Page 156 of Pink and Country

“Grams,” Georgia yelled, running toward the opposite corner of the deck. I turned around just in time to witness Grams and Gramps walking our way, April next to them.

Georgia tugged at Grams’s hand, while Gramps picked up Tennessee.

“When did you get here?” I asked.

“Last night,” Gramps said. April glared at them with a warning frown etching her face. Five years later, she still hated the sharp turns down the road at night.

“We were safe, dear. We promise. Don’t worry so much about us,” Grams said, squeezing April’s forearm. “We arrived around nine, but we went to bed as soon as we got here. We should’ve called. I’m sorry.”

April neared Grams and pulled her into a warm hug. “I’m glad you made it safe and sound. Please, next time, don’t drive up here at night. And if you do, please let us know.”

Grams patted my wife’s cheek and nodded. “I promise, dear. We went into town early this morning. That’s why we’re late.”

“You’re just on time,” I said. “Are you staying here for the month?”

“You bet we are. We’ve missed you all so much,” Gramps said with a large grin. The kids hadn’t seen their grandparents since Tennessee’s second birthday two months ago. Gramps leaned forward and kissed my wife’s cheek. “Happy birthday, April.” She hugged him, smiling.

“Give me this little monster,” I said, picking my son up from Gramps’s arms.

Five years ago, April and I welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Benson into our family.

They were destined to be part of our lives. They became both the parents April never had growing up and the grandparents our kids needed in their lives.

And they both accepted me as a son.

April believed Travis was the reason we all found one another. I liked the idea he chose me to love her forever.

My parents never came around. They still lived in Costa Rica. We invited them to our wedding, but they never showed up. Now and then, I sent them pictures of the kids. Their rejection hurt at first, but I’d grown an even thicker skin in the last few years.

I had my own family now to keep me fully busy.

The one I chose.

The one that brought me joy and unconditional love.

I was still making music, but the way I liked it. Small concerts. Most of them acoustic. Nothing that kept me away from home for more than two nights when the family couldn’t join me on the road.

I still hated fame. But now I embraced it on my own terms. I wasn’t its prisoner anymore. The rich and famous lifestyle never suited me anyway. April loathed it as much as I did. I preferred my low-key existence ten thousand times more.

After April came back into my life, I never had another anxiety episode again. We found our pace and never looked back. We were the best team I could’ve ever dreamed of. We completed each other in every aspect of our lives.

“Carter, it’s time for your toast,” Dahlia said, bringing me back to the present moment. Everyone we loved—except June, Riley, and their loved ones, who couldn’t make it today—stood on the deck facing the valley, our entire wedding party. My eyes scanned every person, reminding me how lucky I was for having all of them in my life. In our lives. My eyes caught the kids running around and laughing, and a renewed sense of peace filled me.

I raised my glass of water. “Thanks for joining us today to celebrate the birthday of the most exquisite woman in the entire world. Fairy, I still love you a little more every day. You’re the sun to my moon, the yin to my yang, the white to my black, the good to my bad. I’ve told you a million times that I love you, and I’ll tell you a million more. Nothing in my life makes sense without you. You’re the reason I found my place in this world. You once told me I showed you what passion was. I’m telling you today you’ve shown me what living should be. And what happiness should feel like. I’m the luckiest man alive, and I wouldn’t wish to be anywhere but here today. Just say the word, and I’ll marry you all over again. Happy birthday, Mrs. Hills.” The small crowd cheered.

“It’s not fair to us, Carter, you’re a songwriter. I think I’ll hire you to write my wife’s next birthday wishes,” Reed said. Saunders rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the ribs. We all laughed.

“Sorry, ladies, Carter’s mine,” April said while running into my arms to kiss me. “I’m the luckiest woman on Earth,” she whispered in my ear. I kissed her back, and for a minute, the world around us disappeared.

“Yuk, that’s gross,” Georgia said as she wrapped her little arms around us.

Tennessee wrinkled his face and babbled a “Yukky.” Everybody burst out laughing. April stepped back, her grin splitting her face in two, and picked up our son as I squatted down to pick up our little girl.

“I love you, guys,” I said as I pulled my family into my arms.

* * *

“You’ll never guess who just signed a tell-all book deal,” April said as I snaked my arms around her from behind after I checked on the kids, making sure they were both deep asleep, and nested my head in the crook of her neck.