I finished the sentence for her before pulling her into a kiss. “You’ll be my Queen of Hearts.”
EPILOGUE: STELLA
Great Hair Days Are a Thing
“How was your honeymoon, by the way?” Oliver asked. “We’ve seen photos and videos on social media. It looks like you did more than a bit of traveling.”
“We did,” I said proudly, cuddling little Jack in my arms.
“The article in the paper was hilarious,” Miles laughed at Ace. “Good job, bro.”
Ace and I had gotten married shortly after our engagement (mainly because I didn’t want to be heavily pregnant at our wedding), and we’d jetted off on our honeymoon directly thereafter. We landed in “Paris, la ville de l’amour,” the most romantic place on Earth, the so-called City of Love. Trust me, it was. On the top of the Eiffel tower, Ace had whipped out a megaphone and declared his love to me. End result: a photo of him—bullhorn in front of his face—and me—slack jawed and speechless—spread like wildfire.
It was everywhere, including front and center of theNew York Times:
The Whole World Watches as Billionaire Ace Windsor
Confesses Everlasting Love to His Assistant
When I’d presented the article to Ace (and my goofy face on the photo), his smile could have replaced the sun.
I know. I married a silly man.And I couldn’t be happier.
“We continued our vacation with a visit to his parents in France.” I carried on retelling our “adventures.” “They live in the quaintest little town. It was like stepping into a fairytale. His mom taught me how to make the most amazing éclairs. Then we flew to England and met up with Jay and his hubby.” The two men raised their glasses at me. “We spent a few days with them in beautiful, vibrant London. Then Ace surprised me with a trip to Torquay, a seaside town on the English Channel in the Southwest of the United Kingdom. You know why?”
“Why?” Miles asked.
“It’s the birthplace of Agatha Christie! We stayed in The Grand Hotel, which has its own Agatha Christie Suite where she spent her honeymoon. Soromantic.We visited her international annual festival at Torre Abbey, with tons of talks and performances in honor of her, and then we went on a self-guided walk that takes you to several key spots in her life. It was amazing and eye-opening, and I love her even more. I gained so much more appreciation for her work.”
“Sounds like a dream come true for you, Pancake,” Damon said, smiling. “Happy for you guys. Hey, Ace, did Stella dress up like Miss Marple and take you on a real mystery adventure?” He chuckled.
“She didn’t have to,” Ace said. “I’ve already witnessed her ‘Miss Marple routine,’ and I loved it.” I smiled as he pulled me in for a kiss.
“Touché.” Damon shook his head. “Seriously, man, you couldn’t have taken her on a better honeymoon.”
Ace nodded. “Thanks, bro. We had a great time. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
“We love you, D,” I told my brother. Damon was being silly about my “Miss Marple” routine, and he knew all had been forgiven. We were all blissfully happy. Even my broody big brother. It made sense he and Ace were best friends.
We were standing at the punch bowl, filling our glasses. The orange liquid sparkled almost joyfully in the mid-afternoon sun. We’d positioned the beverage table in front of vining jasmine that grew up the wall, and a lazy bee buzzed around.
“And that wasn’t the end. Then we jetted off to the Cayman Islands and spent some time living in a property Ace bought there. He designed the house himself. So beautiful! With a pool. Oh, and another great perk? Good hair days are a thing there. Who knew?”
That earned a chuckle from Bonnie first. She understood me and knew the struggle wasreal. Then everyone else joined in. It was no secret that I constantly had trouble taming my mane of curls.
“I love your hair,” Ace said, tucking a stray strand behind my ear. Then he leaned in and whispered so only I could hear, “Especially when you’re on top.” I slapped his arm playfully, but, dear Lord, how I loved this man. He’d given me everything I wanted and then some. It was as if he’d been created specifically for me, and when the stars were perfectly aligned, we had found each other again.
After all the laughter subsided, Miles cleared his throat. “Who were you trying to impress with all of this?” Miles asked Ace, nudging him with his elbow. “You know she’d already married you at that point, right?”
Ace shrugged. “What can I say? I had those drafts and contracts locked up in my desk for a long time. I’d do anything for her.”
“Plus, he owed me,” I said. “I was in labor for twenty-two hours.”
“I did get her a clawfoot bathtub for that.” Ace chuckled. He wrapped his arm around my waist and squeezed.
“I love it.” I beamed. “I feel like a duchess.”
“And even that probably won’t be enough. I could never repay you for giving me Jack.”