Jonah thanked the horses, the quiet mornings, the community that had given him purpose. Bear expressed gratitude for the practical things—a roof, good food, honest work. But his eyes darted to Lila as he mentioned finding reasons to look forward instead of back.
When it came to Jax’s turn, he pushed back his chair. It scraped loudly against the floor as he stood. The table went quiet, conversations trailing off as everyone turned to look at him. Something about his posture, the set of his shoulders, signaled this wasn’t a casual response.
Nessie looked up at him, brow furrowed in confusion. “Jax?”
His hands were shaking. Johanna noticed it immediately, the fine tremor running through his fingers as he cleared his throat. She glanced at Walker, who gave a small nod. He’d known this was coming.
“I’m grateful for a lot of things,” Jax began, his voice rough around the edges. He swallowed hard. “For Walker giving me a chance when no one else would. For every man at this table treating me like a brother instead of an ex-con. For this place, for what it’s given me.”
He paused, taking a deep breath. The room was so quiet Johanna could hear the tick of the kitchen clock, the soft crackle of the fire in the next room.
“But mostly,” Jax continued, “I’m grateful for Nessie and Oliver.” His gaze dropped to them, his expression open andvulnerable in a way Johanna had rarely seen. “For looking at me like I was worth saving. For giving me a family when I thought I’d never have one.”
Nessie’s eyes were wide, a flush spreading across her cheeks as she realized where this might be going. Oliver looked between them, picking up on the shift in energy even if he didn’t understand its cause.
Jax reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. Oliver’s eyes went wide as saucers, his mouth forming a perfect O of surprise.
Jax dropped to one knee beside the table, box held in his trembling hands. “I spent five years in prison believing I didn’t deserve a second chance. That I was too broken, too damaged, too dangerous to ever have something good.” His voice caught, and he had to clear his throat before continuing. “Then I came here. And you gave me a reason to be better, to fight my demons, to wake up every morning and try.”
Tears spilled down Nessie’s cheeks, tracking silently over her skin. She hadn’t moved, hadn’t spoken, her eyes fixed on Jax’s face.
“Nessie, I love you. I love Oliver. I want to spend the rest of my life proving I’m worthy of what you’ve given me.” He opened the box, revealing a simple ring with a small, bright stone. “Will you marry me?”
The room held its breath. Johanna felt tears prick her own eyes, her throat suddenly tight. Walker’s hand found hers again, squeezing gently.
Nessie slid from her chair, dropping to her knees in front of Jax. Her hands came up to frame his face, thumbs brushing away tears he hadn’t seemed to notice falling.
“Jax,” she said, her voice thick with emotion, “you don’t have to prove anything. You already are worthy. You’ve been worthy from the moment you chose to stay, to fight, to love usback.” She leaned forward, resting her forehead against his. “Yes. God, yes.”
They kissed, soft and sweet and full of promise. Johanna could see the tremble in both of them, the barely contained emotion.
Then Oliver launched himself from his chair with a shriek that might have shattered glass. “Does this mean Jax is gonna be my dad for REAL real?”
Jax broke away from the kiss, laughing through his tears as he pulled Oliver into their embrace. “I’m already your dad, buddy,” he said, voice breaking. “This just makes it official.”
The room erupted. Chairs scraped back as everyone rose, moving toward the newly engaged couple. River whooped loud enough to be heard in town. Jonah clapped Jax on the back, his own eyes suspiciously bright. Bear wrapped all three of them in a hug that lifted them off the ground.
Mariah dabbed at her eyes with her napkin while Tate watched the commotion with quiet delight. Lila hugged Nessie fiercely, whispering something that made her laugh through her tears. Even Ghost offered a rare smile, his arm around Naomi’s shoulders as they watched the celebration.
Johanna stayed in her seat, overwhelmed by the swell of emotion in her chest. Walker’s arm slipped around her, pulling her against his side. She looked up at him, saw the wetness in his eyes that matched her own.
“You knew,” she said, not a question.
Walker nodded, his gaze never leaving the celebration across the table. “He asked for my blessing last week. Said he couldn’t imagine proposing anywhere but here, with all of us.”
Johanna leaned into him, her head finding the familiar spot on his shoulder. “This is why we built Valor Ridge,” she murmured. “For moments like this.”
Walker pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “It’s more than I ever dared hope for.”
Across the table, Jax was sliding the ring onto Nessie’s finger, their foreheads pressed together again. Oliver bounced between them, his small face glowing with joy. The food sat forgotten, steam no longer rising from the dishes as the celebration continued.
“I think,” Walker said, his voice low enough that only she could hear, “we might need to warm up dinner before we eat.”
Johanna laughed, wiping tears from her cheeks. “Worth it.”
“Every bit,” Walker agreed. He raised his glass, the movement drawing everyone’s attention back to the head of the table. “To Jax and Nessie,” he called, his voice strong and sure. “To new beginnings. To family.”
The toast echoed around the table, glasses raised high. “To family!”
