Page 105 of All of Me

Owen nods, gutting the engine and turning to me. “Still hate surprises?”

I shake my head, my hands gripping my knees as I try to process the sight before me. The farm is huge. There isn’t just one house and a barn–it’s a sprawling landscape of Owen’s childhood. He mentioned before that Vince and Malcolm still share the land out here. I never asked about coming because I thought the memories might be too painful. I know how much his Uncle Teddy meant to him. Him bringing me out here the night before our wedding means more to me than I could ever begin to explain.

“This place is… incredible,” I murmur, my voice thick with emotion. “I had no idea it was this big.”

Owen’s smile reaches his eyes, and he grabs my hand. “I know you’ll understand when I tell you that this place has always meant so much to me. Even though Teddy married into my mom’s family, he always treated me like one of his own sons.”

I understand completely what he means. The Van Damme Hawkridge Estate, where we will be wed tomorrow, has been in my family for generations. I sit there, in awe of him, in awe of this place. We stay silent for a long moment before he speaks.

“Did you know Teddy left this place in a trust for his boys after he passed away?”

“Yeah, you mentioned that. I’m so glad that they get to carry on his legacy. We will have to bring the kids out here when they are a little older so they can explore,” I insist.

“Or we could bring them out here a little sooner than that…”

“Well sure, I just mean–”

“Callie,” he says, gripping my hand three times in a silentI love you,and I squeeze his hand back twice in return. “There’s something that I haven’t told you.”

“Okay…” I say, hesitantly.

“There was another name on the trust.” My eyes go wide as he continues. “When you and I met, it was only a few months after Teddy died. I was sure he’d left me something but I asked Vince and Malcolm not to tell me. I wasn’t ready to hear it, because hearing what he’d left me would further solidify the fact that he was gone. That was something that, until recently, I wasn’t ready to fully accept.”

I hold his hand tightly as the weight of his words come out. His thumb brushes over mine, a small, grounding gesture that steadies us both. “So… what does all that mean exactly?”

“It means that a portion of the farm belongs to me, Callie.”

“Do you mean we can–”

He nods, leaning over to place a kiss to my forehead. “Yes, Callie. Can I show you?”

I nod, unable to form words as a lump rises in my throat. Owen’s hand is warm and steady in mine as he steps out of the truck, coming around to open my door. The cool night air brushes against my skin, carrying the faint scent of hay and damp earth. He helps me down, his touch grounding me, and I follow him across the gravel driveway toward the softly lit houses that dot the property.

“Over there,” he says, pointing toward a larger house set back from the others, its wide porch glowing under the soft light of a single bulb. “That’s Malcolm and Valerie’s place. The main house. It’s been in the family for generations, much like your mom’s place.”

I can just make out the outline of a swing set in the backyard, and I picture the laughter of children filling the air someday, the way Malcolm and Valerie will create new memories here. My heart swells as I realize just how much this place holds for Owen’s family.

“And that one,” Owen continues, nodding toward a smaller house tucked behind a grove of trees, “is Vince’s. He moved in a couple of years ago, right after everything with Teddy. It’s been good for him and Ainsley, having space to breathe out here.”

I smile at that, imagining Ainsley running through the fields, her laughter echoing in the open air. This place feels like it’s brimming with life, even in the stillness of the night.

“And this,” Owen says, his voice softening as he gestures to the house across the road, “is ours. Whenever you’re ready.”

My breath catches as I take in the sight before me. The house is modest but beautiful, its soft blue siding glowing faintly in the moonlight. A wide front porch stretches across the front, complete with a swing that sways gently in the breeze. The windows reflect the starlight above, and flower beds—bare for the winter—line the steps leading up to the door. It’s not just a house; it’s a home, waiting for us to fill it with love and memories.

“Owen…” I whisper, my voice trembling as I turn to him. “You’ve been working on this? For us?”

He nods, his gaze steady and full of love. “For you. For the girls. For our family. I’ve been fixing it up little by little, but I wanted it to feel like ours. Somewhere we can build a life together, on our terms.”

Tears sting my eyes, and I reach for him, my hands curling into the fabric of his jacket. “This is… it’s perfect. I don’t even know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” he murmurs, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Just know that it’s here for us, whenever you’re ready. There’s no rush, Callie. I’m happy wherever you are.”

My tears spill over, and I press my forehead against his chest, letting the steady beat of his heart calm the whirlwind of emotions inside me. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

He chuckles softly, his hand running up and down my back. “I just want to give you the life you deserve. That we deserve.”

I pull back, wiping at my cheeks as I look up at him. “Can we see inside?”

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