3 months later
"Yes, I know you're busy." Jackson pressed the phone to his cheek, staring intently at the wall. His voice dropped to a whisper, words creeping softly down the hall. April lurked around the corner wondering who he would call this early in the morning. She strained her neck, poking out her ear as she tried to pick up his conversation. He was hiding something and she couldn't figure it out. "Mom," Jackson groaned, sighing loudly as his mother filled the line.
April had met Catherine Avery in all her glory once before. She had flown into Sugarland on an hour's notice for the community garden's opening before leaving just as swiftly once the festivities ended. After all, she was a busy woman. However, before she left and despite her boyfriend's protests, she did add Catherine on Facebook.
Her boyfriend sighed. "Okay. Thank you." The call died, silence filling the hallway. Jackson tapped his phone against his palm, looking up and down the hall to where April hid.
His footsteps signaled his arrival, her boyfriend rounding the corner. April turned to the table, fidgeting with the stack of decorative magazines as she tried to appear like she wasn't eavesdropping. Confused eyes landed on her crumpled form, one hand sliding his phone gently into his pocket.
"Hey," he pressed a kiss to her head as he helped her up. "You ready to go?"
She slowly turned, lips tucked between her teeth as she hummed in agreement. "Yea, I just need to put everything in the car and then we can head out."
April wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him close. She puckered her lips for a kiss. Jackson stared gently down, eyes softening as he took in her face. A smile pulled at his mouth, a hand curling a strand of hair behind her ear. With his fingers caressing the shell of her ear, he placed a chaste kiss on her lips. April raised onto her tippy toes, leaning into his touch when he pulled back.
He laughed lightly, "We're going to be late and we've got a long drive ahead of us."
Her brows pinched. "For what?" Jackson stepped out of her grasp, moving towards their packed bags waiting in front of the door. He hummed lightly as he walked, a palm rubbing against the front of his jeans.
"I told your parents that we would meet them for dinner."
"And you didn't tell me?"
"I thought they would have." Jackson pulled up the collapsable handle of her luggage, opening the door with his free hand. Hot air swirled into the cooled room. "Ready to go?"
While her feet carried her across the room, her head remained rooted in place. Things weren't adding up. Her mother certainly would have called if they were coming for dinner.
While Jackson pulled out of her driveway, April dialed her mother's number.
"Hi, baby. You excited to come home?" Karen's sweet voice filled her heart, momentarily distracting April from her goal.
"Of course, Mama. Jackson told me that we're meeting you for dinner tonight. How come I didn't hear from you?"
"Oh my gosh! I thought that he would have told you sooner." She peeked over at Jackson, one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting on his thigh. "By the way," her mother added, pulling her back into their conversation, "make sure you look nice tonight."
"Why?"
"I was thinking of taking photos to share with your sisters."
"Mama, you know they wouldn't care what we were wearing." April looked down at the old shirt and shorts she had thrown on this morning, making a mental note to change once they arrived.
"I know," Karen sighed, "but I want an occasion to dress fancy and you better not be denying me of that opportunity."
April giggled into the phone, a wide smile spreading across her face. "Wouldn't dream of it." Now that she mentioned it, she noticed Jackson looked a little more dapper than usual, his jaw missing the usual scruff he sported since he moved in. It seemed like everyone had gotten the dinner memo except for her. Saying her farewells to her mother, she focused on the road. The black asphalt flew by as Jackson drove, monotonous and unchanging, eventually lulling her to sleep.
After an eight-hour drive filled with country music and a pit stop at Whataburger for lunch, the two finally reached Ackerly. This time, instead of pulling up on the dusty path leading to her parent's home, the two drove further down the old highway to his place.
Jackson parked the car in front of his house, Alex standing on the porch wiping his hands on a white rag. The setting sun crept out of the sky and snuck behind the horizon. Jackson stepped out of her car, kicking up a cloud of dust as he landed. He jogged to the porch, Alex stepping down to meet him on the step. April moved back, letting the two men talk as she took the luggage out of the trunk.
"Hey, man." Alex nodded towards Jackson, then looked past him to wave at April. His voice dropped. "I got the place ready like you asked." The former barhand dropped the key into Jackson's palm, long fingers curling over the metal.
April peered over, brows furrowing as she watched the two hug. She hadn't realized that they had gotten so close. She shrugged and made her way to the steps with her bags in tow.
"Thank you, man. I owe you." Jackson smiled, slowly turning around to look at his girlfriend. He stepped back to help her with the luggage. Alex hugged her before disappearing into his truck.
"What was that about?" she asked, tipping her head towards Alex's truck.
"Oh, he just got things prepped around the house since we haven't been here in a while." He moved the bags to the front entryway.
April nodded slowly, accepting his answer even though Alex had never prepped the house for any of their previous visits. She rounded back to the car for the last of their things.
