After we arrived in Atlanta, I got busy getting things straightened out. I talked to Margo before leaving town. That was a hard visit. She was still in custody and is now waiting on a trial. She apologized, but I will never understand why she did the things she did for Trent. She said she wanted a funeral for him in Atlanta and told me all the details. I tried to take care of things for her the way she wanted and the way he would have wanted. Even though I can’t believe the things he did that final day, I still owe him for helping me through the hardest time in my life, even though it was his fault.
I called Jenn and told her what had happened and what I had decided to do. She couldn’t believe Trent was capable of those things either, he had us all fooled. The best news was when Jenn asked if she could buy my business and my house. She had been looking for a new place and she is as good in photography as I am.
I have been trying to take all of these things as a sign that I have made the right decision in going back to Tennessee. Jaxon and I never really got around to talking about us, but I’m hoping we can work it out. I know it won’t be easy, but for Ava and for us, I’m hoping we can work it out. Ava and Jaxon have talked every night on the phone. She misses him almost as much as she misses Ed, her pony.
I finally have the last bag packed up and loaded when Ava comes running back into the room. “Is this the dress I need to keep with me?”
“That’s the one,” I tell her smiling. Brody and Leighton’s wedding is tomorrow and I told Jaxon I didn’t think we would make it back in time. He was disappointed, but said he understood. I’m glad he’s not pressuring me in coming back. He has asked a few times when he can come to Atlanta, but I haven’t given him an answer.
I finish loading the car and buckle Ava up. It’s a pretty long drive from Atlanta to home, so we are staying in a hotel in Nashville tonight. I really just want to surprise Jaxon at the wedding, so I needed somewhere we could stay to get ready. After a good night’s sleep, we are ready to head back for the wedding and hopefully to our new home, if Jaxon will still have us.
Jaxon
I look around the house for the hundredth time before heading to the wedding. Maya and Ava have been gone a week, but they are coming home today, of course I’m not supposed to know any of this. I tried a few times in the last week to try and figure out what Maya really wanted. I would do about anything to have them both here with me, but I didn’t want to pressure Maya. I want her to come home because she wants to and for no other reason.
I couldn’t take the not knowing any longer last night. I broke down and called Maya’s phone only to have an unfamiliar female voice answer. It was Jenn, the girl who has helped Maya in the studio for several years. When I told her who I was, the girl wouldn’t stop talking. Maya would probably never speak to her again if she knew what all she told me, but I couldn’t be happier about how things happened last night. As soon as Jenn told me Maya was loading the car to come home, I got busy. I wanted everything to be perfect for the both of them.
After the rehearsal dinner last night, Leighton, Callie, and my mom came over to help me make this place a perfect surprise for Maya. I really am lucky to have all of these ladies in my life. Molly is missing some still. She is living here again, but something has set her off and she is back to being standoffish with all of us again. Ever since the engagement party last week, she is pulling back again. I’m not sure what’s going on with her, but with Molly, it could be anything.
I look around for the last time before heading out the door. I arrive at Brody’s early enough that I should be able to see the second they get here. Brody and Leighton wanted a small wedding, so the only people standing in for them are Callie and Ash. Brody was afraid he had hurt our feelings by not including his brothers too, but right now I am thankful I can have Maya and Ava with me instead of standing up front.
I’m standing outside the barn where the wedding is taking place when I hear Collin walk up. “Hey, are they here yet?” I shake my head and try to hide the fact I am so nervous I am sweating. “They will be,” he says the same time a tiny bundle in a white dress runs straight into me grabbing my leg.
“Daddy,” Ava screams laughing. I reach down and pick her up, trying to look surprised. The truth is I am surprised, because a very small part of me was scared they wouldn’t show up.
“Hey baby girl, don’t you look beautiful,” I say, tickling her and watching her laugh more. I look up and see Maya standing back watching us. “Hi.”
“Hey. We couldn’t let you go to a wedding without your date,” she says, tilting her head toward Ava. I give her a smile and nod before walking over to her. Before she can say anything, I lean in and kiss her.
“Don’t you mean dates?” I ask against her lips. She nods her head and gives me a Maya smile that made me fall in love with her years ago. I grab her hand and walk both my girls inside for the wedding.
After a beautiful wedding, delicious meal, and a great party, I am exhausted. I barely got any sleep last night because I was trying to make sure everything would be perfect for tonight. So far, this has been the perfect night. Ava has been in my arms since she got here and Maya has been by my side all night, too. I still wonder every day how I have made it without them.
“I should probably get her to bed,” Maya whispers, looking at Ava, who has fallen asleep on my shoulder. I nod my head at her and start to stand up.
“Can you take me home? I rode here with Collin and he left already,” I say, trying to hide my smile. Maya narrows her eyes at me, but nods her head. I guess she’s wondering why I would do that.
“I will take you home if you can tell me where a good place would be to spend the night,” she teases.
