AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You stood up for us?” she whispered.
“You're happy. I’m happy. They’re happy. And don’t think I’m too young to have noticed the way you three act around each other. It’s okay, Mom. You’re allowed to be happy, no matter how that happens.”
“Really?”
“Well, yeah. You’re my mom.”
Fresh tears leaked down Georgia’s bunched cheeks.
Her glistening eyes met mine before she launched herself at me.
With a grunted goodbye, I tossed the phone onto the shitty chair and wrapped both arms around Georgia’s back, holding her tight against me.
It wouldn’t be easy.
But I didn’t care.
I had everything I’d ever wanted in life.
A family.
One I would protect and cherish until my last breath.
Because even though this wouldn’t be easy, it was worth the good and the bad.
We were worth it all.
EPILOGUE
TRAP
The heel of my boots clicked with every unhurried step against the concrete floor. Peeking into Anne’s old office, I frowned at finding it empty. And the tack room. Stepping out of Anne’s massive barn, the early afternoon sun warmed my cheeks as I scanned the property, searching for my family. Anne’s new vet clinic, the primary base of operation, caught my eye. My feet immediately started in that direction.
The moment I opened the front door, my ears caught the sound of fingers flying over keys, bringing a smile to my lips. Shoving both hands into the front pockets of my jeans, I followed the sound of Georgia working, the clicking of her fingers along her laptop familiar now that she’d started working again.
Shoulder against the doorframe to the back office where Anne stored all the medicine and vaccines, I studied the two. Shade sat in the office chair, feet propped up on the desk, head back and eyes closed, while Georgia sat in the middle of the floor, laptop balancing on her lap as her fingers flew across the keys. A red vine dangled from her lips while several Red Bull cans laid around her, proving she’d been in the same position for a while.
I didn’t understand what she was creating, but the basics of the program sounded cool as hell. Anne mentioned one day that she wanted a software program that would alert her or even auto-order medicine or vaccines when she ran low based on usage. Georgia overheard her say it once and that same day she started working on a fix. Based on what I’d heard from Georgia and the astonishment of Anne, the new software could be revolutionary for a small-town veterinarian. Especially if it could update in real time while the vet is out doing large animal visits.
My girl was smart as hell.
And beautiful.
And perfect.
For us.
“Hey,” I said as I shoved off the doorframe and stepped into the room. Shade instantly snapped awake, but Georgia didn’t look up from the screen. I learned in the last couple of months to not take it personal. When she was in the zone, we didn’t bother her, but today was special. “Max and the girls just pulled up. I heard the high pitch screams of excitement at the thousands of eggs Anne and Gray laid out before coming to find you two.”
Shade groaned and scrubbed at his face. “Where is Gracie?”
I huffed. “Where do you think?”
The corner of his lips tugged upward. “The alpacas.”
“The alpacas.”
Anne told Gracie and Georgia that the alpacas were great listeners if they needed to talk about everything they’d been through. It seemed to work for Gracie. Finding out that her father was murdered, then the why behind it hit her hard at first. But those furry beasts had listened to her cry, helped her work through the grief and anger without uttering a word. Georgia had a harder time, so a few times a week she had a video call with a therapist in Dallas who’d helped her work through the slew of emotions she felt about that fucker husband of hers, and what he put them through. They were healing emotionally while Shade was nearly one hundred percent recovered from the injuries he sustained in the wreck.
