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June 19th, 2011 – Hope Meadows Ranch

After a wonderful Father's Day spent with the family, and a few quiet moments at his dad's graveside, Jack and Elizabeth were home and had the twins down for the evening.

"Jack," Elizabeth called out from the basement.

Jogging down the steps, Jack found Elizabeth leaning against the pool table, a pool cue in her hand.

"How about a friendly game of pool for Father's Day?" She asked, a sly smile covering her face.

"What? Get my butt kicked for Father's Day?" Chuckling, he wrapped his arms around her and pressed against her, the pool table holding them up.

"We can bet a friendly wager."

Intrigued, Jack asked, "What do you have in mind this time?"

"If you win, I will do anything you want in bed."

Eyes widened, eyebrows arched, Jack asked, "And if you win?"

"You will do anything I want in bed."

"You've got yourself a deal, Mrs. Thornton," Jack stated, cupping his wife's face in his hands and kissing her passionately. "I'll break this time," he laughed, grabbing another cue from the holder on the wall.

"Whatever you want, Mr. Thornton," Elizabeth said, grinning, as she leaned against the back of the couch.

After twenty minutes and the couple remaining neck and neck in the game, Elizabeth lined up for a shot and missed.

Jack gave her the side eye and commented, "You never miss that shot."

Elizabeth shrugged and replied, "Guess I'm having an off day."

"Hmm mmm," he responded, not believing her.

Sinking the next three balls deemed Jack the winner. He laid the pool cue on the table and turned to face his wife, knowing she had thrown the game, but not caring that she did.

Elizabeth laid her cue down and asked, "Well? What is your wish?"

"I'll show you," he stated, picking her up over his shoulder and carrying her up the stairs to the bedroom.

Elizabeth squealed then covered her mouth as not to wake the twins.

…..

June 25th, 2011 – Thornton Ranch

Jack drove his truck to his mom and Frank's, Elizabeth and the twins with him, the trailer with Harley in tow. It was time for branding and inoculations for his mother's calves and Jack, Tom, Lee and the others were all on their way to the ranch.

Spring had come and gone and summer was setting in. The fields were green and lush, the calves and foals were growing like weeds, as were the twins. At five months old, they were full of life and always happy; each doctor appointment proved their progression was on pace and Peyton was showing no signs of any issues from her difficult birth.

Jack put the truck in park, stepped down from the truck, and helped Elizabeth down. Once the twins were out and in their double stroller, Jack moved to the back of the trailer and unloaded Harley as Elizabeth joined the rest of the family at the corral.

With only a few calves left, Alicia sat next to Elizabeth, "I can watch the twins if you'd like to help for a while."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely, go have fun."

"Thank you, Alicia," Elizabeth said as she stood to join the others.

Jack, who was now off Harley and holding a calf down as Jason and Ethan branded and vaccinated it, smiled as Elizabeth approached them. Once the calf was let loose, Jack walked to Elizabeth and handed her the lariat.

"Remember how?" He asked as she took it from him.

"Yes, but not sure I can do it again."

Jack helped her prepare the rope, then pointed toward Lee. "Give it a practice toss," he said, grinning.

Elizabeth looked to him and smiled, spun the rope and let it go, landing it perfectly around Lee. Jack quickly grabbed the rope and pulled it tight, pulling Lee down into the dirt.

"Hey!" Lee shouted, trying to get his feet underneath him. "Who did that?"

Everyone that had seen it were laughing and pointing toward Elizabeth, including Jack.

"Yeah, right. Like I'm supposed to believe she did that," he said, stepping out of the rope.

"Oh, really," she said, as she wound the rope back up in her hands, opened the loop, twirled it above her head, and tossed it around Lee once more, pulling it tight herself this time.

The group erupted in laughter once more as Lee tried to free his arms, his cheeks filling with a red hue.

"Okay, okay...whoops my butt at pool and now roping," Lee said, pushing the rope over his head. "A man's ego can only take so much."

"Oh, what's wrong, Brother. Beaten by a girl...again?" Jack asked, giving Lee a look.

"Hey, no...don't you dare, Jacko."

Rosemary and everyone else looked back and forth between the two men.

"I mean it, Jack," Lee said once more, under his breath.

"What is it?" Rosie asked.

"I should let Lee tell this one," Jack said, crossing his arms and laughing.

Everyone turned their gazes back to Lee and Rosemary asked, "Tell us what?"

"Seriously, Jack?" Lee said, shaking his head.

