“You etched the name?” I ask, voice raspy. And I know this is such a simple thing, and it shouldn’t be affecting me this much…
But it’s permanence.
Raewyn is going to hang that tree somewhere, my name attached to it like I always belonged, like I have a place in this house, with this family—something the people who share my blood never bothered to give me.
Braxton murmurs in my ear, “No matter what happens with you and me, you’re part of this now.”
I choke down the emotions, too overwhelmed to speak as I look across the table and catch Raewyn’s eye.
She gives me a brief nod, understanding without words as she turns to Stephen, changing the subject. “The only thing that would make this present better is if my air fryer magically turned back up.” She raises her eyebrows pointedly. “You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you, husband of mine?”
Stephen does one slow blink, his mouth not even twitching. “I think this would look good in the living room.” He points at the tree. “Right across from the couch, where everyone can see it. What do you think, my love?”
Raewyn clucks her tongue, but her eyes are shining with mirth. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”
Stephen leans down, pressing a smacking kiss to her cheek. “Give me another thirty years, and then some more.”
The truck rumblesto a slow stop outside my house. Braxton cuts the engine, leaving us in silence as I stare out the window at the darkened house, only the security light above the door lighting up the night.
This house is everything I dreamed it would be, but I can’t help imagining a time when Braxton and I would have been coming home together…not just him dropping me off.
He sits back, his elbow on the door and head turned toward me. “You okay, Rumpel?” he asks softly. “You’ve been quiet for the last hour.”
I twist my fingers in my lap. “Did you ever think we’d end up here like this?”
His eyebrows draw together. “How do you mean?”
I wet my dry lips, trying to sort through the words in my head. “A year ago, I was picturing this future between us, you know? And now…”
Braxton looks away, stare moving to the house that was supposed to be ours. “Yeah.” It’s a whisper, so low that I almost don’t hear it.
“Do you think it’s lost?”
He doesn’t look at me, his expression solemn. “I don’t know. I live with this hope that it’s not.” He rubs two fingers over his jaw, his expression thoughtful. “I used to think I knew everything, that the world was just in the palm of my hands.”
“Arrogant,” I murmur.
“You’re not wrong. I felt invincible. I met you, and it cemented that I was on the right path and that I was making the right choices.” He looks at me then, his expression sincere. “In just one month, I made every single wrong choice I possibly could. I hurt you in a way I neverimagined hurting anyone. I hurt my family, my friends, myself.”
Each word sends an ache pulsing through my chest. “Arrogant,” I repeat, and a dry laugh escapes him.
“Arrogant, and unbelievably stupid at the same time.” Braxton reaches over, capturing my hand in his and tangling his fingers with mine. “I’m learning, though.”
I stare down at his tanned hand, the stroke of his fingers against my knuckles, the rough calluses on his palms. “I want to trust you again,” I say dispiritedly. “But I’m terrified that I’ll end up back where we were. How do I…”
His fingers tighten against mine. “I can’t answer that for you. I wish I could. All I can do is ask for you to give me time. You do that, and I’ll show up. I’ll prove to you every day that you’re making the right decision. I’ll be here, supporting you as much as you support me.” Braxton blows out a quiet breath, the night still and quiet around us. “One day, we might be challenged again. Maybe something similar, maybe something different. That’s when I’ll really show you I’ll never shut you out. I’ll never turn away again.”
I drop my free hand on top of our joined ones, clutching him tightly, desperate to believe in every word he’s giving me.
Braxton reaches out, cupping my face, thumb stroking my cheek. “You have me, Gracie. Whatever that looks like.” His eyes bounce between mine. “I know you’re scared, and we have so much more still to work through, but I told you, I’m fighting for us now. I’ll carry that on my shoulders until you’re ready to share it with me.”
I blink, but it does nothing to stop the tears that pool in my eyes. This whole night has been unexpected and emotional, and I wasn’t prepared. I didn’t have my guard up against it. It was supposed to just be Sunday dinnerwith Stephen and Raewyn, and it has turned into a situation where I can no longer ignore the writing on the wall.
“We do this on your time,” Braxton continues, voice determined. “I told you already, I’m not going anywhere. You just let me know when?—”
“Our date,” I blurt. “I’m ready.” I didn’t plan on saying these words, but they feel right.Hefeels right.
His head jerks back in surprise before a slow smile curls his mouth. “Yeah?” he breathes out. “You serious?”
