Page 69 of Entwined
“Vaughn, I don’t feel like games.”
He exhaled loudly, his voice laced with frustration. “It’s not a game. Just humor me.”
I closed my eyes, and the car began to move again. When it stopped, he placed a kiss on my cheek.
“Open them.”
I did and gasped at what I saw. The porch was decorated with Christmas lights woven around the railing. A small Santa with his reindeer was stuck in the lawn and a wreath adorned the door.
“You decorated?”
He nodded with a smile. “I know you love the holidays. That’s where I was. I also went grocery shopping.”
I raised my eyebrows as our family came out on the porch, calling to us. I couldn’t help but smile even though our son wasn’t with us. When I stepped inside, the house smelled of cinnamon and spice and was beautifully decorated complete with a ten foot tree. It was the perfect welcome home.
Vaughn waited on me hand and foot. The transformation was almost surreal—gone was the man who once prioritized power and control over everything. Now, he was present, attentive, and almost... gentle. I sat propped up in bed, watching him move around the room, fetching my water, adjusting my pillows, calling the hospital for updates on VJ when we weren’t there.
"Do you need anything else?" he asked softly, his voice carrying a tenderness I hadn’t heard in years. He hovered near the bed, his eyes searching mine, waiting for a sign, any sign, that I needed something.
I shook my head, a small smile tugging at my lips. "No, I'm fine, Vaughn. You don't have to?—"
"I want to," he cut me off gently, but firmly. "Joey, let me take care of you."
There was something in his tone that made me pause. This wasn’t the old Vaughn, the one who schemed and manipulated to get his way. This was a man who had watched his son come into the world too early, who had seen me go through hell to bring that tiny life into being. And now, he was here. Really here.
I watched him as he straightened the blanket at the end of the bed, his movements almost too careful, as if he was afraid of breaking something. It was strange to see him like this—so hands-on, so different.
"You’ve changed," I murmured, studying his face.
He looked up from the blanket, his brow furrowing slightly. "I had to."
I tilted my head, waiting for him to elaborate.
He let out a slow breath and sat on the edge of the bed, his hand finding mine once again. "When I saw you in labor, fighting to bring our son into the world, something clicked. I've spent so much time focused on the wrong things—control, my career, trying to win at everything. But in that room... none of that mattered. All I cared about was you. And VJ."
His words hung in the air, and for the first time in a long time, I believed him. I saw it in his eyes—the sincerity, the regret, and something else... hope.
"I wasn’t sure you could change," I admitted quietly, squeezing his hand.
"Neither was I," he replied, his thumb tracing small circles on the back of my hand. "But I’m trying. For you. For us."
For a moment, neither of us spoke. The quiet hum of the heating registers in the room filled the space, and in that silence, I realized how much weight had been lifted. The Vaughn I had once loved seemed to be resurfacing, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself believe that maybe... just maybe, we could make this work.
"Thank you," I whispered, my voice breaking slightly. "For everything."
He leaned down and pressed a kiss to my cheek, his lips lingering there for a beat longer than necessary. "You don’t need to thank me. This is where I belong, Joey. With you. With our son."
He took a chance, his lips hovering over mine before he pressed them to mine. I wove my fingers in his hair, kissing him like I used to, wanting to love him as much as I had months ago before he betrayed me. It was possible I could forgive him. I’d forgiven so many people during my short life.
He broke away, searching my eyes. “You said to ask again. Marry me.”
I nodded, forcing back tears but failing as they spilled over my lids. “Yes,” I whispered.
Epilogue
Two years later
“Vaughn!” I called, chasing VJ as he darted around the kitchen with his tiny legs, giggling with delight.
