Chapter Fifty
Caleb
After talking to Colt, we organized a welcome-home party for Annie at the manor in Oxfordshire.
Everything’s ready.
The food is laid out, drinks are chilled, and Indi has helped me with every last detail.
Everyone’s here except for Annie and the family, who went to pick her up from the hospital. Dee texted a few minutes ago to say they were turning into the street, so they should be here any second.
“You okay, babe?” Indi asks, slipping her hand into mine. “You look nervous.”
“I am.” I glance around the room one last time. “I just want Annie to know how loved she is. Her birth mother turned out to be the wicked witch from hell, and I want her to remember that this…” I gesture around the room. “This is what family looks like.”
Indi grins. “I’m so proud of you.” She steps closer. “You could’ve let all of this crush you, but instead you’ve turned it into something beautiful. Annie’s going to remember this for the rest of her life.”
I take her hand. “You’re my rock, you know that?”
She gives me a gentle nudge. “I think we’re each other’s.”
The front door clicks shut.
Conversation dies instantly.
Everyone falls silent.
A moment later, footsteps approach.
I glance around the kitchen.
Chad is standing beside his parents, with Aston’s mum and dad. Annie’s grandparents are here, and Nan hasn’t stopped smiling since she saw Indi. She always adored her.
The kitchen door swings open… Annie, Aston, Ella, Colt, and Dee step inside.
“Surprise!” Everyone cheers.
Annie’s eyes go wide before a smile slowly spreads across her face. “Oh my God…”
Indi is the first to reach her. “Oh, Annie, we’re so glad you’re okay.”
Annie’s eyebrows shoot up. “Pixie?”
I laugh and pull Annie into a hug. “When Rob told me what happened, I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” I squeeze her tightly. “So we figured we’d remind you that you’ve got a whole army behind you.”
She hugs me back just as tightly. “Thanks, Caleb.” She leans closer. “Indi’s here?”
I grin and nod.
She pulls away before immediately wrapping Indi in another hug. “It’s so good to see you, Pixie.”
Indi laughs. “No, Annie. It’s good to see you.” She steps back. “ I asked about your referral… your thumb should heal perfectly. You’ll be back playing before you know it, so don’t stress about the band.”
Relief washes across Annie’s face. “Thank you.” She turns to everyone gathered around. “Seriously… thank you all for coming. I really needed this.”
“You’re family, Annie,” Anna says warmly, and everyone murmurs their agreement.
“We love you, Annie,” Sia adds.
Annie smiles through misty eyes.
“Come on,” Dee says, clapping her hands. “Let’s all sit and eat?” Dee suggests.
Everyone begins moving towards the dining table, but something catches Annie’s attention, and she looks at Aston.
He looks pale.
Really pale.
“Shit.” She reaches up to touch his face. “Ast… are you okay? Is your head hurting?”
He swallows.
“Ast… talk to me.”
Instead of answering, Aston clears his throat. “Can I have everyone’s attention for a second?”
The room falls silent.
I exchange a confused look with Indi as Aston turns to Colt.
“Okay… so there’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” he begins, his voice steady despite the nerves I can see written all over him.
“I always thought I’d wait for the perfect moment…
but after everything that’s happened, I realize there’s no such thing.
Life’s too short to wait.” He steps forward slightly.
“Colt,” he says, meeting Colt’s eyes. “I know we’ve had our moments, but I respect you more than anyone.
You’ve raised Annie into this incredible woman…
strong, talented, beautiful, and I’m completely in love with her.
” Annie’s breath catches. “Nearly losing her…” He exhales sharply.
“That was the worst moment of my life. I don’t ever want to imagine a world without her in it, especially not a world where she’s not with me.
” Colt watches him closely. “So,” Aston continues, his voice lowering just slightly.
“I’m asking you… for permission to ask Annie to marry me. ”
My eyebrows shoot up when Colt nods his head.
Well… didn’t see that coming.
I wrap my arms around Indi from behind as Aston pours his heart out to my cousin. Without thinking, my thumb brushes over the wedding ring hidden beneath Indi’s fingers.
Only two days ago…
This beautiful woman became my wife.
Indi leans back into me ever so slightly, and I know she is remembering it too.
We still haven’t told anyone.
Apart from Mum, Dad, and Rob, nobody has a clue.
But today isn’t about us.
Today belongs to Annie.
We have the rest of our lives.
What’s another day?
Colt glances at Dee, who’s already crying, then over to Anna and Johnny, who are smiling so widely it’s infectious. Finally, he looks at Annie, then back to Aston. “She’s twenty,” Colt says.
“D-Dad!” She protests, her voice breaking.
