Page 32 of Summer With You

Making a few sandwiches, I frowned at our diminishing food supply. I really hoped the men brought something with them otherwise, we would have another problem on our hands.

Juggling four plates, I walked back into the living room and handed each kid one, and then grabbed Celine’s hand and brought her into the kitchen.

“Sit down and drink this.” I handed her a ginger ale. The amount of stress she was carrying on her shoulders was going to hurt the baby. She had Braxton Hicks already. I would hate for her to bring labor on early, and at the rate that she was going, it didn’t seem unlikely.

She took a long sip, then shook her head. “I want to throw up. I won’t be able to keep this down.” She slammed the can down on the counter and let out a loud sob. “I can’t reach him. It’s been longer than an hour. This must be some fucked up karma for not appreciating him.” Her head fell into her hands as her sobs shook her shoulders.

“Don’t think the worst. Give them time. It’s raining, and you know Ace doesn’t like to speed in the rain.” She nodded, but sobs continued wracking her frame. My worry for her baby escalated. Hell, my worry for Celine was already through the roof. She was falling apart.

There was a loud banging on the door as I was getting ready to insist that she drink more of the ginger ale. The noise woke Nicky, who wailed, and I quickly went and checked the peephole, my nerves on end.

Instantly, relief flooded through me at the sight of two drenched, sexy as hell men.

They had come home to us.

After swinging the door open, Ryan scooped me into his arms, and butterflies swarmed my stomach just like it did when we were kids. My cheeks heated up as he peppered my face with kisses. “I’m home,” he whispered against my lips just as he took my breath away.

“Where’s Celine?” Ace demanded. “Where’s my girl?” He pushed past us into the dark house, past my crying son and his excited kids straight into the kitchen where his wife was crying on the kitchen counter. He touched her shoulder, grabbing her attention.

She looked up at him through bleary eyes, tears running down her red cheeks. He helped her off the wooden stool, and she fell into his arms, weeping into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, big steel bands of muscle caging her in against his chest.

“I’m here, Princess. I’m here.” He threaded his fingers into her golden hair, holding her quivering form. She tried to speak, but only sobs escaped her lips. My heart broke for her, but I knew Ace would take care of her. He always did. “I’m sorry for leaving. I’m so sorry, baby.” Together, the two fell to the ground, Celine cocooned in his protective grasp.

She clutched his shirt in two tight fists. “I’m . . . so sorry,” she managed to say in between uncontrollable sobs that had her heaving deep breaths. “I love you so much.” She leaned her head against his chest, closing her teary eyes.

“I love you, too, Princess, so much. All is forgiven,” he soothed. “I’m here now, and I’m never putting work before you again,” he swore.

Ryan and I watched the two, his arms around my big belly, holding me close to his chest. He kissed my neck and inhaled deeply. “You smell like home,” he whispered, squeezing me for a moment.

“You are home, Ryan.” We exited the kitchen to console the confused children and give the two some privacy. The way Celine was crying, it was only going to drain her and upset the baby. She always let her emotions get the best of her. She had done it for as long as I had known her. But Ace had a way of putting her back together that the rest of us had never been able to figure out how to do.

Ryan checked his watch after a few minutes and then watched the storm unfold through the windows. “We need to put up shutters. We don’t have much time,” he mumbled to me, picking up Nicky who was clutching onto his wet jeans.

“In the rain? That can’t be safe. Can’t you wait?” He shook his head, smiling at his baby boy. God, I wished I had as much strength as Ryan did at that moment. He looked completely unaffected by all of this.

“If we wait too long, it will be too late.” He sighed. “I don’t want to be the one to break apart those two because they need this. He’s been a wreck.” I laughed, and so had Celine. “Celine, too?” he asked, looking over at me when I laughed. I nodded, putting a hand on my belly when I felt one of the babies kick.

“Wanna feel something?” I looked up at him, reaching for his big hand, and placed it on my belly. I waited, and then, I felt it and watched the flash of joy light up his eyes.

“Was that—” He grinned, holding Nicky in one arm and looking at me like I was the sun, moon, and stars all in one.

“Yeah, it was.”

“I love you, Spitfire.” My soul warmed at his words. Ryan seriously had no idea how amazing he was.

Ace came into the living room and headed straight for his two kids who were fighting over who would shower first tonight.

“Neither of you are going to shower without power,” he told them. “Now, quit the fighting. Your momma can’t handle it anymore. It’s hurting the baby.” The two shut up really quick and looked up at their daddy.

“Sorry,” Summer whispered first, bumping Charlie with her shoulder to get him to speak but he just nodded his head, his lips sealed.

“Momma is going to rest for a bit. I need you two to behave for Auntie Ames. Play a game until Uncle Ryan and I are done, and no screaming, do you hear me?” The two nodded before hugging him.

He turned to me, exhaustion showing in his eyes and worn-out expression. “I just put her in bed,” he told me, and I nodded. “She’s sleeping, and I really want to keep it that way for as long as possible because she won’t sleep once the hurricane is coming through here.” He swallowed thickly, a flash of horror passing through his eyes before he smothered it. “None of us will. It’s going to be loud.”

Sometimes, it was easy to forget that Ace had been there with Celine with the hurricane passed through and they had been trapped together. Being trapped like this was going to mess him up as much as it was already messing Celine up.

The two men gave each other a nod before going through the garage door to put up the shutters, meaning we wouldn’t be able to see the storm and be in complete darkness. The thought scared me, but a look at the kids reminded me now wasn’t the time to be afraid. I had to be brave for them.

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