Page 51 of Falling for the Bombshell (Falling for #1)
Three Years Later
The golden sun poured over the freshly cut lawn in their quiet suburban neighborhood, casting long shadows of a man and a little boy chasing each other across the backyard.
Blaine ’ s laughter rang out as he gently tossed a soft football into the air, watching their son leap with the determination of a future wide receiver.
“ Go long, Beck!” he called out.
Beckett, now three years old and full of energy, had the same stubborn spark in his eyes Linnie once did when she danced under Friday night lights. His little cleats tore up the grass, curls bouncing as he turned and caught the ball with two little hands before tumbling into a giggle-filled roll.
On the deck, Linnie sat in a soft lounge chair, wrapped in a light blanket, her new baby boy nestled at her chest as he nursed quietly. Her heart was full, her body healing, and her soul still carrying both the light and ache of a life beautifully lived.
A golden retriever puppy, Nala, curled up at her feet, while old Daisy snoozed nearby, a little slower now but still their loyal shadow. The house behind them was new—fresh paint, tall windows, the scent of home baked into its walls—but the love was the same.
Inside, framed photos lined the hallway:
· A wedding kiss beneath a blue and orange sky.
· A tiny Beckett swaddled in Broncos colors, skin almost translucent, eyes fighting for life.
· A photo of Ember on the mantle, smiling bright, a quiet ache still in Linnie ’ s chest whenever she looked at it.
They hadn ’ t stopped moving forward.
· Bria had graduated and was now teaching third grade.
· Logan sent postcards from overseas.
· Sadie ’ s album went platinum.
· And Cleo? Planning a wedding in the desert with a tattooed, motorcycle-riding sweetheart.
She watched Blaine scoop Beckett up and spin him around, the little boy ’ s squeals filling the air like music.
“ Touchdown!” Beckett yelled, arms raised. “ I win, Daddy!”
“ You always do, buddy,” Blaine said, pressing a kiss to his temple. Linnie smiled, her heart aching in the best way.
It had been seven years since the day Blaine had seen her standing outside that check-in tent, clipboard in hand, sunshine tangled in her curls.
That one moment changed everything. He had no idea then that he ’ d be building a life with her.
That their story would have so many chapters—some magical, some painful, all unforgettable.
Blaine walked up the deck steps and sat beside her, resting a hand on her leg. “ He ’ s getting fast,” he said, nodding toward Beckett now rolling in the grass with Nala.
“ He gets it from me,” she teased, eyes glinting.
He chuckled. “ So does that little one.” He nodded to the baby cradled in her arms.
Linnie kissed the baby's forehead, soft and warm. “ We really did this.”
Blaine looked at her—the same way he always had. Like she was everything.
“ Yeah,” he said quietly. “ We really did.”
And just like that, under a blue and orange sky, in a backyard filled with laughter, love, and the ghosts of what they ’ d fought through, the Austin ’ s continued their forever.