"What is it, Lee?" Jason asked. "This isn't the first time you've been beaten by a girl?"

"Thanks, Jacko!" Lee looked around and saw everyone watching him and waiting. "Oh, fine. Jack and I might have made a bet with a group of gals regarding a mechanical bull and one of them might have outlasted me on it."

Laughter filled the corral as the group all dispersed to return to their duties, holding their stomachs in pain.

"Wow, poor Lee," Elizabeth said, trying to stifle the laughter that was threatening to surface.

Jack walked to Lee and patted him on the shoulder, "You know you da man, right?"

"Ha ha," Lee replied, rolling up his own lariat.

Jack pulled him into a big hug and said, "I love you, Brother."

Lee gave in and slapped Jack on the back, letting the laughter finally surface, "I love you, too, Man."

After only a few tosses, Elizabeth had her first calf as Jack wrestled it to the ground and held it in place as everyone moved in, performing their respective duties quickly, then Jack released the calf and they moved to the next one.

Once the work was done and everything was put away, the crew gathered in Frank and Charlotte's backyard for their annual potluck. Laughter, conversations and music filled the night as Elizabeth looked around, holding Peyton on her lap, a smile filling her face. Sam took a seat beside her and gently pushed her shoulder into Elizabeth's.

"What are you smiling at?"

"I just love this so much," Elizabeth answered. "If you'd asked me a few years ago if I'd be sitting around a campfire with a bunch of cowboys and ranchers, I would have laughed and thought you were crazy."

"But now?" Sam asked, smiling, knowing the answer.

"I wouldn't want it any other way," she replied, sliding her arm through Sam's.

Jack approached her, picked up Peyton, handed her to his mother, then took Elizabeth's hand and led her out to an open area where everyone had been dancing. Lance, Jared, Ethan and a few others began playing and singing a slow song as Jack pulled Elizabeth tightly against him. They were soon joined by Tom and Sam, then Lee and Rosemary.

Everyone watched as the three couples seemed in their own worlds as they moved to the music, the love apparent to all who witnessed. Charlotte laid her head on Frank's shoulder as they watched their children and held their grandchildren, her heart full once again and her life perfect.

…..

July 6th, 2011 – Kansas City, Missouri

Jack followed the long line of traffic off the interstate and down the off ramp that led toward the campground. With the trailer in tow, Tom and Lee behind him, each with their trucks, trailers and families, he kept his eyes on both side mirrors as traffic seemed to engulf them all around in the busy city.

"I can't believe how busy it is here at 10 am on a Wednesday," Elizabeth said from the backseat with the twins.

"Yes," Jack said, looking in the passenger side mirror and attempting to change lanes. "Lots of people on vacation I think." Finally seeing a space, Jack carefully moved over and began watching for their exit.

"Everyone still behind us?" She asked, holding the bottle up for Colton.

Jack looked in his mirrors and spotted two trailers, "Yes, I can see both of them."

"When are mom and Frank coming?"

"Late tonight, I think. Frank had something he had to do at the church this afternoon."

Jack followed the exit ramp around and down to the street, turned right, and saw the large campground approaching.

"There it is," he said, motioning toward it with his head.

Elizabeth straightened and looked over the seat, seeing a sea of trailers and RVs coming into view.

"Wow, that place is huge."

"Yes, we were lucky to find spaces. Everywhere else was booked." Jack turned the truck into the campground and pulled up next to the office. "I'll be right back," he said as he jumped out, leaving the truck running with the air on.

Elizabeth watched from the backseat as Jack, Tom and Lee all disappeared into the building, returning several minutes later.

"137A is our site," Jack said as he put the truck in gear and began down one of the roads.

Elizabeth could hear him reading some of the site numbers out loud to himself, searching for theirs.

After following the path for a while, curving around many fifth-wheels and RVs, a shower house, a park, and hundreds of trees, Jack finally said, "Here we are," and slowed in front of a few empty spaces.

Once they were backed in, Jack helped Elizabeth unload the twins and set their carriers on top of the picnic table, soon joined by Rosemary and Noel. A few minutes later, Savannah, Austin and Luke came running around the trailers. They were soon lined up in front of the babies and proceeded to make funny faces and sounds, causing the twins and Noel to laugh and reach out for them.

Elizabeth tapped on Savannah's shoulder and when she turned, she asked, "Can you watch the babies while we set up?"

Savannah smiled and nodded.

