Page 158 of Buckin' Around

I only know that Ivy has her mama back and I have the love of my life. For a man who never thought he deserved that, let alone would find it, every sacrifice was more than worth it.

Riles turns in my arms, sliding her fingers into my hair.

“Lord above, I missed you,” she breathes.

“Oh baby, you have no idea.”

I scoop her up and she points, wordlessly, toward her room. I wander through the house as she stares up at me.I know, baby.I can’t believe it, either. Those ninety-four days may as well have been a goddamn fucking century.

But like anything this incredible, it was well worth the wait.

This is going to be the reunion of the goddamn century.

Epilogue

Spencer

Almost Five Years Later . . .

The enormous pair of scissors I insisted Riles use hangs heavy in her hand. She stands in her navy scrubs, now sporting a brand-new clinic logo, O’Malley Veterinary, as the summer breeze plays with her hair over her shoulders.

Ives and Chloe hold up a huge red ribbon in front of the door as I stand with her family and the locals who have become the extended family I never had.

Suze nudges my shoulder as she beams at her prodigy, who is now opening her own clinic. “You have to have a whole lot of respect for a woman like Riley. She lost everything so young and pulled herself and her family out of that tragedy. Now look at her.”

“Yeah, I’m lookin’.” The stupid grin on my face wobbles slightly as heat prickles the back of my nose. I whistle, and the small crowd gives a cheer as Riles raises the hilarious scissors and snips the ribbon in half.

As it flutters to the ground and clapping fills the small cobblestone street, I watch my girls celebrate. The happiness they bring me through their own is something I never expected.

The homestead is getting emptier, with the twins off at college in the city and Declan living in town by the bar. Might betime to make some more plans. To fill that old house with more memories.

More people to love.

Riley turns back, her hand on the front door of the clinic as she says, “Well don’t just stand there, come on.” She jerks her head toward the building and pushes through the door. Ives and Chloe hold hands as they trail behind her.

Suze slaps my shoulder. “Mate, you’re going to have your hands full. It’s not too late to change your mind.” She winks at me.

“You think?” I adjust my hat on my head. “Only, it was too late for me years ago.”

She chuckles and shakes her head as I follow my girls inside.

I find Chlo behind the reception desk, her part-time gig while she finishes her senior year.

Ives is wandering around, looking at the shelves stocked with every possible thing a pet owner could ever need for their small animals.

Her eyes light up when she finds a tiny dog collar. “Please, Daddy, can we get a puppy?”

She’s jumping on the spot and giving me, well, puppy eyes.

“I’ll think about it...ifyou ask your mother first.”

“Yes!” She flies from the room to find Riles.

A moment later, she comes screaming back to reception, squealing, “I’m getting a puppy!”

Geez, Riles, didn’t need to think about it for a beat?

“Where’s Mama, baby?”