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Three years later
Caleb could barely keep up with the names he was writing in the ledger as the latest group of railroad workers settled into the inn. He sighed, scratching another name down and taking payment for the first week, his fingers stained with ink. Caleb arranged the room keys, making sure they went to the right people, nodding to Oliver who stood in the corner waiting.
Oliver grabbed some of the bags, hefting them up the stairs, tired travelers following him. Footsteps thudded up the stairs, muffled by the new runner Clara had put down the week before to help with the noise.
Not that the inn was ever quiet these days. If it kept as busy as it had been, they were going to have to hire even more staff.
It was almost hard to believe that the inn had come so far in such a short amount of time.
Clara swept behind the front counter, their daughter on her hip. “I cannot believe how busy we are. If this keeps up, we’re going to have to start turning people away.”
“Love, it’s been like this for the last two years since they started working on expanding the railroad and we haven’t run out of room yet.” Caleb grinned as he finished writing the last name down in the ledger and handed over the room key.
Clara bounced Eliza, named for her mother. “Pa is already getting the guitar tuned for tonight.”
Caleb pulled her into a hug, kissing her temple. “Good. It’s been too long since I heard you sing. I don’t get nearly enough time to watch your performances.”
“That’s your choice,” she said, her tone teasing as she stepped out of his embrace. “And we both know you do. You come watch every single one like there is nowhere else in the world you would rather be.”
Caleb dropped a kiss to the top of Eliza’s head. “Because there is nowhere else I would rather be. I love it right here with you and our daughter and all the people we love most in the world.”
“Lydia!” Oliver shouted, dashing back down the stairs as three-year-old Lydia took off at a toddler’s sprint through the hallway with a stuffed bear in her hand. “Come back!”
“I thought you were talking bags up?” Caleb said as Oliver dashed past.
“Victoria asked me to check on her when I came back down and make sure she’s not being too much for Arthur!” Oliver called over his shoulder, following Lydia into the dining room.
Clara laughed and shook her head, her eyes crinkling at the corners, love flowing from her. It was hard not to feel it standing this close to her. There was no other way to describe how she lo9oked at the inn and everyone in it.
“I don’t think this place is ever going to be quiet, do you?” Clara asked Eliza, her voice a singsong. “We should go join Grandpa. People are going to want to hear us perform.”
“I’ll be in soon,” Caleb said, ducking back behind the counter.
He retrieved the money he had collected from the group, taking it back into the office and locking it in the safe. Thankfully, the loan was paid in full years ago and now the inn was profiting. Clara hadn’t wanted him to use his savings at first, but after six months of telling her that he wanted to invest in their future, she had finally let him.
It was worth it. Caleb had made his home in Silver Creek. He loved working at the inn and getting to spend the day with his family. When he first started working there, he had missed being a deputy marshal, but there was something nice about the slower pace. It suited him.
Caleb locked the safe and left the office, heading into the dining room as the deep orange hues of the setting sun filtered in the window. Clara took to the top of a table near the fireplace as she did each music night, smiling and looking every bit the angel she had the first night he saw her perform.
Arthur sat on a chair beside the table, looking better than he had in years. With the inn making more money, they had been able to get a medicine shipped from back East. It had bought him more years of his life, clearing up his cough. He would never be back to the health he once had, but he was doing well.
As Caleb leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms, more people filtered into the room, finding seats at tables that lined the perimeter. Others, people who had been to their music night before, stood in the center of the room, ready to dance once the music began.
Nobody had to wait long. Arhtur started playing, Clara’s voice soft and melodic as it filled the room, couples dancing together. Sheriff Reed spun Bea onto the dance floor, pulling her close, whispering something in her ear. They had gotten married nearly two months after Caleb and Clara did. Their baby was due in a matter of weeks, though you could hardly tell based on the way Sheriff Reed and Bea twirled around the dance floor together.
Clara finished one song and then the next before getting down from the table. A couple more musicians joined Arthur, lively tunes playing that had more people up from their seats and dancing.
“You were wonderful,” Caleb said as Clara made her way over to him. He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her close.
She stretched up on her toes to kiss him, her hands warm on his chest. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He kissed her again, looking down at her like it was the first time he was falling in love with her, even though he fell more in love each passing day. “How is the little one?”
Clara put her hand on the slight swell of her stomach. “I swear the baby is having more and more fun kicking my bladder with each day, but it’s only going to be a matter of time before they’re here and I’m going to miss it.”
“I don’t think most people would miss someone kicking their bladder.” He laughed and cupped her face, kissing her again. “You are truly extraordinary, my love.”
“And you are entirely biased.”
“There you two are,” Abigail said, coming over with a letter in her hand. “I got this from Lilah the other day.”
“What’s it say?” Clara asked.
“The letter you wrote the judge on her behalf combined with her good behavior allowed her to be released from jail early. She’s going to return home to her parents. She wanted me to thank you for all you’ve done for her and to apologize again.” Abigail held out the letter, but Clara shook her head.
“Tell her I’m glad she’s happy,” Clara said, a serene smile on her face. Abigail nodded, disappearing to join the others listening to music, likely off to find Victoria and share the news with her.
“What do you say we get Eliza and go for a walk through the gardens?” Caleb asked.
“I say it sounds like the perfect way to end a night.”
Clara nodded, disappearing back into the room and returning with Eliza a moment later. Caleb took Eliza, cradling her in his arms as they went out the kitchen door and stepped into the garden, the flowers fully in bloom and waking the world around them smell sweet.
