“Better hurry.” I lift her off the stool and plant a kiss on her cheek, then set her down and grab her backpack and lunchbox as Tati runs over to whip open the front door.
“Ready?!” Sage squeals as she claps her hands, her dark red curls wild as she practically vibrates across the wooden planks. “Ready, Tati?!”
My girl smiles wide as she nods, looping her arms through the straps of her bag before she runs onto the porch. “Yep!” She pauses then spins around to face me, her little plaid skirt fanning out over her tights as she hurries to give me one last hug.
“Love you, Livvy.”
I smooth out her hair and fight the tears that spring to my eyes the second her words are out. “I love you, too, kiddo. Have a great day. Make all the friends.”
“Is it okay if we make a stop on the way home?” Ransom asks as he watches his daughter take Tati’s hand and nearly drag her down the steps. “Sage wants ice cream.”
“You’re sure you’re okay with doing the rides right now?”
He turns back to me with a look that says I need to stop asking him that, then he blinks a few times before his expression softens the slightest bit. “I got it. It’s good.”
Which is Ransom Adder talk for,those girls were instant best friends and I’m not going to get in the way of that because I give my daughter everything she wants no matter what it is.
Who would have thought this asshole is the best girl dad I’ve ever met. Not that I’ve met any except the ones I had, and they left something to be desired to say the least, but still. I lit Styx up for not telling us about his niece, and as soon as he made the introductions, Sage became a fixture at our house. Which also means Ransom has as well, and that’s been a trip considering some of the dynamics inside these walls. But it’s shown me that the crabby asshole is a fantastic father, and he didn’t think twice about being an uncle.
It also makes it easier letting Tati out of my sight so she can go to school. Knowing she has an armed escort on her way to and from the private academy, and if Ransom approves of the place the girls are attending, it’s probably locked up like Fort Knox when the kids are there.
I had no idea I was going to become a helicopter parent when I was given the chance, but I’m not mad about it, and so far, neither is Tatiana.
We exchange goodbyes and I lean against the doorframe, waving until the Escalade clears our front gate, then smile wide at what I see emerging through the broken fencing between our yard and the pasture.
“Hi babies,” I croon as my dogs come trotting up the steps. “Did you have a good run?”
Rus wags his entire butt as he drops an enormous stick at my feet, practically smiling as I praise him for the fourth one this week. I’m starting to think it’s possible he knocked down a tree and is slowly bringing me the entire thing, piece by piece, but he’s so proud of himself that I don’t really care where he’s getting the wood.
He looks back over his shoulder as he sits on the top step, a happy littleruffrumbling through him as I push off the doorframe and grin at Cy.
“You are such a good boy,” I say as I aggressively scratch under his collar and take the leash from between his teeth. “You are both the best good boys ever, taking care of our sweet baby girl while you went out to play.”
Bee limps up the steps slowly, carefully making her way toward me, and I can’t help the way I want to laugh and cry as she does.
“I’m telling you, you make three legs look good.” I crouch down as she sits, my doberman letting out a huff as if she disagrees, but that’s fine.
She can be annoyed all she wants over losing a leg, I’m just happy she’s still here. Our sweet girl was shot twice, once in the hip, and once in the stomach, and we almost lost her, but Bee is a fighter. Four surgeries, one amputation, and a hell of a lot of physical therapy later, and she’s finally able to play outside with the boys again.
Cy chuffs at me before he lets out a little whine, looking from me to Bee a few times then watching closely as I get to my feet.
“I know.” I reach into my pocket and pull out the organic dog biscuits these three love despite the fact that they smell like dirt, giving our sweet baby girl her treat first before Rus and Cy get theirs. “In or out?”
Rus answers with anotherruffand intense butt wagging and I watch as the three of them take up their very relaxed positionson the porch, still keeping watch but able to enjoy what I’ve been referring to as theirretirement.
“I’ll come get you when it’s time for lunch.”
I close the screen but leave the front door open as I turn to go back inside.
I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about living in the country, not after Thief River Falls, but I’m really starting to like it.
It’s quiet and peaceful. I enjoy being so far away from the city—it’s like we’re on another planet. The house itself is great and the closer we get to finishing it, the more I fall in love with the farmhouse built just before the Great Depression.
Lots of natural light, cross breezes for days, and all the space has been wonderful. I don’t even mind working on the small repairs or decorating the rooms as we finish them.
With a sigh, I stretch my arms above my head then check the grandfather clock down the hall. I need to get my ass in gear for work.
If I was still at Knotted Obsessions, this would be early as fuck. It’s early for my new job, too, but today is the grand opening and we still have a ton to do before we officially cut the ribbon on the doors of Omega Ink.
