𝟐𝟏𝐂 | 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐰.

Chapter Fifteen. [Part 2]

Ava took Jack's hand in her own, and he intertwined their fingers. "I just have a habit of bottlin' everythin' up 'til it explodes, then I got a huge ass mess where I'm left cleanin' up," he told her stressfully, too shameful to even look at her. He never talked about his feelings in such detail with anyone before, but he knew he could trust her. "I was wrong, Ava. I was wrong again, and all I do is hurt you," he muttered, looking at the floor solemnly. She couldn't disagree. "That may be true, but I see a man who is working on himself, and you may not realize it, but telling me everything you just told me is one step closer to making that change.. but you have to start keeping me in the loop, Jackman, otherwise it's going to keep happening like this," she knelt in front of him while he was hunched over on the couch in shame.

"I've just never had a relationship this serious before, and it almost scares me.." his voice was shaky as he spoke, and Ava rubbed his arm gently. "And I find myself doing shit that'll make you wanna leave, because I'm scared to get too involved, to get too vulnerable.. But then I talk to you and you show me time and time again why I want you to see that side of me, because I trust you with it," he took her face softly in his soft hands, the liquor on his breath tickling her nose. "Jack, you are growing into who you are, but you have to let me in.." He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, nodding to her words. "You're one hell of a woman, you know that?"

"Even though I love you, you should say it first."—21C.

"Jack, I love you," something in him.. softened.

"Ava, I love you, too," he told her immediately, hugging her tightly. Jack held onto Ava like an anchor at sea during a storm and she didn't care how tight he was holding on; she loved the feeling of being in his arms. "God, I love you so fucking much," after saying it once, he felt like he could never say it enough. She felt her heart explode with such an emotion she'd never felt before. "I wish that I would've said it before, but I have for so long," he whispered near her ear as she hugged him close. She felt his tears on her shoulder, and she rubbed his back comfortingly. Jack rarely cried, but something about Ava opened up the flood gates of emotions in him. And it felt good to not keep them so bottled up. "Let's sober you up and we can work on this album together, okay?" she told him, rubbing his back gently, and he nodded into her shoulder.

"Also Jack, if you talk to me like you did on the phone again, I swear I'll kill you with my bare hands," she whispered with a soft smile, and he laughed. "Yes ma'am," he kissed her temple as she cuddled closer to him.

"The love birds have made up," Urban scared them both as they jumped away from each other, but Jack held firm to Ava's hand. "Urb, you always ruin the moment," Jack stood up, rolling his eyes in false annoyance. He gave Urban a hug, and Urban was surprised. "I love you man, no matter how annoyin' yo ass get," Jack told him with a smile, and walked down the hallways back tot he other studio to get started on his album.

"You always bring out the best side of my boy," Urban hugged Ava, his arm around her shoulder as they followed Jack. She smiled, thinking about how Jack brought out the best in her, too..

+ in case it was unclear, the cliffhanger from the previous chapter was jack being nervous to tell ava that he loved her.🥺 sorry for the heart attacks in the comments; i promise i love y'all.💀💗 chapter dedication goes to the marvelous: iwannamarryjackman ✨💗