Page 47 of Claiming My Grumpy Ex

Cory chuckled beside me, slipping his gloved hand into mine. “He’s on a mission.”

“Of course he is,” I said with a smile. “This is serious business for him.”

We followed Jake as he zigzagged through the lot, stopping every few steps to inspect a tree before shaking his head dramatically and moving on. “Not tall enough. Not fluffy enough. Too crooked,” he muttered under his breath, his determination making me laugh.

Finally, he came to a stop in front of a tall, full fir near the back of the lot. His face lit up as he turned to us, throwing his arms wide. “This one! It’s perfect!”

Cory crouched down beside him, giving the tree an appraising look. “Hmm, let’s see. It’s tall, fluffy, and not crooked. I think you’re right, Bud. What do you think, Elena?”

I stepped closer, running my hand over the soft needles. “I think it’s perfect too. Nice job, guys.”

Jake beamed, puffing out his chest with pride. “I knew it. The baby’s gonna love it.”

Cory grinned, patting Jake’s shoulder. “You’re picking this tree for the baby, huh?”

“Yep,” Jake said confidently. “It’s the baby’s first Christmas, so it has to be extra special.”

My heart swelled at his words, and I felt Cory’s hand find mine again, giving it a gentle squeeze. Moments like this made everything feel so right, so perfectly aligned.

After paying for the tree, Cory hoisted it onto his shoulder, effortlessly carrying it to the truck as Jake trotted beside him, chatting nonstop about where the star should go and how to make the lights look “just right.”

The ride home was filled with Jake’s excited chatter, his plans for decorating the tree spilling out faster than I could keep up. By the time Cory pulled into the driveway, I was already picturing the tree in the corner of the living room, its twinkling lights filling the house with the joy of Christmas.

Jake jumped out of the SUV as soon as it stopped, racing to the door. “I’ll get the lights!” he called over his shoulder.

Cory laughed as he slid the tree out. “You’d think he’s been waiting his whole life for this moment.”

“He probably has,” I said, grabbing a box of ornaments from the garage. “And honestly, I’m not far behind him.”

We carried everything inside, the smell of pine filling the house as Cory set the tree in its stand. Jake had already unearthed the lights from their storage bin, untangling them with the focus of someone on a mission.

As I watched the two of them together, my heart felt so full it might burst. This was what I’d always hoped for—Jake surrounded by love and a family of his own. And now, with the baby on the way, it seemed more like a dream.

The living room shimmered like a starlit sky, illuminated by the delicate twinkle of the holiday lights cascading from the ceiling like a waterfall of color. Jake danced from one end of the room to the other, carrying ornaments like priceless treasures.His excitement filled every corner of the house, and I couldn’t stop smiling as I hung the ornaments he handed me.

“This one has to go here,” Jake announced, pointing to a spot near the top of the tree as he handed me a glittery red ball. “It’ll catch the light perfectly!”

“Excellent choice,” Cory said from his spot on the floor, organizing hooks for the remaining ornaments. He glanced up at me, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “We’ve got ourselves a little interior designer in the making.”

I laughed, carefully placing the ornament where Jake had directed. “He takes Christmas very seriously.”

“It’s because this one has to be perfect,” Jake said matter-of-factly. “The baby needs to remember their first Christmas, even if they’re still inside.”

The sweetness of his words stopped me in my tracks. Cory caught my eye, a soft smile gracing his features. “He’s got a point,” he said.

We worked together as a team, stringing garlands and placing ornaments until the tree looked like something out of a holiday movie. Jake’s pièce de résistance was the star, which he proudly held up as Cory lifted him onto his shoulders to place it at the top.

“Perfect,” Jake declared, admiring his work from his perch on Cory’s shoulders.

Cory set him down gently, brushing his hands off on his jeans. “Alright, let’s plug it in and see how it looks.”

Jake raced to the outlet, and as soon as the lights came to life, he let out a loud cheer. The tree glimmered with soft white lights, its ornaments catching the glow in a way that made the whole room feel magical.

As I stood back to admire it, Cory moved closer, his hand slipping into his pocket. I didn’t notice at first, too caught upadmiring the tree until he stepped in front of me and dropped to one knee.

My breath caught as he pulled out a small black box, his expression warm and steady. Jake froze mid-bounce, his eyes wide as he realized what was happening.

“Elena,” Cory began, his voice filled with joy. “The past months have been the best of my life. You’ve given me a second chance—not just with you, but with Jake and this new little one. You’ve made me realize what it means to feel complete, and I don’t ever want to let that go. Will you marry me?”

---