Forced to Marry a Scarred Rancher – Extended Epilogue

---

OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 5 FREEBIES FOR YOU!

Grab my new series, "Brave Hearts of the Frontier", and get 5 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!

---

One Year Later

“You’re going to wear a hole in the floor if you don’t stop your pacing,” Robert said as Jasper continued to walk back and forth.

“I just can’t sit still,” Jasper admitted.

“They’ll be alright,” Robert pointed out. “The doctor’s in there with Louise and Geraldine. Susannah’s strong. It’ll be fine.”

Jasper and his father were waiting in the living room with Theo and Douglas. Theo held his new son in his arms, while Lenore, Louise, Geraldine and the doctor were present to help Susannah give birth.

Jasper nodded, but he still couldn’t shake the worry for his wife’s safety. His mind kept going back to his own birth, and how his mother had died in the process. As if reading his thoughts, Robert broke in once again.

“Your mother wasn’t as strong as Susannah,” he said. “And we didn’t have as many people to help. You have to trust in God, son. Really.”

“It’s just so hard,” Jasper said. “Waiting out here while they’re in there.”

“But it’ll be worth it,” Theo said, breaking into the conversation. He cradled his son in his arms as he spoke, and Jasper wondered how it would feel to hold his own child in his arms, too.

“This sort of thing will always make you nervous,” Douglas spoke up. “Trust me, I was just as nervous for Eric to be born as I was for Susannah.”

Jasper nodded. He knew the other men in the room were trying to help, but he still found it next to impossible to sit still. All he wanted was for the birth to be over, the new baby to be safe and for Susannah to be alright.

He knew babies were born all the time, and most of the time, the mothers and children were just fine. But that didn’t stop him from worrying.

“What if something goes wrong?” he heard himself saying.

“Don’t think that way,” Robert said.

“I can’t help it,” Jasper said.

Robert walked over and put his hand on Jasper’s shoulder.

“I struggled for a long time with what happened to your mother,” he said. “But you can’t live this way. You have to trust that things will work out.”

“What if…”

His voice trailed off, but Robert just squeezed his shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said again. “Like we have all been saying, Susannah is a strong young woman, there’s a lot of help in that room with her, and we have the doctor. She’s going to be fine, just fine—”

Before he finished speaking, the sound of a baby crying reached their ears. Jasper froze. He didn’t know what he felt in that moment. He was shocked by the sound of the young voice, while at the same time he was filled with more relief than he could even express. His knees felt weak, and he didn’t know what to do with himself.

“Congratulations, Pa!” Theo laughed as he walked over to Jasper and clapped his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Sounds like your little one is finally here!”

Jasper’s heart thudded in his chest, and Louise opened the door.

“Come on in, come meet your daughters!” Louise cried.

“Daughters?” Jasper asked, hardly able to get the word out. “You mean more than one?”

“Twins!” Louise beamed. “Robert, we have twin grandbabies!”

Robert whooped, and Geraldine appeared with a bright smile on her face. Douglas, too, was thrilled with the news, but Jasper wasn’t going to waste another second in the next room. He was happy that the grandparents were celebrating, but all he could think about was his wife.

He entered the room as the doctor was stepping away from the bed, and Susannah looked up at him with a bright smile.

“Twins,” she said with a chuckle. “And you all thought I was making it up when I said I felt extra kicks!”

“They’re beautiful,” Jasper finally managed.

“You’d better sit down before you faint dead away,” Lenore teased when she walked over. She pushed a chair toward Jasper, and he shakily sat next to the bed where his wife held their babies.

“Can you believe it?” Susannah asked. “Twins?”

“Twin girls,” Jasper said with an awestruck shake of his head. “Susannah, you’re incredible.”

“I didn’t do this all on my own.” She laughed. “And we’re going to need help, trust me.”

“I think you’ll have more help than you know what to do with,” Lenore teased, and Susannah smiled. Jasper couldn’t stop grinning, himself, and once his feet finally felt steady, he rose and leaned over his wife.

He kissed her, then he kissed each of his daughters on their foreheads.

“They’re beautiful,” he said again. “And Susannah, you are an angel.”

“We’re a family now,” Susannah said. “Look at us.”

“A big, happy family,” Jasper agreed with another nod. “This is the best day of my entire life.”

“Mine too,” Susannah agreed.

Jasper shook his head again, the happiness welling up inside him. He’d thought marrying Susannah was the happiest he could be, but seeing his daughters born, he knew his life was finally complete.

He couldn’t imagine life could get any better than it was in that moment, and he wished it would never end. All he wanted was to sit with his family in that little room forever, basking in the joy of their growing family.

Basking in the love he felt for his wife.

***

“What are you doing out of bed?” Jasper cried when Susannah walked into the room.

“I wanted to come see everyone,” she told him with a smile.