Elizabeth kissed the top of her niece's head then proceeded toward the trailer to help Jack.

Once everything was setup and everyone was settled in, the group gathered around the campfire in their camping chairs. Peyton was sitting on Sam's lap, tugging at her hair, Colton was asleep in Jack's arms, and Noel was playing with a toy in her bouncy seat next to Lee's chair.

After supper, cleanup, and s'mores, the family visited as the sun set and sky lit up in a warm hue. The kids were running around as Luke chased Savannah and Austin with a huge earthworm that he'd dug up.

Peyton, Colton and Noel were all laying on a soft blanket that had been spread across the grass next to everyone's chairs while Tuff and Wyatt kept guard nearby.

A truck hauling a trailer could be heard rolling up beside them; Jack and Tom walked over to find Frank and Charlotte backing into the site alongside Tom's trailer. Once they got everything setup, they rejoined the group with their mother and Frank, with chairs in hand, Bandit on their heels.

As soon as all three dogs spotted one another, they began running and playing around camp, soon joined by Savannah, Luke and Austin.

"Hey, kids!" Charlotte called out as she unfolded her chair.

"Hello, Mom," Sam replied, "Did you guys have a good trip?"

"Not too bad," Frank answered. "I hear you guys had some bad traffic?"

"It was awful. You'd think people would let you move over when you're hauling a huge trailer, but they don't," Tom said, "How is it now?"

"Not bad at all," Frank stated, taking a seat in his reclining Bass Pro chair.

"Wow, that's the Cadillac of camping chairs right there," Lee exclaimed.

Frank let out a small chuckle, "Camping in style, my friend."

"I need to get me one of those," Lee responded.

"Definitely worth the money," Charlotte said, leaning back in her own recliner.

"I might need to try that out this weekend," Tom added, checking out the chairs as well.

The twins were soon in Charlotte's and Frank's arms, and quickly asleep after all the excitement of the day. With the time getting late, Tom and Sam took their own kids and retired to their trailer, as did everyone else soon after.

Jack and Elizabeth had the twins in their Pack N Plays that had been set up earlier in the trailer, neither stirred as they changed their diapers and clothes and placed them in their beds.

Changed into their own sleepwear, Jack and Elizabeth climbed into their bed and were quickly asleep as well.

…..

July 7th, 2011 – Kansas City, Missouri

Jack lowered himself onto the back of the furious animal, feeling the beast's tension underneath him. The smell from the sweat and manure burned his nose. Securing the strap, he shoved his gloved hand into the handle, wrapping the rope around it, smacking his fingers down tightly around it. With the mouthguard and helmet in place, the sponsored covered vest zipped, he slid forward into his hand, and nodded.

The gate swung open and the bull burst out of the chute, launching straight into the air, barely clearing the rails. Jack dug in, spurred, moved in unison with the beast. Everything appeared to be moving in slow motion. Jack could see the foam fly from the animal's mouth, the dust kick up around them, the muscles of the bull's shoulders tighten with each blow of his hooves onto the dirt covered floor.

Seeing the bull's head tip slightly to the right gave Jack the cue that he was about the change direction. Jack prepared himself, shifting his body weight just as the bull turned. Keeping his center on the bucking animal, Jack could hear the crowd scream, cheering him on, begging for more. Glancing up, he could see a face watching him, the only face that mattered. Elizabeth was smiling, two babies in her arms.

Jack's smile faded as he looked at his family, his wife and children, his whole world. Losing his concentration on the task before him, Jack felt himself begin to slide off the bull, his hand slipping from its grip. As he was sent airborne by a furious buck from the bull, Jack landed on his feet, running forward a few steps before catching himself and standing.

Looking up toward Elizabeth, he smiled and waved. Seeing her smiling back, Jack stood, watching, as her smile faded and fear covered her face and her eyes widened. Her gaze was going past him, watching something behind him.

Jack spun around, in time to see the bull charging him. Just as the massive head was about to catch him square in the gut, Jack shot straight up in bed, hitting his head on the ceiling of the trailer. Sweat beads were running down his face, his shirt soaked. Breathing hard and trying to slow his heart rate, Jack looked around to find Elizabeth sitting up and staring at him.

"What is it? What happened?" She asked, the look of worry covering her face.

"It was just a bad dream. Just go back to sleep," he said, laying back into his pillow.

"Jack, you are soaked," she said after laying her hand on his chest. "That must have been some dream."

"Yes, that it was."

"Want to talk about it?"

