53. Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Three
AVA
I t’s been a week since the Stanley Cup win, and the house finally feels like it’s exhaled.
Most mornings now, I find myself lingering in the kitchen long after my tea has gone lukewarm, watching the boys chase each other down the hallway.
Jackson’s been home more too, usually grilling out back or playing board games with the boys in the living room. Every time I look at him, there’s a settled ease in his shoulders that makes my chest ache in the best possible way.
As for me, I’ve been slowly stepping back from Open Pages.
Jenna has started taking more day-to-day calls, and I’m in the middle of drafting a transition plan for her to fully take over as interim director.
There’s a small, unexpected relief in knowing it’s in good hands, and that I can step away, at least for a while.
I told my parents about the baby a few days ago.
I hadn’t planned to, but it just slipped out while I was catching up with them.
My mom gasped and then started crying, her voice wobbly and bright. My dad immediately said something about finally getting a grandkid, then tried to cover it with a cough like he hadn’t just gotten choked up.
I’d been nervous to tell them, unsure how they’d react to something so unexpected, but their joy was instant and unmistakable.
I catch myself smiling when I think about it. The way my mom’s voice cracked with excitement. The way my dad cleared his throat and muttered, "That’s the best news we’ve had in a long time."
The rest of the morning passes in a blur of small errands and quiet moments. I catch the boys whispering in corners, darting into their rooms with armfuls of markers and poster boards.
“What are you two making over there?” I call, brows lifting in curiosity.
Noah freezes mid-sprint, whipping around so fast his paper nearly flies out of his hands.
Liam elbows him, eyes wide and shaking his head.
“Nothing!” they blurt out together, cheeks flushing bright pink.
I laugh, my hands raised in surrender. “Alright, alright. I won’t ask.”
Jackson joins me then, two cold lemonades in hand. He passes me one, his fingers brushing over mine in that gentle, grounding way that always makes my pulse skip.
“They’re very serious about whatever that is,” I murmur, nodding at the boys.
“Yeah,” he says, his mouth curving into a small, unreadable smile. “They’ve been plotting pretty hard the last couple of days.”
I tilt my head at him. “And you’re not going to tell me anything, huh?”
“Absolutely not,” he says, feigning scandalized offense. “That would violate the top-secret oath I made.”
I snort, leaning into him. He presses a kiss to the side of my head, warm and sure.
Behind us, Miss Taylor starts prepping lunch, shooting me a knowing look that only spikes my curiosity even more.
“You’re all conspiring against me,” I grumble, though I can’t help but smile.
Jackson chuckles softly, sliding an arm around my waist. “Pretty much.”
I lean into him fully, my head tipping back against his shoulder. Whatever they’re up to, I decide to let them enjoy their little conspiracy.
After lunch, Miss Taylor hums softly as she rinses dishes, that same steady rhythm she always has. Every so often, she glances at me with a twinkle in her eye.
“You’re in on it too, aren’t you?” I finally ask, narrowing my eyes.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says, but her grin gives her away.
I roll my eyes, fighting a laugh. “Traitor.”
She just shrugs, wiping her hands on a towel. “Sometimes surprises are good for the heart.”
Before I can come up with a witty comeback, Jackson pokes his head into the kitchen. “Hey, could you come out back for a second?”
His voice is casual, almost too casual. Suspicion flares again, but I follow him anyway.
When I step onto the porch, the boys are standing side by side at the bottom of the steps. Both hold huge poster boards against their chests, faces bright and a little nervous.
Jackson pauses beside me, his hand slipping into mine. His palm is warm and steady, and something in his eyes makes my breath catch before anything even happens.
Noah shifts first, nearly bouncing in place. “Okay, ready?” he calls up to Jackson.
Jackson squeezes my hand once. “Ready.”
The boys flip their signs over at the same time.
Noah’s says in big, shaky letters: Will you marry our Daddy?
Liam’s is covered in bright colors and stars, the words: Say yes! scrawled across the middle.
A stunned sound escapes me—half gasp, half sob.
The entire world goes completely still.
My knees buckle, and I have to curl my fingers around the porch railing to keep from sinking to the ground.
I feel Jackson move beside me, but I can’t tear my eyes off the boys, who are now grinning so hard they look like they might burst.
My vision blurs, tears burning hot at the edges.
When I finally manage to look at Jackson, he’s already down on one knee.
His eyes lock onto mine—open, steady, a little vulnerable, and so achingly sure.
“Ava,” he says, voice low but clear, “I’ve loved you my whole damn life, in one way or another. You’re my heart, the mother of my future child, and the one who makes this house feel like a home.”
He swallows, his fingers tightening around a small black velvet box.
“You’ve taken care of us, loved us. Let us love you. And I can’t imagine my life, any of it, without you.”
He opens the box, revealing a simple but beautiful ring that catches the late afternoon light.
“Will you marry me?” he asks.
Everything inside me shatters and knits back together all at once.
I drop to my knees in front of him, my hands shaking as I cup his face.
“Yes,” I breathe out, tears spilling down my cheeks. “Yes. Yes, of course.”
Jackson’s arms wrap around me, pulling me in so close it feels like we might never come apart again.
The boys cheer from the steps, whooping and jumping like they’ve just won a championship.
Somewhere behind us, Miss Taylor is clapping and wiping her eyes.
Jackson presses his forehead to mine, breathless and grinning. “You sure?” he teases, his voice rough.
I laugh through my tears, kissing him hard. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
Around us, the world spins with laughter and bright summer light.
And for the first time in a long time, everything feels exactly, perfectly right.
We stay there for a long moment, tangled together on the porch, the boys bouncing around us in pure, unfiltered excitement.
Noah is the first to barrel into us, nearly knocking me off balance as he throws his arms around me. “You said yes! You said yes!” he shouts, his voice cracking with joy.
Liam wedges in on the other side, hugging Jackson and then me, his eyes wide and shining. “Now you’re really part of the family forever,” he says, like it’s the most important fact in the entire world.
Jackson takes my hand as he glances at the boys. “Couldn’t have done it without you two,” he tells them, his voice thick.
Miss Taylor steps closer, eyes red-rimmed but glowing. She crouches to wrap the boys in a hug, then gives me a quick, grounding squeeze that somehow says everything without a single word.
When she pulls back, her gaze flicks to the ring on my hand. “Beautiful,” she murmurs softly.
I glance down at it, still half disbelieving. The way it glints in the light is like something out of a dream.
Jackson pulls me in again, pressing a kiss to my forehead. I close my eyes against the sudden rush of emotion flooding through me.
In the background, the boys are already arguing about who gets to draw the next sign for the wedding, their voices already drifting toward wild ideas about dragons and hockey sticks.
I laugh, my chest aching in the best way, as I turn into Jackson’s embrace.
“This is really happening,” I whisper, the words slipping out before I can think.
He pulls back just enough to meet my gaze, his eyes steady and impossibly soft.
“It’s happening,” he says firmly. “All of it. You, me, the boys… the baby.” His hand drifts to my stomach, and the warmth in his eyes makes my heart feel too big for my ribs.
I cover his hand with mine, my throat catching as I nod. “I can’t wait to marry you,” I say, my voice cracking on the last word.
He smiles then, that real, unguarded smile that I’ve always loved most, and leans in to kiss me again.
Around us, the afternoon light softens into gold, the air buzzing with the easy chaos of family and love and all the tiny pieces that make a life.
For a moment, it all feels impossibly simple.
And as I rest my head against Jackson’s shoulder, the boys still shrieking and running circles around us, I realize:
I’m finally exactly where I’m meant to be.