Page 164 of Faking It With My Pucking Protector

“Hey, Ma,” I say quietly.

“Oh honey, congratulations on the Cup! I was crying and cheering so loud I think the neighbors heard me,” she says with a laugh.

I can’t help but smile. “Thanks, Ma. That means a lot.”

“I actually have bigger news,” I continue, emotion flooding my chest. “Ava’s pregnant, and I’m going to propose to her soon.”

There’s a quick inhale on the other end, then a quiet, choked sound.

“Oh… Jackson,” she breathes. I hear her sniff, the tears coming fast now. “I am so happy for you. She always felt like family to me. You both deserve this happiness.”

I swallow hard, pressing my thumb against the bridge of my nose. “Thanks, Ma.”

“You’re such a good father already,” she continues. “And now… seeing you build this new piece of your life… it just makes my heart so full.”

I exhale, my shoulders dropping. “We’re telling the boys today,” I say.

“They’re going to be the best big brothers,” she says, her voice warm, tender. “Please give Ava my love. And tell her I’m already planning to spoil that baby rotten.”

I let out a soft laugh. “I’ll tell her. Love you, Ma.”

“I love you too, honey,” she says, her voice thick but strong.

We hang up, and I stand there for a second, just breathing, the hallway quiet around me.

I slip back into the bedroom quietly. Ava stirs, her eyes blinking open slowly as I sit down on the edge of the bed.

She lifts her head slightly. “Everything okay?” she murmurs, her voice husky with sleep.

“Yeah,” I say, reaching for her hand. “I just talked to my mom. Told her about the baby…”

Her eyes soften instantly. “How did she respond?”

“She’s really happy,” I say, my thumb brushing across her knuckles. “She says to give you her love. She’s already planning to spoil this baby.”

Ava lets out a breathy laugh, her eyes glistening a little. She shifts closer, resting her forehead against mine.

“We should tell the boys soon,” she whispers, her voice careful but sure.

“Yeah,” I say, my fingers lacing with hers. “I want them to know. I want them to feel included in all of this.”

Her eyes glisten for a moment, and she presses her forehead to my shoulder.

I hold her there, my palm moving in slow circles over her back.

After a few more quiet minutes, she finally pushes up, brushing her hair away from her face. “We should probably go see what kind of chaos is happening downstairs.”

“Probably,” I say, though I don’t move right away.

When we step into the kitchen together, Miss Taylor is already moving around the stove, humming softly as she cracks eggs into a bowl. She glances over when she sees us, her eyes crinkling.

"Morning, you two," she says, voice soft but knowing.

Before long, we hear the thumping of feet. Ava laughs under her breath, turning toward the hallway just as Liam and Noah come tearing into the kitchen, their hair sticking up in every direction.

“Daddy!” Noah shouts, launching straight into me. I catch him, scooping him up easily, even though he’s getting too big to carry this way for long.

“You were so fast last night!” Liam says, eyes wide as he bounces in place. “And when you fell into the boards and got up and scored… that was the coolest thing ever!”