A small laugh escapes me, watery and surprised. "You're ridiculous."
"Maybe," he agrees, brushing his nose against mine. "But I'm yours—if you want me."
The simplicity of his offer, the sincerity behind it, breaks something open inside me.
"I do," I whisper. "Want you, I mean. I'm just scared."
"I know," he says softly. "And that's okay. We can be scared together."
I lean into him then, wrapping my arms around his neck, burying my face into his shoulder. His arms encircle me immediately, strong and sure, holding me like I'm something precious.
"I'm trying, Jax," I murmur against his skin. "I really am."
He presses a kiss to the top of my head, his voice a gentle rumble against my ear. "That's all I'm asking for, Mads. Just try. We'll figure out the rest as we go."
We sit there for a long time, the waves crashing in the distance, his arms wrapped around me like he's keeping me safe. The weight in my chest feels lighter somehow, as if sharing it with him has made it easier to bear.
"You know what I think?" he says eventually, his voice quiet in the night.
"What?"
"I think we've both been waiting for this a lot longer than we want to admit."
I pull back slightly, meeting his gaze. "Yeah. I think you might be right."
He smiles, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Just promise me one thing?"
"What's that?"
"No more running without talking to me first, even if you're scared—especially if you're scared."
I nod slowly, knowing it won't be easy but wanting to try—for him, for us. "I promise."
Jaxon's smile widens, and he presses a gentle kiss to my forehead. "Then we're going to be just fine, Mads."
And for the first time in a very long time, I believe it might be true.
30
JAXON
Thanksgiving passes in a blur of food, family, and Madison.
She fits into my world so easily, so naturally, I catch myself watching her more than I probably should—laughing with my mom as they work in the kitchen, rolling her eyes at Emily during a particularly aggressive round of Uno, sneaking extra whipped cream onto her pie when she thinks no one is looking.
It's like she's always been here.
And maybe that's because, in a way, she has.
Black Friday rolls around, and the women head out at the crack of dawn, armed with coffee and an unnecessarily detailed shopping itinerary. The guys? We stay back, camp out in the living room, watch football, and eat leftovers straight from the fridge. My dad and I debate draft prospects while Sean and Uncle Rob argue about which conference has the better talent pool this year.
I don't know what kind of chaos Mads and my mom get into, but when she comes back that evening, she's got three bags in each hand, a satisfied smirk on her face, and an energy level that only comes from a full day of hunting for deals. She flops down next to me on the couch, leans her head against my shoulder, and promptly falls asleep within five minutes. My mom catches my eyefrom across the room and gives me this knowing smile that makes my ears burn, but I don't move. I let Madison sleep on me, her soft breath against my neck, while my family pretends not to notice how completely gone I am for this girl.
Early Saturday morning, we're back on the road, heading to campus so I won’t be late for practice, slipping back into normal routine.
Only now, normal looks different.
Now, it means stealing kisses in between study sessions, texting her constantly, even when I barely have time to breathe, and figuring out ways to squeeze her into my insane schedule without losing my focus.
