Ready or Not (The Ready Series Book 4)

by J. L. Berg

  Our eyes met, and in that moment, I knew that I not only wanted this woman for my wife, but I wanted her to be the mother Noah had never had.

  He deserved a mother like Liv.

  Following the incident, Noah stayed home from school the first few days, but eventually returned and he began to adjust. His biggest fears were resolved when the kids all rallied around him, giving him support and love, rather than contempt and indifference. The lack of friends was a nonissue, and Noah suddenly adored middle school. It could have something to do with the female attention he’d been receiving since his harrowing adventure.

  He took it in stride though and didn’t let the extra attention go to his head—much.

  Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t keep my parents from flying in immediately, so the first few days were spent with them, catching up with Noah and me. Also, they were finally able to meet Liv.

  Having grown up in Richmond, my mom and Liv made a great pair. Mom took a tour of Liv’s house, and told her stories about the previous owners and how she used to play in the attic as a girl. Still recovering from everything that had happened, we stayed close to home, eating like kings as my parents showed off their new culinary skills they’d learned from a cooking class at the retirement center.

  As their time came to a close and we pulled up to the airport, my mom turned to me, her blue eyes shimmering.

  “She’s lovely, Jackson. Don’t wait too long,”

  “She’s a tricky one, Mom. I don’t want to scare her away,” I replied.

  “Just trust me.” She winked.

  After saying farewell at the airport, I thought about what she’d said the entire way home. So lost in my thoughts, I ended up passing both houses completely, Minutes later, I found myself driving through Carytown, walking by many of Liv’s favorite stores and restaurants. I decided to park and walk a bit. I wandered through some of the shops and even stopped for a cup of coffee at a small café. As I was turning the corner back toward my car after my impromptu afternoon walk, a small boutique caught my eye, begging me to take a look.

  I doubled back and walked through the old antique door, knowing Liv would have a million adjectives to describe how much she loved this place.

  It was small and cozy with mismatched furniture and display cabinets that all somehow seemed to go together. Local art hung on the walls while beautiful pieces of jewelry sparkled and shined under the glow of the warm lights.

  “Can I help you?” an older woman asked.

  She could have been Liv’s mother in another lifetime. Dressed in boho chic, she had a long brown braid going down her side with tons of bracelets and rings adorning her skin.

  “I don’t know. I just kind of stumbled in,” I admitted, looking around from one case to another.

  “Well, anyone in particular you had in mind when you stumbled in?” she asked, smiling.

  “My girlfriend.”

  Her playful grin grew warm as she watched me consider each piece with interest.

  “A pair of earrings perhaps?” she suggested.

  My eyes settled on the one thing I knew I wouldn’t be leaving without. “This,” I said suddenly, pointing to the emerald ring below.

  “Good choice. Would you like to know how much it costs?” she asked warmly.

  “No,” I answered honestly.

  It wouldn’t matter. Now that I’d seen it, nothing else would match it.

  “Well, at least let me tell you a bit about it. It was handmade by a local jeweler, so it’s one of a kind. The emerald is about a carat…maybe slightly more. White gold, vintage setting with pave diamond accents flanked on either side.”

  “It’s perfect.”

  She smiled and lingered a moment. Then, she turned to the cash register to ring me up. I handed over my credit card without a second glance at the total.

  Now that I had a ring, I just had to find the right moment.

  I just hoped it wasn’t too much of a wait.

  It was already starting to burn a hole in my pocket.

  ~Liv~

  “Clare, you really need to stop bringing me baked goods. I’m fine, I swear. It’s been two weeks,” I said, opening my front door wider so that she could enter.

  “I know. I just can’t help it. Something happens to someone I love, and I bake. When my father died, I think the local grocery store was out of sugar for an entire week. It’s the only way I know how to deal.”

  I took the mammoth plate of cookies from her hands, and it only revealed her belly to me more.

  “Holy shit! Look at you!”

  “I know,” she answered. “Apparently, with the third one, there’s no stopping it. That stick says positive, and bam, here comes the belly. I thought I’d have a little bit longer before I had to pull out the granny pants.”

  “You look great,” I said, sneaking a few steps forward to run my hands over her swelling stomach.

  It wasn’t as big as she thought it was, but she was definitely showing. As my fingers ran over her taut rounded belly, I felt longing rather than relief for the first time in my life.

  “I feel awkward and large, but enough about me. I came here to shower you with sugar and see how you were doing.”

  Setting the cookies down on the counter, I pulled out two mugs for tea. “Chamomile or peppermint?” I asked, lifting two small tins from the pantry.

  “I want coffee,” she whined, taking a seat at the center island.

  “You get chamomile or peppermint, preggo.” I laughed.

  “Okay. Let’s go with peppermint.”

  “Good choice.”

  I heated up the water and insisted Clare first update me on her life.

  “Maddie is in four dance classes. Four, Liv. I think I might go insane.” Her head dropped into her hands.

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re officially a dance mom now! We should make you a shirt or something.”

  “Please don’t.”

  “Just be glad she’s found something she loves, and she is passionate about it,” I reminded her as I poured the hot water into the mugs and left the tea to steep.

