We still live in Miami, and I’m not sure we’ll ever leave. Raiden and I both love it too much. But we did cave in and buy a cabin near Denver a few years ago. We spend a lot of time there as well, with Raiden’s mom. Oh, and we made sure we cut down all the trees that were sketchy, too tall, kind of broken, half-dead, and anywhere near the cabin. One experience with a fallen tree was enough for us.
And now, for the best part? Right. The best for last.
I finished my vet tech training. I figured out I wanted to work with animals a long time ago when I first got Pudding, my rescue cat who has actually come around to loving Raiden more than she likes me, even though she was always a mama’s girl. So, Raiden being Raiden (I’ll admit he’s kind of a genius), opened an animal sanctuary for me just outside Miami with a ton of land where abused and neglected rescue animals can call home. We take everything from farm animals to cats and dogs, and we have a really amazing team behind us. I never saw myself ending up here, but I’m so freaking glad I did.
Our kids love all the animals. It’s incredible to see how a frightened, scared, and hurting animal will arrive—their past is often not a happy one, and some of them never knew a moment’s love or kindness before they got here—and then slowly start to change, trust, and learn what it means to be free, treasured, cherished, cared for, loved, and happy. We have a few residents who will probably never come around, but that’s alright. They’re living the best life they can on their own terms. If it means they’ll never fully trust humans again, but they know they’re still loved beyond measure, we just have to be okay with that. We’ll always give them the time they need, and even if they never come to us for a pet or come near us, it’s still amazing to see them out and about, basking in the sun, and knowing they’re safe with us for the rest of their days.
Of course, it isn’t all roses—not our life and not our sanctuary—because it’s hard when we lose an animal. They’re like our family, and it’s hard when we see suffering and the worst of humanity. It’s devastating to see the pain and fear and learn of the abuse and horror of the past. We’re fully aware that people turn out at this because it’s just so hard, but we keep going. We really do just take things a day at a time. We’re always open with each other on how we’re doing—all of us—our whole team. If someone’s struggling, we support them, love them, and help them. There are often tears, but there is also a lot of laughter and so much love.
Even the kids get it. They’re young, so we try and protect them and keep them innocent, but they’ve seen some of the pain and suffering, and they’ve had heart hurts too. Regardless, they’ve also seen the love, the trust, the newfound joy, and gentleness.
Gavin already talks about wanting to be a vet, but Charlotte says she doesn’t know what she wants to do. She says she never wants to stop doing this, being a part of this family and loving deeply.
She might only be two, but I get it. And she’s right. She’s so, so right.
I don’t ever want to give this up either. Family. Friends. Love. It changed my life, and it changed my heart. Love has given me the whole world. Yes, it might take a ton of hard work. We sweat, we cry, we vent, we laugh, we break, and we put ourselves back together. But in the end, it’s all so worth it.
So, yes. Watching the man I love giving our kids rides on his back, making wild grizzly noises that don’t sound anything like a grizzly while he’s sweating off his face paint because it’s sweltering and humid, and the costume is absolutely stifling, and our kids laughing and screaming as they bounce up and down on his back, yelling ‘more, grizzly daddy, more, more, more!!!’—I’m so just so happy.
So. Freaking. Happy.
I’m not crying.
Well, okay, I’m crying, but that’s okay. Sad tears, happy tears, all the tears. It’s all fine, and it’s all amazing. It’s all because my heart is so full that it’s constantly overflowing. This really is living our best lives. We’re living it, all of us. Together.
The End
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We are sworn enemies but she's having my baby.
How you ask? Well, I’m also wondering the same thing.
How the hell do people in that stupid fertility clinic mistake MY sperm and inject it into the wrong woman…
The same woman I fired just the day before for running her mouth off at me.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lindsey Hart specializes in sweet to extra hot and dirty romances and strongly believes in happily ever after. If you are looking for a page turner, then you are in for a wild and naughty ride with feisty heroines and alpha male heroes.
