Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Josy
The soft click of the living room clock fills the quiet space around me as I glance at my phone for what feels like the hundredth time.
Noah texted me an hour ago to say he’d be leaving the Tavern soon.
My heart races at the thought of him walking through that door, his presence filling the room like it always does.
Today has been nothing short of a whirlwind. My thoughts keep drifting back to Violet’s words, her radiant smile when she told me the news. “I’m pregnant,” she said, and for a second, the world stopped spinning. Violet. My best friend. Our babies are going to grow up together.
The joy bubbling in my chest is almost too much to contain. I’ve been replaying the moment all day, every detail etched into my memory; the excitement in her voice, the tears in her eyes, the way she hugged me like we were the only two people in the world.
But it’s not just Violet’s news that has me on edge tonight.
Today, I had one of the most important conversations of my life with my therapist Dr. Bennett. For the first time, I said the words I’ve been too scared to admit, even to myself.
“I love him,” I told her. “I’ve always loved him. And I think I’m ready.”
Dr. Bennett’s warm smile and gentle encouragement still echo in my mind. “It’s okay to feel scared, Josy. But it sounds like you’ve already made up your mind. Taking a leap of faith isn’t about not being afraid. It’s about trusting that the person you’re leaping toward will catch you.”
I know she’s right. Noah will catch me. He always has, even when I wasn’t sure I wanted him to.
My fingers trail absently along the edge of the throw pillow on the couch as I think about everything I want to say to him tonight.
I’m ready to leave my doubts behind and stop letting fear hold me back from the happiness I know is waiting for me.
I’m ready to tell Noah the truth, not just about how I feel now, but about how I’ve always felt.
I’ve been in love with Noah for as long as I can remember. Even when I tried to convince myself otherwise. Even when I pushed him away, thinking it was for the best. Deep down, I’ve always known.
And tonight, I’m going to tell him.
I’ve imagined this moment so many times, but now that it’s here, I feel a mix of nervous anticipation and calm certainty. In three and a half months, our daughter will be here. She deserves to be born into a world where her parents are together.
A knock at the door startles me out of my thoughts. My heart leaps as I stand, smoothing my hands over my dress. This is it. “Get ready, Everly. Mommy is going to have a serious talk with Daddy,” I say as I rub my belly on my way to the door.
When I open the door, Noah’s standing there looking a little tired but undeniably handsome.
His black shirt clings to him, and his work pants are streaked with dirt from whatever project had his attention earlier.
His cap is backward, stray pieces of hair curling against his forehead.
Even like this—especially like this—this man makes my insides twist in the most delicious way.
How is it possible for someone to be so effortlessly gorgeous?
“Hey, sweetheart,” he says, leaning down to kiss my cheek, his voice as smooth and warm as the night air.
“Hey,” I manage, my voice softer than I intended.
His gaze lingers on me, curiosity flickering in his eyes. “You okay? You look… different.”
I smile, my heart swelling. “I’m more than okay. I need to talk to you, though.”
He steps inside, slipping off his boots by the door. “Alright. What’s on your mind?”
I take a deep breath, my fingers trembling slightly as I reach for his hand. But before I can speak, Noah tilts his head, his brow furrowing slightly. “Hold up. You knew Violet is pregnant and didn’t want to tell me?”
A laugh bubbles up, and I shake my head. “It was a surprise! I didn’t want to ruin it for Austin.”
“You could’ve given me a hint,” he says, his tone a mix of mock exasperation and genuine amusement. “Esteban and I spent the day thinking the worst. Austin was so cryptic in his texts.”
I press my lips together to hold back a laugh but fail miserably. “You’re right. I probably should have. But you should’ve seen Violet, she was so excited for Austin to tell you guys himself. It was worth it, wasn’t it?”
He gives me a look, then sighs, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Yeah, it was. But still, a heads-up would’ve been nice.”
I laugh, imagining Esteban’s over-the-top reactions. “Well, now you know, and you’re going to be an uncle again. It’s pretty great news, don’t you think?”
His eyes soften, and he gives my hand a gentle squeeze. “Yeah, it is. But don’t think this gets you off the hook. Next time, I expect a warning if Austin starts acting mysterious again.”
“Deal,” I say, grinning up at him.
The moment stretches between us, charged with anticipation as we walk to the living room. Noah glances at me curiously, his brow slightly furrowed. We sit on the couch, the muted TV casting soft light across the room. I fiddle with the hem of my dress, my pulse thrumming in my ears.
“Okay,” I begin, taking a deep breath. “So I’ve been thinking a lot about this.”
“You’re scaring me, sweetheart,” Noah says, his nervous smile not quite reaching his eyes.
“There’s something I need to confess.”
“Okay.” His voice steady, though his gaze sharpens with curiosity.
“You asked me a long time ago why I ghosted you all those years ago.”
“Yes, I remember. You already told me.”
