35. Owen
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Owen
The house was finally starting to feel like home .
It had been weeks since we moved in, but I still wasn’t used to it.
The space. The quiet.
The way it felt to wake up every morning knowing that this— this —was our life now.
I leaned against the kitchen counter, a mug of coffee in my hands, watching as Aurora sat on the couch, barefoot, her legs curled up beneath her.
Her laptop balanced on one knee, a book open beside her, and one hand absently rubbing her growing belly.
It was hard to believe how much had changed in such a short time.
For so long, it had felt like we were fighting just to keep our heads above water. Fighting for the garage, for the bookstore, for this town.
Fighting for her.
Now? Now, we had this.
I didn’t know what to do with peace. It wasn’t something I was used to.
But watching Aurora in the soft morning light, her hair loose around her shoulders and her body comfortably settled into our home, I realized something.
Peace wasn’t so bad when you had the right people to share it with.
Mason strolled in from the hallway, stretching like he’d just rolled out of bed.
He snagged a piece of toast from Aurora’s plate, grinning when she swatted at his arm.
“Morning, babe,” he said, voice still rough with sleep.
Aurora didn’t look up from her laptop. “It was a good morning until someone stole my breakfast.”
Mason just smirked, leaning down to kiss the top of her head before flopping onto the couch beside her.
Ethan walked in a second later, already dressed for the day, phone in hand. “Hall just texted. Hank’s officially signed the paperwork to sell his remaining properties. He's out of Medford for good.”
Aurora glanced up, blinking in surprise. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” Ethan’s lips twitched, the closest thing to a smile he gave when he wasn’t being smug about something.
Mason let out a low whistle. “Damn. Should’ve thrown a party.”
I took a sip of my coffee, considering that. “He never would’ve come.”
Mason grinned. “Yeah, but it’d be fun to celebrate his downfall without him.”
Aurora laughed, shaking her head. “I still can’t believe it’s over.”
Neither could I, really.
The fight had been everything for so long. Now, we were here.
Living.
Aurora shifted on the couch, stretching, and the oversized sweatshirt she was wearing slid up just enough to reveal the curve of her belly.
Mason noticed it first.
His smirk softened as he reached over, resting his palm against her bump. “Getting bigger, huh?”
Aurora huffed. “Tell me about it. I feel like I popped overnight.”
I pushed off the counter and made my way toward them, standing behind the couch. I reached down, sliding my hand over Mason’s, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my palm.
It was still surreal.
A few months ago, she’d been a stranger to me.
Now, she was everything .
Ethan sat on the arm of the couch, his gaze flicking between us.
“You been feeling okay?” he asked her, ever the responsible one.
Aurora sighed dramatically. “Aside from the fact that your child has decided my bladder is a personal trampoline? Peachy.”
Mason chuckled. “Kid’s got my energy, obviously.”
Ethan rolled his eyes. “God help us all.”
Aurora reached for his hand, pulling him closer. “You wanna feel?”
Ethan hesitated, just for a second, before resting his palm against her belly.
A moment passed.
Then his brows lifted slightly. “That was a kick.”
Aurora beamed. “That was a kick.”
Mason whooped, grinning. “Damn right, kiddo. Show him who’s boss.”
Ethan smirked, but there was something softer in his expression when he pulled his hand away.
Like the reality of it was settling in.
Mason leaned back, stretching an arm over the back of the couch. “You know, we should probably start thinking about names soon.”
Aurora groaned. “I have so many names on a list already.”
Ethan raised a brow. “Let me guess, book characters?”
She stuck her tongue out at him. “Obviously.”
Mason rubbed his hands together. “All right, let’s hear ‘em.”
Aurora reached for her phone, scrolling through something. “Okay, so for boys, I like…”
I listened as she rattled off names, the warmth of her voice filling the room.
Mason was right.
We weren’t fighting anymore. We weren’t struggling to keep what was ours.
We were building something new. Something solid.
A home. A family. A future.
And for the first time in my life, I wasn’t afraid of what came next.
Aurora slipped her arms into her coat as we stepped out into the crisp morning air, the cool breeze making her hair dance around her face.
She looked up at me, a little amused, a little suspicious.
“You're being weird,” she said.
I pulled my truck keys from my pocket and gave her a look. “I’m always weird.”
She laughed, shaking her head. “No, this is different. You're up to something.”
I didn’t answer, just gestured toward the truck. “Come on. We’ve got somewhere to be.”
She raised a brow but didn’t argue.
The drive into town was quiet, but Aurora kept sneaking glances at me, trying to read whatever it was I wasn’t saying.
When we finally pulled up in front of Page Turners, she frowned.
“Owen,” she said slowly, looking at the darkened windows of her bookstore, “what are we doing here? Are you just dropping me off at work?”
I turned off the engine, unbuckling my seatbelt. “Go find out.”
Her frown deepened, but she pushed open the door, stepping out onto the sidewalk. I followed, staying just a step behind her.
The second she stepped inside, the lights flicked on.