“Did you ever think our lives would look like this?” Clara asked as they started walking through the roses.
Caleb shrugged. “I didn’t know what it was going to look like, but I knew that as long as you were in it, life was going to be everything I wanted and more.”
Laughing, she rolled her eyes. “When did you become such a charmer?”
“When I realized how charming you puts a smile on your face.” Caleb wrapped his free arm around her waist, holding her close as they stopped to look at the first stars coming out in the night sky. “Clara, the life we built together is better than anything I ever dared to dream of.”
***
“That was a good party last night,” Sheriff Reed said as he spread out the picnic blanket.
Caleb nodded, his heart speeding up as he watched Clara and Bea run with Oliver, Lydia, and Eliza. “It was. I think Clara wants to start doing one of those nights every fortnight instead of every month, especially with how busy the inn has been lately.”
“Good way to get more people in there.” Sheriff Reed sat down, leaving the food in the basket. “You give any more thought to coming to work for me? Mayor Rosewood is interested in having more experience on the team to make sure all those railroad workers stay in line and don’t cause more trouble.”
“I like what I’m doing.” Caleb grinned as Clara came over with Bea trailing behind her, helping both of them sit down before taking his own seat. “Any word on the Rourke Gang or Blackwell lately?”
“Nothing new about Rourke or his men. They’re all still sitting behind bars and from what I hear, they’re going to be there for a long time. It seems like they aren’t making things easy for the guards and have had new charges added to their sentences.”
“Well, it’s good that they stay locked in Fort Morgan,” Bea said, her hand on her stomach rubbing slow circles. “Those men caused a nightmare for Clara. I have half a mind to ride to Fort Morgan and give them all a piece of my mind.”
Sheriff Reed snorted. “You already did that when they were being held at my office.”
“And you liked the verbal lashing so much that you proposed at the end of my rant.” Bea smirked as Clara burst out laughing.
“Yes, I did.” Sheriff Reed leaned back, propping himself up on his forearms and looking up at the sky. “I knew any woman who would face down a gang for her friend was going to be a woman worth keeping.”
Caleb leaned closer to Clara, dropping his voice low. “I didn’t have to see you in front of a gang to know that.”
“As for Blackwell,” Sheriff Reed said with an amused smirk. “He tried escaping but he was caught. Barely got beyond the walls of the fort before they were dragging him back.”
“I would drag you back if you tried to run,” Caleb whispered, his tone teasing. He wanted to make Clara laugh knowing she still carried the weight of all that happened to her.
She scoffed and shook her head, but he saw the smile she tried to hide as she unpacked the picnic basket, laying out the food while the children came back over. Food was passed around, children laughing and whispering to each other while they ate, sharing whatever little stories and secrets Oliver came up with during the day. Even though the girls were still only babies, Oliver delighted in telling them anything that crossed his mind.
“We’re going to have to get her back to Victoria soon,” Clara said, nodding to Lydia. “I think they were going for a ride with Mayor Rosewood.”
“He is quite smitten with her.” Caleb kissed Clara’s cheek. “Just as I’m quite smitten with you.”
She laughed and shook her head, leaning back before grabbing his hand and putting it on her stomach. “The baby is kicking again.”
He felt the light flutters beneath his hand, smiling wide. “This is perfect.”
“It is.” She looked at him with a smile that stretched from one side of her face to the other. “I think I might be the happiest woman in the world.”
“Oh, are you?”
“Yes, I am.” She nodded decidedly. “And I think we should name the baby after your parents.”
Caleb’s heart soared. He had no response but to lean in and kiss his wife, children’s laughter rising around them.
This life was more than he dared hope for, but his perfect little family was everything he could ever need.
OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 5 FREEBIES FOR YOU!
Grab my new series, "Brides of the Untamed Frontier", and get 5 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!
Hello my dears, I hope you enjoyed the book and the Extended Epilogue! I will be waiting for your comments here. Thank you 🙂
A very good story and extended epilogue
Thank you so much for your kind words, Gwen! I’m so glad you enjoyed the story and the extended epilogue, it truly means a lot.
As always I enjoyed your book. This story kept my interest and I believe I read it in a day. I get started and can’t put them down.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Gladys! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the story and that it kept your interest all the way through, it truly means a lot that you couldn’t put it down!
I always enjoy your writing. You make reading absolutely wonderful. You are very talented and thanks for sharing your talent with me. Please keep writing !!!
Thank you so much, June. I really appreciate your kind words, they mean a lot. I’m so glad you enjoy my writing and that it makes reading feel wonderful for you. Your support is truly encouraging, and I’ll definitely keep writing!
Another wonderful book with adventure to hold your attention. The extended episode brings it all together.
Thank you so much, Ella for your kind words! I’m really glad you enjoyed the adventure and that the extended epilogue brought everything together for you.
Loved loved this book. There’s so much activity, charm, trouble etc in this book. Once you start reading you cannot put it down. Just go ahead and get this book ASAP and read it today. You’ll be glad you did.
Thank you so much, Candy! I’m thrilled that you loved the book and found it so engaging. Your kind words mean a lot to me!
Great story, really enjoyed the read. But would you please get a better editor?
Thank you, Pam! I’m so glad you enjoyed the story. I also appreciate your honest feedback, and I’ll certainly keep it in mind. Thank you for taking the time to read and share your thoughts!