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She was happy to see her whole family but picked through her food during dinner. Xander gave her a stern look because she had only gained back a pound since they had been in Las Vegas. She needed to gain at least five before he was satisfied.
After dinner, everyone went to sit in the living room. Ava played with the children. She held Savannah and then Mateo, kissing their tiny sweet smelling heads. She wanted a child of her own so badly. They had decided to tell the news of their engagement during dessert. She had the support of Sam, who squeezed her hand and whispered encouragement.
As they sat down to dessert, Xander continued to stand.
“I have an announcement to make.”
All eyes turned to him, and he continued.
“I have asked Ava to marry me, and she has said yes.”
Ava and Xander looked around the table at several shocked faces. Then the room got loud with discussion. Several of the family members hugged them including the Wilders. Brooke looked at Ava with a sour face and Jacob had a blank expression. David got out of his chair and went outside to the back deck. Jason Keene gave Ava and Xander a stern look and gestured for them to come into the living room so he could talk to them privately.
“What the hell do you mean you got engaged? I was not aware you two were even involved with each other.”
“Daddy, we never stopped loving each other. We both made stupid mistakes and have come to realize we belong together. Please accept this because we are marrying whether you approve or not.”
“I guess I have no choice then do I? You have grown up into an intelligent, beautiful young woman. I trust your decision.” He turned to Xander. “As for you, young man, I expect you to take care of my daughter a lot better than you have.”
“I plan on it, Mr. Keene. I love her very much.”
Jason offered his hand. “She is precious to me. Don’t hurt her or you will have to answer to me.”
Ava was surrounded by her family looking at the ring on her finger.
She sat down at the table feeling better, enough, so she ate a slice of pie and a couple of cookies. She noticed that David hadn’t come back to the table and she was sure she knew why. He was still in love with her and marrying Xander would finalize his pursuit of her. The last interaction they had was not good, and he had barely spoken to her for almost two months.
“I want to talk to you when you have a free moment,” Brooke said.
Shit, this can’t be good. They went upstairs to a nursery that had been converted from Jacob’s old bedroom. Mateo, Nicole, Savannah, and Jackson were all asleep, sharing two cribs against the far wall. After Brooke had checked on the babies, she turned to Ava.
“Are you sure this is what you want?”
“Brooke, how can you say that? You know it is. I love him.”
“I once thought I loved him, too, but I was wrong. He didn’t want me.”
“Is that what this is about? You feel slighted?”
“Not at all. I love Walter and haven’t thought about Xander in years. I just want you to be happy. I’m trying to protect you.”
Ava hugged her sister. She knew that her heart was in the right place.
“We’ve already hurt each other so much. That part of our lives is over with. We want to move forward.”
When the conversation ended, they went back downstairs to say their goodbyes. They would be seeing everyone the next evening for the wedding rehearsal and dinner. They walked in the cool May evening air to Xander’s car. After he had pulled out from the space, he asked her about her conversation with Brooke.
“So, how did it go? You were gone for awhile. Did she bash me?”
“No, as a matter of fact, she said she is happy for us. She just wants to make sure you aren’t going to break my heart.”
He reached out to stroke her face.
“I love you; I will never break your heart again.”
“I know you won’t. I love you, too. Now take me home and make love to me.”
As Xander drove through the city to Ava’s apartment, he thought about the future. They had a lot of planning to do. After all this time she was finally going to become his wife. He felt giddy about the prospect. He glanced at the engagement ring on her finger glinting in the street lights. He was going to park in the River Garage when he noticed that Ava had fallen asleep. He started to look for a spot closer to her building and found one just two spots from the entrance, what luck.
