Epilogue

EPILOGUE

LAUREL

“ D amn, baby. You’re so fucking talented.” Leaning over my shoulder to peer at my computer screen, Hayden brushed a kiss against the top of my head. “But I can’t believe how big Kylie looks in that picture.”

When I accepted his proposal four years ago, I hadn’t given much thought to how it would impact my career as a van life influencer. So much of what I did back then depended on my traveling, but he’d been right about the beauty of a snow-capped mountain for a backdrop to my photos. For a couple of months after the blizzard, I was able to do quick day trips and still got gorgeous pictures and videos to post. My following continued to grow, and nobody said a peep about me being in the same area for longer than I’d ever been except for when I was building out the van.

My gorgeous husband put a stop to those outings a few months after we found out I was pregnant. Except for when his mayoral duties didn’t interfere with him tagging along, which wasn’t often. But I lucked out because my followers enjoyed my posts about impending motherhood too.

About halfway through my pregnancy, I rebranded and wound up with even more sponsorship offers. There were a lot more products out there for expectant mothers—and ones with young kids—than for van life people. After all the dust settled, I was actually making more money than I had been before.

But we were super careful with what I posted about Kylie and her baby brother, Lyam. I only ever used photos of them taken from behind, so they weren’t recognizable when we were in public. Not that there was much risk when we lived in a town like Winter Falls, where everybody knew and looked out for each other. “Time flies when you have young kids, that’s for sure. I can’t believe she’s already three. And Lyam is going to be two in only another month. I want to keep them babies forever, but that’s just not happening.”

Stepping back, he swiveled my chair around so we were face-to-face. I puffed out my bottom lip for added effect, making him chuckle. “That’s what kids do, grow up too fast for their parents’ liking.”

“Yeah, but I already miss all the baby snuggles now that Lyam spends most of his day running around the house, seeing what kind of trouble he can get in.”

Hayden’s brown eyes softened, as they always did when we talked about our children. “Our boy is a lot to handle.”

The Victorian that we lived in was gorgeous, but we’d had to make a ton of changes to baby proof the place when we had Kylie. And even more when she started to walk. But those weren’t enough to keep our daredevil son safe, so we’d bought pretty much everything on the market and tried them all. “His antics make for great content on social media, but I plucked a gray hair the other day, and I’m only twenty-five for goodness' sake.”

“Tell me about it.” Hayden crouched lower, so I could see his thick brown hair, now peppered with gray in a few spots. “I thought being responsible for everyone in Winter Falls would make me old before my time, but all it took was becoming a dad.”

I twined my arms around his neck, smiling up at him. “I wouldn’t call you old. Just distinguished.”

“Distinguished, huh?” he echoed, his eyes narrowing.

“I mean…I could say old instead, if that'll make you feel better. You are fourteen years?—”

He stopped the rest of my teasing statement by capturing my mouth in a deep kiss that made me squirm in my seat. It didn’t matter how many times his lips were pressed against mine, I always wanted more. And after years together, I had no problem asking for what I needed.

When he pulled away after only a minute, I gripped his shoulders and tugged him closer. I nipped at his bottom lip, and a groan rumbled up his chest. “You want more, baby?”

“Uh-huh,” I panted, sliding my tongue between his lips to tangle with his.

That was all the encouragement he needed to deepen the kiss, his palm stroking up my spine to cup the back of my head. When he tangled my hair in his fist, I let out a little whimper of need. “Is my good girl feeling needy?”

“I—”

This time, my words were cut off by our daughter as she cried, “Mommy! Daddy! Wook what Grammy bought me.”

“Those little cockblockers,” he grumbled.

I wagged my brows with a grin. “And to think I was going to suggest we should have another so I can keep getting my baby fix.”

“Tonight,” he growled before our children scampered into my office, my in-laws on their heels. But it was enough for me to know that he was on board with my plan to get knocked up again. Soon.

Curious about Jack & Iris? Their story is Never Been Snow Lucky ! Hint: he’s the ski patrol guy carrying her after she got hurt on the bunny hill.

Find out how Jake & Hannah ended up married in Vegas in Snow More Secrets !

And don’t miss out on Soren & Cammie’s story in Snow One Like You !

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