Chapter 32 Nina
NINA
The tour of Oliver and Candace’s new house proved what we already knew: they were exactly where they needed to be. The Ashford clan was gathered before the official start of Oliver and Candace’s housewarming party, as if everyone still needed solo family time to process the changes.
It was a fraction of the size of Dad’s former house, but it was still beyond impressive.
Instead of soaring ceilings and chandeliers, the home leaned more toward cozy comfort.
That meant an oversized white kitchen with enough bar stools to seat all of us and sliding doors that opened up to an abbreviated but still gorgeous back yard.
We were all gathered in the kitchen while Oliver and Candace reminded Noah and baby Sophia where their rooms were.
Because of course the doting grandparents had room to spare for their babies.
“I like it. They did a great job.” Harrison said. He looked around wearing a trace of a furrow, like it still pained him a tiny bit to admit that his father was better off with Candace in his life.
“It’s perfect,” Emilia agreed. “They seem really happy here.”
We all went quiet as we considered all of the changes we’d gone through during the move.
Yes, many tears had been shed as the reality set in that an era was ending, but the tears were a mix of happy and sad, an acknowledgment of new beginnings as well as final chapters.
Candace had walked the line between being present enough for Oliver as he moved on and stepping back when she sensed that the Ashford men needed time to cope with the changes.
And then there was the new reality for our little family.
Even though Noah had grown up spending time at his grandfather’s home, the shift to it becoming our home had caused some behavioral hiccups.
He’d woken up confused a few times and had wound up in our bed until morning, and then there was the day when Ariel went missing and we turned the place upside down looking for her, only to discover her napping in Noah’s closet.
Noah wasn’t the only one struggling at times to come to terms with all the upheaval.
On paper, moving into the Ashford Estate was like a fairy tale for me, especially after my transient life.
I finally had permanence. A home of my own.
But there were unexpected bumps in the road, like a minor skirmish about changing the paint color in the foyer and way too much conversation about swapping out the hardware in the kitchen.
I recognized that it was going to take time for Logan to come to terms with the fact that the house was a work in progress, not a monument to the past.
Yes, we’d had a few, uh, discussions, about making changes. The good news? We worked through the challenges as a team, and every discussion we had proved more and more that Logan was committed to treating me as an equal partner.
“Aw, look, the Ashford ladies are official,” Gwen pointed at a framed photo hanging on a gallery wall. “Like, solo official. Just us, no dudes. I love that picture—from the dress auction, remember?”
We all walked over to where she was standing to study the picture of the three of us in colorful gowns, arm in arm and grinning.
“That was a great night,” Drew mused. “You all did a phenomenal job. I can’t believe how much money those old dresses raised.”
“Excuse me? Old dresses?” Emilia gaped at him.
“Your mother had a treasure trove of timeless, classic couture.” She moved a few steps down the wall to point at an old photo of Oliver and Alicia in a showstopping red organza gown.
“Like this one. She championed McQueen before anyone had heard of him.”
Gwen nodded. “You wouldn’t believe how much that dress went for. The director of the women’s shelter cried when she heard what we raised.”
We all paused to study the various photos on the wall that showed the march of time.
The ones of each son as a newborn nestled in Alicia’s arms. The rough and tumble young years, awkward adolescence, graduation photos, awards, family vacations, galas, birthday celebrations.
The photo wall was an encapsulation of the Ashford family that celebrated the matriarch.
The fact that Candace only appeared in a few photos wasn’t lost on me.
I knew firsthand how involved she’d been in the renovations and interior design decisions.
This wasn’t a case of Oliver purposely leaving her out of the family lore.
It was her decision to step back and honor the woman who held such an important place in the family.
Gone, but never forgotten—and always loved.
Logan came up behind me and circled his arms around my waist. “That one’s my favorite.”
He pointed to a photo of the three of us that looked like it was from a professional photo shoot instead of a selfie on a random Saturday night at home.
We’d been snuggled on the couch watching a movie, and the quickly snapped black-and-white image somehow managed to capture a perfect moment in time.
Noah was dozing on my lap with my chin resting on top of his head, and Logan had his arms wrapped around us, wearing a contended grin of a man who had everything he could ever want.
If one photo could sum us up, it was this one, and I was honored that it had found a spot on the Ashford wall of fame.
Noah burst into the kitchen. “Daddy! Grandpa said we could put a bunk bed in my room if I ever get a brother!”
Everyone laughed. Noah had started his campaign for a sibling the moment we’d moved into our new home.
“Oh, did he?” Logan eyeballed his father as he walked into the kitchen, who put his hands in the air like he was innocent. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Yeah, your parents are probably working hard on making that dream come true,” Drew said. “Right? Putting in plenty of overtime, I’m sure.”
I blushed, because he was right.
“Hey, what about you two?” I asked, laughing. “Maybe it’s time for Winston the tortoise to have a sibling.”
“Maybe someday,” Emilia replied. She winked at Drew. “For now, I’m enjoying being a fun aunt.”
Candace joined us in the kitchen, looking lovely in a silky tangerine suit, not minding in the slightest that Sophia had drooled a little on her shoulder.
“Are we all here?” She glanced around at the group. “We have a special bottle of champagne for us.”
We followed her to where the caterers had arranged the stemware for the party. Oliver did the honors of cracking open the bottle and pouring glasses for everyone, including a glass of ginger ale for Noah.
Oliver raised his glass. “I want to make a toast. A thank-you, really. To all of you, for helping us get here. You did plenty of heavy lifting, from the emotional baggage to the literal stuff we tossed into the dumpster. I know it wasn’t easy, but I think it’s safe to say that we’re all where we belong now. ”
There were nods and murmurs of acknowledgment at the sentiment. Even Sophia cooed her agreement.
Oliver turned to Harrison and Gwen. “Cheers to my oldest son, who taught me how to be a father. I can’t tell you how much it means seeing the life you’re building with your family.
” He moved on to Drew. “And here’s to my middle son, who turned a moment of crisis into a beautiful new life with a woman who knows how to keep him in line, just like his mother used to do with me. ”
Emilia laughed softly and leaned against Drew. He kissed the top of her head.
“And finally, here’s to my youngest son, who has endured plenty of challenges and has emerged from them with a strength and clarity that will guide the rest of his life. Your family is a testament to the transformative power of love.”
Logan slid his arm around my waist and gave me a squeeze.
“Let’s raise a glass to the Ashford clan as it is now,” Oliver took Candace’s hand and kissed it, “and for what it will become as the years pass. I love all of you, so very much. Thank you for making me the luckiest man alive.”
He turned to Candace to clink glasses and give her a quick kiss. Sophia demanded one as well.
“Me, me, me, what about me?” Noah asked, jumping up and down with his glass of ginger ale nearly spilling.
Everyone laughed as they reached down to clink glasses with him one-by-one.
“The rest of the guests will be arriving shortly,” Candace said. “We just wanted to make sure to thank you all for everything you’ve done for us. It means so much.”
It still caught me off guard how quickly I’d come to feel at home among the Ashfords. I had a family and a bright future thanks to the people gathered in this room.
I glanced at Logan who was somehow managing to drain his champagne glass with one hand while twirling Noah with the other.
Before Logan and I had collided, I’d felt like I was lost at sea. What had seemed like a shipwreck at first had transformed into the happiest of accidents of my life, all thanks to the handsome sailor who couldn’t stop smiling at me.