Forgive and Let Go (Completed)

The Proposal (5 years ago)

The next morning I am woke by a phone ringing. I didn't know if it was mine or Will's. I finally rolled out of bed to see that it was my phone.

"Make it stop" Will groaned.

"I'm sorry baby. I'm going to walk downstairs and take this call. Go back to sleep." I say silencing my phone.

I wasn't sure who's number that was but I do know it's way too early for someone to be calling me. It's only 6:30.

I make my way to the kitchen and my phone begins ringing again.

"Hello?"

Silence.

"Hello?" I say again.

"Liv?" I could feel my heartbeat speeding up.

"JP? Why are you calling me this early?"

"I miss you" He mumbles but I hear what he says.

"Are you drunk right now?"

"Yes, but I still miss you."

"JP, where is your daughter?"

"Maggie has her for the weekend. It's so hard taking care of McKayla. Can you help me?" His words were slurring as he spoke.

I sighed. I don't have the patience for him this morning. "JP. This is me helping you right now. Get your s**t together. You have a child to take care of. You don't have time to be going out getting drunk and then calling me talking about you miss me and need my help. That boat sailed years ago."

Will walked up behind me wrapping his arms around my waist. He knows all about JP. I lean into him as I listen to JP babble on.

"Please Liv. I'm sorry for how I treated you in the past. Please just come back to me and help me."

"JP, I am finally happy with where I am in life. I have an amazing boyfriend and a great job. If you ever need to talk, call me. I'll be here for that. But as for anything else, no. I'm sorry you are having a rough time but you will eventually adjust to it all. Bye, JP."

I hang up the phone and sit it down on the kitchen counter. Will leans down and kisses my head.

"You ok?" He asks me.

"I'm fine. JP was just drunk calling me. He will probably be calling again, later on, to apologize for the call." I turn around in his arms and look up at him.

I really lucked up with snagging a man like Will. He is really good to me. His being good-looking is just a plus. Even though I have to basically fight girls off of him sometimes. But he is worth it all.

"Let's go to dinner tonight. It's our first night off in 2 weeks. Let's go enjoy ourselves a little." Will says.

"That sounds great. But for now, can we go back to sleep?" I sheepishly smile at him.

He laughs. "Yeah, let's go." He grabs my hand and pulls me up the stairs behind him.

***

After getting about 5 more hours of sleep, the two of us get up.

"What you want to eat?" Will asks me, sitting up in the bed.

"Now or later?"

"Well, both I guess." he chuckles.

"For now, some french toast would be amazing. For later, surprise me." I smile.

"I'll go fix us some french toast. You can relax." He says.

I roll over and get up so I can straddle him. His hands automatically go to my waist and then to my ass. I grab his face with my hands.

"Why are you so good to me?" I ask looking him in the eyes.

"Because you are good to me. Plus I love you."

Leaning in I kiss him softly. I didn't want to get anything started right now.

Pulling back, " Thank you for everything. I love you too."

"You don't have to thank me beautiful. I'd do anything for you."

Leaning in I kiss him one more time and then roll back off of him to my side of the bed.

***

"Where are we going?"

"Would you please just ride and stop asking me that?" Will glances in my direction then he puts his eyes back on the road, smiling.

"I said you could surprise me with picking the place we go, I didn't say to keep it from me. You know I'm not patient."

"I know, but we will be there soon."

I have no idea where Will is taking me. I'm honestly not even sure where we are. We are far out in the country I know that much.

After about 30 minutes later we are crossing the NC border. Where in the world are we heading. Another 15-minute drive we are entering a state park. The sign reads Carolina Beach State Park.

"What are we doing here?" I ask Will as he parks the truck.

"Well, I got in touch with Becca and Nick and they are meeting us here. I figured you would like to see them as well. They are going to bring a couple of pizzas with them. I have a blanket for us to layout on the sand to sit on. I know it's too cold to get in the water but I figured dinner by the ocean would be nice."

My heart melted. He knows how much I love the ocean. It's even more of a turn-on that he planned all of this out without any help from me.

"Is that okay with you?"

"It's perfect. Let's go walk on the beach before they get here." I jump out of his truck and wait on him. 

He grabs my hand and we walk out to the sand. I slid my shoes off and leave them sitting up on the hill we had come from.

"It is so beautiful out here. Thank you for bringing me here."

"You're welcome, baby. I know you love the ocean, I figured you would like to come somewhere new."

Before I could respond I hear, "OLIVIA JACKSON!!!"

I smile before I turn around knowing that voice. I run to Becca as she is running to me and let her throw herself into my arms.

"I have missed you so much," Becca says as she hugs me.

"I have missed you too. Hey Nick." I glance over her shoulder at him.

"Hey, Liv. JP said he called you early this morning. He wanted me to tell you that he was sorry for calling you as he did."

I laughed. "Yeah, he was completely wasted. I figured he would be calling me again to apologize at some point but at that time I didn't know I would be seeing you guys tonight. I'm glad you both could come by the way." I said to both of them.

"I'm glad Will called us. Thanks again for inviting us, Will."

Will looked at Becca and Nick with a weird look on his face before he said, "It was no problem. I knew Liv missed you guys." Becca for whatever reason could not seem to stop smiling.

"Why are you so happy?" I asked her.

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't stopped smiling since you two got here. You are not a smiling person."

"I'm just happy to see you. It seems like it's been forever. Which it has been almost 6 months since we actually saw each other face to face and not on a phone screen."

"You're right. I'm starving. Can we eat?" I look over to Will.

"When are you not starving?" Becca laughs.

"I'm a big girl. We all know I love food." I laugh back before grabbing Wills hand again.

Will stops me though.

"What's wrong?" I turn around.

"Nothing's wrong. I just need to talk to you for a minute."

My heart felt as if it was about to beat out of my chest.

"Did you bring me out here to break up with me? If so just say it."

"What? Baby, no. I don't want to break up with you. Why would you think that?"

"I don't know. Just the way you said you needed to talk to me, I guess"

Will laughs but grabs my hands in his. "Olivia, we have been together for a year and a half now. When I met you I wasn't expecting to fall in love with you as I have. You are the most important person in my life and I honestly would be lost if you were to walk away from me. I invited Becca and Nick because I wanted them to be a part of tonight."

He pauses and grabs a little small box out of his jacket pocket before getting down on one knee. My hands automatically go to my face. My eyes watering up. I did not expect this at all. I look behind me where Nick and Becca are standing. Both of them have smiles on their faces.

"Olivia Jackson, will you please marry me?"