Epilogue
As spring changed the Colorado landscape from white to green, so were there many changes in Anna and Chase’s life. His injuries healed well, and in February, they’d tied the knot at the Spencer’s church in Denver since it could accommodate more people than the churches in Cooper’s Creek. They’d needed the room for all of Horizon’s business associates as well as their friends and family.
Chase took Anna to New York for a two-week honeymoon. They’d had a magical time, but they were ready to come back and start their life together. After looking at several homes in Cooper’s Creek, they bought the property adjacent to his grandparents’ farm. It included a four-bedroom farmhouse that they intended to fill with kids one way or another. It also meant they could keep an eye on Brenda, who had completed her rehab as she’d agreed, and so far seemed to be loving her work on the farm next door. She was a changed young woman, and Chase had never been so proud. Their relationship was still a bit rocky, he was not sure if he’d ever really trust her again, but only time would tell.
Brenda had even come to their wedding as Anna had asked her to be a bridesmaid. The two women had bonded, and Brenda was looking forward to being an Auntie.
They were off to a good start. In March, they were overjoyed to learn that they were expecting twins. Chase had unashamedly cried when he’d seen their babies on the ultrasound. He’d been overcome with happiness that he was having two babies when he’d never thought he’d have even one.
Now, as April came on, Horizon Enterprises was also going through a transformation. Brian Blackburn had been promoted to CEO of the L.A. division and was doing a remarkable job. Although Chase missed L.A. sometimes, he was perfectly happy in Denver. He enjoyed annoying Tyler and Ric on a daily basis and had taken over the top two floors of their building.
He’d hired his set designer friends to turn it into a replica of the Rooftop, and it was so realistic that it made people feel as though they’d stepped into a different world. He also made sure that everyone recycled and overhauled the employee daycare program.
Lola was taking to her new home like a duck to water and still went to work with Chase almost every day. Helped along by Smitty, who’d decided to transfer to Denver, Chase’s new marketing team was starting to adjust to their peculiar new boss.
Anna had started her own book cover design business, which would allow her to express her creative side while being a stay-at-home mom. She and Emily helped each other with marketing, and Anna had also designed promotional material for Kate’s vet practice. Life was good for the McIntyres.
One Sunday, the Jeffries and Stanford families had gathered at the McIntyres. The women listened with great amusement to the three men who were upstairs painting the room that Anna and Chase had chosen for the nursery. They argued over which approach was best to put up the Winnie the Pooh and Friends border.
The women sat on the stairs so that they could hear the show.
“If you go at it half-assed, there’ll be bubbles and creases in it,” Tyler said.
Chase replied, “That’s why I’m gonna use the scraper to work them out.”
Ric said, “But you might tear it that way.”
“Fine! Fuck it! If you two know so much about it, you do it!”
Chase came barreling around the corner to the stairs, picked his way between the ladies, and stomped his way to the kitchen. He came back in a minute with a beer and stood by the stairs.
Anna said, “Just take a couple of deep breaths and then go back up.”
Chase put a finger to his lips. “Are you kidding me? We’re getting free labor. Those two are so competitive when it comes to details that they can’t stand it when someone else tries to help. By the time they’re done, it’ll be perfect and I won’t have to lift a finger.”
They laughed with Chase, who also settled on one of the steps to listen to the two men upstairs.
He patted his lap and looked at Anna. “Come here, baby.”
Anna settled on his legs and looped her arms around his neck. “You’re terrible, letting them do all the work.”
Chase grinned. “After putting those cribs together, I needed a break. They were a real pain in the neck. I don’t know why they have to make them so complicated.”
“Ty said the same thing about TJ’s crib,” Emily said.
Putting a hand on Anna’s rapidly growing midsection, Chase said, “It’s all worth it.”
Anna leaned her head on his shoulder. “Yes, it is.”
“Happy, darlin’?” Chase asked.
“So happy. You?”
His smile made her heart flutter and she knew that it always would. “Happier than I ever imagined I’d be.”
A round of aw’s sounded when Anna pressed a kiss to Chase’s lips.
There were still times when she couldn’t believe that a gorgeous, amazing man like Chase wanted her, even with all the baggage from her past. However, she’d stopped questioning it because the love in his eyes when he looked at her proved it to her. She heard it in his voice and felt it in his touch.
