Page 47 of Summer With You

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Ace had been right to be skeptical about taking care of Amber and Ryan’s kids. I was not expecting the kids to wear me absolutely thin. I had never been this tired before.

I sank into the couch when I got home eight hours later. Summer and Charlie bounded up the stairs to go watch TV, and Jessie was napping in his car seat. I had only set him on the floor, needing a moment before I took him out of it.

My phone rang, and I answered before checking, knowing it was Ace making sure we got home safely like he did every day.

“How was your day, Princess?”

I sighed, leaning my head on the back of the couch. Now I understood why Ryan and Amber looked like death on most days. It was exhausting.

“Super long,” I groaned. “You were right, of course. I was in way over my head.” I sighed. “On the bright side, Amber slept for a few hours and was super refreshed when I left.”

“Pizza for dinner?” he asked, laughing at my expense.

“Please,” I begged him. There was no way I was going to be able to cook dinner. “I’m going to just close my eyes for a few minutes while Jessie is sleeping.”

“I love you, baby. I’ll come home early tonight,” Ace told me. Bless his soul, he had actually kept to his word about no longer putting work before us. Almost a year later, and he made sure all of our needs and wants were met, and honestly, it did him good, too, to be home with us more often.

“I love you more.” He ended the call, and I closed my eyes, succumbing to some much-needed sleep.

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I awoke with a start. My alarm hadn’t gone off. The kids were going to be late for school, and Jessie needed his bottle.

Dang it!

Feeling Ace’s cold spot next to me, I flew out of the bed, barely having a chance to wipe the sleep out of my eyes. Rushing into Jessie’s room, I reached for him in his crib only to find it empty.

Ace must have him.

I quickly dashed down the stairs, tying my messy, knotted hair up in a ponytail as I went into the kitchen only to find a shirtless Ace holding Jessie on his hip while flipping an omelet on the stove, his muscles flexing with the simple movement. I flushed at the sight.

It had been a while since I got to appreciate how good my husband looked.

The kids were quietly eating, both of them dressed for school.

“Ace, what’s going on?” I paused, hands still in my hair, shocked at the sight before me.

“Happy anniversary, Princess.”

Ace turned, blue eyes bright with love and affection for me as he held our baby and made me breakfast. My heart swelled in my chest. He was so amazing. God, I loved him so much.

“I can’t believe you went to all this hassle for me.” I took a step closer to him, kissed his cheek, then took Jessie from his arm so he could finish the food.

“Making you breakfast and taking care of our kids is no hassle, Celine, you know that. Now, sit down and eat this, and I’ll take the kids to school today,” he told me.

Taking the plate that he was offering, I sat next to the kids at the kitchen table and started eating, bouncing Jessie on my knee as I did so. He gurgled happily. “Thank you so much, Ace. This is so special.” Ace was so amazing.

“That’s not all.” I looked up at him in surprise. “We have a lunch date and a dinner date. Your parents are watching the three kids tonight, so we will have our first date night since having Jessie.”

“How did you manage that?” I asked after swallowing a mouthful of the delicious omelet he made me.

He paused to sip his coffee, watching me over the rim of his mug. His eyes were heated. He wanted me as badly as I wanted him, but both of us were normally so exhausted by the time we put everyone to bed that all we could do was just fall asleep as well.

“I asked nicely.” I snorted. “Plus, you know your parents love spending time with the kids.” Sometimes, this man could be so unbelievably sweet and surprising.

“You’ve planned out a whole day just for me?” He nodded, motioning for the kids to do their dishes and to brush their teeth.

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