Epilogue

Playlist: Joy to the World (Joyful, Joyful) by Phil Wickham (The Chosen: Live)

FOXTOWN ON CHRISTMAS was always a majestic spectacle, with management sparing no expense in recreating a 19th-century Christmas for its guests. Carriages were adorned for the holidays with silver and gold trimmings. Modistes boasted of new seasonal collections to those wanting to make a splash. And as this was often requested, more and more mistletoes were added in the unlikeliest places to help usher "matches" for the romantically inclined.

Invitations to the most coveted balls usually came with the most prohibitive price tags. This year, however, offered a special surprise. Aryan Hale, the Duke of Ice, was to marry Lady Heaven Gaines in a private ceremony, after which every registered guest of the Regency-themed entertainment park was warmly welcomed to join the newlyweds in this Season's grandest ball.

Aside from a gasp-inducing guest list populated by eligible bachelors (one of which was a mysterious Russian prince who had yet to be named), there were also rumors of a new non-playing character that the management had yet to unveil.

It was the most exciting Christmas yet, but for now...

"Ladies and gentlemen, our newlyweds, His and Her Grace, the Duke and Duchess of Ice."

Thunderous applause greeted the couple as they slowly descended the carpeted staircase, but instead of the traditional waltz, Heaven and Hale were joined by their friends for a wonderfully choreographed quadrille.

Oh, be still, my heart...and lips!

It was Harry who had first spilled the beans about Heaven's dreams of a Regency wedding, and her huband who had then cunningly suggested that Hale make it up to his bride by playing his role to perfection.

Hale had agreed without hesitation at that time, but the thing was...

Absolutely no one had expected her dashing bridegroom to be so incredibly bad at dancing, and she had a feeling even Hale himself hadn't realized he would be this, er, challenged.

Tongues had already been set a-wagging and Foxtown Times' evening edition was sure to include a blind item about Hale not being perfect as he always seemed. Worst of all, it would soon be a truth universally acknowledged—-

As the next set of steps had Heaven spinning back into the arms of her duke, she found Hale smiling down at her as he muttered warningly under his breath, " Don't. Just don't."

—-that Lady Micah, his foster sister, was not lying when she described Heaven's husband as a natural-born sourpuss.

"Don't what?"

"I'm not kidding." A pause, and then he added stiffly, "My lady."

Heaven had to swallow back a laugh at this. How terribly sweet of him, to insist on properly addressing her even when expressing his annoyance.

Oh, Hale.

Rush had described him earlier as someone 'unstoppable' when he had put his mind to something, and her husband had proved this over and over today, with how he had fully embraced his role as the most aloof member of the Ton.

'This is my only way to make it up to you,' he had told her gruffly, ' so please let me do this...milady.'

Remembering this didn't just have Heaven's toes curling. When she saw her normally graceful husband trip over his own feet for the fifth time as he missed another step in the quadrille, her heart simply couldn't take it, and Heaven was no longer able to contain herself.

Hale's gaze narrowed when the dance steps had them reunited for the last time. "Don't."

"B-But..."

"I'm serious, milady."

Heaven really, really tried to keep it all together. But when he missed another step, and they ended up on the floor like with their limbs all tangled together—-

" Fu —-I mean, I'm sorry, Your Grace," Hale said stiffly as he helped her back to her feet.

"Hale?"

His heart sank at the look on his wife's face. "Don't. "

But his Heaven was not to be denied this time.

"I love you," she blurted out.

His handsome face remained stoic. "I love you, too, but just don't—-"

"I love you, so, so much," his wife burst out, "that I just want you to know how adorable you look—-"

And there it was, dammit .

"With how hard you're trying to dance—-"

It was only when everyone around them started choking and coughing in their attempt to stifle their laughter that Heaven realized she might have spoken a tad too loudly.

Oops?

She smiled weakly at Hale, who was now looking at her like he wanted to strangle her.

"I'm sor—- aaaah!"

This time around, everyone did laugh as the duke swept his bride up in his arms, but as he carried her out of the ballroom, and they saw the way he brushed the top of her head with his lips—-

Oh, my Lord.

The tenderness in that gesture was unmistakable and had most women dabbing their eyes.

It was a merry Christmas indeed, and they were all the more blessed to know that there would always be hope for those who believed.

HEAVEN STARTED CRYING as soon as they were alone in their suite, and he was gently laying her down on the bed.

"I t-think I'm just s-so happy," she tried to explain as he sat down next to her.

"I know."

His quiet voice had her crying harder.

Because she knew he wasn't lying.

Hale did know.

Because he felt it, too.

A joy that was like no other.

