Page 48 of Summer With You

“This is nothing. The real celebration is next weekend when I get to marry you again and relive the happiest day of my life.” How did this man still make butterflies erupt in my belly as if we had just met?

He sat down next to me at the table and leaned forward to kiss me. Our lips brushed, the taste of his coffee overfilling my senses. I felt Jessie wiggle in my arms and tightened my hold on him to soak in this moment with my husband.

“You really are the best thing that ever happened to me. I know I tell you this often, but I don’t think you understand how you saved me.” I lean my forehead against his and inhale his spicy cologne.

“I just want to show you how much I love you for as long as I can.” Tears burned in my eyes at his words. “You saved me, too, Celine, so I guess we saved each other.” He pressed his lips to my forehead. “Now, let me get those monsters to school, and I’ll see you at lunchtime.” He brushed his lips against mine one last time and then stood from the chair with a groan.

Lunch was at my favorite café near the beach, and then dinner was at our favorite Italian restaurant in the popular part of town. And then, like all good things usually do, the magical day came to an end in the most beautiful way.

I got to fall asleep in my husband’s arms, completely and utterly in love with him.

A week later, I picked up the kids from their final day at school, drove straight home, and packed our bags for the weekend.

We were leaving first thing in the morning for the lake house, and tomorrow evening, Ace and I would renew our vows under the same archway we had thirteen years ago.

“Mommy, do you think Daddy will like my dress?” Summer asked, holding up her light blue summer dress in front of her body in my closet.

“Of course, he will, sweet girl. You know that’s his favorite color, right?” She nodded, beaming at me.

“Yes, he told me. Do you know why it’s his favorite color?” She smiled, a little twinkle in her blue eyes.

I frowned at her because, no, I didn’t. “Why?”

“Because it’s the color of your eyes, Mommy.” She wrapped her arms around my waist and squeezed me tightly with a little giggle.

That man was even corrupting our daughter with his charming ways.

But my heart fluttered in my chest. “No, he never mentioned that,” I said quietly.

“Well, now you know.” She skipped out of the room, holding her dress up as she went, letting it swish back and forth in the air.

I finished packing my dress and clothes for the mini week-long vacation we had planned, and then went to tackle Summer’s suitcase, and then Charlie’s, leaving Jessie’s for last as he would need the most.

It was his first trip and at almost six months, he was becoming more of a handful.

“Honey, I’m home!” Ace called, slamming the front door behind him.

“Packing up Summer’s things!” I called back, folding her little dress into her red and white Minnie Mouse suitcase before zipping it up and walking out of the room, picking Jessie up from the floor. Jessie had just learned how to sit, and he loved to sit with me wherever I was.

I caught Ace watching us from the hallway. Leaning against the doorjamb, he smiled. “You really are gorgeous.” My cheeks flushed at his words.

“You really do want something, don’t ya?” I teased. He chuckled and shook his head.

“How can I help you?” he asked instead, pushing off the doorjamb.

“I was going to pack Charlie’s things, but you can do that. Most of it is laid out anyway. I’ll tackle Jessie’s clothes, and then, we can have an early dinner and go to bed early.”

“The kids can go to bed early, and I can have my sexy wife all to myself,” Ace corrected. I laughed, though my belly tightened at the thought of a night alone with him. “Sounds like a plan, babe.” He grinned and winked like the little boy he still acted like, though I knew he was definitely all man.

The next morning, excitement bubbled in the air as we packed the car and got on the road. We had been dreaming about this trip for almost six months now.

When I glanced at the new ring on my finger, I sighed in awe every time. As Amber had said, the rock was huge, bigger than the engagement ring, and completely custom. Ace had spent a pretty penny on making me something that was one of a kind.

He held my hand the whole way to Orlando, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles in a slow back and forth gesture that set my soul at ease. We were fortunate enough that Jessie slept the whole trip, and the other watched movies on their iPads, keeping their minds occupied so that Ace and I could talk.

“I think we should buy a house out here,” I said as we pulled up to the gate of the mystic-looking neighborhood.

“It won’t hold the same memories as this house. You might not be as fond of it.” Ace let go of my hand to punch in the six-digit code. “But if that’s what you want, we can take a look at some listings while we’re here.”

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