Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 84871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
“You just haven’t found the right one yet. He’s out there. Don’t give up hope.” I turn to look at Sloane’s beautiful sleeping form. “I have loved your sister for as long as I can remember. Now look at us. Imagine if I’d given up.”
Rhiannon sighs and then parrots my words, “Don’t give up hope.”
“Never.” I bring Sloane’s hand to my lips and kiss her again. “Never ever.”
Sloane
Several months later…
“Can I have him?” Tate asks, giving me his saddest face. “I’ll be the best daddy to her in the whole world.”
Jude grunts nearby and I can’t smother the giggle that erupts from me.
“Didn’t you guys just get two more dogs?” I ask, amused by my friend.
“But we don’t have this one.” Tate snuggles Dempsey’s and my new pup. “See, she loves me.”
Dempsey saunters over and holds out his hands. “Mine.”
Tate rolls his eyes playfully at me before passing the sleeping puppy to his real daddy. Dempsey hugs Beauty to his chest and kisses her golden, fuzzy head. I rescued her earlier this week from a dumpster. Her mother was nowhere to be found. Beauty and her siblings were malnourished, cold, and on the brink of death. The other four pups were quickly rehomed to Tara, Aisha, and Tanaka of all people, who took two. Beauty was mine the second I laid eyes on her. Bringing her home to Dempsey and seeing his overjoyed look was one of the best sights I’d ever seen.
We’re a family now with a little furbaby.
Dempsey, seeing my dopey smile, leans in and kisses my cheek. “You’re mine too. Don’t be jealous, babe.”
He leaves my side with Beauty to go sit by Spencer, who’s trying to corral Rex. Kaden, who came with me for this week’s family dinner, is helping Jamie and Gemma in the kitchen. I actually look forward to the Park Sunday meal with this chaotic group.
“How are you doing?” Tate asks, slipping into therapist mode. “You’re awfully quiet today.”
“I’m just happy. Enjoying life.”
He hooks his arm in mine and leans his head on my shoulder. “Good. I knew we’d get there eventually.”
When Dempsey told me he’d set me up an appointment with a therapist, I felt betrayed and pissed. I was defensive, thinking something was wrong with me he wanted to fix. Yes, I went through a traumatic experience with the bikers, but I was fine. We fought about it for a straight week where I did my best to ice him out, but eventually, I gave in.
It probably would’ve helped if he’d told me the therapist was Tate. At first, when I’d met with Tate, I was guarded and quite bitchy, to be honest. But Tate has a way of getting you to spill your guts. We talked about the shooting and then the assault. Eventually, we started digging into my past and childhood. I didn’t realize how much I needed to talk through all of that stuff until we got into it. Now I look forward to my weekly meeting with Tate. And since he just opened up his own practice near the station, it’s been easier to get by to see him during lunch or right after work.
I was able to give Tate some closure too, at least. His stalker and Bishop were friends. Bishop abused his police power to help him find Tate. This was all uncovered after Bishop was arrested. Knowing we got that rat out is relieving to everyone. I’d even pushed Tanaka on Oliver, my dud of a date who was involved in the Ghirard case, thinking maybe he could’ve been an accomplice, but he was cleared of any wrongdoing. Since I know Tanaka is a good guy now, I was able to let it go, trusting my chief’s judgment.
I’ve certainly come a long way in the trust department. My therapist would be proud.
My phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out to find a text from Nevaeh.
Nev: Mom wants us all to get together for Christmas. What does your schedule look like? Also, can we do it at your place since you have more room?
In the past, this would have caused me great anxiety, but since I’ve been working on forgiving my family and myself, it’s easier to take this stuff one day at a time rather than stewing on any tension between us.
Me: I’m happy to host. Ask Mom if she’ll cook her famous mac and cheese. Dempsey got a new smoker he’s been practicing with. I bet he could make the ham.
Nev: Sweet. Thanks, sis. The kids have been dying to go over to your house again. Plus, they want to see your new puppy.
This makes me smile. Mom is still cantankerous, but my sisters are warming back up to me, Rhiannon more so than Nevaeh. I’ve been inviting them over weekly once life went back to normal. And though it feels anything but normal to have my family in my house, I enjoy it nonetheless.