to hug and make up with one another. We didn’t have to fix our scars because they were still badly bruised, but we could paint together. We could cover up the past and bring about a brighter future. Healing came in waves, and I was willing to ride this one out.
A week later, Derek headed back to Chicago. We left on decent terms, that I figured would only get better. You could only go up from rock bottom. Yet, I also knew it would take more than a week of drywalling to fix our problems.
After he left, I headed to Kennedy’s house one Sunday afternoon. She was off having a spa day with Yoana, which was at my request. When I stepped into her back yard, Connor was putting the finishing touches on our landscaping design. We’d hung fairy lights the night before, and now that the night sky was approaching, everything was beginning to light up perfectly. Kennedy hadn’t seen anything yet, because I wanted the yard to be the biggest surprise. I wanted to be there when she witnessed the completed picture.
In the trees hung paper butterflies, her daughter’s favorite. In the bushes bubble machines were going nonstop, and on the left side of the fence was a field of daisies beneath a sign that read Daisy’s Flowers with a backward D.
Connor walked over and patted me on the back. “Are you happy with how it turned out, boss?”
I smiled at him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “It’s everything and more, partner.”
Connor looked up at me and grinned ear to ear. The truth of the story was, that kid had been the best partner I could’ve ever asked for. His humor and kindness had probably saved me on the hardest days of my life. I was thankful to be able to know someone like him.
“Promise me you won’t forget me when you become a millionaire, Con?” I asked.
“Don’t be silly, Jax.” He shook his head. “I’m going to be a billionaire. I’ll probably end up buying your business out from under you, but I’ll cut you a nice check.”
I snickered. Sounded about right.
“You guys, get ready, get ready,” Joy said, hurrying to the back yard. “Yoana and Kennedy are on their way back.”
My stomach was in knots, and I couldn’t help but laugh as I saw Yoana round the corner, guiding a blindfolded Kennedy.
“Why am I having a strong case of déjà vu?” Kennedy laughed. “Yoana, I already know what the house looks like. Is the blindfold really necessary?”
“It is,” I told her.
Kennedy stood straighter. “Jax?” she questioned. “What are you doing here?”
“We wanted to surprise you with the finished back yard.” I walked over to her and kissed her lips. “Are you ready?”
“I am!” she exclaimed. “I’ve been waiting for this.”
“Okay, and just remember, if you hate it, Connor did it,” I joked. I took the blindfold off Kennedy’s eyes, and she gasped upon seeing everything around her.
“Oh my gosh.” She teared up, looking around. When she looked at the trees and saw the butterflies, the tears began to fall. Then they began rushing down her cheeks as she saw the sign, and they never finished falling. Yoana cried from her sister’s emotions, and hell, I almost teared up too, because seeing Kennedy happy made my heart soar.
“Do you like it?” I asked.
“Like it? Jax, it’s everything and more. I never imagined something so beautiful. This is more than I could’ve ever imagined.”
I took her hand into mine and led her around. “Come on, let me show you.” I pointed out all the little details she probably didn’t even care to know about, but I was excited, and nervous, and fuck, it was hard to breathe.
I led her over to the bed of daisies and pointed down at the flowers. “These are special daisies. Rumor has it some are great at growing objects within them.”
She laughed. “What does that even mean?”
“Just look closely and see if you can figure it out.”
She narrowed her eyes at me then lowered herself down. She began looking through the flowers for whatever it was she was meant to find. “There’s nothing here,” she said, confused.
“That’s because I already picked it out of the bunch,” I said.
She turned around to find me down on one knee with a daisy in my hand. On top of said flower was a diamond ring, waiting for her finger to wear it.
Kennedy’s hand flew to her lips, and she let out a small gasp.