“You?” The pain that crossed her face didn’t just break Ace’s heart it put it through the shredder.
“You’re payment was reversed because I paid it. You don’t need to worry about any bills for his care anymore. I took care of it.”
Stephanie stared up at him, not saying anything, her mouth hanging open.
“See, I didn’t do that and I don’t know anything about any will.” Mason defended himself.
She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. When she opened them she faced her ex. “We’re not getting back together. Leave me and my family alone.”
With that she turned and headed back to the truck. Ace didn’t even attempt to open the door for her he just went to his side and got in. In silence he started the truck and backed out of the driveway.
Before they made it out of the upscale neighborhood he couldn’t stand the silence anymore. He tried to explain, “Stephanie, I—”
“Why?” She turned towards him. “Why would you do that without telling me? Without asking me?”
“When I went to see Scott, I was talking to Nora and she was saying how amazing you are. How hard you worked to get your brother in there. How she doesn’t know how you afford it, much less the treatments that aren’t covered by insurance. And I remembered hearing you mumbling in your sleep about making payments and saving money. When you did you tossed and turned.
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I just wanted to make your life easier. You’ve struggled for so long and I have money. I have money sitting in a bank not doing anyone any good, a lot of money. I have a trust fund. My parents made sure that my brother and I would never have to struggle like their parents did. I’ve never touched that money before, but I couldn’t stand the thought of you struggling. I just thought this is one way that I could help. I can’t go back in time and make yours or Simone’s or Scott’s childhood easier, but I’m here now. I can help now.
“I was going to tell you but, when I woke up and saw you I couldn’t keep my hands off of you and then I was going to tell you at breakfast, but your mom showed up and I just…there just wasn’t a good time. I’m sorry.”
Stephanie’s phone buzzed and she picked it up. “Yes.”
“I’ll be there in an hour.” She hung up.
“Is it work?” he asked.
“No. Scott.”
“I can take you. We can go now.”
“No. I want to go home and take a shower.”
“Okay, then I’ll take you when you’re ready.”
“No, I can Uber,” her tone was flat, emotionless as she looked out the passenger side window.
“Stephanie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you or—”
“I know.” She nodded slowly. “I know you were just trying to help. And I appreciate it. Thank you, but I’m not going to take your money. I’ll pay you back.”
“You don’t have to do that,” he argued, feeling like an ass.
“Yes, I do,” she spoke quietly.
“Can I please drive you to see Scott?” He knew he messed up, but he hated the idea of her having to pay for a ride.
“I think…” She took in a shaky breath. “I think I need a break. A lot has happened in the past couple of months. I lost my dad. My mom came back. You. I need some time.”
He sat beside the girl that he loved, that he wanted to marry, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and she wanted time…And he had no one to blame but himself.
Chapter 26
Stephanie tugged at the neckline of the off the shoulder, knee length, bodycon dress she’d just squeezed into.
“Come on, you’re taking forever. I want to see it,” her sister whined from the other side of the bathroom door.
“Hold on,” Stephanie continued adjusting the material so that it covered more of her cleavage.
She would normally not be caught dead in something as form fitting and revealing as this, but it was a gift. A birthday gift from Simone. She’d shown up an hour ago with balloons and gifts. Besides a Keurig machine and a month’s supply of coffee pods, her sister had bought her a new dress and shoes. She’d also insisted that Stephanie put them on because Simone was taking her to dinner.
Even though going out was the last thing she wanted to do after the week she’d had, she agreed. For one thing, it was her birthday. And her sister was making an effort. A real effort. The past week, Simone had gone with Stephanie to Brookside not once, but twice. She’d even gone to the hearing with her and given their mother the cold shoulder. Not even her mother’s tears when she lost had affected Simone. And now she wanted to take her out for her birthday in the dress and shoes that she’d bought her.
Besides, what was the alternative? Moping around the house because she missed Ace. She’d done that. In fact every moment she had alone, any quiet time she had, he was all she thought about. She wasn’t sure if he was keeping himself scarce on purpose or if he’d left on another assignment, but she hadn’t seen him since the morning he took her to Mason’s.
She’d almost called or texted him a thousand times but something kept holding her back. She knew what he’d done was nothing like what Mason had. Ace had made sure Scott could stay in an amazing facility, not dropped him off in a state run home. But for some reason it was hitting her emotionally the same way. Maybe it was because they’d both gone behind her back. It wasn’t logical, but that’s where she was at.
Not that it stopped her heart from jumping every time she’d even thought she’d heard her phone today, hoping that it was Ace. That he was calling her to wish her a happy birthday. To see how she was doing. To tell her he missed her.
But, he hadn’t called.
Because you told him you wanted time, her annoying inner voice pointed out.
“Come on! I’m dying out here! And we gotta go. We have reservations.”
“Okay, give me a break.” Stephanie opened the door. “I’m not a quick change artist. I’m not Wonder Woman.”
“You look beautiful.” Simone’s voice cracked with emotion. “And yes you are. You are Wonder Woman.”
Stephanie felt herself tearing up. This new and improved version of her sister was going to take some getting used to. She sniffed, “You’re going to make me mess up my make-up.”