And suddenly, the quiet bookstore wasn’t quiet at all.
“ Surprise !”
Aurora froze, eyes going wide as a sea of familiar faces filled the shop.
Lila stood front and center, grinning like she’d just pulled off the best plot twist of her career. Samantha and Beatrice stood beside her, both beaming. Nancy, Adam, Kai, and Samuel stood near the counter, alongside Morgan, Ethan, and Mason.
And behind them? Half the damn town.
Aurora blinked, looking completely overwhelmed. “What?”
Lila stepped forward, hands on her hips. “You didn’t really think we were gonna let Page Turners stay in shambles forever, did you?”
Aurora’s lips parted, but no words came out.
Samantha reached for her hands, squeezing them. “We all know how much this place means to you, sweetheart. To all of us.”
Beatrice nodded, her usual sharpness softened. “We came up with a plan.”
Aurora turned to me then, eyes shining with something I couldn’t quite name.
I shrugged. “Told you we had somewhere to be.”
Mason smirked from his spot near the front. “The bookstore’s getting a facelift. And the whole town’s chipping in.”
Aurora’s hands flew to her mouth, her breath hitching.
Nancy gestured toward a giant poster board near the register, covered in sketches, floor plans, and color samples. “We’ve got contractors lined up. Volunteers ready to work. Fundraisers planned. It won’t just be a bookstore anymore, Aurora. It'll be a landmark.”
Kai grinned, holding up a flyer. “We’re throwing a fundraising event next weekend—biggest one Medford’s ever seen. Live music, raffles, food. Every business in town is pitching in.”
Adam crossed his arms. “We figured, after everything you did to fight for this place, it was time someone fought for you.”
Aurora let out a choked sound, somewhere between a laugh and a sob. Her hands fell from her mouth, pressing against her growing belly as she looked at the people standing before her.
The people who had become her family.
“I…” Her voice cracked, and she shook her head. “I don’t even know what to say.”
Lila rolled her eyes. “ Thank you is a good start.”
Aurora let out a wet laugh, wiping at her cheeks. “Thank you. God, thank you.”
Morgan stepped forward, resting a gentle hand on Aurora’s shoulder. “You saved this town, Aurora. Now, we’re saving your bookstore.”
Aurora exhaled sharply, looking at all of us like she was trying to take in the weight of what this meant.
I watched as her fingers curled slightly over her stomach.
This place was more than a bookstore. It was her past, her present, her future.
And now?
It was hers to keep.
Aurora wiped at her damp cheeks, shaking her head in awe. “I don’t even know where to start.”
Lila smirked.
“Good thing we do.” She reached behind her and grabbed a clipboard, waving it in the air. “Because we’ve got a list of ideas, and you, my dear, are going to love them.”
Aurora let out a watery laugh as Samantha stepped up beside Lila, nodding enthusiastically. “We’re talking about a total refresh. Story time for kids, poetry nights, a book club. Events that bring people together, just like this place always has.”
Morgan gestured toward the plans. “We want to set up a cozy reading nook near the windows—comfy chairs, warm lighting. A place where people can escape into a book for hours.”
Aurora blinked at them, overwhelmed. “I love all of that.”
Nancy grinned. “And the best part? You don’t have to do it alone. We’ve all volunteered for different tasks. Beatrice is handling inventory updates, Lila’s spearheading event planning, and the boys have agreed to help with repairs.”
At that, Aurora’s gaze flicked toward us.
Mason waggled his brows. “That's right, babe. Your very own construction crew, ready to make some magic happen.”
Ethan crossed his arms, smirking. “It’s a miracle we let him hold a hammer.”
Mason scoffed. “Hey, I am excellent with tools, thank you very much.”
I shook my head, laughing softly before looking at Aurora. “We mean it, though. Whatever you need, we’re here.”
Aurora pressed a hand to her chest. “I don’t deserve any of this.”
Ethan’s expression softened. “You deserve all of it.”
Mason clapped his hands together. “And, because we’re not done with surprises yet,” He shot a look my way. “You wanna do the honors?”
I nodded, pulling a small envelope from my back pocket and handing it to Aurora. “This one’s just from us.”
Her brows knitted in confusion as she opened it.
She pulled out the papers inside, her breath catching as she scanned them.
I watched as her fingers trembled slightly, her eyes darting over the words—emails from publishers, contact information for agents.
Her head snapped up, her lips parted. “You?”
I nodded. “We reached out to some people. Got you started with contacts.”
Aurora covered her mouth, her breath shuddering. “I can’t believe you did this.”
Her gaze landed on me, something unspoken passing between us. I felt it in my chest, how much this meant to her.
She let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head. “You guys are ridiculous.”
Mason grinned. “Yeah, but you love us.”
She did.
God, she really did.
I watched as she pressed the papers to her chest, looking around at her bookstore, at all the people who had shown up for her.
Then, with a bright, teary-eyed smile, she said the only thing that mattered.
“Let’s do this.”