Page 122 of Someday You Learn

“I’ve made plenty of mistakes, Parker, but there’s always time to correct them.” His words resonate with me more than he realizes. “Just promise me that you’ll live up to your intentions as well.”

“I love your daughter, Robert.”

“I know you do.” His voice cracks. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life, and I couldn’t have asked for a better man for her.” My own throat grows tight as Robert gestures back to his car. “Now, let’s get these inside so we can all go home and rest after an incredible, yet exhausting day.”

Once Robert and I have moved all of the canvases into the storage room and he says goodbye to Cashlynn, I lock the front door behind him and turn to find Cashlynn crunching numbers at the front counter.

Her tongue peeks out from the side of her mouth, and her eyes are moving so fast, I wonder if she’s getting dizzy. “So, how’d you do?”

Her eyes light up as she lifts her head. “I just might make my first month’s rent from today alone!”

Crossing the room to get to her, I wrap my arms around her and pull her into my chest. “That’s incredible, sweetheart. You fucking did it.” I give her a chaste kiss. “And how do you feel about your talk with your dad?”

“Relieved,” she says as she exhales. “Hopeful too. I don’t know what you said to him, but he definitely had a change of heart somewhere along the way.”

“I don’t think it was so much the words I said as the reminder that if he wasn’t careful, he was going to push you out of his life for good. When you realize you could lose something you care about, it definitely puts things into perspective,” I say, leaning back to cup her jaw.

“Yeah, I know that feeling too.”

“I’m glad you two talked. And today was insane, baby. The energy in here was amazing. Everyone was so impressed with what you’ve done with this space, and I can’t wait to see how this only grows over time.”

Her smile is electric, but her eyes are brimming with tears. “I can’t believe it, Parker. This is actually going to work. I get to do this for a living now.”

Feeling a rush of need run through me, I take her by the hands and back her up to the wall behind us, holding her hands above her head as I slant my mouth over hers. “Believe it, baby. You did it, and I’m so fucking proud of you.”

“I couldn’t have done this without you,” she says, her breathing growing more shallow.

“Yes, you would have. But I’d like to think that everything worked out the way it was supposed to.”

“And how is that?”

Thrusting my cock into her stomach so she can sense where this conversation is headed, I say, “With you and me—together.” Our eyes remain locked. “I love you, Cashlynn June O’Neil.”

She giggles. “I love you too, Parker Eric Sheppard.”

No other words are spoken as we celebrate all we’ve overcome to get to this moment: lessons learned and pasts healed, with nothing but our future in front of us.

***

“When do you think they hatched?” I close my car door behind me, holding the phone between my shoulder and my ear.

“Must have been early this morning.”

“And has Mallory left the nest at all?”

“Nope. I’ve been peeking through the blinds all morning and she’s remained there.”

I blow out a sigh of relief. “That’s good. I’ll stop by on my way home from work just to double check everything myself, but it seems your geese problem won’t be going away anytime soon, Willow.”

My sister-in-law chuckles through the line. “I’m learning to embrace it, if you haven’t figured that out yet.”

I end the call and open the door to Carrington Cove Animal Hospital, eager to get my day started. But the look on Cassandra’s face when I enter tells me that Robert has already called everyone to the back for his announcement.

When Robert and I talked last week before Cashlynn’s gallery opening, I told him I wanted to remove myself from the running to take over the practice. He was curious, of course, especially since he had always planned on handing me the reins.

But, after many hours of therapy, I realized there was more to life than just work. I love my job, don’t get me wrong. But I don’t want it to consume me, and Robert respected me for that.

“I don’t want you to make the same mistake I did—making life all about work. You should be able to have it all, Parker, and that includes a life with my June Bug that you can both enjoy.”

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