And one that would always be theirs...because God had meant for them to be together.

Heaven's heart started pounding as she watched Hale reach for the bedside button.

Click.

The battery-powered candles went out, and her heart raced even faster as darkness swept over the room.

She had always thought it romantic if one were to make love for the first time in the cover of the night, but even though she had been too shy to tell Hale this—-

I guess this is just one of those things which the person you love instinctively knows...

Her eyes closed as Hale began disrobing her.

And since her wedding gown was a faithful replica of Regency bridal designs, the process was long and arduous.

But even so...

Hale was patient and efficient as he removed one layer after another. It almost seemed as if he had taken the time to study and master his techniques, and Heaven's eyes stung anew as soon as she thought this.

Even without him saying a word, Heaven was certain that was exactly what her husband did.

Because it was one of those things one instinctively knew...when you loved the other person.

And how she loved him.

So, so much!

And that was why...

The mere sound of Hale disrobing himself had her gulping hard.

Oh, Hale!

The bed dipped, and her heart threatened to leap out of her chest. Hale finally had her under him, and every naked inch of his powerful body was pressed against hers.

"H-Hale..."

His name slipped out in a whimper.

And then she was crying incoherently as his fingers dipped between her legs and straight into the moist sweetness of her core.

"You're so wet, baby," he said hoarsely.

"Yes," she sobbed out.

"Can I—-"

Her arms wrapped around his neck. "P-Please—-"

The rest of her words turned into a moan.

Because he was already inside her.

Claiming what was his in one smooth stroke.

And then he was moving—-

Oh, Hale.

Her nails dug into the muscles of his shoulders.

So, so good.

That she couldn't help clawing his back.

"Yes," he rasped out.

Because her body was arching helplessly under his, her hips buckling as she strove to meet every deep, furious thrust of his body.

"Come for me, baby..."

She could only cry out as shudders of pleasure rocked her body, and when she heard him grit her name out as he, too, started to come—-

Oh, Hale.

It was the most beautiful thing in the world, to finally have their bodies joined as one, and to know...

This was the way their love would someday bear fruit.

MICAH FELT LIKE PUKING the next day when the newlyweds came down to join them for breakfast. They were holding hands like stupid teenagers, and they were even smiling into each other's eyes, also like stupid teenagers.

"Just go back to your room, will you?"

Hale, being the sourpuss that he was, immediately scowled at her.

Heaven, on the other hand...

Micah seriously thought she was about to be sick when the other woman threw her arms around her.

"You can't fool me now," Heaven said brightly. "So please stop pretending to be the B-word."

"The B-word ?" Micah echoed in disgust. "Why can't you just say b—-" She stopped speaking when she caught sight of Rush and Hale, both of whom were standing behind Heaven, and were now staring at her in a way that only older brothers could.

One more word, those gazes threatened, and you're dead.

"Forget it," Micah muttered.

Heaven beamed. "See? Isn't it nice to just be your real nice self?"

Somebody kill me now, Micah thought.

"Oh, and before I forget. Here it is..."

Micah stared down at the envelope Hale's wife had given her.

Even though Heaven told her she didn't have to, Micah had also insisted on making it up to her, and this was what Hale's wife had asked of her.

She tore the envelope open.

Here goes nothing...

Heaven had asked Micah to play her non-playing role like her life depended on it, which of course led her to think of the most horrible possibilities.

A peasant? A boring spinster? A—-

!@#$%^&

Hale automatically covered his wife's ears as Mikey started swearing.

Rush took the letter from Mikey's hands and started grinning. When Hale asked his wife what she wanted as a wedding gift, she had asked with all sincerity to promise every employee in his company an additional Christmas bonus.

Even if she didn't mean to kill everyone with kindness, Rush had privately thought that Heaven's idea of a wedding gift made her seem like an evil genius in the making.

But he now knew he was wrong.

Because her choice for Micah's role in Foxtown was proof that she already was an evil genius.

Greetings, Lady Wilfrey!

It is our pleasure to welcome you as Foxtown's First Fairy Godmother.

The End

Thank you so much for reading The Rancher's Jilted Bride.

I pray you enjoyed reading Heaven and Hale's story, and in case you're new to my books, I hope you'll be delighted to know that Devon and Harry's story is the first book in this series.

You may also be interested to check out San Antonio's Finest Eligibles, which features the first four books. This boxed set is only available for a limited time.

Last but not the least, Foxtown is to be the setting of my brand-new faux Regency romance series, and if you care to take a guess...

Can you think of a Russian billionaire I've yet to write about?

Thank you once again, and an advance Merry Christmas to all of you!

Matthew 1:23

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us).