Saving Grace (#1 in the Red Valley Series)

Epilogue

10 Years later

Grace sat on her front porch in her favorite rocking chair watching her five children; Blake ten, Joshua eight, Eli six, Sara Beth three, and Lucy two. They were chasing fireflies in the twilight. The sunset that evening had been particularly beautiful as the orange and gold light reflected off of the autumn leaves. Spring was beautiful, but fall had always been her favorite season. She loved the deep rich colors of the leaves before they all fell.

Blake was ten! How could ten years have gone by so fast? God had blessed them with five beautiful, healthy children and wonderful friends. Sam was still at the ranch although he was retired now. He loved spoiling his 'grandchildren' and telling them stories or teaching them how to ride. Cole had built a small cabin and given it to Sam, telling him he was too old to stay in the bunk house anymore. He knew that would be the only way to get the old man into a comfortable home.

The small cabin that had once been Lily's and hers was now occupied by Sally, Kit and their three children. They'd added a few rooms over the years to accommodate their growing family. Grace had brought Sally back with her from Cedar Springs and given her the cabin. Kit had taken one look at Sally and fallen in love with her, but bless his heart, it took him two years to finally wear her down and talk her into marrying him.

She had sold everything that had been left to her except the silver mine. She kept that for her children's future, just in case something happened to the ranch. But the Double C was thriving. Cole had branched out to breeding horses in addition to raising cattle. People came from all over the country to buy his horses. Cole wanted to change the name of the ranch after they had gotten married, but Grace had insisted on keeping it the Double C in memory of the children he'd lost.

He was still just as handsome, although he now had a few strands of silver threading through his inky black hair that he still kept long and therefore, his sons did too. There were also lines around his eyes that crinkled when he laughed which he did often. The boys were always trying to pull some sort of prank on someone. All of their children had their father's jet black hair except for Sara Beth. Sara Beth had golden blonde hair that hung in ringlets with emerald green eyes. She looked so much like Lily it was uncanny. She even had some of the same mannerisms and if Grace hadn't know better, she would swear that it was Lily, and not Sara Beth.

A gentle squeeze on her shoulder brought Grace back from her thoughts as she looked up at her handsome husband. "I hope I'm the reason for that smile." Cole whispered huskily in her ear as he bent down to place a tender kiss on her soft lips.

"Yes, and no." Grace said with a mischievous smile.

Twin black brows shot up.

"I was watching the children chase fireflies, and you did give me all five of them so I was sort of thinking of you."

Cole sat down in his rocker beside his wife then reached out and took her hand in his entwining their fingers. "I still can't believe we have five children." He said with a sigh. "Where did the time go?"

"Well, they say that time flies when you're having fun, and we've definitely had some fun over the years." Grace said as she waggled her golden eyebrows.

Cole stood and put his hand out for Grace to take. "Come on, Mrs. Weston, let's go for a quiet walk and have a little more fun before we have to put this wild brood to bed." Grace got up, stood on her tip toes and kissed her husband softly on the lips. Hand in hand they walked down the steps and into the lingering twilight.

Note from the author: 

I want to thank you for taking this journey with me. I hope you'll join me for my other books.