35. Heath
CHAPTER 35
heath
T he first Thanksgiving after Alexa and I got divorced, I spent with her family. This Thanksgiving, however, we decided that Juno would have breakfast with Sable and me, and she’d go to her grandparents’ place for the rest of the day. This meant that I’d have the day with Sable, and I had plans. I was taking her for another skiing lesson before hitting the spa at the resort. There wouldn’t be many people there, so we’d have privacy in the plunge pool and the sauna. Oh, yeah, I had plans, I thought satisfactorily as I flipped the last pancake onto a platter.
Juno was already seated, wearing an oversized hoodie and fuzzy socks, her hair piled messily on top of her head. She looked every bit the teenager who’d rather still be in bed, but her face lit up the second I placed the pancakes in front of her.
“Breakfast of champions,” she declared, reaching for the top pancake .
“Breakfast of people who need to eat something before they gorge themselves on turkey later,” I corrected, smirking as I sat down across from her.
Sable stepped into the kitchen in yoga pants and a sweater. She looked sleepy and gorgeous, her hair loose around her shoulders. When her eyes landed on the pancakes, she smiled.
“Nothing says good morning like pancakes.” She slid into a chair beside me. “What did I do to deserve this?”
“You exist.” I leaned over to kiss her cheek.
She softly laughed, picking up a fork as Juno rolled her eyes. “God, Daddy, you’re so sappy.”
“I like to think he’s romantic,” Sable interjected and then added on a smirk, “and maybe a tad sappy.”
In the past month since Sable and I were officially back together, a lot had changed for the better. Jack—the son of a bitch was lucky I didn’t fucking rearrange his face and Sable didn’t press charges, though she did get a restraining order—was still struggling to get his patients back.
After we’d finished eating, Juno leaned back in her chair, patting her stomach. “I’m so full, I might skip lunch.”
“Your grandmother will force-feed you,” I warned her.
“True,” she admitted, grinning. “I’ll power through.”
Sable shook her head in amusement as she started stacking plates. “Ah, to be young and have a resilient stomach again. ”
When she came back to the table after dropping the plates in the sink, I grabbed her hand. “Sit, Bambi.”
She frowned but did as I asked.
“We need to talk.” I kept my tone stern so Sable wouldn’t detect what we were up to. She suspiciously looked between me and Juno, who was sitting up straighter, her face practically glowing with excitement.
“What’s going on?” Sable asked, her eyes narrowing.
Juno was already digging into her hoodie pocket, pulling out a small black box, and placing it on the table in front of Sable. I slid mine out of my pajama pocket and put it beside hers.
Sable visibly swallowed. It was too early for an engagement ring. We’d get there, of course, we would—but if I gave it to her now, she’d spook.
Juno leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand like she was watching her favorite show unfold. “Open them,” she urged.
Sable glanced at me, her brow furrowed, before reaching for the first box—the one Juno had placed on the table. She flipped it open, her eyes slightly widening as she stared at the single silver key nestled inside.
“A key?” she asked, her voice tinged with confusion.
“Open the other one,” I said, my heart pounding.
She picked up the second box—my box—and opened it. Inside was a sleek card. She chuckled when she saw it was a forever ski pass from the Royal Hotel group.
She held up the key. “And this?”
“That’s a key to our house,” Juno announced.
“Sable,” my voice was just this side of shaky because of the nervous energy buzzing through me, “we want you to move in with us.”
Her eyes flicked to Juno, who was grinning like a Cheshire cat.
“I mean, we could try your place, but it’s not big enough ‘cause there isn’t a bedroom for me,” Juno added quickly, leaning forward. “Also, you’re, like, the best thing that’s happened to him, and you cook amazing food.”
“What she said.” I stroked a finger down Sable’s flushed cheek.
Sable eyes shimmered with unshed tears. I hoped they were the happy kind.
“You want me to move in with you?”
“Yes, we both do.” I brushed my lips against hers. “This house feels more like home with you in it. I want us to be a family, Sable. You, me, and Juno.”
“And my room stays mine,” Juno interjected, raising a finger. “Just so we’re clear.”
Sable shook her head as she wiped at her eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes,” Juno suggested. “Say you’ll move in and make Daddy stop stressing out about whether this was a good way to propose to you.”
“ Juno ,” I remonstrated as Sable laughed.
Finally, she looked at me, her face softening. “Yes.”
“Yes?” I echoed, relief flooding through me.
“Yes,” she repeated, her voice stronger now. “I’ll move in.”
Juno let out a whoop, jumping out of her chair and running around the table to hug Sable. “Yes!”
Sable hugged her back, laughing as Juno practically tackled her. I watched them, my chest tight with emotions.
This was what I wanted. This was what I’d been waiting for.