As for Chase, finding a woman like Anna, one who accepted him for himself sometimes left him in awe. She’d stood by him when he’d been a dick, and before that, even when they’d thought that he couldn’t father children, and he loved her more every day.
Two people who never thought that anyone would want them, or fall in love with them, had found their soul-mates. Which proved that you should trust in love to make everything work out in the end.
* * *
As Brooke witnessed Chase and Anna kiss, she felt a tiny stab of jealousy even though she was very happy for them. She was pleased Chase had called her that day several months ago and had enough trust in her to ask about his condition. She felt as if she had helped this couple and it made her feel warm inside.
Yet, attending three weddings in just over two years, while she still had no one special in her life was just plain sad. She really needed to do something about her lack of love life.
Her thoughts turned to Kate’s yummy best friend and office manger, Robert. He looked so sexy standing across the room, talking and laughing with the groom and his best men. She liked his dry sense of humor, warm brown eyes, and amazing smile. And all the rock climbing and hiking he did had honed his body into the hot, muscular kind that filled women’s fantasies. She waved her hand in front of her face.
She remembered that they had both caught Kate’s bouquet the day of her and Ric’s wedding. Was it an omen? Could they really be destined to be together?
She’d like to find out. She took another sip of her drink for courage. Brooke, my girl, I think you should dance.
When Brooke got something into her head, she was rarely deterred, and she decided that it was time to go after what interested her—or should she say—who interested her. She put her drink on the table and with new determination she crossed the room and asked Robert to dance.
The End
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Excerpt – Need Me (Coopers Creek #4)
Brooke’s voice grew faint as she thanked Monica. “Oh, good Lord.”
Monica followed Brooke’s gaze. “I’ll say. Who’s that?”
“A woman’s wet dream in a rock climbing outfit,” Brooke responded.
Monica muffled a laugh behind the clipboard she carried. “I take it you know him.”
Know him? Sort of. They’d spent her friend Kate’s wedding on the dance floor but he’d never called her after that. Perhaps that had been a good thing. She’d still been hurting over the way her cheating finance, now ex-finance had treated her. Robert might have sensed her hesitation that night, but now it was time to put the mistakes of her past behind her.
Brooke raised an eyebrow. “Oh, yeah, I know him, and I intend to get to know him a whole lot better. Excuse me for a moment.”
“Sure thing,” Monica said.
Brooke zeroed in on the man she’d had a crush on for several months. Robert Chambers was the total package—he just didn’t know it. The man was six feet of lean muscle with an adorable smile, messy brown hair and soulful brown eyes behind black glasses.
She could still remember how wonderful it had been to dance in his arms all night at Ric and Kate’s wedding. They bonded over their joint need to help people, her as a nurse and Robert as a member of the mountain rescue team. They both found their roles hugely satisfying. She’d thought they had a real connection but, for some reason, Robert had not rung her for a date. To say she’d been disappointed was an understatement. She’d even asked Kate if he was seeing someone but she’d said no. So what was this man’s story? Perhaps she hadn’t been as obvious about her feelings as she’d thought. She frowned. Maybe she’d been too obvious and he’d run! Time to find out.
Clark Kent, eat your heart out, she thought, walking towards him. His blue spandex climbing shorts hugged his powerful thighs highlighting the fact that he was a very blessed male specimen. The matching black spandex, short sleeved shirt fit his trim waist, wide chest, and big biceps like he’d been poured into it.
“You look lost, Mr. Chambers,” she said, nearing him.
He looked for the source of the voice and then smiled when he spotted her. Her stomach did a little flip as the expression made him even better looking.
He adjusted his glasses and stood a little straighter. “Hi, Brooke. How are you?”
“I’m good, thanks. How about yourself?”
“Tired, but fine. I was wondering—”
“Frank! Look who’s here!”
Brooke watched a dishwater blonde rush out of a nearby exam room and waylay Robert, pulling him into a hug. “Thank you so much for saving Davey! You’re an angel.”
Robert smiled and hugged her back warmly. “You’re welcome, Mrs. Peters. I’m just glad I could help. How is Davey?”