Simone blew on her face, like Stephanie used to when they were kids to “dry” the twins’ tears, Stephanie laughed and ducked.
“Okay, let’s go!” She dragged her out of the house and when they got to the car she put out her hand. “Give me the keys. I’m driving.”
She handed Simone the keys and they drove down to the Riverwalk singing and laughing. Honestly, if the night was over now, this would be the best birthday she’d ever had.
When they pulled up to The Plate she wished the night had ended.
“Simone, I don’t know if—”
Her sister waved off her objection. “This has always been your favorite restaurant. I made a reservation, and Ace isn’t even here.” Without waiting for Stephanie’s response, Simone got out of the car.
“How do you know that?” Stephanie followed behind her sister.
“I just do,” she maintained before opening the large wooden door to the restaurant.
Stephanie wasn’t sure if she hoped her sister was right or not. She wanted to see him, she just didn’t know what to say. If he happened to be here that might be the best birthday present she’d ever gotten.
As she walked in she was hoping that for once, her sister didn’t actually have the scoop. That Ace was there and it had somehow escaped the gossip grapevine news that her sister subscribed to.
When she stepped into the waiting area, her chest tightened as she held her breath in anticipation. Her sister checked them in with the hostess who smiled and immediately asked them to follow her.
Wow. Her sister really had made a reservation. As they walked down a hall to what she assumed was the new dining area, she couldn’t help but be impressed. She knew that’s what Simone had said, but she still hadn
’t totally believed it.
“Surprise!” A large group of people shouted as they rounded the corner to a banquet room.
Stephanie jumped and let out a little scream. She looked back and forth between the hostess and her sister thinking they must’ve accidently gone into the wrong room. But when her sister lifted her hands like a Price Is Right model displaying a showcase, Stephanie looked at the crowd again and realized that it was all people she knew and the room was decorated with Happy Birthday balloons, a banner and flowers.
The room was packed with people from the hospital. From school. Even from Brookside. She saw Nora standing next to Scott. Her brother was there!
She turned to Simone, overwhelmed with emotion, and hugged her sister. “You did all this?”
Simone held her tightly as she spoke close to her ear so she could be heard over the rumble of the crowd and music. “No. I wish I could take credit for this, but I was just the accomplice. Ace did all of this. He asked me why you didn’t celebrate your birthday. I told him because I was an asshole and had never thrown you a party. He said that we could fix that.”
Stephanie pulled back, out of her sister’s arms and looked around again. “Where is he?”
“He didn’t come. He wasn’t sure if you’d want him here and he wanted you to have a good time.”
Before she could respond to her sister, people crowded around Stephanie, hugging her and wishing her a happy birthday. People that were only there celebrating with her because of one person that wasn’t even there. A person that was so selfless he’d arranged this entire thing and hadn’t even come, for her. Because he was respecting her need for time.
As she hugged guest after guest she knew that she didn’t need time. All she needed was Ace.
* * *
Ace was still smiling from the text he’d received from Stephanie. She was over the top about the party and had told him that she wanted him to be there. So here he was.
As he looked around he was happy to see that room was filled with people having a good time; eating, talking, laughing and even dancing near the small stage that he’d set up for the special guest he had invited to perform. He was excited it had turned out so well but not as excited as he was just to see Stephanie again.
This week had been a special kind of torture. He’d been so close to her but had to keep his distance. It was agonizing to see her leave for work and come home and not be able to talk to her. As much as he missed kissing her, holding her, being with her, he missed talking to her more. He missed hearing how her day was. He missed checking in with her. He missed her.
With heart pounding, he scanned the room trying to spot her. When he did, his heart felt like it was going to explode. If he hadn’t just had a physical he’d worry about his heart because if there was ever a dress that could cause cardiac arrest, she was wearing it.
His feet started moving before his brain even knew what was happening. Like always, he was hopelessly drawn to her. Before he made it to her, she caught his eye and excused herself from the conversation she was in and started walking in his direction. Her smile lit up the entire room as she made her way to him.
When they finally reached each other she lifted up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. His hands dropped to her waist, his fingers spreading out on her hips and gripping her tightly as his mouth moved against hers. Just like always, when they touched, kissed or even looked at each other, the rest of the world ceased to exist. The party, the people and the music all faded into the distant background.
The kiss might have gone on far longer than would’ve been appropriate in a crowd full of people, but when a partygoer accidently bumped into them, it broke the spell that their kiss had cast.
“Thank you for this,” she spoke loudly to be heard over the music. “It’s amazing.”
“You’re amazing.”
Her eyes sparkled as she asked, “Can we go somewhere and talk?”
He nodded and guided her through the room and into a back stairwell that led to the staff parking lot.
“Is this good?” he asked as he shut the door, giving them a modicum of privacy.
She turned back toward him. “Yeah, I just didn’t want to yell.”
“You look beautiful.” He knew that wasn’t what she wanted to talk about, but he had to tell her.
A light pink tint rushed up her creamy cheeks as she smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear and his whole world righted. Putting that blush, that smile on her face was all that mattered.
“Thank you. You look pretty good yourself.” Her grin grew wider.
