I smile, my chest so full, I can barely breathe. "I'm starting to get the idea."
Later, as we sit at the kitchen table eating pancakes, the normality of it settles over me like a warm blanket. This is what love looks like, I realize. Not grand gestures or perfect moments, but this—choosing each other over breakfast, talking about the future, being brave enough to step into the unknown together.
"So," Jaxon says, reaching for my hand across the table, "we're really doing this."
I lace my fingers through his, exhaling slowly. "We're really doing this."
The fear is still there—the doubt, the what-ifs, the worry I'm not built for something this good. But for the first time in my life, I'm not letting it drive me. I'm feeling it, acknowledging it, but I’m moving forward anyway.
Because some things are worth the risk.
And Jaxon Montgomery?
He's worth everything.
Jaxon
The hotel room buzzes with nervous energy. My family moves around the space, tidying things that don't need tidying, making phone calls, checking the time. My dad paces near the window, his hands in his pockets, while my mom fusses with my tie for the third time in ten minutes.
"Mom," I say, gently taking her hands. "It's fine."
She sighs, patting my chest. "I know, I know. I just want everything to be perfect."
I glance across the room to where Madison sits on the edge of the bed, her legs crossed at the ankles, her fingers twisting in the fabric of her dress. She's been quiet all morning, watching the chaos unfold around her with those observant eyes that never miss a thing.
She catches me staring and gives me a small smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.
I excuse myself from my mother's fussing and cross the room, dropping onto the bed beside my girl. "Hey."
"Hey," she murmurs back, her shoulder bumping against mine.
"You good?"
She exhales slowly, her gaze fixed on her hands in her lap. "Yeah. Just...a lot of people."
I nod, understanding exactly what she means. My extended family arrived yesterday—aunts, uncles, cousins, all eager to be part of the big day. They've been nothing but welcoming to Madison, but I know how overwhelming it can be for her, trying to navigate so many new faces, so many expectations.
"We can bail," I offer, only half-joking. "Grab a pizza, watch the draft from our hotel room."
She laughs softly, shaking her head. "Your agent would kill you."
"True, but it might be worth it."
Madison's smile softens as she leans into me slightly. "I'm okay. Really."
I study her face, looking for any sign she's putting on a brave front, but there's a steadiness in her expression that wasn't there even a few months ago. I'm about to say something else when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out, glancing at the screen.
A text from Carter.
Carter
Yo. Just landed. Heading to the hotel. Tell Blake she better be ready to handle your ass when you turn into a diva NFL player.
I snort, showing Madison the message. She rolls her eyes, but there's affection in it.
"He's going to be insufferable the entire time, isn't he?" she mutters.
"Without a doubt," I agree, tucking my phone away. "But he's here."
