her, and she hadn’t given me a reason to think anything ill of her. She was just a solid person, someone I could always lean on and confide in.

We continued shopping, picking out more baby clothes and blankets. As we moved to the checkout, Laken changed the subject.

“So, what about your family? They’re coming soon, right?”

I sighed. “Tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, that soon?”

I nodded. We had a spare bedroom, and that was where my mom and sister would stay. They’d wanted to be here by the time the baby was born, so I’d told them to come a little ahead of time with the idea they could help out with a few other things I didn’t get around to. But a part of me wondered if I should have reached out to them again at all.

It had been years since I’d spoken to them. But since we’d been mending bridges between me and Tanner, it had seemed like the right thing to do.

I’d realized when I’d arrived in Silver Ridge, knowing no one, how important it was to have people on my side. And family was family, I guess.

“Yeah, that soon.”

“How do you feel about it?” Laken asked carefully, looking at my worried face, obviously gauging my reaction.

The same worry that had plagued me since I’d told them they could come came back in a wave. “I’m not sure. I haven’t spoken to my mom and sister in a long time. They were always against the men I dated, and when I met Tanner, I cut them off. I wanted to make my own choices, you know? It sounds stupid now, but at the time…”

Laken placed a comforting hand on my arm. “I get it. Really, I do. But maybe it’s going to be the best thing that ever happened. They should be part of the baby’s life.”

I sighed, nodding. “Yeah, exactly. That’s why I reached out. It’s the right thing to do. I just hope they can accept Tanner and be happy for me and not make a mess of things again. I need happiness and support all around me, not people who are against me, people who make life hard for me.”

“I’m sure it will be okay,” Laken said confidently. “They love you, Rae. And they’ll love your baby.”

I hoped she was right. She didn’t know what my family could be like. But I’d figured that if it was possible that things had gone so horribly wrong between me and Tanner and it had only been because of what he felt was the right thing to do to protect me, maybe there were misunderstandings between my mom and my sister and me, too.

After all, everyone deserved a second chance. No one understood that concept better than I did.

As we left the store, my heart felt lighter. The conversation with Laken had given me a lot to think about, but I knew I needed to focus on the future, on making sure that it was a positive one. These days, that was what mattered.

Tanner and I were building a life together, and our baby would be surrounded by love.

“Don’t worry,” Laken said reassuringly; she must have known how hard to chase the worry away. “You’ve got a whole town ready to help. And Tanner is completely smitten with you. He’ll make sure everything is perfect.”

I smiled, my cheeks flushing again. Would I ever get used to how great he was?

Probably not.

“He’s been amazing, hasn’t he? Building the house, getting everything ready. I can’t believe how much he’s done for us.”

“He loves you, Rae,” Laken said simply. “And that love is going to make all the difference.”

Just as we stepped outside into the cold winter air, I felt a sudden, sharp pain in my lower abdomen. I gasped, clutching my stomach, doubling over. “Laken… something’s wrong.”

She turned to me, frowning. “What is it?”

I leaned against the wall with one hand, the other hand on my belly, trying to breathe through the pain.

Another sharp pain shot through me, and I cried out.

“Oh, shit,” Laken said and dropped her shopping bags.

“I think… I think I’m having contractions,” I managed to say through the gasps and the pain.

Laken’s face paled. “Oh my God. Shit. Holy Moses. Okay, okay. Okay. We need to breathe.” She breathed in deeply and let it out again. “We’re going to be fine.”

“Laken!” I cried out when she seemed to be panicking more than I was.

“Sorry,” she said. “It’s just… the baby’s coming.”

“I know!” I sank to my knees, moaning loudly as my stomach contracted.

“We need to get you to the hospital. Can you walk?” Laken grabbed my arm and helped me up.

I nodded, but another contraction hit, this one even stronger than the last. I doubled over, trying to breathe through the pain, doing what the Lamaze videos I’d watched online had taught me.

My body racked with pain again.

“Laken…” I looked down, but I couldn’t see much over my belly. “It’s happening too fast. My water just broke.”