He liked where this was going.
“I just wanted to tell you that…” She licked her lips and took a deep breath before saying, “I love you.”
He really liked where this was going.
“I know I told you that things were happening too fast. And I asked for time and you gave it to me. Thank you, but I’m done. I don’t want more time. I want more. I want dinner, dancing, breakfast, lunch, Netflix, grocery shopping and the DMV. I want it all.” Tears filled her bottom lids. “I don’t want to take things slow. My plan was to take each day as it came and not worry about the future. But I can’t imagine my future without you. I’m done taking things day by day. I want to be with you next week, next month, next year, for as long as I can. I love you, Ace. And I want to be with you, if that’s still what you want. But if you need time, I can give you time. You gave me time, you know to figure out what I wa—”
“I don’t need time.” Ace smiled, knowing exactly what he wanted. He pulled out the ring that he’d got from his brother last week. He got on one knee. Stephanie gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.
“I love you, Stephanie.” Ace stared up into her glossy chocolate eyes and his entire body was filled with the light and warmth that only she incited in him. “I wasn’t looking for love. When I moved here I wasn’t planning on getting into a relationship for at least a decade or two. But I don’t think love cares too much about our plans. I started falling in love with you the day I moved in, the second I laid eyes on you through my kitchen window. I tried to ignore the feelings I had for you, to keep my distance, and I know you tried the same thing, but we couldn’t. Our attraction or fate or whatever it was, was too strong.
“I knew that I was falling for you but the moment I saw you with your brother, it was game over. In that moment there was no question in my mind that you were it for me, that I loved you. In fact that word seems too small to express what I feel for you. Four letters can’t possibly be enough to represent what I feel for you.”
Ace took a deep breath as he held the ring up. “Last week, while I was giving you space, I went to visit my parents and brother and I got this. This is my Grandma Lulu’s wedding ring. My brother inherited it, but he owed me one.” Ace grinned. “When he gave it to me he asked who the lucky lady was and I told him it was you. He asked if this was going to be a surprise, and I told him that since you weren’t even talking to me at the moment, that was a safe bet.”
Stephanie laughed and Ace reached for her hand. “But since we’re back on speaking terms, there’s something I wanted to ask you. Stephanie Kay Holland will you make me the luckiest man in the world and be my wife?”
Before she answered verbally, a huge smile lit up her face and she began nodding. Ace took that as his answer. He stood and picked her up, kissing her like his life depended on it, because that’s what it felt like. Like he needed her more than water, food and oxygen.
“Oh sorry.” A deep voice sounded behind him.
Ace turned and saw Dax inside the doorway. “We were just…leaving.” He pointed past Ace and Stephanie to where the steps led down to the parking lot.
Stephanie squirmed for Ace to let her down, and reluctantly he did.
“Thank you again for coming,” Stephanie stepped around the men and hugged someone standing behind Dax. “And for performing. It was amazing. The best birthday present ever.”
Ace stepped wh
ere he could view who Stephanie was talking to and saw that it was Ginny Valentine. And she was leaving. With Dax. Apparently, his friend hadn’t choked this time when he saw her.
Stephanie loved her music so much, Ace had called her last week to hire her to come and play for her party.
“Thank this guy,” Ginny motioned to Ace. “He said he would move heaven and earth to get me here and he did. I played a festival in California this afternoon and was going to fly in after but he chartered a plane just so there wouldn’t be any delays. I got here two hours before I was even scheduled to perform.”
“Thanks, again.” Ace hugged the petite country singer.
“Okay, well.” Dax stepped between them and hugged Stephanie. “Happy birthday, Steph. Glad to see you and this guy are back together. He’s miserable without you. See you guys later.”
Stephanie and Ace watched the duo head down the back stairwell. When the door shut she turned and beamed up at him, smiling with her eyes. “Thank you. Thank you for the party, for Scott, for Virginia Valentine. And for this.”
She pointed to the ring and he realized he was still holding it. He remedied that, by sliding it onto her finger. It fit. Perfectly. Like it was made for her. Like she was made for him.
He had a feeling that Grandma Lulu was smiling down on them, happy that he’d found someone that would score so high on her scale. He knew that they had what it took to make a relationship last. This ring was the last C, commitment. He was hers and she was his. Forever.
THE END
Excerpt: All He Feels – Dax & Ginny
Crossroads Book 11
Unedited Excerpt
Coming December 2016
Chapter 1
“We didn’t even have sex.” Dax Archer blew out a frustrated breath as he curled and uncurled his fingers around the cold metal of the barbell hanging above him. “Which means it wasn’t even a one night stand. I wish it was, but it wasn’t.”
After yet another sleepless night spent tossing and turning, unable to shut his brain off, he found himself laying on his weight bench, staring at the ceiling of his basement, trying—again—to make sense of the night that haunted him, the night that played on repeat in his mind, the night that basically equated to a middle school sleepover. Actually that wasn’t true. He’d gotten more action when he and his friends had crashed Summer Nixon’s sleepover in seventh grade and he’d made it to first base.
All He Needs – Ace & Stephanie (Crossroads Book 10) Page 22