22. Gabby
I’d thought coming to Kentucky and meeting Olivia and her family would be hard, but from the moment we met, she’s been nothing less than amazing. I can see how she and Heath quickly became friends. Watching them together this evening, it was clear they love each other like siblings. I’m glad he had that kind of support while he was gone, serving his country away from his mom and the only people he’d ever known.
I feel a bit guilty about how jealous I’ve been. I have to let that go. It’s obvious Olivia and Zade mean a lot to Heath, and that he means a lot to them. There’s no way I’d want to step in and mess that up. They are his family, too.
Family.
Olivia and Dominic move together with ease, but I know from what Heath has shared with me, it hasn’t always been this way. They’ve had their ups and downs, too. Lacey was right—love is about choosing each other when the hard times come.
Can I see myself choosing Heath time and time again? Yes. There’s no doubt in my mind. I’d choose him a million times if it meant loving him for the rest of my life.
I wake to the smell of turkey roasting in the oven. Opening my eyes, I roll over and see Rosie is already up and out of the room. What time is it?
I reach for my phone on the nightstand, squinting when the bright light hits my eyes. Eleven o’clock. Shoot!
I jump out of the bed and rummage through my suitcase for my clothes. How did I sleep so late?
Finally dressed for the day, I follow the scent of delicious food and coffee back to the kitchen. I hear Heath and Olivia’s voices as I come down the hall and pause.
“Are you sure she’s ready for this?” I hear Olivia ask.
“I think so,” Heath says. “I’m ready.”
Olivia chuckles. “Yeah, but just because you’re ready doesn’t mean you’re on the same page. You have to communicate.”
I can hear him mumble something, but I don’t want to be caught eavesdropping. “What is that delicious smell?” I ask loudly as I step into the kitchen.
Olivia points to the counter. “We left you some breakfast options out, and there’s coffee in the pot. Cups are in the cabinet right above.”
“Thanks,” I say, grabbing a plate and filling it with fruit and a muffin. “Sorry I slept so late. Do you need help with anything?”
Heath hands me a cup of coffee and smiles. “I’m helping, you sit and eat, sleepyhead.” He kisses my forehead and motions toward the table.
I take a bite of muffin and groan.
“Someone was hungry,” I hear Olivia say, just before the doorbell rings. “That must be my parents. Heath, can you get the door?”
“Where is everyone else?” I ask between bites.
“Dominic, Rosie, and Zade are on a walk. Zade wanted to show Rosie how he can ride his bike now.”
“That’s sweet. I love how close the two of them are.” I stand and take my empty plate to the sink.
“Heath and his mom have been a godsend. I didn’t know what I was going to do when I found out I was pregnant. They stepped up and were by my side through it all.”
I nod. “They are really wonderful people; I’d expect nothing less.”
Olivia grimaces. “I’m just sorry you were hurt in the process.”
“Oh, you’re sweet. I wasn’t in a good place back then, but that was a long time ago.”
“For what it’s worth,” Olivia says. “Heath was devastated.”
I glance down the hall where Heath is approaching with an older couple. “I know.”
“Olivia, dear,” a well-dressed woman says. She has the neatest bob I’ve ever seen. “So glad we could make it.”
“Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad.” Olivia hugs them each in turn. “I’m glad you could come this year, too.”
“Where is our grandson?” her dad asks, looking around.
“He’s on a bike ride with Dom and his Grandma Rosie.” Olivia ignores the pinched expression on her mom’s face. “They should be back any minute. Let me introduce you.”
She motions toward me. “This is Gabby, Heath’s girlfriend. You know Heath. Gabby, this is my mom, Loryn and my dad, Alfredo.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say, holding my hand out to each of them. “You’ve raised a wonderful daughter.”
“Thank you,” Loryn says. “Olivia, what time will we be eating?”
“In an hour or so,” she says, checking the thermometer readout near the oven. “The turkey’s almost done.”
“Oh good,” her mom says. “We have drinks this evening with the Lamberts.”
The sound of the front door swinging open and the clomp of little running feet pull everyone’s attention from the food.
“Grandma, Grandpa, you’re here!” Zade comes to a stop just in front of his grandparents and waits for them to hug him.
“Nice to see you, Zade,” Alfredo says, patting him on the back.
“Want to see my tree house?” Zade asks.
“Come on,” Dominic says, leading the way to the back door. “I’ll get you set up on the porch and you can watch him play.”