  “I am. Truly. It’s been amazing to see how far she’s come since that first year when she was practicing all her positions on the new ballet barre Logan built for her. It’s just a huge commitment.”

  “For everyone,” I added.

  “Yes,” she agreed. “I’m hoping Ollie’s passion will be a little less involved.”

  Dividing the tea into two cups, I gave her a discouraging look. “I doubt that.”

  She sighed. “Me, too. He’s already learning guitar chords while sitting on Logan’s lap and throwing footballs in the backyard with Uncle Colin. I’m screwed.”

  “You’re blessed,” I said, handing her a cup.

  “Yeah”—she smiled—“I am.”

  We sipped our tea in comfortable silence, both sneaking cookies off the tray to nibble on. The heat of the tea warmed my chilled hands, making me appreciate the crisp chill in the autumn air.

  “Ever since that day, I find myself hugging my children a bit tighter in the morning and kissing them a few more times at night. It’s—”

  “Scary,” I said, finishing her sentence. She nodded as I continued, “When my fingers wrapped around the door handle and it opened without force, I immediately knew something was wrong. I don’t know how many times Jackson has told Noah to make sure he locks the door the instant he gets home. Hell, he’s yelled at me about it a time or two. But nothing compares to walking into that house and finding his things scattered about while the house is completely empty.”

  “How is Noah coping?” she asked hesitantly.

  “Better now that the media attention has died off a bit. Seeing his mother’s mug shot splattered everywhere was hard, and there were nights when he woke up crying, frightened he was going to lose us.”

  “Both of you?” she asked with a warm smile.

  “Yeah,” I said. “His words, not mine.”

  “And how does t
hat make you feel?”

  “Cherished,” I answered.

  “And?” Her lips pressed together as she tried to look innocent.

  “Oh my God, Clare, you have the worst poker face ever.”

  “What? I was just trying to see how things were progressing.”

  “Then, ask!”

  “Are you…I mean…do you think he’s going to…”

  “Spit it out.” I grinned. I loved watching her squirm.

  “Propose?”

  “Yes.”

  “What? Are you serious? When?”

  “As in a specific date? I have no idea, but I do know for a fact that he intends on asking me—someday,” I added with a sigh.

  “How?”

  “I found the ring.”

  “Shut up! Are you serious?”

  “No, I’m just making all this shit up to screw with you, Clare.”

  “Well, that’s not very nice.” She smirked. “Hold on.” She reached into the large mommy purse next to her on the counter and pulled out her cell phone. She began rapidly dialing and pushing buttons.

  Within seconds, Mia and Leah were on speaker.

  “Hello?” Clare said excitedly.

  “Good afternoon,” Mia said softly. I heard Asher cooing in the background.

  “What’s going on? Why are we conference-calling each other? Is someone pregnant again?” Leah asked.

  “No, but Liv has some news!”

  “I do not!” I squeaked.

  “I was just about to hump my husband when Clare texted me, saying I had to answer my phone stat, so spill it, hippie chick.” Leah said, as Clare and I laughed.

  “You guys suck,” I lamented, folding my hands over my chest.

  “Well, no, not right now I’m not,” Leah chimed in.

  Male laughter followed.

  “Ew…gross, Leah,” Clare said.

  “Hey, you called.”

  “It’s the afternoon!” Mia said. “Who does it in the middle of the afternoon?”

  “Um…do I need to remind you about the events that took place last April, Mrs. Finnegan?” I giggled.

  “Shh…not around the baby!” Mia whispered.

  “Wait—I need to hear this,” Leah said.

  “Me, too!” Clare agreed.

  “Let’s just say, after I was done shopping one beautiful spring afternoon, I decided to drop in for an unexpected visit, and I got quite the eyeful. Mia is one lucky lady. Her man is hung like a horse.”

  “Why, thank you, Liv. Hi, ladies,” Garrett deep voice suddenly said, nearly startling me.

  Female laughter roared through the phone as I watched Clare’s cheeks go pink with embarrassment as she covered her ears and began to hum loudly. I batted her hands away as she laughed.

  “We’ve seriously gone off topic, and shame on you Mia for putting us on speakerphone,” she said, trying to gain control of herself. Tiny giggles still erupted from her lips every other word as she took deep breaths. “Liv, tell the ladies…and my disgusting brother what you told me.”

  “Do we really have to do this?”

  “Yes. This is what friends do. Share, so we can all squeal like schoolgirls. It’s our God-given right.”

  “Okay, but first, let me say, you guys are ridiculous, and this is all a bit premature.”

  “That’s what she said,” a male voice chimed in.

  “Zip it, Declan.” Leah chimed in.

  “Sorry.” He half-laughed.

  “You’re on speakerphone too, Leah?” Clare sighed.

  Leah laughed, “Sorry.”

  She was not sorry. At all.

  “Okay,” I started, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. “It appears that I might have, while putting away groceries the other day, found an engagement ring Jackson bought.”

  “Holy shit! Are you serious?” Mia yelped at the same time Garrett said, “In the groceries?”

