Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 45284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
“He does that to me every single day. You all do. This life does. Knowing I’ve got a purpose, a family, something to live for.”
“You had things to live for before,” Luna says gently, clutching onto my side.
I kiss the top of her head. “Hmm…”
She laughs, giving me a playful nudge. “Hmm? Are we starting that again, huh?”
My days of answering hmm are long behind me. My days of withdrawing, of wondering if I can share the darkness in me, are a relic of the past. Luna has opened me up more than I ever thought anybody could.
“Oh my God, look,” she says, nodding.
I look at my son and the dogs, and I see what she means. Harper has shifted in her sleep, Liam’s hand coming to rest on her paw.
“They’re holding hands,” Luna says. “Tell me I’m crazy.”
“Luna, you were engaged to a man after knowing him for roughly a week. You’re definitely crazy… but not about this.”
“A week?” she says, hugging me tighter. “I would’ve married you after a minute.”
“I would’ve married you after a second.”
EPILOGUE
NINE YEARS LATER
Luna
“Stay, Buckie,” Liam says happily, backing away across the yard as Buckie sits and watches him.
“Stay, Harper,” Samantha says, our seven-year-old holding her hands out.
I sit on the porch with our newborn, Jasmin, in my arms. She’s the quietest of our babies, so peaceful. She’s got a gentle smile on her face as the shade dapples her features.
Liam looks so much like his dad, his hair black like I’ve seen in photos of Kayden, his build large for his age. People say Samantha is all me, with her wavy brown hair and her bright smile.
Behind me, the door opens. I turn to find my husband walking out with Kerry, a daddy’s girl through and through, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Their bond reminds me—not that I need reminding—what an incredible and dedicated father Kayden is …never faltering in that regard. The years have made him firmer, his body hard, but they’ve made his eyes softer. They’ve made everything about him gentler and more filled with belonging.
“Daddy, look,” Liam calls over. “Buckie’s staying big time.”
“Well done, son,” my husband says, sitting next to me with Kerry still fast asleep.
“And me, Daddy,” Samantha beams. “Harper, stay.”
The two dogs—fully best friends now, making us feel silly for worrying about their meeting—sit patiently.
Buckie doesn’t tremble anymore with Kayden’s dedicated training efforts. Harper’s the same, grinning at Samantha.
“This is the best part, Mommy,” Samantha says, beaming at me. “When they run as fast as they can. Whoa… wait!”
Samantha turns to Harper, gesturing with her hands, and Harper sits back down.
“Good girl,” Samantha says. “Oh, you’re such a good girl. Isn’t she, Daddy?”
“She certainly is.”
“Are you going to watch, Mommy, Daddy?”
I laugh in delight. This feeling is stronger than any drug, than anything else in life.
“I’m watching,” I tell her.
Dad returns from the kitchen, joining us.
“Grandpa, look, they’re going to run soon. Look how good they’re being. I’m going to be a dog trainer like Daddy when I grow up.”
Liam smiles like he’s addicted to it, the happiness, and he is. We all are in our perfect and bright lives.
“You’re doing a great job,” Dad says, reaching for his coffee.
Liam looks at his little sister. “You ready, sis?”
When he says sis, my heart does that shuddering thing it often does. A shudder runs throughout me and tells me I’ve found my place, my destiny, my path in this world.
Sure, taking Kayden up on his offer of helping me with a studio has its sweetness. Making a name for myself in the tattoo world fills me with pride. Watching Kayden work his butt off to expand his dog-training business, hiring employees, and becoming wildly popular…
It’s been amazing, but nothing beats this, sitting with my dad and my husband and our beautiful, loved, loving children.
“I’m ready,” Samantha says.
Kayden looks down at me, a knowing smile on his handsome face. He asked me if I was ready once. I took a chance, said yes, and it led to the love we experience every single day.
“Three,” Liam says.
Samantha grins. “Two…”
“One.”
“Go!” they yell together.
Harper and Buckie duck their heads and run across the garden. Soon, they’re all wrestling, laughing as they play.
I know, deep in my soul, life doesn’t get better than this.
The End