“You’re supposed to be in bed,” he reminded her. “The doctor said you should be in bed for the first week.”

“I’m alright,” she insisted. “I’m not going to break. How are my babies?”

Susannah walked around the room, kissing both her daughters as the babies slept in their grandmother’s arms. She then gave Lenore a quick embrace on her way to the table, and Jasper was quick to pull up a chair.

Lenore had insisted on coming to the main house to make breakfast that morning, and Jasper was happy to have the grandparents over as well. Both Geraldine and Louise had been spending a lot of time with Susannah, helping her with the new babies. But he hadn’t seen much of Douglas or Eric, or of Theo and Lenore the past couple days.

Jasper was glad to have them over for the meal, knowing just how busy they had all become with the changes in their lives.

“Alright, the eggs are done,” Lenore said as she served the scrambled eggs and bacon. “I’m sorry it took so long. I had to pause a few times.”

“Are you feeling alright?” Jasper asked, and Lenore nodded, though he noticed that she didn’t serve herself any food. She put the plates on the table, and everyone sat around, with Jasper ensuring that Susannah was comfortable before he took his own seat at the head of the table.

“Pa built a second cradle,” Jasper told Susannah. “For the girls.”

“Thank you so very much,” Susannah said as Eric proudly pulled the new cradle into the room for his sister to see. “Thank you all for everything.”

“It’s what families do,” Robert said with a wave of his hand. But seeing just how much Susannah was smiling, it made Jasper’s heart swell with happiness.

“Are you feeling alright?” Theo asked suddenly, and Jasper turned to see Lenore get up and rush from the room. For a moment, everyone was startled. But Louise laughed.

“That was quick,” she said.

Jasper was confused at first. He didn’t know what Louise meant, but when Lenore came back into the room, he saw the way Susannah looked at her.

“Are you with child again?” Susannah asked, and Jasper’s jaw dropped when Lenore nodded.

“I didn’t want to take away from Eliza and Jane being born,” Lenore said sheepishly. “But yes, little William is only six months old, and here I am, with child again.”

Theo laughed, and congratulations echoed around the room.

“And here I was, thinking that we had you beat,” Jasper teased his friend. “With two children while you have just one.”

“I guess that’s what brothers do.” Theo grinned. “We’re going to see who has more children first.”

“I don’t know about that,” Susannah cut in, and everyone laughed.

“I’m happy for it,” Eric said. “It’s quiet around here with all you grown-ups talking business and work all the time.”

The statement brought a new wave of laughter, but it wasn’t long before Douglas spoke up. He put a hand on Eric’s shoulder, his face brimming with pride as he spoke.

“Speaking of growing up, you’re about there yourself, son,” he said. “It’s about time you took on an official apprenticeship, don’t you think?”

Eric groaned, but Robert jumped on the idea.

“I think that’s a wonderful notion,” he said. “And I think I speak for me and Jasper both when I say we would love to have you on as an apprentice.”

“Really? Eric asked, and Jasper could see how happy the sentiment made Susannah as well as her parents.

“Really,” Jasper said before Robert could continue. “There’s few things better than a man who can learn the way we do things from the beginning. If you’re ready, I would be happy to get you started on an official apprenticeship as soon as next week.”

“I did turn thirteen last month,” Eric mused. “Alright, that would be great.”

“Just so long as you’re able to work around school,” Geraldine cut in. “I’m not going to have a child who doesn’t get an education.”

Eric groaned, and the rest of the group laughed. Jasper’s gaze went back to Susannah’s, and his heart swelled with a happiness when he saw the way she was looking at him. There was nothing but pure love in her eyes, and when he smiled, he felt a wave of warmth run through him at her response.

She smiled back at him as her cheeks flushed with a blush, and he wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms. He reached for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze before leaning over and kissing her on the cheek.

“I love you,” he whispered. “And our family.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered in return. “And I love every member of this growing family, too.”

Jasper grinned, sitting back in his chair. He looked around the room, his heart aching with joy at what his life had become. He could hardly believe that everyone in the room was family, and that they were getting even bigger.

He didn’t know if they’d have more children, but he knew he would welcome each one they had. The thought of an even bigger family made him even happier, but even with just the twins and Susannah, his life was complete.

While he was wealthy, his riches didn’t come from the money in the bank, but from the love that he had with those around him. The happiness he shared was worth more than any amount of money, and he looked forward to what the future would bring.

Life had been full of twists and turns, but Jasper had finally found his purpose in life, and he was on the right path. He had a woman who loved him and a family of his own, and he would do anything to care for all of them.

More than that, they had love, and together, his family could face anything life threw their way.

They had found their happily ever after, and he couldn’t wait to begin living the rest of their lives.

---

OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 5 FREEBIES FOR YOU!

Grab my new series, "Brave Hearts of the Frontier", and get 5 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!

---