Page 103 of Your Second Chance
“You ready?” she asked me.
“As I’ll ever be.”
Luna reached up and squeezed my arm. “You’ve become like a brother to me, Ollie,” she said, her voice unusually soft. “Thank you for letting me be part of her life.”
“YouareDaddy Luna.”
She leaned her head briefly against my arm, a rare moment of quiet affection. “I’m proud of her.”
“Me too,” I murmured, our eyes fixed on Nova.
Together, we watched her from across the room. That smile—the one I hadn’t seen when she first moved here—came so freely. She glowed as she greeted the guys from work, hugged Aunt Mae, shared a laugh with Iris and Peter. She wasn’t a hugger, not usually, but tonight she was all warmth, her love radiating toward every person in the room.
Luna sighed, and with a gentle push, she nudged me forward. “Go get her, buddy.”
I didn’t hesitate. It was time.
I walked up to Nova, my heart pounding, and leaned in close. “Can I borrow you for a moment?”
She looked up at me and nodded.
Taking her hand, I guided her to the center of the garden. The hum of conversation quieted as everyone gathered around us. Dad had his arm around Mum, a proud smile on his face. Aunt Mae, holding Scarlette with her boyfriend, watched us with a knowing glint in her eye. Even Luna and Will stood arm in arm, grinning from the back of the room.
I cleared my throat, my voice steady despite the butterflies in my chest. “Thank you all for coming. I know some of you traveled far, and it means the world to have you here, not only to celebrate little Scarlette’s arrival, but to support Nova. She’s incredible, and she deserves all this love and more.”
Nova’s eyes widened as I dropped down to one knee in front of her, the little box already in my hand. Tears welled in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks, and I could barely keep myself together as I looked up at her.
“I know you hate public things, but I figured this might be a safe bet—here, surrounded by everyone who loves you.” I paused, taking a deep breath. “Nova, you’ve taught me more about love and resilience than I thought possible. You’ve shown me what it means to truly care for someone, to fight for them, and to believe in them. I don’t want to be here for you and Scarlette—I want to build a life with you. Forever. Will you marry me?”
Nova couldn’t speak. Her lips trembled, and instead of answering, she dropped to her knees in front of me, cradling my face as tears continued to fall.
“We were never really dating,” she whispered.
From behind us, Luna’s laugh rang out, full and bright.
I smiled, leaning in closer. “We can skip that step,” I said quietly.
Her lips found mine, her kiss deep and all-consuming. The room blurred, the world shrinking to the two of us.
When she finally pulled back, she rested her forehead against mine. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, I’ll marry you. I have never met someone so selfless as you. I love you.”
I stood, lifting her with me, slipping the ring onto her finger as the garden erupted in cheers. Aunt Mae stepped forward, handing us Scarlette, her tiny face peaceful in sleep.
Together, Nova and I kissed her soft, sleeping cheeks, our little family complete.
The party passed in a blur of laughter, hugs, and clinking glasses. By the time we were ready to leave, Luna and Will had already taken Scarlette back to the house, giving us the quiet moment I hadn’t realized I needed.
As we walked home under the soft glow of streetlights, the evening air carried a peaceful stillness. Our hands were linked, her fingers laced tightly with mine.
“Are you mad I did it in front of everyone?” I asked, glancing sideways at her.
“No. Not at all. Those are my people. I’m glad they were able to see that.”
“Are you happy?”
She squeezed my hand. “Incredibly.”
She fell quiet for a moment, her gaze focused ahead. “When I first came here, Ollie, I was... lost. Everything felt heavy and dark, and I couldn’t see a way forward. My depression was this horrible, scary thing that I couldn’t control, and I was terrified it would swallow me whole. What I realized is... all I needed was someone to help me. Someone to hold my hand while I navigated through it.”
