Ace of Hearts

by Goode, Ella

  Epilogue

  Alice

  Five years after that

  I climb into my car and sit for a minute before starting the engine and heading home. I performed a five-hour open heart surgery and saved a life today. My adrenaline always runs high after a successful surgery. Not every day is a successful one but today has been. I am anxious to get home to Owen and my babies. They may not be little anymore but they will forever be my babies. The thought of heading home to Owen brings a smile to my face. He retired from the Jets like he said he would and became Mr. Mom. He loves every single minute of it too. I couldn’t have asked for a better husband or father.

  When we built our dream home Owen made sure it was close to the hospital but far enough out to give us the space for a big yard. I was pretty calm when I realized I was pregnant. Owen always has a calming effect on me. Then I found out it was twins. That’s when I kind of lost my cool. When I look back I know how crazy I was being. Owen makes parenting look easy and that’s saying a lot. Our boys can be wild at times but they can also be too smart for their own good. They’ve got a little bit of both of us in them. Those dimples they shoot at me don't help when they’re doing something they aren't supposed to. I might not be immune to them but luckily Owen is. After all these years, I am still a sucker for his.

  I hit the button for the gates to swing open before I pull down our long driveway. The house is lit up. I already know what I’m going to see when I enter the kitchen. My husband in there cooking dinner. Our boys will either be helping him or playing a game at the kitchen island. I am so proud of the family that we’re raising. Each time that I walk in the door and see them it reminds me that a simple act of kindness in a mall has brought us a lifetime of happiness. That moment in time connected Owen and me, and for that I am grateful.

  When I open the side door the smell of spaghetti fills my nose. My stomach growls. My man can cook. Thankfully one of us can. I don’t know how but we always offset the other somehow. Owen says it’s because we’re a perfect match. The feeling of hunger is welcome after throwing up this morning. It only took one test for me to know why. I am pregnant. This one wasn’t planned either. I laughed when I read the results. I forgot my shot again. I almost think I’ve subconsciously done it both times. Owen offered to get snipped a few years ago when we talked about having more kids and I was on the fence. He told me to say the word and he’d have it done. Joked his balls were in my court. I know I wasn’t that behind on my shot. Owen’s nickname Fast isn’t only for the field. His semen has the same quickness at getting the job done.

  Snickers greets me at the door first. I lean down, picking up the fluffy cat the boys got for Christmas last year. They are so good with her that now Owen’s been talking about a dog. I think we might wait on that now that I have a bun in the oven. All of our parents are going to flip with excitement. Even Dad retired last year and calls himself a full-time grandpa. It helps that Owen’s mom has a mother-in-law apartment that sits at the back of the house. She is often in and out. She’s not one to sit still for long. She doesn't have to work but she keeps herself busy with projects.

  She and my mom do them together. They do a lot of volunteer work up at the hospital. It is nice getting to see them there too. I love that it feels like everywhere I go there is family. Owen was right. We had to come home. As much as we loved New York we belong here. Everything came full circle once we moved back. We were meant to raise our family here.

  I walk into the kitchen and burst into laughter. One of my sons looks up from the kid’s knitting kit he’s been playing with off and on for the last few days. He is actually doing really well and Snickers is going to have a new scarf just in time for summer. It’s Owen and my other son who have me giggling. They are playing Operation while dinner simmers behind them on the stove. Owen keeps making the buzzer go off while my son easily uses the metal tweezers to pull each organ out.

  “You sure they got any of me in them?” Owen stands from leaning over the counter to look my way. I toss each of my sons a bag of gummy bears I snagged from the vending machine at work. Both easily catch them in the air and that’s saying a lot because I throw like shit. They even do it one-handed while still holding their stuff in the other hand.

  “I think they got you in them.” I laugh. Owen smiles, clearing the distance between us.

  “I think you have a little of me in you too.”

  I smack his chest, making him laugh for a moment. I should have known he knew I was knocked up. His face goes serious for a minute. “All good?” he asks as he picks me up, setting me on the counter. I lean down, peppering kisses on each of my boys’ faces. They let me still.

  “Perfect.” I tell him the one word, letting him know how my surgery went. Also that I am good with what is happening. I know we can handle it.

  “Made your favorite.” He motions for me to lean back up so he can get his kisses next. I love kissing my husband. I let out a small sigh. I do love my job but I love home more than anything else in the whole world. Owen made it so I didn't have to choose. What I did to deserve him I’ll never know but I make sure I tell him I love him every day.

  “You are always making my favorites,” I say against his mouth. “I love you.”

  “Love you too, Ace.” He kisses me again. His kisses travel down to my neck where he can whisper in my ear, “We’re going to stay up late tonight.” He kisses below my ear.

  “Oh really?” I slide my fingers into his hair, tilting my head a little more so he can keep on kissing me there. “Yeah, you gotta help me get better at the operation game. He’s four and kicking my ass.”

  I throw my head back and laugh hysterically. “You can’t win them all,” I tease him.

  “Trust me, Ace. I more than won them all.”

  I did too. This time around he gave me a little baby girl. It made our family complete. We really have won it all.

  * * *

  I love high school sweetheart stories. If you’ve been with me from the beginning, you’ll remember that my very first story was that of Chelsea & Wrecker in His Bold Heart.

  There’s something so lovely about young love that lasts forever. I hope you enjoyed Ace of Hearts because I want to write more of these stories. Leave a comment or review to let me know your thoughts. I’m always listening.

  There’s more sweet and sexy coming out this month so stay tuned for SMOOTH. Catch you later, loves!

  Ella

  Also by Ella Goode

  Finding Home & Bring Him Home

  Captured, Kept, Stolen

  Make Me Yours

  She’s All Mine

  Pretty Prize

  Three of Us (Twins #1) and Belong Together (Twins #2)

  Their Private Need (Michigan, Easy and Annie)

  His Bold Heart (Chelsea & Wrecker)

  Her Secret Pleasure

  Captive Ride

  The Last Christmas Present: Billionaire Holiday Romance (a Daddy story)

  The Wolf’s Mail Order Bride

  Beauty in Summer

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  Copyright © 2019 by Ella Goode

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

 

 

 
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