Shaking his head, Jack laid his arm across his forehead. "Just rodeo stuff."

"Rodeo stuff does not make your heart beat like this," she stated, her hand laying on his chest. "It's racing, Jack."

Jack lowered his arm, covering her hand with his. "I was on a bull."

"Oh, really?" She asked, surprised. "Something happen?"

Jack nodded. "Everything was fine until I saw you and the twins in the stands. Then I was thrown. I landed on my feet and was fine, until..."

"Until what?"

"The bull charged me, then I woke up."

"Oh, Jack. Are you wishing you never quit?"

"No, not at all. If nothing else, this dream just proves that I made the right decision. I can't take my focus off of you and the kids."

Elizabeth laid onto his chest, her arms around him, his arms encircling her. Safe and sound in the embrace of his wife, his heart slowed and his eyes closed, he drifted back into a dreamless sleep.

…..

Jack woke to Colton crying. Seeing that Elizabeth was already up, he rolled over in bed and peeked through the opening, seeing her sitting in the chair, nursing Peyton.

"Need me to get him?" Jack asked, turning in the bed so he could see her easier.

Elizabeth looked up to Jack smiling down to her. "No, I'm just finishing up with her. I'll get him in a second." She moved Peyton to her shoulder, stood, and walked to Jack. "You can take her though."

He reached down and took his daughter, lifting her up onto the bed next to him.

Once Elizabeth was seated and nursing Colton, she looked up to Jack who was playing with Peyton's feet, putting them in his mouth. Her giggles could be heard throughout the trailer.

"Did you recover from your nightmare?" She asked.

Jack looked to Elizabeth, his brow pinched, "What?"

"Your nightmare last night...don't you remember it?"

Jack thought for a moment, then it came flooding back to him. "Oh, yeah. I did wake up in quite a state, didn't I?"

"Yes, you sure did. Your heart was racing so badly, I thought you were going to have a heart attack for a second."

Jack looked back down to Peyton who was lying on the bed, grabbing her feet and pulling them into her mouth.

"It was quite a wild ride," Jack teased, grinning at his wife.

"Very funny. But seriously, what happened?"

Jack recalled the dream, took a breath, and tried his best to explain it to Elizabeth. "When I saw you and the twins, I took my focus off the bull and got bucked off. Then when I was on the ground and should have been watching the bull behind me, I couldn't take my eyes off you guys. When I finally turned around, the bull was about to hit me and I woke up. I think it was just showing me that what's important to me now is my family, my focus is my family."

"But why now? It's been so long since you stopped."

"I'm not sure. Maybe just being in the trailer triggered it. I just don't know. It was a dream; we have no control over them."

"I thought maybe you had been thinking about it and missing it, wishing that you hadn't quit."

"No, Beth. Never. My life is fuller now than it's ever been." Jack looked down at Peyton, "I wouldn't change a thing."

"Okay," she replied, smiling. Elizabeth watched Colton eating when something suddenly came to mind. She raised her gaze back to Jack, who was still playing with Peyton. "I just realized something."

Jack looked to Elizabeth and asked, "What would that be?"

"The anniversary of your father's death came and went last month and you took it like any other day."

Jack smiled and nodded, "I took Buck out for a ride that afternoon. Just some quiet time for a few minutes."

"Oh, that's good. Did you have a nice ride?"

"Yes. We rode out through the pastures and stopped at Dad's barn for a brief moment."

"That's nice," she said as she moved Colton to her shoulder. "I'm glad you took the time you needed."

Jack moved to the edge of the bed, picked up Peyton, and stepped down, taking a seat next to Elizabeth. "It was definitely much better than years past."

Nodding, Elizabeth smiled, "Yes, you've come so far and I'm proud of you."

Jack stood and leaned down to Elizabeth, kissing her softly on the lips. "I'm proud of you," he said as he sat back down.

"About what?"

"These two. You are an excellent mother."

"You're an amazing father, Jack. It takes two and you are the perfect partner."

"I just take my cues from the best," he replied and winked.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and laughed.

After breakfast and getting prepared for their day, Jack and Elizabeth, each carrying a baby, ventured out of the trailer to see if any of the others were up and around. Wyatt found Bandit lying at Charlotte's feet and the pair began to explore the area, checking out all the new sights and smells.

Charlotte and Frank were in their camping chairs, each with a Bible open on their laps, a mug of coffee in their hands.

"Good morning, kids," Charlotte said as soon as she saw them approaching.

