Page 14 of Once Upon a Thanksgiving
I climb into my car, shutting the door before I can change my mind. I grip the wheel, staring at the house, the lot, my family waving from the porch. Jack stands apart, hands shoved deep in his pockets, eyes shining in the winter sun.
I back out slowly, tears blurring everything. As I reach the end of the lane, I look in the mirror and see Jack, still there, unmoving, a figure in the cold. For a wild second, I almost turn back, but I force myself forward.
As I drive down the old county road, leaving behind everything I love, the ache in my chest grows sharp and real. I tell myself it’s for the best, that maybe one day it won’t hurt so much.
But deep down, I know, I’ll always be waiting for him to ask me to stay.
Chapter twelve
Jack
I lose track of time after Autumn drives away. The farm feels hollow, echoing with everything I didn’t say. I keep replaying our goodbye, seeing the hope and heartbreak in her eyes, the silent plea I didn’t answer.
I duck inside to grab my coat, when I run into Mia in the mudroom. She’s still in her pajamas, hair pulled into a wild bun, but her eyes are sharp and red-rimmed.
She blocks the door. “Going somewhere?” she asks, arms crossed, voice edged with challenge.
I falter, trying to sound casual. “I need to go home. Have to get ready for work tomorrow.”
She snorts, shaking her head.
I open my mouth to argue, but she holds up a finger. “No. Let me talk. Because you two are driving everyone crazy, and I’m not letting you ruin a perfect love story just because you’re both stubborn.”
I blink, surprised by the force of her words. “Mia—”
She pushes on, fierce now. “You want to know what Autumn said to me this morning? She said she wanted you to ask her to stay. She wanted to be chosen. My sister has always been the brave one, but even she can’t take that leap every time. She wants someone to meet her halfway. To say, ‘I want you, too. I choose you.’ She was waiting for you, Jack.”
My chest feels tight, raw. “I wanted to, I was going to, but I don’t want to trap her. She has dreams, Mia. She’s bigger than this town. What if I held her back?”
Mia softens, stepping closer. “You don’t get it. Autumn isn’t looking for someone to clip her wings. She’s looking for someone who’ll fly with her. She wants a partner, not a cage. She wants to build something with you, Jack. Don’t you see? She loves you. She’s scared, but she loves you.”
She sighs, shaking her head with a small, sad smile. “You’re both idiots, honestly. But that’s why you fit.”
I run a hand through my hair, heart pounding. “I don’t know what to say. I don’t know if it’s enough.”
Mia fixes me with a look that could stop traffic. “You go after her. You say everything. You make it messy. You don’t wait until it’s too late.”
She shoves my keys into my hands, stepping aside. “Go. And if you hurt her more, I swear to God, you’ll have the whole Murphy clan to answer to.”
I grin, hope rising in my chest, all the fear falling away. “Thanks, Mia. I mean it.”
She winks, wiping her eyes. “Go get your girl, Jack. Don’t mess this up.”
I get in my truck and head for the city. She only left an hour or so ago, so I won’t be that far behind her.
I reach Autumn’s building in record time. My heart pounds with every step up those stairs, hope and fear tangled together.
I knock, and when the door opens, the rest of the world disappears. She stands there in pajama pants and a college hoodie, her hair tangled from running fingers through it, eyes rimmed red from crying. I see surprise, hope, and pain all at once.
“Jack?” Her voice breaks on my name.
I step in, closing the distance in three strides, cupping her face in my hands. “I’m sorry,” I rasp. “I’m so sorry. I should have said it a hundred times. I love you, Autumn. I love you.”
She blinks, tears streaming, hands fisting in my coat. “You love me?”
“I love you,” I say, firmer this time. “I love how brave you are, how stubborn, how wild. I love your laugh, your messy hair in the morning. I want all of it, every day. Please come home with me. Or let me be home with you. I don’t care where we are, as long as we’re together. Just say yes. Please, Autumn, say yes.”
She sobs and laughs, tugging me closer, her lips finding mine. The kiss is desperate, salty with tears, sweet with relief. She breaks away just enough to look at me, her hands trembling as she frames my face.
