Thompson-Burke Inn, three years later
Ryan loved Emily’s voice. Tonight was music night, and the room was packed. There were people standing all the way to the door. The atmosphere was electric, the air filled with laughter and warmth, until Emily’s voice made everyone fall silent.
As Ryan watched his beautiful wife sing to the melody her father James played on his guitar, his heart soared. Emily was glowing, and he had never anticipated that he could fall in love with his wife even more than he already was.
As she sang about everlasting love, Emily looked straight over to him and their almost two-year old daughter Anne, named after Emily’s mother. She sang stroking her swollen belly, and Ryan couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was seven months pregnant, expecting their second child very soon, and both of them couldn’t be happier.
Everything in their lives had changed for the better.
Crawford had been forced to release the mortgage of the inn, plus to pay a large sum of money as compensation for all the pain and suffering he’d caused to Emily, James, Sylvia, and Grace, who could now live comfortably without having to worry.
The inn was almost restored to its former glory, with a steady stream of guests—and money—coming in on a weekly basis. James had fully recovered, looked like a much young man again, and surprised Ryan daily with his antics and funny mind. The men had become very close friends, which Emily cherished.
Looking around the room, Ryan saw three-year old Grace sit next to nine-year old Danny, who had become the best big brother and protector of all of the young girls. He’d never given up on his role as the deputy, and Ryan loved to see it. Sylvia, Martha, Molly, and Ed all sat around his favorite table, enjoying the show.
Molly and Ed had recently married, and the two had just announced that they were expecting their first child, so now Emily and Molly were thrilled to share their pregnancies together.
When Emily finished her last note, the whole room erupted in thundering applause, and she and James even got a standing ovation. It took Emily a few minutes before she’d fought her way through the crowd to his open arms.
“You sounded wonderful, my love!” he greeted her proudly, kissing her forehead.
“The way you are strumming that guitar, you might need a new one soon,” Ed joked toward James and the table chuckled with him.
As they all settled around the table, Martha pulled out a piece of paper and placed it in front of Emily.
“Ruth wrote to us,” Martha explained. “She got out of jail early, apparently due to good behavior. She works near her parents now and just wanted to let us know that she is doing well.”
Emily and James exchanged glances and James nodded in acknowledgment.
“Good for her. I don’t wish her any harm.”
Emily kissed his cheek after he said that.
“Oh, by the way, Crawford and Garrett tried to escape prison,” Ed supplied then, which shocked everybody at the table. “They got caught, and now they have been moved to even more secure cells. Some of the other members who tried to help them face additional charges.”
“Thank God!” Martha exclaimed. “I want this to be over and done with!”
“Yes. I don’t want to see my uncle ever again!” Sylvia exclaimed, taking Anne from Ryan to snuggle with the girl while she kept a watchful eye on her own daughter.
Ryan pulled Emily onto his lap and put his hands on her belly.
“You know what?” she said quietly into his ear, as she leaned backwards against his chest. “I think I am the happiest woman in the world.”
Ryan nuzzled her neck. “I know I am the luckiest man in the world,” he replied.
“I was thinking about what we should name this child,” she continued, stroking over his hands around her belly.
“Do you have an idea?” he asked, as he inhaled her intoxicating scent.
“How about we name this baby after your parents?” she suggested, and it stopped Ryan in his tracks. This woman surprised him every single day.
“I would like that very much,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “Have I told you how much I love you, today?”
Emily giggled. “I love you too, Mr. Burke. More than you will ever know.”
Hello, lovely readers! I hope you enjoyed the book and Extended Epilogue. I’d love to hear your thoughts—drop a comment below! Thank you for reading! 💕
i loved this story
Thank you so much for your heart-warming comment, my dear Jackie!
I read this story for the second time and enjoyed it just as much as the first time. It was just as exciting as the 2nd time around. At 84 I forgot it was Ruth that did all the dirty work for Crawford. After a couple of chapters I remembered reading it but decided to read it again.
Thank you so much for reading it again, that truly means the world to me! I love that the story was just as exciting the second time around. And honestly, a few surprises rediscovered can make the journey even more fun! I’m so grateful for your continued support. 📖✨
A sweet and heartwarming story
Thank you so much for your sweet comment, dear Gwen!
À most beautiful heartfelt story!
Enjoyed this book so very much!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so glad the story touched your heart!
An intriguing book full of love, caring, and challenges. The mysteries were resolved with happy endings.
What a lovely way to describe the story—thank you! I wanted to balance the challenges with heart and hope, so I’m thrilled it worked for you.
I enjoyed the story very much, however you didn’t, say anything about how the baby wasn’t feed while the men had the baby !
Thank you for reading, dear Rene! That’s a great observation – I suppose some things happen ‘off-page’ that we don’t always see.
I liked the book but it didn’t need the bad words.
Thank you so much for reading and for your honest feedback! I’m glad you enjoyed the story. I’ll keep your thoughts in mind for future books. I appreciate you taking the time to share this with me. 🤍
Love this book and in joyed the story
Thank you so much for your lovely comment!
I enjoyed the book, but you didn’t need the bad language to make it a wonderful story. I was disappointed with that.
Thank you so much for reading and for sharing your feedback! I’m glad the story resonated with you overall. I understand the language isn’t for everyone—it was a deliberate choice to reflect how these characters would authentically speak in their circumstances, but I appreciate you letting me know your perspective. It’s helpful to hear from readers.
I enjoyed the book but thought it had A slow beginning. I also didn’t like the bad language.
Thank you for sharing your honest thoughts! I appreciate you sticking with it even though the beginning felt slow — glad you ended up enjoying it overall. I completely understand the concern about the language too. That’s really valid feedback. Thanks for reading! 📚