"Morning, Ma," Jack replied, shifting Colton from one hip to the other. "Morning, Frank."

"Hello, Jack. Hi, Beth."

"Hello, Frank." Elizabeth turned Peyton around to face out and as soon as the little girl saw her grandmother, she reached out and smiled.

"Ah, hello, sweet girl," Charlotte exclaimed, setting her mug onto the ground and her Bible on the shelf attached to her chair. "Come see Grandma," she said as she held out her hands to take her granddaughter.

Jack took a seat in his chair and sat Colton on his lap, facing out toward the trees. The group sat quietly and enjoyed the fresh air and smell of the nearby pines. Peyton and Colton were both chewing on their fists and babbling, lost in their own private conversation, drool running down both of their chins.

Many different species of birds could be heard singing behind the curtain of leaves, mixed with honking horns, highway traffic, and children laughing. As the morning slowly passed, each family emerged from their trailers and joined them outside. After breakfast, Tom and Jack took Tom's kids to the campground pool and enjoyed some time cooling off and playing. Elizabeth, Rosemary and Sam took the babies and dogs and went for walk around the grounds, while Frank and Charlotte stayed back and returned to reading their Bibles.

It was the weekend of the four-day Country Thunder concert. Elizabeth had gotten Jack tickets to the event for their first anniversary and Tom and Lee had also each gotten tickets to go as well. They decided to make it a family weekend and camp together the entire time, adding some fun events to include Tom and Sam's kids, like going to the zoo.

Back at camp for lunch, Jack lifted the laughing Colton up and kissed the side of his head, then handed him to Frank and proceeded to fire up the grill to cook burgers for everyone. Savannah tore through the campsite, closely followed by Luke and Austin, each holding a water balloon. Jack was standing at the grill and looked up in time to see them run past him. Laughing, he watched as they zig zagged around the chairs and tables, Savannah trying desperately to get away from her brothers.

Everyone was sitting in their chairs, all gathered under the shade of the trees, smiling and laughing as the kids continued on their mission. Jack was flipping the burgers when he spotted his niece barrel past him and toward the road. The sound of a quickly approaching truck caught Jack's attention and he looked up just as Savannah was about to run in front of it. With her head turned, looking back to her brothers, she was unaware of the impending vehicle.

"Savannah!" Jack shouted instinctively, knowing she couldn't hear him. Running as fast as he could, he dove and grabbed her, both rolling along the ground near the spinning wheels of the truck.

As the family watched in horror, all of them jumped from their seats and ran toward the truck that was now stopped in the road and the driver was getting out, white faced and wide eyed.

As Tom ran around the front of the truck, not knowing what he was about to encounter, he fell to his knees as his brother and daughter came into view.

Jack was moving up onto his knees, hovering over Savannah, brushing her long blonde hair from her now dirty face. As soon as she looked up, Jack felt a relief wash over him.

"Are you okay?" He signed to her.

She nodded, a tear falling from the outside corner of her blue eye.

"Are you hurt?"

She shook her head.

Jack stood and pulled her to her feet just as the family was circling around them. Sam grabbed her and wrapped her arms around her daughter as Savannah's emotions took over and she began to cry.

"Are you alright?" The driver asked, shock still covering his face.

Jack turned to him and nodded, "Yes, we're both okay."

"I'm sorry, man, I didn't see her."

"It's okay. We know," Jack replied, trying to slow his breathing. "She's deaf, she couldn't hear you coming."

"I'm glad you two are alright," the driver said, moving back to his truck. "Again, I'm really sorry."

Jack simply nodded then felt Elizabeth's arm move around him. He lifted his arm and wrapped it behind her, pulling her into his side. With everyone fussing over Savannah and the driver continuing on in his truck, Jack and Elizabeth walked back to the campsite, arms remaining tightly around each other. Elizabeth was carrying Peyton and Jack reached for her, hugging her tight against him, cradling her head with his hand. Frank had Colton and followed the group back to their area, Savannah sandwiched between Tom and Sam as they held her close to them, unwilling to let her go just yet.

Standing in the privacy of the shade of their trailer, Jack leaned his back against the cool metal, Peyton still cradled tightly against his chest.

Elizabeth moved to stand directly in front of him and lifted her hand to his cheek. "Are you okay?"

Jack's gaze moved from the horizon down to his wife. He nodded, and answered, "Yes, I'm fine. I was so scared we'd lose Savannah."