“What!? I thought it was just a thing in movies.”

If I didn’t have so much pain, I might have laughed, but my body was betraying me, doing things I knew nothing about, and I cried out again.

“I don’t know what to do,” she said. “I’m calling someone.”

She tried Tanner.

“Voice mail. Shit.”

She tried again.

“He’s hunting,” I said, hard breaths punctuating every word. “He’s out of range.”

“Shit,” Laken said again, and then I heard her talking on the phone.

“Tommy? Yeah, we need help. We need to get to the hospital. I think Rae’s in labor.”

She ended the call and turned to me.

“Tommy’s close and on the way. He’s in his truck.”

As if the moment conjured him out of thin air, Tommy’s truck skidded to a halt in front of us. He hopped out and helped me in. Laken followed, and I was sandwiched between them, holding onto my belly.

The contractions were coming fast and strong, and I was struggling to stay calm. “Tanner… we need to find Tanner,” I gasped.

Tommy nodded. “Don’t worry, Rae. We’ll find him. Right now, I want you in a better place.”

We sped toward the hospital, the pain intensifying with each contraction. As we pulled into the parking lot, we passed Bear. He had a bunch of supplies in his hands. He barely ever came to town, and it was pure luck that we saw him here.

“Bear,” I gasped. “Tell Bear.”

Laken wound down the window and called out to him. He frowned, but when he saw me in the middle, he ran over.

“What’s going on?” Bear frowned deeper, his gray-streaked beard unkempt, his eyes serious.

“Rae’s in labor, and we can’t reach Tanner,” Laken said quickly. “Can you find him?”

Bear nodded once. “I’ll find him and bring him to the hospital. Don’t worry, Rae. He’ll be there.” His words were serious, and I knew he would find him. No one knew how he’d tracked down Jethro that day, but he’d done that with ease.

Bear was a different breed.

When we stopped at the clinic, Tommy helped me out of the truck. Laken ran inside, yelling that I needed help to anyone who would listen. Two nurses ran out, one with a wheelchair. Everything seemed to happen in a blur through the waves of contractions that rocked my body. They undressed me, put me in a johnny, got me into a room and onto a bed.

The pain was overwhelming, and tears squeezed out of my eyes.

“Please, find Tanner,” I begged when Laken could see me again.

“He’ll be here,” she said. “Just breathe, Rae. You’re doing great.”

The minutes felt like hours as the contractions came closer together. The doctor checked my progress and gave me a reassuring smile that didn’t help at all.

“You’re doing well, Rae. The baby’s eager to come out. Just a little longer.”

I nodded, trying to focus on my breathing, but the pain was so intense. All I could think about was Tanner and that he was going to miss the birth of his baby. I needed him here. I needed him by my side.

A moment later, the door burst open, and Tanner crashed into the room. His face was wild and the smell of the forest clung to him. His eyes were filled with panic.

“Rae,” he said, coming to my side and taking my hand. “I’m here, babe. I’m here.”

“Tanner,” I sobbed as a wave of relief washed over me. “Thank God you’re here.”

He kissed my forehead, his hand gripping mine tightly. “I wouldn’t miss this for anything, sweetheart. You’re so strong, Rae. You can do this.”

My body seemed to kick into a new gear, and suddenly we were surrounded by doctors and nurses. The doctor guided me through each contraction, and finally, after what felt like an eternity, I heard the most beautiful sound in the world—our baby’s first cry.

“It’s a boy,” the doctor announced, placing the tiny, wriggling bundle in my arms.

“Tanner,” I breathed, looking down at our son. Tears still ran over my cheeks, but they were ones of joy now. The pain was gone, and although they were still taking care of me, all I could see was the little bundle on my chest, the tiny nose, and Tanner’s hazel eyes.

Tanner looked at the baby with something that looked like pride and fear mixed together.

“He’s so small,” he said.

“I know.”

“He’s perfect, Rae. You did amazing.”

He kissed me, and I leaned against him, exhausted.

