Page 91 of Saving Her Heart
We eat lunch talking about the house—the yard that's perfect for a dog, the spare room that could be an office or eventually anursery, the kitchen I'll definitely destroy attempting to cook. It feels like a conversation we should have had years ago but are finally ready for now.
After lunch, we drive to Oak Street. The house is everything Jax described—a two-story Craftsman with a wraparound porch and that massive oak tree I used to climb when we were kids. Hudson's mom is there to let us in.
"Kendall! Jax! I'm so glad you're interested," she says, hugging us both. "This place needs a young family."
"We're not—I mean, we don't have—" I stammer.
"Yet," she says with a wink. "But this house has good energy for new beginnings."
She shows us through, and I can see our life here. Jax's baseball memorabilia in the den, my books in the built-in shelves, dinner parties in the dining room with our friends. The master bedroom has huge windows that overlook the backyard, and I can imagine waking up here every morning next to him.
"The guest room would make a great nursery," Mrs. Taylor says casually, and I see Jax's ears turn red.
"We're not?—"
"Yet," Mrs. Taylor repeats with a laugh. "I know, I know. But Hudson mentioned you're settling down, and I just assumed..."
"We're taking things one step at a time," Jax says diplomatically.
"Smart," she agrees. "Though at my age, I've learned that sometimes you just know when something's right."
After she leaves us to explore on our own, Jax and I stand in what would be our bedroom, looking out at the yard.
"We could be happy here," he says quietly.
"We could," I agree, leaning against him.
"Is it too fast?" he asks. "The house? Everything?"
I think about Charli's words, about wasted time and clear signals. "No. It's exactly right."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." I turn to face him. "I want all of it, Jax. The house, the bad dinner parties, the dog, the kids. The wedding. All of it."
He cups my face in his hands. "You sure?"
"I've never been more sure of anything," I tell him.
He kisses me then, right there in the empty room that might be ours, and I feel like I'm finally home. Not because of the house, but because wherever Jax is feels like home now.
"Should we make an offer?" he asks when we break apart.
"Let's do it," I say.
As we stand here planning our future in this empty house, I realize that sometimes the best things happen when you stop being afraid and just say what you want. It took us ten years to learn that lesson, but maybe that makes it even more precious now.
My phone buzzes with a text from Charli.
Charli: So? Did you talk?
Me: We're buying a house.
Charli: WHAT?! That's not what I meant by talk!
Me: And he mentioned planning a wedding.
Charli: NOW WE'RE TALKING! Details immediately!