"I know. Everyone was. And scared we'd lost you."

"I'm sorry," Jack said as he raised his free hand to Elizabeth's neck, sliding it into her hair.

"Don't be sorry. You saved Savannah."

"Oh, my heart is still racing. I can't get it to slow down," he said, laying his hand on his chest.

"Take slow, deep breaths," Elizabeth said, running her hand down his arm.

Tom walked around the side of the trailer where Jack and Elizabeth stood and shoved his hands into his pockets, waiting off to the side.

"It looks like your brother wants to thank you," Elizabeth said, reaching for Peyton. "We'll be with everyone else."

As soon as Elizabeth was walking away, Tom quickly moved to Jack and wrapped his arms around him, holding him so tight that Jack could barely breathe.

"Thank you, Jack. Thank you so much."

"No need, Brother," Jack said, still trying to catch his breath. "You would have done the same thing."

Hearing the struggle in Jack's voice, Tom loosened his grip, "Sorry."

Letting out a chuckle, Jack replied, "It's fine." As Tom let go and took a step back, Jack laid his hand on his brother's shoulder, "I'm just glad that she's okay."

"Thanks to you," Tom said, his voice cracking slightly. "And I'm glad you're alright, too."

"Someone was watching over us today."

"Yes, He most certainly was."

Jack and Tom joined the others around the campfire, each one in their seat, Savannah sitting on Sam's lap. As Jack sat down, Sam mouthed the words "thank you" to him. Jack grinned and nodded.

"Ummm, there is smoke rolling out of your grill, Jack," Lee said, pointing in the direction of the grey cloud.

"Oh, crap. The burgers," he exclaimed, jumping from his seat and running to the grill. Smoke was rolling out, covering Jack's face as he pulled back and fanned it away. He turned the burners off and moved the charred burgers to the top rack to cool. "Well, so much for these. We might have to go somewhere to eat."

"Oh, nonsense," Charlotte said, standing up, "we've got plenty of food. I'll whip something up," she said as she disappeared to her trailer.

Rosemary handed Noel to Lee and followed Charlotte to help. In no time, the two emerged with a complete meal and spread it out on the picnic table. The hungry group soon descended around the food, filling their plates with sandwiches, potato salad, chips and beans.

…..

As the time neared to leave for the evening's concert, everyone had changed and the babies were all settled in with Frank and Charlotte. Hesitating to leave, Tom and Sam both were lingering with Savannah and the boys. Many prayers of thanks had been sent up all afternoon, along with extra cuddles and kisses from everyone for Savannah.

"She'll be fine," Tom said, trying to pull Sam away.

"I know, it's just..."

"I know, Babe." Tom turned Sam to face him, cupping her face in his hands, "Trust me, I know. But she will always be affected by today I think and she will be even more alert of her surroundings."

Nodding, Sam agreed and allowed Tom to lead her to the truck where everyone was already waiting inside.

"Are you sure you guys are fine with all these kids, Ma?" Jack called out from the driver's seat.

"We'll be fine," Charlotte said, waving them on with Colton in her arms. "You kids go enjoy yourselves and don't worry about a thing. They'll all be sound asleep by the time you get back so we'll see you in the morning."

"Thank you so much, Charlotte," Rosemary added.

"You're very welcome. Now," she waved them off again, "go have fun."

They rolled up their windows and pulled away, everyone looking back at their kids until they were out of sight.

They showed up early in order to get a better parking spot and places to stand for the concert, hopefully with a great view. The weekend's line up included Martina McBride, The Zac Brown Band, Toby Keith and Rascal Flatts. This evening's concert was Martina McBride, one of the women's favorite singers, and they were almost beside themselves with excitement to see her.

They made their way inside and were early enough that they were able to get all the way to the stage. There were already a couple hundred people milling around and many lining the edge of the stage, but an area to the left was still open and the group claimed it for the evening.

They remained in their spots, taking turns using the restrooms, getting food and drinks, checking out the merchandise for sale. The lawn filled quickly as the time passed, thousands more filling the area from the stage and completely covering the lawn. In the July heat, the gals had each worn denim shorts paired with their cowboy boots. Elizabeth was in a white tank top, Rosemary wore a peach, flowy off the shoulder blouse, while Sam wore a floral spaghetti strap shirt, tied in a knot at her waist. Jack, beginning to get overheated in his jeans and t-shirt, pulled his shirt off and tucked it into his back pocket.

As 6:30 approached, the group could barely move due to the large number of fans that crowded around them.

