Page 79 of Nashville Lights

“Well, that’s not nearly enough. Iloveyou, Roxie Tucker. Thank you for making me the happiest man in the world.” He kisses me with tender lust, which gets hungrier and more intimate, until my entire body is radiating heat.

Then he kisses his way slowly down my body, taking his time, sucking and licking my nipples until they’re budded and rosy.

Nate kisses my stomach, lingering there. “Hey, littlebaby,” he murmurs. “I’m your Daddy. We love you so much. We’re going to have such a beautiful life together. You’ve got the most gorgeous mama in the whole world and the sweetest big sister. We can’t wait to meet you.”

He moves lower, pinning my legs as he takes everything he wants, feasting languidly, sucking, licking, sliding his fingers inside, until the waves crest and break in starry, luscious bursts.

Then he climbs up my body, laying himself over me. He pushes his big cock into my slippery, still-pulsing pussy, until he’s deep, deep inside. I’m so tightly around him, pulling his release from him lovingly with my own wild pleasure.

“I love you, Nate Boone,” I whisper, until my whispers turn to moans and we come together, drowning and floating in the beautiful bliss of our own happily ever after.

EPILOGUE

Eight and a half months later…

Nateand I got married on New Year’s Eve, surrounded by our family.

The lodge was decorated with candles and white roses. White roses were also embroidered into my veil and into the train of my wedding dress, which was made by an up-and-coming designer named Lila Bailey, whose designs happen to be all the rage. She also designed Daisy’s dress.

My dress was fashioned to accommodate my growing belly. We found out what we’re having. Another girl. We’ve decided to name her Jasmine Savannah Louise Tucker Boone. When I told Aunt Lou the middle names we’ve chosen she said,child, that’s quite a name, through her tears.

Dakota was my maid of honor and Gigi, Ruby andStella were my bridesmaids. The groom’s party included Luke, Leo, Tobias and all three of my brothers.

Daisy was, of course, the flower girl. She not only scattered white rose petals she also carried our rings, a job she took very seriously and handled beautifully.

Jenny Jenkins came to the wedding and has become a friend. She was able to expedite the adoption process, which can sometimes take up to a year. Daisy legally became our daughter the day after our wedding. We talked it through with her and she decided to change her name to Daisy Abigail O’Leary-Boone.

She’s thriving in school. She’s made a lot of new friends, but she and Harper are still besties.

Daisy got a pony for her seventh birthday, named Cashew, who we’ve all fallen in love with. I never knew a horse could have so much personality. And for Christmas, Daisy got a puppy, a little Jack Russell she named Tink (after Tinker Bell). The two of them are inseparable. And since she’s had Tink, who sleeps on her bed with her own little pink pillow and blanket, Daisy hasn’t had a single nightmare.

Daisy’s Aunt Amanda came to visit us with her family just before Christmas. Dakota and Tobias gave them a complimentary cabin at the lodge for a weekend—which was very generous, since the lodge is fully booked out for an entire year in advance. They do occasionally have cancelations, but they also have a waiting list. The restaurant just won some award for top five in Tennessee and the lodge wasrecently written up in a national magazine, named “Best New Must-Visit Destination.”

One of my favorite things about my life on Sugar Mountain is getting to see both Dakota and Tobias on practically a daily basis.

To her credit, Amanda tried to connect with Daisy, as much as a person can do with a child they barely know. Amanda’s husband couldn’t have been less interested. Their sons, who must have been around thirteen and fifteen, were the kind of teenagers who don’t look you in the eye and grunt a returned greeting because they’re being forced to. Nate had told me they were both big gamers, and they had that look, of kids who spend most of their time sitting on the couch in a dimly-lit room eating junk food. When Nate asked them if they wanted to help with a fence he was repairing on the farm, they glared at him like he’d sprouted wings.

Amanda had tears in her eyes when they left and Daisy did too, for a very different reason. Needless to say, we were extra thankful that night that things turned out the way they did.

My job has become much easier now that I have Kristie. We’ve become close. She’s so good at her job, I can work almost entirely from home. Nate insisted I take it easier now that I’m getting further along in my pregnancy. And I do get tired. Turns out growing a human is exhausting some days, especially since I had morning sickness for most of the first trimester. Once I hit the second trimester though, I haven’tbeen able to stop eating. Nate brings me cheesecakes and pickles and anything else I crave.

Kristie and I hired a young assistant manager named Tia Oakley—an absolute live wire—who travels with the bands when they’re on tour and handles the on-the-ground logistics. With FaceTime and Zoom, we can keep in close contact and I can help make sure things are running smoothly from my home office. It wouldn’t have worked three or four years ago, but my brothers have their own fiancées and wives now to keep them in line. And they’re more mellow than they used to be. They’ve seasoned into their fame and status and are more content to take things at a less frenetic pace than we used to.

Their latest album went platinum in one week. Ruby’s also went platinum and so did Kade’s solo album. Sky Rose’s and Ivy Laine’s both went gold.

Nate has brought Shane Anderson on as a co-partner in his business. Which means Shane has taken on more responsibility and will earn sweat equity in the company. It also means Nate can take a big step back from the daily operations and spend more time with us.

Nate has enough money for us to retire if we wanted to. I was actually shocked by how much money he has, especially since he’s so choosy about the kind of projects he’ll take on. He told me that, just because he refuses to sell out to out-of-state corporations doesn’t mean the deals are any less lucrative. He’s also been investing his money since he turned eighteen and turns out he’s very good at it.

Ialsocould retire us. All the acts we manage are doing extremely well, especially my brothers. And they gave me a good deal from the beginning. They also have a money manager who handles our own investments. Sometimes I look at my account balances and have to do a double-take.

Stepping back from his business has also allowed Nate to spend more time on his music, something I’m constantly encouraging him to do. We cut his first album—and I’m literally in awe of it—but he insisted on waiting until after the wedding and the adoption were all settled before I shop it.

Now he says that he wants to wait until after the baby. Late one night, I sort of convinced him to let me run with it and he sort of agreed.

I have some news for him. I got the call this morning.

I’m in the bath. It’s hard to believe we’ve been married now for four months. The baby’s kicking and I hold my belly gently as she moves around in there. “Any day now, we get to meet you, little Jazz. I can’t wait.” I’m five days overdue. And definitely a little nervous about how things will go. We have our plan to call my midwife who’s based in Sugar Falls, and our doctor, as soon as I go into labor. The hospital is a twenty minute drive. I’ve got a bag packed and ready to go in Nate’s truck.

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