“I told you half of the truth,” I admit, my throat tightening.
“What’s the other half I don’t know?”
I look down at my hands, bracing myself.
“That day at the Tavern, I decided I was going to kiss you. I didn’t have the words to tell you I was madly in love with you.
So I thought if I just went there and kissed you, you’d get the hint.
We’d been talking on the phone for so long, and you were always flirting so I thought you felt the same. ”
Noah’s eyes widen, a flicker of realization crossing his face. “Oh, I get it now—”
I press my finger to his lips, silencing him. “Let me finish.”
He nods, his lips brushing against my finger as I pull it away.
“So when I got to the Tavern,” I continue, my voice trembling, “I saw you there with that girl. She was gorgeous, I remember everything about her. She was the opposite of me in every way. And you were all over her. I couldn’t believe it.
I was shocked. Then you said I was your friend, that you saw me like a sister, and it broke me. ”
My voice wavers, the tears I’ve been holding back threatening to spill. “Imagine me standing there, watching the love of my life kissing and touching someone else. I just couldn’t handle it. I left and told myself I didn’t want to see you ever again.”
The tears come now, unstoppable. I swipe at them furiously, but Noah leans forward, his large, calloused hands gently wiping them away. His touch is tender, his expression raw.
When I finally meet his gaze, I see the tears in his eyes too. “Sweetheart,” he whispers, his voice cracking, “you don’t know how sorry I am.”
“I know,” I say softly, my chest heaving with the weight of my confession.
“It wasn’t your fault. You never made any promises to me.
It was all in my head. But I need you to know that I’ve always been in love with you.
Since ninth grade, when I saw you in the hallway walking with Austin and Esteban.
It’s always been you. Even when you dated my friends and I was dying of jealousy, it was you. ”
“Oh, baby,” Noah murmurs. In one swift motion, he pulls me onto his lap, cradling me like something precious. He brushes my curls back, tucking them behind my ear, his fingers lingering against my skin.
“Josselyn, I need you to listen to me. Can you do that?” This is extremely serious; he just said my full name, something that never happens. No one calls me Josselyn, but I nod, wiping at his tears even as he brushes away mine.
“It’s only ever been you for me too,” he says, his voice firm and full of conviction. “I flirted with you and talked to you every day because I knew early on you were it for me. But I thought you didn’t see me the same way. You were this gorgeous, perfect girl, and I didn’t think I had a chance.”
My breath catches at his words, my heart squeezing painfully.
“So, I slept around,” he continues, his voice tinged with regret.
“Always with women who were the opposite of you. I know it’s not an excuse, but it’s my truth.
When you ghosted me, I thought it was a sign I needed to let you go.
I tried so hard to talk to you, but you shut me out completely.
If I could go back, I would. If that night you’d given me that kiss, I would’ve died on the spot.
You don’t know how many times I imagined it. ”
He takes a shaky breath, his hands gripping my waist as if grounding himself.
“I spent the next ten years regretting not telling you how I felt. When I got near you again last year, I decided enough was enough. I wanted you, and I wasn’t going to let you ignore me anymore.
So I came up with the plan to annoy you because that was the only way to make you talk to me. And it worked.”
I let out a soft laugh through my tears, wrapping my arms around his neck. “It did. You’re impossible to ignore.”
Noah smiles, pressing his forehead to mine. “I’ll never let you go again, sweetheart. Not now. Not ever.”
He smiles, his forehead still pressed to mine, and I feel his breath against my lips.
The moment feels fragile, yet so powerful that it seems like the world has narrowed down to just the two of us.
He shifts slightly, his hand gently cupping my cheek, his thumb brushing away the remnants of my tears.
Leaning in, his lips a whisper away from mine. “I love you, Josselyn,” he says softly, his voice filled with unshakable certainty. “I’ve always loved you, and I want to spend the rest of my life loving you and our Everly.”
Before I can respond, his lips claim mine in a kiss so intense it steals my breath. It’s not just a kiss—it’s everything. It’s a promise, a declaration, a culmination of years of longing and unspoken words.
My world tilts on its axis as if everything I thought I knew has shifted, leaving me floating in a happiness I never imagined possible. I lose myself in the moment, in him. His arms wrap around me, holding me close, and my hands find their way into his hair, tugging him impossibly closer.
We kiss like we’re starving, like we’ve been waiting a lifetime for this. His lips move against mine, tender yet demanding, pouring everything he feels into this single act. And I meet him with the same intensity, the same hunger, the same need.
After what feels like forever and no time at all, I pull back just enough to whisper, “I love you too, Noah. With all my heart.”
His eyes lock onto mine, and the emotion in them makes my heart swell. He presses his forehead against mine again, his voice barely audible as he murmurs, “You have no idea how happy you’ve made me, sweetheart.”
Tears brim in my eyes again, but this time, they’re tears of pure joy. In this moment, everything feels perfect, like we were always meant to find our way back to each other.