Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Noah
“Dude, why are you smiling like that? You look like a crazy person.” Esteban strides into the bathroom I’m currently gutting.
I pause mid-swing, lowering the hammer to my side before turning to face my best friend.
Esteban leans against the doorframe, one eyebrow raised, his usual smirk plastered across his face.
He wasn’t supposed to be here today—he’d mentioned something about catching up on paperwork at the office—so seeing him now catches me off guard.
“Good to see you too,” I say, grinning despite myself.
Esteban narrows his eyes and crosses his arms. “Nah, man, this isn’t normal. You’re smiling like you won the lottery or something. Spill it.”
I shake my head, but there’s no hiding the truth. I’ve been on cloud nine since I woke up this morning with Josy in my arms. Last night was... incredible. More than incredible. It was life-changing. I’ve never felt so close to someone, so completely connected.
“I guess I’m just having a good day,” I reply, returning to the demolition work, but the grin on my face refuses to fade.
Esteban isn’t buying it. “A good day? You’re grinning like a fool while tearing out tile. Either you hit your head, or something happened. My money’s on the second one.”
I sigh, finally setting the hammer down. There’s no point in trying to dodge Esteban’s curiosity; he’s like a dog with a bone. “Fine,” I say, leaning against the countertop. “I’m just... happy, man. Things are finally falling into place.”
Esteban’s smirk widens. “Oh, I get it now. This is about Josy, isn’t it?”
The mention of her name makes my chest tighten with a warmth I can’t describe. I nod, unable to suppress the stupid smile that’s probably still plastered across my face.
“I knew it,” he says, clapping his hands together. “You finally got your girl! Took you long enough.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Yeah, we finally talked. Last night was... everything I ever hoped for.”
Esteban lets out a low whistle. “Damn, so that’s why you’re walking around like you just found the meaning of life. Good for you, man.”
“She’s everything. I’ve never felt this way before, and now that we’re finally together, I don’t ever want to let her go.”
Esteban gives me a genuine smile, something rare for him. “That’s what I like to hear. So, what’s next? You planning to pop the question before or after Everly arrives?”
I laugh, but the thought lingers in my mind. “One step at a time,” I say, though deep down, I know he’s not far off. “But if I’m really honest, I’d marry Josy today.”
Esteban raises an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. “Really? Then what’s stopping you?”
I pause, running a hand through my hair. “I don’t know if Josy even wants to get married. We talked last night, and we’re clear about being a family, but we never mentioned marriage.”
Esteban tilts his head, giving me a look that says I should’ve thought this through already. “Then you’ve just gotta talk to her about it. Ask her. Dude, we’re not getting any younger, and you guys are having a baby. Plus, I’m guessing you already told her you love her, right?”
I nod. “Yeah. I told her last night, and she said she loves me too.”
“Well, there you go. That settles it,” Esteban says with a shrug.
“Find a ring and propose. Do it whenever you feel like it’s the right time.
What’s the worst that could happen? She says no?
” He snorts, shaking his head. “But let’s be real—she won’t.
I’d bet anything Josy wants to be with you.
She loves you, Noah. You’ve got nothing to lose. ”
His words hit me square in the chest, and I realize he’s right. Josy and I have already crossed every hurdle that tried to keep us apart. We’re building a life together, one that feels solid and unshakable. Maybe it’s time to make it official.
“You know,” I say, picking up the hammer again, “you’re annoying as hell sometimes, but occasionally you make a good point.”
Esteban laughs, clapping me on the shoulder. “That’s what I’m here for. Now, get back to work, lover boy. I don’t want to explain to the boss why you’re daydreaming about your future wife instead of finishing this bathroom.”
“I’m the boss, you fucker!” I say as I chuckle. Shaking my head, I turn back to the wall, but the idea of proposing to Josy settles in my mind. It doesn’t feel like a matter of if anymore, but when.
This morning had been hard, leaving her curled up in bed while I got ready for work felt like tearing myself in half. I’d wanted nothing more than to crawl back under the covers, hold her close, and never leave. But work called, and I didn’t want to wake her, so I wrote her a note instead.
As I think about it now, my phone buzzes in my pocket. Pulling it out, I see a message from Josy.
Josy: Your note made my morning. I love you.
I can’t help but grin again, completely ignoring Esteban’s exaggerated groan as I text her back.
Me: Love you more.
“There he goes,” Esteban mutters, throwing his hands in the air. “Totally whipped.”
“Damn right I am,” I reply, shoving my phone back into my pocket and picking up the hammer again. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
A few hours later, I’m standing on the roof of the property we’ve been working on this week. Once I finished gutting the bathroom, I left the crew to start on the rebuild while I moved on to the next task. Now, I’m here checking the roof to make sure it doesn’t need replacing.
The sun is relentless today, beating down on me with enough force to make my shirt stick to my back. Sweat drips from my brow as I wipe my face with the sleeve of my shirt. Even with the heat, the height, and the precarious footing, my thoughts keep drifting.
Esteban is down below, leaning against the truck. “You’re gonna cook up there, man! Why don’t you come down and take a break before you fry your brain?” he hollers, grinning up at me.
I wave him off. “Five more minutes! I’m almost done up here.”
He mutters something I can’t hear, probably calling me stubborn, but I don’t bother responding. My phone vibrates in my pocket, the sudden buzz pulling my focus.
I freeze. Josy. It has to be her, we have been texting all day. She’s constantly been on my mind, and the thought of receiving another text sends a jolt of excitement through me. Without thinking, I shift my weight and start to reach for my phone.
“Hey, you better not be texting on the roof!” Esteban shouts, laughing, but I barely register his words. My fingers brush the edge of my phone, my mind already racing with what she might’ve said.
Then, in slow motion, it happens.
My boot catches on a loose shingle, and suddenly, the solid surface beneath me gives way. The world tilts as my balance disappears, and for a split second, there’s nothing but air.
“Noah!” Esteban’s voice cuts through the panic as I tumble backward, gravity pulling me hard and fast.
I hit the edge of the roof first, the impact jolting through my body before I continue to fall. My hands are flailing, trying to find purchase on something. Anything. The ground rushes up to meet me, and then everything goes black.