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)
Harper yaps happily from the backseat, secured in her doggy harness.
“Do you think this will be okay?” I ask.
My husband-to-be—the wedding is in one month—glances over at me with a wide smile on his lips. He’s let his hair grow a little longer, as if leaving part of his old life behind and embracing the new.
“They have to meet eventually,” he answers. “Anyway, Buckie’s been doing a lot better.”
“Thanks to you. He’s like a different dog.”
“No. He always had that in him. It just took some love and care to bring it out.”
I smile, touching his arm. I’ll never tire of that firm feeling, the security his throbbing muscles send through me. “Are you sure we’re talking about Buckie?”
He answers my smile, and then we pull up at the house. It’s a five-bedroom in the suburbs, a white picket fence out front, sitting there like a dream come true. We’re still having some work done, but we’ll be moving in soon. Every time I see it, I have to remind myself this is really happening. I haven’t slipped into a crazy dream.
Dad’s already waiting on the porch. He stands when he sees us coming, Buckie sitting at his side on the leash. The old Buckie would’ve been straining to come and greet us, but though he’s still got the terrier tremors, he sits patiently.
My heart swells when Kayden helps me from the car, even if I’m not that heavy yet. Then he walks around to the backseat, scooping Harper into his arms. He carries her to the gate, opening it one-handed and letting us all in. Once we’re all inside, he nods over at Dad.
“Afternoon, sir,” he says.
The sun beams down as though imitating the love that never stops glowing inside us.
“The big day, huh?”
Dad’s talking about Buckie and Harper meeting. Kayden has been working his butt off with the two dogs, calming down Harper’s skittish nature at the same time as Buckie’s. He wanted to do it on neutral ground so that neither of them became territorial. Since this is the first time we’ve been here with Harper, it’s perfect.
“We’ll let them feel each other out,” Kayden says, kneeling and holding Harper near the ground. “Let Buckie off the leash when you’re ready. I’ll jump in if there are any problems.”
Kayden kisses the top of Harper’s head softly. He’s going to make such an amazing dad. It seems a hundred times a day I’m thinking that exact thought, but it never feels any less true.
Dad lets Buckie off the leash. The dogs approach each other cautiously, Harper pausing and looking over her shoulder.
“Good girl,” Kayden says warmly. “It’s okay. Everything’s okay.”
“Oh, wow,” Dad says, when Buckie plays and Harper lets out a happy yapping noise.
Kayden grins, walking over to me and wrapping his arm over my shoulder. He hugs me close as the dogs start playing together, running around the front yard, their barks loud and happy and full of bliss.
EPILOGUE
EIGHT MONTHS LATER
Kayden
I could watch Harper and Buckie curled up next to Liam all day. We named our first son after one of my fallen brothers, and we gave him Vincent for his middle name.
Liam lies on the floor on his blanket, occasionally making the most heart-wrenching baby noises. It’s difficult to believe I was ever unsure about this path in life. Luna wraps her arms around me from behind, laying her cheek against my back. I reach down and place my hand atop hers, latching onto the feeling of warmth, the feeling of belonging, knowing it’s never going to fade.
“Are you spying on them, husband?” she says.
Since Vincent’s overseas doing volunteer work, we’re taking care of Buckie. I introduced him to our child slowly, concerned Harper might get protective, but the two dogs have become like brother and sister, and they bonded with Liam right away.
“I could watch them all day,” I reply, keeping my voice low.
I turn, wrapping my arms around my wife, looking down into her face. I always knew my woman was brimming with love, but it’s even fiercer since she gave birth.
“I’m so lucky to have such a beautiful wife,” I whisper, leaning down to kiss her.
She laughs gently after the kiss, shaking her head.
“Between breastfeeding and showering maybe once a week, that’s hard to believe.”
“I mean it,” I say passionately. “I don’t care how sweaty you get. How gross you think you are. To me, it just makes you more beautiful. It makes you more of a mom. You glow with it. You’re perfect.”
“I love you so much,” she whispers.
We kiss again and then turn to watch Liam and the dogs together. Buckie rises and yawns, looking over at us as he stretches his back out. Then he turns to Liam and softly laps his cheek. Liam makes another baby noise.
“Aww,” Luna says. “He’s melting my heart.”