As she dropped the bag in the entryway, she swiped the sweat from her forehead. Even though she had only been in the Texas heat for a couple of minutes moving their bags, her cotton shirt was starting to get damp from her efforts.
"Let me freshen up before we head out. Wouldn't want to ruin Mama's photos tonight looking all gross from the road." Jackson nodded, hovering anxiously by his dining table. As he watched her disappear down the hall, rolling her luggage with her, he reached into his pocket. His fingers met the small piece of metal warmed by his body heat, a small confirmation that he hadn't lost it between the time he unboxed it this morning and now.
Breathing deeply, he pulled it out of his pocket. The diamond caught the light as he stared down at it. It had cost a small fortune, one his mother assured him his girlfriend would appreciate. Jackson held the thin gold band delicately, inspecting the ring for any blemishes before quickly pocketing it as he heard footsteps approaching.
April stepped out in a white sundress, her hair switching from a messy bun to loose waves. She gave a little twirl, beaming as she saw the way he looked at her.
"You look gorgeous, April." Jackson stepped into her space and dropped a quick kiss to her lips. He slipped his hand into hers, as they walked out the door and to his car. Jackson put the car in drive, steering the car deeper into his property. "Before we head to your parent's place, I have a little something planned."
April cocked her head in confusion as Jackson brought them back into the waning heat of the setting Texas sun. Something was weird with him. His hands were slightly clammy, blue eyes trained ahead at the strip of land he had shown her last summer when she was feeling down. April hopped out of the car and curiously walked closer. Faded yellow lights hung in the tree, shining faintly on the two. Stretching into the shade, a picnic blanket laid at the base of the tree with the same wicker basket pinning it down from last summer. Jackson hung a few steps back, letting April explore on her own.
"Jackson." His name fell gently from her lips as she turned to look at her boyfriend. His skin glowed under the sun's waning amber rays. His fingers slipped into the pockets of his jeans as he began to talk. He stepped closer, dried grass crunching under his weight.
"I had Alex prepare this. If you open the basket there's some veggies that came from this season's harvest and a bottle of wine." She reached down and lifted the lid of the handwoven basket. A carefully chosen spread of produce, crackers, cheeses, and the bottle of wine he had mentioned were neatly tucked away.
While still light out, Jackson focused his eyes on the stars starting to shine in the darkening sky. Hazel eyes fell to his form. Her lungs stalled, her heart knowing what was happening before her head could process it. Jackson pulled his hand out of his pocket, both hands tightly gripping a ring. Holding her gaze, he lowered to one knee.
Her eyelashes fluttered as she blinked, lips parting as she tried not to hyperventilate.
Jackson cleared his throat, trying to hide the nervousness that had been brewing all day. "When you kissed me under this tree last summer, I knew I was done for. There is no other person I would want to have as my partner in life, no one I would fight for more than you. I love you, April. I love everything about you. Even the terrible country songs you love and the fact that you don't like sharing pie." April let out a watery laugh as she thought about their first encounter. She pressed her fingers to her lips as she tried to keep quiet. He took a breath, preparing for the monumental question. "I love you, April, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" Her lips collided with his, the force of her body nearly knocking him over. Jackson smiled against her lips, "So is that a yes?"
"Yes, Jackson," she choked out, tears finally rolling down her face. "Yes!" April brushed away the watery drops and held her hand out. Her hand trembled as Jackson slid the ring onto her finger, the square diamond looking perfectly at home on her hand.
Later, as they approached her parent's house, April noticed the small gathering of people waiting on the front porch.
"Is this what all the secretive phone calls were about?" One hand rested on her chest, unsure she could handle another surprise tonight. Her boyfriend, no, fiancé planted a kiss to the side of her head answering her question with a soft smile.
He turned to the group waiting excitedly for the couple's arrival.
"She said yes!" Jackson shouted, raising their joined hands in the air. The air erupted with cheers, people pouring down the steps to congratulate the two. Waiting on the porch, April watched Catherine clink her glass with her mother's, tears threatening to spill down the older redhead's face. Catherine wrapped her arm around Karen, the two mothers beaming at their children.
The men got to hugging as her sisters gushed over her ring, and as the sun finally set on Ackerly, April was grateful for the road that led her here. To him.
A/N
GUYS I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S ENDING. i started drafting this story in july of 2020 so it has been 3 longggg years since then. i had a vision of country yeehaw japril and i can't believe their story is coming to a close. i managed to complete my first, big multichapter fic! storm warning has meant the world to me and i am so glad that i got to share it with y'all. thank you so much for reading, commenting + everything. ily and i'll see you next time ⸜(⸝⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝⸝)⸝ also, ao3 has more of my recent fics + oneshots so catch me there!