“I think I can find some very good places for you to spend the night, but first, this little angel needs to get in bed.” I stand up with Ava and reach for Maya’s hand. Once I have her hand in mine, I walk over to say bye to my family that is still here.
As soon as we pull in the driveway, I jump out so I can get Ava out of the car before Maya. “Am I ever going to get to hold my daughter again?” she asks, not being able to hide her smile. We walk up to the porch, but as soon as I start to open the door, I turn around to Maya.
“Let me put her to bed and then I will come get you, please,” I say.
“You want me to stay on the porch while you put Ava to bed?” she asks confused. I nod my head and smile before asking if it’s okay for Ava to sleep in her dress tonight. Maya fights back a laugh, but smiles and nods before walking over to the porch swing. “I’ll be waiting.” She sits down and I take my daughter inside and put her to bed for the first time in a week.
Maya
“Thanks for waiting,” Jaxon says, finally coming back outside to get me. I look up and notice he has taken his tie and jacket off, but is still dressed in his suit shirt and pants.
“I was beginning to wonder if I needed to sleep with the dog or the horses,” I tease. He walks over to me and holds his hand out for me to take. I reach up and put my hand in his. As soon as I’m standing, he reaches down and picks me up in his arms before kissing me hard.
“I’m so happy you are here right now,” he whispers before opening the door. He sets me on my feet when we are inside the door and I can’t believe my eyes. There are fresh flowers and candles everywhere. When did he do this? Once I close my mouth stop looking around, I turn to find Jaxon on one knee. What is he doing?
“I know I messed up. I know we still have a lot to work through, but I also know I cannot live another week without the two of you. There are no words for me to tell you how sorry I am for what I did, but I really hope you can forgive me for that and believe me when I say I will never hurt you again.” He pulls something from his pocket, my ring. The ring I left on his dresser a week ago to see what he would do with it. “I know technically, we are still married, so I’m not going to ask you to marry me. I’m just going to ask you to grow really old with me.” I grab his hands and pull him back up to me and kiss him hard.<
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“I already sold everything. I’m not going back, there’s nowhere else I would rather be than here with you and Ava.” He gives me a huge smile before pulling out his ring.
“I say we put these on and we never take them off again,” he whispers while sliding the ring on my finger. I grab his and do the same. I put his ring on his finger for the last time.
The End
Meeting You, a sneak peek at the story of Molly and Lucas
Prologue - Molly
“One more push,” the doctor yells. I try to find the sheer determination inside of me to give one more push. The truth is, I am exhausted, not only physically, but mentally. How did I end up here?
I give the one final push and hear the most beautiful sound in the world, my baby’s first cry. “It’s a boy,” a nurse yells, before another one shuts her up. I didn’t want to know what it was. I wanted to know if it was healthy, that’s all I wanted to know. Now I know. I have a son. I will now wonder every time I see a baby boy if he is mine.
I look up at the doctor and watch him hand a small bundle to a nurse, who carries him over to a small bed. I try to look away, but my eyes keep drifting back to him. “Are you sure you don’t want to hold him? It’s okay if you do,” the doctor says one last time.
I shake my head and feel the tears falling down my face. A nurse walks over to tell me he is healthy. I watch them swaddle him and carry him out of the room. Away from me and to his parents, hoping one day he will understand I did all of this for him……
That’s all for now
Acknowledgments
I want to give a huge thank you to all of my amazing beta reading girls, you know who you are. Thank you for all of your support and input and putting up with me trashing two drafts before getting to this one. And I agree with all of you, I can’t wait to hear Molly’s story either.
Thank you to all of the amazing readers out there for loving this series. I have truly enjoyed hearing from every one of you. I have made some of the best friends during this process and I will forever be thankful for all of them. If you love these stories as much I have loved writing them, please go leave a review.
Finally, I could never say thank you enough to my amazing family. They put up with so much from me, especially deadline time and the week before release. Thank you to my wonderful husband for making sure our kids are fed and clean during that time. Thank you to my wonderful girls for giving me a few minutes of quiet time to finish a chapter or deadline. This dream would not be possible without your amazing support.
About the Author
Brittany Bromley is the author of the Switched Series. After growing up in both the states of Tennessee and Mississippi, she now calls the wonderful state of Tennessee home. She can be found there with her amazing husband and three beautiful daughters usually watching entirely too much reality television. She has an unhealthy addiction to Mountain Dew, unless of course, she is lucky enough to find a Ski lying around. You can find her at www.brittanybromely.com, follow her on twitter @brittbromley, and like her on Facebook. It’s a great way to keep with what’s next. She loves hearing from all of her readers and has been known to love to give things away.
Books by Brittany Bromley
The Switched Series
Finding You, book one – now available on amazon
Trusting You, book two – now available on amazon
Forgiving You, a novella, book three – now available on amazon
Meeting You, book four – coming soon
Saving You, book five – coming soon
Forgiving You: A Switched Series Novella (The Switched Series Book 3) Page 10