"Jack? Jack Thornton?" A voice called out from the crowd. "Hey, that's Jack Thornton!"

Jack and his group turned their heads, trying to find the source of the voice.

"Hey, Jack!" An arm raised up and Jack could see a young, tall cowboy with a broad smile covering his face. "And Lee Coulter. Hey, Mike. That's Lee Coulter!"

The two men pushed their way through the crowd until they were standing in front of Jack and Lee.

"You guys were amazing in Vegas. We were there and got to see you ride in person. Will you autograph my hat?" The young man removed his white straw cowboy hat and pulled a black sharpie marker from his pocket, holding them both out to Jack.

"Um, sure," Jack said, taking the items from the young man's hands and proceeded to sign his name.

"You, too, Mr. Coulter?" The young man asked.

"Of course," Lee stated, the excitement evident in his voice.

"My name is Chris, this is my buddy, Mike. We followed you two for years. You were always our favorite bull riders. We were so bummed when you retired. But now we follow you with your team roping. You two are amazing."

"Thank you, Chris," Jack said, smiling, as he handed the hat and marker to Lee.

"Can you sign mine, too?" Mike asked, pulling the hat from his head.

After both men were satisfied with their new treasures, they returned to their group, punching each other and smiling ear to ear from the joy of meeting their heroes.

"Wow, haven't had that happen in a while," Lee said as he wrapped his arm behind Rosemary.

"You still got it, Cowboy," Rosie said, kissing his cheek.

Lee stood straight and smiled, "I guess I do."

The group laughed and as they joked around at Lee's statement, the lights on the stage lit up and the crowd went wild.

…..

Martina McBride did not disappoint. Each one got to shake her hand as she made her way around the stage. She sang all of the women's favorite songs, so they sang along with her, belting them out as loud as they could. The guys joined in on many of them as well. The group let loose, enjoyed themselves and each other, and let the stress from the earlier event melt away. The set list included Independence Day, Wild Angels, A Broken Wing, Concrete Angel, among many others. When she began singing In My Daughter's Eyes, Elizabeth recognized it right away as the song they heard Jack sing to Peyton. She could hear him singing it behind her along with Martina. When she sang Safe in the Arms of Love, Jack moved his arms around his wife, swaying to the rhythm and sang it in her ear.

When the concert was over, they slowly made their way to their truck, moving with the flow of the thousands of people that had shown up. Singing, laughing, and brief reminders of some of their highlights of the evening, echoed all the way back to the campground.

Once back at their campsite, they parted ways to their own trailers. With all the kids with Frank and Charlotte, each couple had their trailer to themselves for the evening, and took full advantage of it.

As soon as Jack closed and locked the door, he swiftly moved to Elizabeth, grabbed her at the hips, and pressed her against the wall near the door. His full body covered hers and she could feel his heart pounding through his chest.

"I have been wanting to take these off of you all night," Jack said, unsnapping her short denim shorts. "You look so hot," he whispered in her ear, his breath sending chills through her.

They made quick work removing each other's clothes, their lips never parting. Once they were skin on skin, nothing between them, Jack grabbed the backs of her thighs and lifted her with ease. She wrapped her legs around him as he carried her toward their bed. But instead of helping her up the stairs, he lowered her onto the couch and moved over her.

Stopping above her, hovering, lingering, he stared at her, his eyes moving down her body. Her eyes scanning his. She lifted her hands to his chest, running them along his hot, moist skin. Her eyes lifted back to his, finding him staring into her very soul. Jack slowly lowered his face to hers, holding his body up with a hand on the back of the couch, to keep from crushing her. This motion made every muscle in his body flex and tighten, sending Elizabeth's insides into a frenzy. Her hands moved across his back, feeling each shape and line. She lowered her hands, pulled him down, and he was quickly inside her, fully, causing her breath to catch in her throat as the intense sensation that he always generated took over her, her back arched and her hips rose as she cried out in a sob of pleasure.

Jack moved slowly, drawing out the act for both of them. At one point, he stood, pulled her up, then sat down, pulling her over him. Elizabeth took charge, moving on him, watching the reaction in his facial expressions to her actions, loving what she could do to him. She gripped onto the back of the couch on either side of Jack's neck, sliding up and down his shaft, speeding up, bringing them both to a wild climax as they each tried to stifle their groans against the paralyzing sensation that flowed through them.