Mrs. Peters backed off a little as her husband came out of the exam room. “He’s in Radiology right now, but they’re pretty sure that it’s a simple fracture.”
“That’s good.”
Frank stuck out a hand to Robert. “There’s Superman.”
Robert grinned and accepted Frank’s manly hug.
“We owe you,” Frank said.
“No, you don’t. That’s what I’m there for,” Robert said. “I just wanted to check on Davey and make sure he really is okay.”
“You are so sweet,” Mrs. Peters gushed. “He’ll be sorry that he missed you.”
Brooke watched as Robert responded. He looked a little agitated and she had no idea why. The little boy would soon be back to fitting fit. “I’d like to give you my number. Will you give me an update on him?”
“Sure.” Frank pulled out his phone and took Robert’s number.
When Robert had said goodbye to Davey’s parents, Brooke said, “I didn’t know you were the one who rescued him.”
“Yeah, that was me.”
His bashful smile tickled Brooke no end. She looped an arm through his. “Well, Superman, from what I hear, that was a tricky rescue.”
He colored as he laughed. “Don’t tell me that nickname is going to stick. All your other ones do.”
Brooke shrugged a little. “I have no idea what you mean.”
“Bullshit,” he responded in a quieter voice. “Let’s see. Tyler is GQ, Emily is Wonder Woman—”
“Because she puts up with GQ,” Brooke interjected. She and her best friend Emily’s husband, Tyler Jeffries, often didn’t see eye-to-eye. “And because I wonder what she sees in him.”
Robert said, “Hey, Ty’s a good guy. Cut him a break. He treats Emily like a queen and he loves those kids.”
“That’s the way it better stay if he doesn’t want to find his expensive GQ suits cut to shreds,” Brooke said.
Robert patted her hand. “Down girl.”
She gave him a disbelieving look. “Did you just compare me to a dog?”
His eyes bugged out and his face reddened. “No, no! Bad joke. Occupational hazard.”
Brooke pretended to still be offended. “I’m not sure I believe you. Still, what do you expect from someone who manages a veterinarian practice.”
Robert stopped walking. “Brooke, I’m sorry. I was just kidding—”
“Talk is cheap, Robert. You have to make it up to me.” She gave him a coy look and giggled when he laughed.
“You got me.”
“I’m not kidding,” she said giving an exaggerated sniff.
His grin made her heart skip a couple of beats. “What can I do to make you forgive me?”
“I don’t know.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“C’mon, there has to be something.”
“Well, there is this one thing…”
“Name it.”
Brooke looked into his eyes. “Take me to dinner.”
The surprise on his face was hysterical, but Brooke restrained her laughter as she pulled a pen from the breast pocket of her green scrub top. “I’m sure I’ve given you this number before. I hope you’ll use it this time.” Taking his large hand in hers, she wrote her number on his palm and walked away.
After a few steps, she turned back around. His eyes jerked up to hers and he blushed. Brooke made a phone out of her pinky and thumb. “Call me,” she mouthed and turned back around. She smiled to herself and put a little extra swing in her hips just for the hunky superhero in glasses before she walked behind the nurses’ station again.
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author, Bronwen Evans grew up loving books. She writes both historical and contemporary sexy romances for the modern woman who likes intelligent, spirited heroines, and compassionate alpha heroes. Evans is a three-time winner of the RomCon Readers’ Crown and has been nominated for an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award. She lives in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand with her dogs Brandy and Duke.
You can keep up with Bron’s news by visiting
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Also by Bronwen Evans
Coopers Creek Series
Love Me
Heal Me
Want Me
Need Me
The Reluctant Wife
The Disgraced Lords Series
A Kiss of Lies
A Promise of More
A Touch of Passion
A Whisper of Desire
A Taste of Seduction
A Night of Forever
A Love To Remember
A Dream of Redemption (coming March 2018)
The Imperfect Lords Series
Addicted to the Duke
Drawn to the Marquess (coming 2018)
The Wicked Wagers Series
To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield
To Wager the Marquis of Wolverton
To Challenge the Earl of Cravenswood
The Invitation To Series
Invitation To Ruin
Invit
ation to Scandal
Invitation To Passion
Want Me (Coopers Creek Book 3) Page 18