Once everyone is outside, Olivia sags. “Every time,” she mutters.
“You okay?” I ask.
“Yeah. I don’t know why I was hoping they’d be less stiff with Zade once he was older. They haven’t ever been very affectionate people.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, thinking of my own mom. She was great when I was little, but as soon as she met her now-husband, I was left behind.
“It’s okay.” She turns and busies herself with the mashed potatoes.
Olivia is pulling the turkey from the oven when the doorbell rings again. “I’ll get it,” Dominic says, coming through the back door.
We hear him greet the newcomers and he leads them into the kitchen.
“My parents, Debbie and Marco,” he says, touching each of them on the shoulder. “This is Gabby, Heath’s girlfriend.” They smile and shake hands with everyone, then step outside and get tackled by Zade.
Once the greetings are over, Dominic ushers everyone into the dining room where the table is set and decorated to the nines and place cards have been set out. It’s beautiful. So beautiful I don’t want to sit down and mess it up.
“You’re by me,” Heath says, pulling out the seat between him and his mom.
Dominic and Olivia finish bringing the dishes to the table, and Dominic says the prayer. “Who’s ready to eat?” he asks.
“I am!” Zade’s hand shoots up into the air.
Everyone chuckles and before long, plates are filled and conversation starts flowing. It’s not as comfortable as being at Mrs. Chambers’s house, but I’ve known her most of my life, so that’s no surprise.
A tinkling of silverware on glass causes the conversation to stop abruptly. Standing, Dominic helps Olivia to her feet and pulls her close. Heath reaches for my hand under the table.
“Thank you all for joining us today. We’re thrilled our families could be here with us for Thanksgiving. Speaking of being thankful, we’d like to share some news.” He takes his time, looking at each of us. Zade is wiggling in his seat, still happily shoveling mashed potatoes and corn into his mouth.
“As you know, Olivia has decided to retire from the Army. Her contract will be up at the end of January.”
“About time,” her dad says, not so quietly.
Olivia looks like she might cry. I can understand why she’s found so much comfort in having Rosie as a surrogate mother and grandmother.
“Yes, well, that’s not the only news.” He pulls Olivia to him, planting a kiss on the top of her head. “We are expanding our family. Olivia is pregnant!”
To say the reaction was mixed would be an understatement. Her parents pushed back from the table, gathered their things and left without a word.
Dominic’s parents, on the other hand, were overjoyed at the thought of another little one to spoil, and when Rosie found out she’d be an honorary grandma again, she beamed like the North Star.
“Congratulations,” Heath says, hugging first Olivia and then Dominic. “I’m so excited to be an uncle again!”
“Who knows,” Dominic says. “Maybe your kids can play with our kids before too long.”
Heath looks at me and smiles. “Maybe.”
The rest of the afternoon is spent in easy conversation. Dominic’s parents get down on the floor and play dinosaurs with Zade, making everyone laugh. Heath is Zade’s personal jungle gym for a while, soaking up every last moment of time before we need to leave.
Unfortunately, that time comes sooner than anyone is ready for.
“Thank you for coming,” Olivia says, pulling me in for a hug. “I’ll be calling you and keeping tabs on this one.” She points to Heath and grins. “If he does anything stupid, you call me.”
I laugh. “I’m sure I won’t need to. He’s pretty perfect.”
“So does this mean we’ll be seeing more of you?” Dominic asks, walking us out to the car.
“Absolutely,” Heath says, wrapping his arms around me.
“Good,” Dominic says.
“Come on, Mom,” Heath calls. “We need to get going.”
“Aww,” Rosie and Zade call at the same time.
Pulling out of the driveway, it truly feels like leaving a bit of family behind. “Think they’d ever move to Piney Brook?” I ask.
“I already asked,” Rosie says from the back seat. “It wasn’t a no.”
Heath laughs. “That would require Dominic leaving the Army, but you never know. He should be up for retirement soon.”
For the first time in a long time, I feel like I have family. I glance across the car at Heath and smile. I think back to the years I was wrong about him because I was too hurt to see the truth. He broke up with me back then because he thought it was best for me. He helped Olivia because he cared more for her situation than he did for his own reputation. He consistently makes choices for the good of others, disregarding his own wishes. This is the man I want to marry.
I wouldn’t change the past if I could. It’s made us stronger. It’s crystal clear now—I want forever with this man. A man who does the right thing, even when it causes him pain.
My first love.
My one and only.