First Surrender (Chance Encounters #3)

Chapter Fifty-Two

Natalie

“ D ec, we’re here.” The nerves in my stomach are wound tight, I haven’t been able to eat at all today. Dec’s in the backseat sleeping and I’m relieved for the silence. It’s been two months since I’ve pulled into this pristine driveway.

New York offered ample distractions but the time passed painfully, for me.

I got Dec into an almost free summer camp sponsored by a local church and being around other kids helped him immensely. He didn’t have the chance to let his thoughts run away with him.

He’s a brand new kid, and his joy for each day is bright and infectious, so far from how he felt right after we left Lawson.

Luckily, I was able to contact my former culinary school counselor and she helped me re-enroll to get my missing credits. While Dec was at camp every day, I finally finished my culinary certification.

We talked about everything but we talked about Jackson a lot. It took Dec a few weeks to admit it, but he missed him.

I missed him terribly.

Between my classes and taking care of Dec, I didn’t get many chances to talk to him without my brother’s ears listening in. Especially when it seemed like everything felt worse after each phone call.

My heartbreak was amplified by the distance, not knowing if our separation would end.

Every day, I wanted to tell him it was only temporary but the truth was that I didn’t know if it was. It was Dec’s decision. I had committed to sacrificing my feelings for my brother’s sake, even though I was crumbling inside.

But last week he admitted he wanted to see his friends at school again and didn’t want to enroll in New York. When I asked him about coming home to Jackson he only needed a day to think about it before giving me the okay.

He was ready to come back to our home, here.

My fingers fidget nervously on the steering wheel as I park in the same spot I used to. His spot is empty because I didn’t tell him we were coming. Part of me wanted it to be a surprise, the other part was afraid that he’d tell me not to come.

He could have changed his mind. He told me once that he didn’t want me running anymore and that’s exactly what we did. We left him.

Dec yawns dramatically, stretching out in the back seat. He’s grown at least an inch since we’ve been gone, I can only imagine how much faster he’ll grow in the coming years. He glances out the window toward the house but we both sit in thoughtful silence for a few more minutes.

He wanted to come home but I know this might be hard for him.

“I’ll go see if the door’s open, grab your bag from the trunk and meet me inside when you’re ready,” I tell him gently, pushing aside my own nerves.

My steps to the front door are hesitant.

I never had a key, I only ever used the keyless entry. What if he changed the code?

What if there is a woman here? It’s been two months, he could have moved on…

I punch in the only numbers I know and exhale roughly when the lock flips automatically.

I push the door open and it’s exactly the same, smells the same, and the kitchen looks untouched. It’s like coming home after a long vacation.

I creep down the hallway to my old room and pause in the doorway. The yellow room is as bright as it was before.

“Sissy, what is this?” Dec asks from beside me, near his old room. A large, plush, cushion sits on the ground next to the computer.

“It looks like a dog bed.” The words are barely out of my mouth before I hear the unmistakable sound of a dog scampering across the hardwood floors.

“I got a dog,” Jackson’s breathless voice announces from the end of the hallway. “I saw your car pull into the driveway on my cameras. I broke every speed limit to get here,” he admits.

He looks exactly the same, except maybe ten pounds lighter, as if he hasn’t eaten properly in two months.

I choke back a sob just thinking about him being all alone in this house without us. “I should have called…” I breathe with relief as he takes a hopeful step toward me.

Jackson. Our Jackson.

“I’m just glad you came.” He takes another hesitant step in my direction but stops when Dec squeals with laughter. The red-haired hunting dog who found him in the woods that day is licking his face without mercy.

“You adopted him?”

“It’s actually a she. No one bothered to check before I guess.” He rubs his palms nervously down his sides as if he doesn’t know what to do with his hands.

“What’s her name?”

“She doesn’t have one. I was waiting, hoping you guys would come home someday so Dec could name her.” His eyes have always conveyed so much, and I can see just how much he truly missed us. It breaks my heart and heals it at the same time.

I reach out and take his restless hand, gently tugging him toward his room so we can have a moment to talk without Dec’s ears listening in.

As soon as I’m in the room that I missed terribly, that reminds me of the man I longed for desperately, I turn and spring into his arms.

“I missed you, so much,” I utter into his neck. His arms embrace me desperately, holding me almost too tight to breathe.

His forehead presses to mine and he inhales deeply. “You have no idea, sweetheart. I was losing my mind without you.”

“So much that you adopted a dog.” I laugh at the absurdity and he smiles gently.

“She saved Dec’s life, it was the least I could do.”

Of course, Jackson’s big heart couldn’t bear to leave the dog without a proper home. He’s a regular at taking in strays.

“We are ready to be home if you’ll still have us,” I whisper against his lips.

His eyes squeeze shut, embracing my words before his lips take mine. He kisses me with all the raw aggression he’s bottled these last two months, consuming me entirely. There’s nothing gentle about it and it’s exactly what I needed.

My back hits the wall as his lips drag down my jaw and my neck, tasting me, remembering me. “Don’t ever leave me again, fireball. I barely survived.” He bites my sweet spot and soothes it with another kiss.

“It would kill me, too.” I tug his head up to look at me. “I love you, Jackson. I’m never leaving, again.”

His breath catches in his throat and nothing but pure love is staring back at me. He needed to hear those words as much as I needed to say them, again. I meant them the day that Declan kidnapped us, but this is the moment I wanted. I needed to look Jackson in the eyes and finally be able to say the words out loud.

“I want to get married,” he replies, stunning me. “I have a ring because I need you to know how serious I am, but I need to do something first.” He moves away from me, leaving me slack-jawed.

He pulls a ring box from his nightstand and comes back, opening it to show me. It’s a beautiful, shiny, giant diamond. It’s meant for a princess. “Jackson…”

“I want you to have the wedding of your dreams. I bought the most classic ring I could find because you deserve something that will last forever. Something timeless, traditional, and hopefully one day you can pass it down to one of our kids. I want it to weigh your hand down so you always think of me, and I want you and the world to know that you belong to someone. To this little family we have, and the bigger one we’ll create. I want you to marry me, Nat…”

I’m not even sure I’m breathing, but he continues. “But I need Dec to be ready first.”

“What?”

“I’m not asking for his blessing because honestly, I’ll risk his anger if it means I won’t lose you, again, but I need to make sure that he’s ready for me to be a part of your family. We can wait until he is, but I swear I’ll put in the work to earn him again. Just like I did with you.”

I touch the diamond delicately, testing that it’s really there. It’s as smooth as it looks. It’s everything I could have ever dared to dream of.

“Let me talk to him then I promise I’ll get down on one knee like a proper gentleman and ask for your hand. I’ll do it in a much cooler place than this so you aren’t embarrassed to tell the story of our engagement. I’ll hire a photographer, it’ll be perfect.”

“This is perfect.” I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him with all the love in my heart. “I don’t need the elaborate story.”

“You might not need it, but you deserve it.” He places my left hand over his heart. “From here on out, I am giving you the life you’ve always wanted.”

“All I want is a life together, Jackson. A family with you.”

“Me too, but I want Dec to want it, too, or it will tear you apart,” he utters.

“Well, go. Go! I don’t want to wait anymore.” I push him toward the door and it makes him laugh. He spins on me quickly, kissing me fiercely. “I love you, sweetheart. Wish me luck.”

“Good luck,” I respond breathlessly. He winks at me before he heads down the hall to Dec.