Page 32 of Grateful Hearts

The room quieted as everyone turned toward him, their curiosity piqued. Joker took a deep breath and smiled. “I’m going to propose to Clover.”

Bear clapped his hands together, grinning. “Finally!”

Ray leaned back in his chair, smirking. “About time, son. We were starting to think you’d lost your nerve.”

“Very funny,” Joker said dryly, though his smile didn’t waver. “I’ve had the ring for a while, but I wanted the timing to be right. And I can’t think of a better time than Thanksgiving, with all of us here.”

The room erupted into congratulations and back slaps, the energy buzzing with excitement. Zach clapped Joker on the shoulder. “She’s going to love it, man. And for what it’s worth, I couldn’t ask for a better guy for my sister.”

“Thanks, Zach. That means a lot,” Joker said sincerely.

As the conversation turned to proposal logistics and family memories, Zach found his mind wandering back to Chantel. He couldn’t help but wish they had some alone time, just a moment away from the chaos, so he could really talk to her.

Because, deep down, he already knew she was worth the effort.

Chapter Eleven

Later that day, Chantel was tucked into the corner of the study, her laptop glowing softly as she worked on a last-minute grocery list for the things she needed for Thanksgiving.

She glanced out the window and saw it was still snowing. It looked beautiful. It had blanketed the world in white. She had seen plenty of snow in Boston. But here, it looks different. The scenery was far different from the big city life.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of laughter from the hallway. Moments later, Zach appeared in the doorway. He had Amira in his arms while Max stood next to him. His easy grin, paired with the playful chaos, tugged at something deep inside her.

“So, we’ve got a proposition,” Zach announced with exaggerated gravity, his gray eyes sparkling with mischief.

Amira squirmed free, hopping down with excitement. “We’re going outside to make snowmen! You have to come too!”

Max chimed in, his wide brown eyes full of hope. “Yeah! It’s more fun with more people!”

Chantel hesitated, her fingers hovering above the keyboard. “Oh, I don’t know.”

“Pleeease?” Amira’s pout was so exaggerated it could have been rehearsed, though it was clearly adorable and probably got her whatever she wanted.

Max mirrored her perfectly. “Pretty please?”

Zach, clearly enjoying himself, joined in, folding his arms and pulling the most pitiful expression she had ever seen. “Don’t make me beg, Chantel. I’m not good at it.”

Her heart softened immediately. The decision was already made, though she hadn’t realized it until that moment. She was starting over, and maybe that meant saying yes to the things she’d ignored for years—things like having fun.

“All right,” she said, laughing as the kids erupted in cheers. “Let me grab my boots and coat.”

“Knew you couldn’t resist,” Zach said with a wink.

Bundling up in her coat, gloves, and hat, Chantel followed them outside into the winter wonderland. The air was crisp, and snowflakes drifted lazily from the sky. The yard was already alive with activity. She saw Joker and Clover working on their snowman while Bear and Jocelyn were rolling snowballs for their creation. Justin and Ethan were constructing a towering snowman with intense concentration. Ray and Jenelle waved from the porch, swaddled in a blanket with steaming mugs of coffee in their hands as they watched the chaos unfold.

“Come on, Ms. Chantel!” Amira tugged at her sleeve, her excitement infectious.

Chantel knelt down to their level. “Okay, team. What kind of snowman are we making?”

“A pirate!” Max said without hesitation.

“No! A princess!” Amira countered, frowning.

Chantel smiled. “Why not both? A pirate princess.”

Their laughter rang out as they dove into the task, scooping up handfuls of snow. Together, they built a quirky snowman with stick arms, a twig crown, and a face made from random bits of nature the kids scavenged from the yard.

Chantel was putting the final piece on the snowman when a snowball hit her square in the back, drawing a surprised yelp from her.

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