  “Yes, I’m serious, and no, it was not in the groceries…well, not exactly. I was helping him put away some things, and I needed to make some additional room in the cupboards, so I started throwing out some of the older things. There was an old canister of oatmeal. I knew it was old because I remembered seeing it there when Mrs. Reid was still up and around baking cookies. For some reason, I opened it before tossing it. It’s a good thing I did because inside was a dark blue velvet box.”

  “Who hides a ring in an oatmeal container?” someone asked.

  “Jackson obviously,” I answered.

  “And when was this?” Mia asked.

  “Nearly two weeks ago.”

  Silence.

  “See? This is why I didn’t want to tell you guys!” I said, throwing my hands up in the air.

  “I’m sure he’s just waiting for the perfect moment,” Leah suggested.

  “Maybe he has cold feet,” Declan said before he cried out in pain. “Ouch! My nipple is still attached to my body, Leah!”

  “Not for long!”

  “Oh my God, please stop! Too many images in my head. And maybe Declan’s right. What if Jackson has changed his mind?”

  “I think we need another opinion,” Clare suggested, pressing another button or five on her phone.

  Suddenly, Logan was joining us. “Hey, babe. Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. We’re fine. Say hi to everyone.”

  “Who’s everyone?” he asked in confusion.

  “Hi!” we all shouted together.

  “Oh, okay…so everyone. Is this some sort of club meeting I wasn’t aware of? Can I nominate Declan for President?”

  “President of Awesome,” Declan added.

  “Oh my God, you guys are children. I called because Liv found an engagement ring at Jackson’s place.”

  “That’s great! Congratulations—early, I guess?”

  “Well, that’s what she’s worried about. Apparently, she found the ring nearly two weeks ago,” Clare said, looking up at me as she spoke into the phone.

  “So?” Logan said. “Do you know how long I had Clare’s ring in my pocket? Months. Sometimes, it’s not a matter of knowing if the person is right, but if the timing is. He bought the ring, so he’s got the first part figured out. It’s all down to timing now.”

  I looked at the phone, like it was my friend standing in front of me. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.”

  “Thanks, guys.”

  “Anytime,” Clare answered.

  “Can we go now? I have important things to take care of, Liv,” Declan chimed in. “Oh, and let’s do this more often. But not in the afternoons…or mornings…scratch evenings off the schedule, too.”

  “Mental images!” I screeched.

  “You’re welcome! Good-bye!”

  The phone clicked, and slowly, we said good-bye to the rest, leaving just Clare and me once again.

  “When—not if—he asks, what will be your answer?”

  I smiled sheepishly. “Guess you’ll have to wait and find out.”

  ~Jackson~

  “It’s been a month, and I still haven’t asked her,” I admitted as Declan and I wasted away an afternoon playing pool at a local sports bar. I had yet to nail down a job, finding one reason or another to turn down every respectable offer I’d received. I had plenty of money to float us for as long as necessary, but I hated sitting around, doing nothing all day. Especially when I had Liv’s ring constantly reminding me of the many possibilities the future held.

  “Why the hold up?” he inquired.

  I watched him line up his shot and sink three balls with ease.

  “I have no clue. The words are right there on the tip of my tongue, and every time she walks through the damn door, I think, This is it. This is the exact moment I’ve been waiting for. Then, nothing. I end up asking her about her day or if she thinks my flowers are being properly watered.”

  “You’re not getting cold feet, are you? I mean, you love her, right?” he asked, standing up straight to meet my gaze.

  “God, yes. Jesus,
calm down. You look like the Hulk, about to go postal.”

  “Just looking out for my family.” He shrugged. His shoulders loosening, he grabbed his beer from the nearby table.

  “I honestly don’t know what it is. I mean, Noah is doing great, better than great actually, which is amazing considering everything we went through. And yeah, things with her father still aren’t fantastic, but I know that will take some time. I just keep waiting for the perfect moment.”

  Setting his beer down, he turned to face me. “Did you ever think that maybe that moment doesn’t exist?”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “I mean, maybe it’s not about how you ask. Do you really think five or ten years down the road it’s really going to make a fuck-ton of difference if you asked her while you were cuddled on the couch in front of the TV or by some waterfall three months from now because you were waiting for the perfect opportunity?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Says the dude who had his wife’s initials tattooed on his chest as part of his marriage proposal.”

  Declan’s cocky grin lit up his face. “Well, we all can’t be as awesome as me.”

  “Clearly.”

  “Dude, I’m going to do you a favor, a huge and epic favor. It will break about a million friend laws that I don’t even know exist, but Leah will cite me for them, if she ever finds out.”

  “I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about,” I replied in confusion.

  “She knows.”

  “What? Who knows?”

  “Liv. She knows. She found the ring in the pantry, like, a month ago. By the way, who in his right mind hides a diamond ring in an oatmeal container?”

  “It’s not a diamond. It’s an emerald.”

  “Whatever. Same question still applies.”

  “I don’t know! I got home with the ring and panicked. It was the only place I could think of.”

  “Well, it was a shitty idea because she’s known about that little hiding place for a while now.”

  “She knows I’m going to propose?”

  “Yep.”

  “Fuck.”