“What are we going to call him?”

Tanner thought for a moment.

“I think we should call him Hunter.”

I glanced up at him and chuckled. “That seems… perfect.”

It was a fitting tribute to our life in the forest.

They cleaned me up and took me to a private room where Tanner and I were together with our baby, getting to know what it was like being new parents. A nurse helped me nurse him, and then someone took Tanner away with Hunter to show him how to bathe him. While they were gone, I slept, exhausted.

When the sun set, Tanner went home, and I spent the night in the hospital with little Hunter, just to be sure everything was okay. I was terrified that something could go wrong.

Everything was perfect, and I was scared it was too good to be true.

But then the sun dawned on a new day. Hunter screamed for milk, and when I nursed him, I realized that this was it.

This was the rest of our lives, without trouble and difficulty.

It wasn’t too good to be true. It was just true.

Tanner arrived after breakfast.

“How are we doing?” he asked and kissed me.

“Perfect. I didn’t even have to worry. I could have gone home last night.”

“You can come home tonight,” he said and kissed me on the forehead. “Rather safe than sorry.”

I nodded.

“They’re all here to meet him, sweetheart,” Tanner said. “Even your mom.”

“Oh, shit,” I said, and then I pressed my fingers against my lips when I swore in front of the baby. I’d completely forgotten they would arrive and that Tanner would have to receive them alone.

“It’s okay,” Tanner said. “Really, it wasn’t bad at all. Can I let everyone in?”

I nodded.

Family and friends soon filled the room, each one eager to meet the newest member of our family. Some brought flowers and balloons, some brought gifts, and soon it looked like a party.

And it was. A welcome to the world party.

The love and support were overwhelming, and I felt a sense of belonging that I had never known before.

Tanner looked at me, holding my hand and clearing his throat.

“I’d like to say something,” he said, raising his voice so that everyone fell quiet.

“Rae, there’s something I need to ask you.” He looked serious, and my stomach twisted. Hunter was asleep in a bassinet next to me, and I clutched my hands to my heart.

Tanner reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.

“We’ve been through a metric shit ton together,” he said.

I could almost hear my mom frown at that, but she didn’t cut in.

“It took losing you to realize how much I need you, but you’re the air I breathe, and I never want to be without you again.”

He got down on one knee, holding the box out to me. “Rae, will you marry me?”

The group collectively held their breath, waiting for an answer.

I looked at Tanner, my heart bursting with love. “Yes!” I said, tears rolling down my cheeks. “Yes, Tanner, I’ll marry you.”

Cheers erupted around us, and Tanner slipped the ring onto my finger.

He kissed me, his lips gentle against mine, and I laughed when he pulled away, bursting with happiness.

“I told you it would be a boy,” Laken whispered, leaning in when she hugged me. “And I’m so glad Tanner asked! I’m going to start planning something special for your bachelorette party right away!”

“Nothing wild,” I said.

“Oh, Rae…” Laken shook her head. “What are you talking about? You’ve already got all the wild you need right here.” She laughed and patted Tanner on the chest before she hugged him, congratulating him, too.

I laughed. Laken was right. Tanner was my wild mountain man, but I knew the tame, gentle side of him that belonged to only me. And now, we were three, a little family.

This was just the beginning of our new life together. We had faced our pasts, overcome our fears, and now we were ready to build a future on the foundation of love, hope, and trust.

The rest of our family and friends congratulated us, clapping Tanner on the back and kissing me on the cheek or hugging me, and I couldn’t believe how lucky we were. We didn’t only have each other. We had a whole army of people who were willing to be there for us, no matter what.

Hunter squealed in his bassinet and wriggled, and Tanner picked him up. If there was ever something hotter than a sexy wild man in the mountains, it was a big muscular hero holding the tiniest baby with all the care in the world.

I was exactly where I was meant to be. With Tanner, with Hunter.

Together, we could face anything.

Together, we were unstoppable.

Thank you for reading Saved by the Mountain Man!

Now get cozy with your next Silver Ridge Mountain Man…

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