Colt chuckles softly. “She might be twenty,” he says. “But I’ve watched you two your entire lives. And what you have…” He shakes his head. “It reminds me of Dee and me. The way you look at each other… you can’t fake that kind of love.”
My chest tightens, but in the best way. Because I know that kind of love too, because I have it with Indi.
“So, if she’ll have you…” He claps Aston on the shoulder. “Go for it, son.”
Aston turns to Annie, and I see the devotion in his eyes. He takes Annie’s hand and drops to one knee. Everyone gasps, especially Annie, as tears flood her eyes.
“Annie,” he says softly, holding her hand like it’s the most important thing in the world.
“We’ve grown up together. We’ve been through everything…
good and bad, and no matter what, we always find our way back to each other…
Because we’re meant to,” he continues. “I’ve known since I was five that I was going to marry my best friend.
” He smiles slightly. “But you’ve become so much more than that.
You’re everything to me… my best friend, my partner, my home.
” Tears blur her vision. “You make my life better just by being in it, and I don’t ever want to do this without you.
We’re young, yeah, but we know what we want.
And I want you!” His voice softens. “I want forever with you.” He pulls out a ring box.
“I want mornings with you, nights with you, every moment in between. I want to build a life with you… a family with you.” He opens the box.
The ring catches the light, breathtaking and perfect. “Will you marry me?”
Tears stream down Annie’s face as she stares at him, at the ring, at everything he’s offering her.
“Annie?” Aston smiles nervously.
“Mmm?”
The room bursts into laughter.
Apparently, she’d forgotten to answer and missed the question the first time.
“So…” Aston laughs. “Will you marry me?”
“Oh!” She presses a hand over her mouth. “Shit, yes!” She laughs through tears. “Of course it’s yes. A million times yes!”
Cheers erupt around the room.
Aston scoops her into his arms and spins her around while everyone claps and whistles.
Seeing Annie smile like that after everything she’s endured…
It’s exactly what she deserves.
Indi turns toward me, and I kiss her softly. Without drawing attention, she slips her left hand between us and raises an eyebrow.
I know exactly what she’s asking.
Quietly, I slide my wedding band from my finger.
She removes hers too before tucking them safely into her handbag.
Not today.
Today belongs to them.
Annie suddenly barrels into me, throwing her arms around my neck. “Cuz!” She beams. “I just saw you kissing.” She narrows her eyes. “You two are back together, aren’t you?”
Indi answers before I can, “Yes, we’re back together.” She grins so wide. “Annie… you just got engaged!” Indi states the obvious.
“I know!” Annie practically bounces. “I can’t believe it.”
She hugs Indi again. “I know you two will get there one day too.”
I have to bite the inside of my cheek.
If only she knew.
Annie whispers something into Indi’s ear before darting off to hug someone else.
Indi laughs a little too awkwardly.
“What did she say?”
She immediately shakes her head. “Nope.”
Before I can push further, Aston walks over. “Thank you.” He offers me his hand. “If you hadn’t talked some sense into me at Colt’s party…” He glances toward Annie. “Today probably wouldn’t have happened.”
I shake his hand. “You and Annie were always meant to find your way back to each other.”
Aston looks over at Indi. “So… you and Pixie good now?”
“We’re good.” I grin. “I’ve got a lot to tell you.” I glance toward Annie. “But today isn’t the day.”
He nods. “Fair enough. I’ve got a fiancée waiting for me.”
I clap him on the back. “Go get her, rockstar.”
Dad appears beside me, slipping an arm over my shoulders. “So…” He smirks. “Going to tell everyone about you and Indi?”
I shake my head. “No.”
I watch Annie laughing across the room. “They have earned this moment. Indi and I have the rest of our lives.”
Another day won’t hurt.
“You’re a great kid,” Dad says. “You care about Annie like she’s your sister. I’m proud of you.”
His words settle somewhere deep in my chest. “Thanks, Dad. That means a lot.”
Indi wanders over, and Dad’s smile widens. “You know, Macy’s already wondering when we’re going to hear the pitter-patter of little feet.” Indi immediately blushes. “Just a heads-up so you know what’s coming.”
“We’ll see,” Indi says with a nervous laugh.
Dad winks at me. “Just be prepared. Macy won’t let it go.” He wanders off, leaving me to wrap my arms around Indi, and I bury my face in her hair.
“Don’t worry, babe. We don’t have to think about babies just yet.”
She chuckles. “Well…” She looks up at me. “Actually, there’s something I need to tell you.”
Every muscle in my body stiffens. “Indi?”
She pauses just long enough to make my heart stop. “I’m late.”
“Okay… how late?”
“About two and a half months.”
For a second… my brain refuses to process the words.
“Wait…” I stare at her. “So when I came home during the tour…”
“I should’ve gotten my period then.”