Ex-Husband's Regret



"I'll talk to my parents." We turn, surprised to see Ava standing a few feet away, her focus on Travis. "Their revenge has gone on for too long."

*Not long enough if you ask me," Reaper chimes in, his voice full of disgust. "Given your treatment of Ava, I wouldn't stop if I were them."

*Seriously? And what about your brother? He played her and used her," Travis raged, his anger evident.

"True, but he'll be paying for that for a really long time... But what about you and your family? Ethan played her for a few months but ended up falling for her. You, on the other hand, have treated her like shit since she was a child. Can you really repay the damage you caused her?"

Rowan stiffens at the mention of Ethan and the love he has for Ava. I know my brother, and we have talked about this a few times. He's still insecure when it comes to Ethan. It guts him that if it weren't for the fact that Ethan messed up, Ava would have completely fallen in love with him, and he wouldn't have had a chance with her.

I keep telling him that Ava's heart always belonged to him. I try assuring him that if Ava were really and truly in love with Ethan, then she would have waited for him to get out of prison so they could finally be together... But no matter what, his insecurity still remains.

"Can we please just stop all this?" Ava asks in a whisper.

Rowan pulls her onto his lap, where she settles, melting into him. Rowan is her home. I don't get how my brother can't see that. He should stop worrying so much about Ethan.

Ava turns and focuses all her attention on Travis. "I don't want to hate you anymore, Travis. I'm sick and tired of holding on to grudges and carrying this heavy weight that always pulls me down because I simply can't let it all go and forgive."

Travis looks shocked at her words. Rowan, on the other hand, doesn't look surprised. He's rubbing her baby bump while staring at her face as if she has him in a thrall.

"What do you mean?" Travis asks in an unsteady voice.

"It means I've forgiven you, and I've forgiven mother too... No more holding grudges," She takes a deep breath." One step at a time though, but for now, I'm no longer angry or bitter with both of you."

Without any warning, he stands up, snatches her up from Rowan's hands, and swings her around like a child while screaming 'Thank you' over and over again.

"Put me down, Travis, or I'll throw up."

Rowan follows suit. He snatches his wife back. "Do that again and, best friend or not, I'll rip off your hands," he wams while trying to steady Ava, who seems dizzy.

Travis steps back with his hands up in surrender, but a huge smile on his face. The shadows that were haunting him seemed to have disappeared when Ava told him she had forgiven him.

I smile knowing that things are falling into place like they were supposed to.

"You look tired." My brows pull together at the exhausted look on Harper's face.

I don't get it. I made sure that she didn't even lift a finger for the housewarming party, yet she looked like she was dead on her feet with how she was dragging her feet and her half-closed eyes. How the fuck is that even possible?

"I have a surprise for you," she smiles, completely ignoring my statement.

The party was over. Letty and Travis, along with Connie and Reaper, decided to go to their homes and not stay. My parents, Rowan and Ava, are spending the night. The kids too. Gunner had permission from his dad to sleep over. Harper talked to Sierra's mom, and she agreed too.

It was past eleven, and everyone was tucked in their bedrooms.

"I don't really give a damn about a fucking surprise. Not when you look like you could fall asleep any minute now."

"Oh, trust me, you are going to love this surprise," she grabs my hand and drags me to our bedroom.

Pushing the door open, we get in before she closes the door behind us. Walking us to bed, she pushes me down on it.

"Harper"

"Sit

"Harper, you need to get off your feet." I try telling her as gently as I can

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Will you just get off your feet? You look like you are about to drop."

*Just sit and give me a fucking minute." She snaps, her eyes glaring at me with fire.

"Why are you angry all of a sudden? What kind of surprise are you giving me when you are snapping and snarling at me?" I don't know why, but I like pushing her buttons.

"Y-you..." She doesn't finish her sentence; instead, she gets something from her drawer before launching it at me. I'm too slow to react (mainly because I didn't think she would throw something at me), and it hit my forehead. "What the fuck, Harper?"

"You made me angry, and now you've ruined the surprise!"

I rub my forehead before grabbing whatever the fuck she hit me with. At first, I stare at it, trying to understand what the hell I was looking at. Today my brain seems a bit slow because it takes a while for me to realize that it's a pregnancy test.

My heart stops for a second, and my mouth drops open. I stare at the twin pink lines, praying and hoping that I am not imagining things.

"Is this...?" My voice is thick as emotions clog my throat, making it hard to speak.

"Yes," Harper whispers. "I'm pregnant."

"Well, that would explain your moodiness. I was starting to think there's something wrong with you."

"Why you..." This time she launches herself at me.

I catch her. My hands wrap securely around her waist as I bring her to sit on my lap. Before she can react and hit me or something, I seal our lips, kissing her like my life depends on it.

"Thank you," I murmur, completely out of breath. "I feel like the happiest and luckiest man in the world." Words can't even begin to express just how grateful I am that I decided to hunt Harper down when the board gave me that stupid ultimatum. My heart is full in a way I never experienced and never thought possible. Harper and Lilly have brought light into my life, and I can't wait to share that same light with the baby we are expecting.

"I love you, Harper" I murmur against her lips.

"Right back at you, Gabriel. I love you."

I smile, her words warming my heart. I feel complete, and it's all thanks to my family.