Collapsing against his chest, Elizabeth wrapped her arms behind his neck as Jack encircled her entire body with his strong arms, holding her, not wanting to let go. They rested, allowing their hearts to return to a normal rhythm, their breaths to slow, holding each other, enjoying their time alone.

…..

July 10th, 2011 – Country Thunder, Kansas City, Missouri

Friday afternoon had been The Zac Brown Band and Saturday afternoon was Toby Keith. Lee had gotten Toby's autograph on his cowboy hat and had been talking non-stop about it since. The entire group had had a blast both days, especially the guys. The women watched, full of laughter, as their men danced around and sang with two of their favorite bands, not missing a single word on every song.

Frank and Charlotte had enjoyed watching all the kids, including all three babies. Savannah was a huge help for them both and even Luke and Austin helped as much as they could. Friday morning had been spent at the zoo and Tom's kids were ecstatic seeing all of the different animals.

Sunday afternoon's concert was Rascal Flatts and the entire group was excited to see them. Jack, having sang a couple songs by them to Elizabeth at their family potlucks, was looking forward to singing them to her again.

To ensure a great location near the stage, the group left shortly after breakfast to claim their spots for the 1:00 show. Having left late for the Zac Brown Band concert on Friday, they had to watch from way back at the edge of the lawn, although they still thoroughly enjoyed it.

As they walked in and saw a small space at the right of the stage, Jack and Tom ran ahead of the group to save it. Elizabeth and Sam watched as their husbands ran across the lawn, acting like teenagers, pushing each other aside as they hurried to the stage.

"I don't think those two will ever grow up," Sam laughed.

Elizabeth watched her husband with admiration, loving his boyish attitude. "I'm alright with that," she stated, sliding her arm through Sam's.

Sam looked over to her sister-in-law and agreed, "You know what? So am I."

Elizabeth held her hand out for Rosie to take and the three walked toward their men. Lee had taken off running shortly after Tom and Jack, catching them just before they reached the stage, pushed them both out of the way, and leaned onto the edge of the wood and planted his feet.

"And yours is the biggest child," Elizabeth teased Rosemary.

"No argument there, Liz."

…..

The group was planted against the stage, Jack next to Elizabeth, Tom with Sam, and Lee beside Rosemary, when Gary, Jay and Joe Donn came out onto the stage. They were sure the screams of the crowd could be heard for miles when the band came into view, a rumble filled the ears of everyone around.

They quickly opened with Why Wait, and Jack, Tom and Lee sang and danced around like kids, causing their wives to laugh and sing and dance along. Going right into Me and My Gang, Gary, the lead singer, made his way around the edge of the stage, shaking a few hands as he moved along. As soon as he grabbed Jack's hand, Tom and Lee reached out as far as they could, hoping to be the next recipients, but Gary backed toward the center of the stage and placed his microphone onto his stand.

The guys shot Jack a look of jealousy and Jack and the gals laughed.

"He'll be back around," Jack shouted above the music for his brothers to hear, smiling, his dimples prominent.

"He better," Lee yelled back.

On the fourth song, as soon as the music began, Jack moved his arms around Elizabeth and he pulled her into his side.

Gary began to sing Bless the Broken Road, joined by Jack singing into Elizabeth's ear as she closed her eyes and tipped her head toward her husband. Goosebumps covered her arms as Jack's breath filled her ear, along with his voice that she loved so much.

When the song ended, Jack pressed his lips to her neck and gave her a long kiss. "I love you," he whispered into her ear before stepping back to the stage beside her.

Several songs later, they began singing Life is a Highway and the guys went crazy. Singing every single word along with Gary, they danced around and watched as Gary made his way around the stage once more. Tom and Lee, both with their hands outreached, finally got a handshake from the lead singer. Seeing the group all singing, Gary held the microphone down in front of them once he reached the chorus and the guys sang as loudly as they could as the crowd cheered and clapped.

After leaving the stage, the group returned for their two-song encore. After finishing I Won't Let Go, Gary began to sing I Melt and Jack moved to stand behind Elizabeth, wrapped his arms around her waist and began to sing to her once more.

…..

"This has been the best weekend in a long time," Jack said, pulling Elizabeth to him. "Thank you for this," he said, then covered her lips with his, kissing her passionately in front of everyone.

Closing the truck door, Lee walked past them and said, "Get a room."

Jack pulled back, looked at Lee, scooped Elizabeth into his arms, and said, "I intend to," then walked toward their trailer, Elizabeth covering her mouth to mute her scream.