Ch. 55

The warmth between them began to fade, replaced by the cool bite of barn air against sweat-damp skin. Jake slowly pulled away from her, and for a long second, neither of them moved. The quiet around them was deafening.

Then he reached for his shirt, tugging it on with a quiet sigh. “I shouldn’t have been that rough,” Jake muttered, his voice low, almost broken. “I was angry, not just at him—but at myself. For letting him get to you. For not being there when I should’ve been.”

Renee didn’t respond right away. She adjusted her dress with shaking fingers, avoiding his eyes. Her hair clung to her neck, damp with sweat and tears. Her face was streaked with emotion she hadn’t even had the strength to wipe away.

“You didn’t hurt me,” she finally said, voice raw. “Not really. But you scared me… a little.”

That stopped Jake cold. He looked up, regret flickering behind his eyes.

“I’d never—Renee, I’d never want you to be afraid of me.”

“I’m not,” she said quickly, but her gaze still wouldn’t rise to meet his. “I just—everything’s already so tangled. And now this… us… it’s even more complicated.”

Jake stepped toward her, cautious, his hands hovering near her shoulders before he rested them gently there. “We’ll fix it,” he said quietly. “Whatever it takes. I’m not going anywhere.”

Renee gave the faintest nod, still trembling. “I know.”

But deep down, a question festered.

What if he does? They sat in the barn, the air thick with old hay and unsaid things. The whiskey Jake poured burned like honesty down their throats. It was from Renee’s special stash—her “don’t-touch-unless-it’s-serious” collection—and tonight, it felt warranted.

Renee swirled the amber liquid in her glass, the silence stretching until it hurt. Then, finally, she spoke.

“I think…” she began, voice hoarse. “I think I didn’t stop Mike because I never had closure. That doesn’t make it right. I know it doesn’t. But I think a part of me needed to look him in the eye and feel something. Anything. To know if it was real or if it was just grief.”

Jake stared ahead, jaw tight. “And did you figure that out?”

She nodded, slowly. “Yeah. I did.”

He didn’t ask what she felt. He didn’t have to. Instead, he took another sip before speaking. “You say that’s not an excuse… but to me, it is one. A real one. You needed something, and you went looking for it—in him.”

“That wasn’t fair to you,” she whispered.

Jake’s voice cracked. “What hurts is… I thought we’d gotten past the choosing. I thought we were sealed. That we had something no one could touch. I wanted to be the first after everything, after… the baby. But you gave that to him.”

Tears welled in her eyes again.

“I didn’t plan to,” she said, voice shaking. “I just—I’m sorry.”

Jake nodded, but the sting was still there, etched into every word he didn’t say. The silence between them stretched until it snapped. Jake stood without a word, brushing the hay off his jeans.

“Jake—” Renee started, her voice barely audible.

But he didn’t look back. He didn’t say anything. Just walked out of the barn, the heavy door creaking closed behind him.

She didn’t chase him. Not this time.

Instead, she poured herself another drink from the same bottle, letting it burn on the way down. Her chest ached, but it was quieter than before. Maybe this is what he needed—space. And maybe for once, she owed it to him to give it.

Half an hour passed. Long enough for the guilt to settle, for the sting of his absence to start scabbing over.

Then… the barn door creaked open again.

Renee blinked in confusion as Jake stepped inside—this time with company.

Nate and LJ trailed behind him, rubbing their sleepy eyes, bundled in sweatshirts and pajama pants. Renee’s brow furrowed as she stood.

“It’s the middle of the night… why are they—?”

Jake didn’t answer.

Instead, he turned to the boys. They stepped forward slowly, each carrying a small box in their hands, grinning through their sleepiness.

Nate went first, handing her a square velvet box. LJ followed with one wrapped in silver paper and a ribbon slightly crushed in his fist.

Renee’s breath hitched.

Jake walked to her, his expression unreadable—until he dropped to one knee in front of her.

She gasped.

“I know tonight didn’t go how either of us wanted,” he said, voice rough, steady. “But I don’t need perfect moments. I just need you. Messy. Honest. Still healing. Still fighting.”

Tears welled in her eyes as he opened the box.

“So… will you marry me?”

And for once, Renee was speechless. Renee stood frozen, her eyes locked on the ring glinting in the soft light of the barn. Nate and LJ were watching her like it was Christmas morning, their sleepy smiles radiant with hope. And Jake—he knelt there, his heart wide open in his hand, waiting.

She didn’t cry right away.

Instead, she lowered herself to the floor, eye-level with him, her voice trembling as she whispered, “Yes.”

Jake exhaled like he’d been holding his breath for years. Relief flooded his face, and he stood, pulling her into a firm embrace as the boys clapped behind them, barely containing their excitement.

But before the moment could become too much, Renee gently pulled away and turned to her sons. “Alright, you two—back to bed,” she said softly, smoothing LJ’s hair as he yawned. “We’ll talk more in the morning.”

Nate narrowed his eyes playfully. “He better treat you right, or I’ll take the ring back.”

Jake gave a small laugh, ruffling his hair. “Noted.”

The barn was quiet again as the boys shuffled off into the house, the door clicking shut behind them. Renee took a deep breath and turned to Jake, her tone shifting.

“We still have to talk,” she said. “About Mike. About what happened. About everything. I can’t promise perfect, Jake. I can’t promise I’ll know what to say or do. But if you want me—the messy, scarred, still-rebuilding version—then you have to really want all of it. No running.”

Jake’s expression softened. He stepped forward, brushing his thumb beneath her eye where tears had started to fall. “I’m not going anywhere,” he murmured. “Not this time.”

And finally, something inside her gave way. Months of grief, guilt, confusion, and heartbreak poured out in sobs that shook her chest. She didn’t hold back, didn’t apologize. She let herself feel it all.

She never thought this moment would come. Not after everything. Not after tonight.

But Jake had planned this before any of it unraveled—and now, even with the mess still lingering, she couldn’t say no.

Because she loved him. God, she really loved him.

And now, everything was about to change… again.