The sudden urge to hear Ace’s voice is so overwhelming it’s akin to an addiction. Although, being addicted to Ace isn’t such a bad way to go.
“Hey, babe,” he greets my call. “Are you all right?”
“I’m actually better than all right now that I’m talking to you. I just had an overwhelming urge to tell you I love you.”
“I love you, too.” His voice deepens to what I affectionately call his bedroom voice. “Your talk went that bad, huh?”
“It was very eye-opening,” I deadpan. “I’ll tell you all about it tonight. I’m still somewhat in shock over the secrets he spilled today. But you were right about one thing. It definitely helped with closure, on my part anyway.”
“That’s some good news at least. After you give me the word-for-word breakdown, I’ll be more than happy to make you forget he even exists.”
“I’m so going to take you up on that offer,” I flirt. And it feels good.
A weight the size of an elephant has been lifted from my chest in the few minutes I’ve been on the phone with Ace. His voice makes me feel relaxed and excited. His touch makes me feel calm and aroused. His presence makes me feel protected and carefree.
He makes me feel. Like it’s my first time. Like I’ve never felt anything before.
“It’s not an offer, sweetheart. It’s my vow and my new goal in life.”
“Ace, I give you my word—after we finish talking about it tonight, his name will never come up again. Not in my mind, not in our conversations, nothing. If someone else brings him up, we’ll reply with ‘Bobby, who?’ and change the subject.”
“Will I feel the need to pay him a visit after you tell me everything?”
“No, my love. He didn’t touch me, try to kiss me, or anything like that.”
We chat for a few more minutes before we disconnect so he can get back to work. Ace told me last night that Justin took off work for a couple of weeks, so he’s acclimating a new horse to the facility alone. When I mentioned it was odd that Justin and Lily were both out of town for two weeks, at the exact same time, he pressed his lips together tightly and only hummed “Mmmhmm” as a reply.
Is it odd, or is it obvious? There’s definitely something there, but they’ll tell us when they’re ready.
When I reach the cabin, Zoe is waiting for me on the top step of the front porch. She bouncing up and down on her toes animatedly while waving a piece of paper in her hand. Her lips are moving a hundred miles per hour, but I’m not even out of the car to hear her yet. As soon as I open the door, I hear her excited words.
“I got in! I got in! The email came this morning! I got in!”
She throws her arms around my neck and makes me jump in time with her or risk being beaten to death by a very excited, very pregnant teenage girl. “Congratulations, sweetheart! I had no doubt you’d get in. I’m so happy for you, even though I’ll miss you like crazy.”
“I’ll miss you, too, Layne, You’ve been the best friend I’ve ever had. I’m just so excited for this clean slate opportunity. I can’t wait for a new start. Their school year starts later in September than public schools, so it’ll be well after the baby is born. This all feels like a dream.”
“I know exactly what you mean.”
Zoe glances at her watch and frowns. “It’s already time for me to go to work. On the bright side, I’m turning in my two-weeks’ notice tonight. I read that the baby can come at any time during the last four weeks of pregnancy and that most come earlier than the due date. I’m definitely hoping for earlier.”
“Do you want me to drive you to work and pick you up?”
“No, I can drive. I promise to call you if I have anything remotely close to a labor pain.”
“You know me too well,” I laugh.
After Zoe leaves, I take my MacBook to the couch and stalk the nursery images on social media for the perfect color combination. Once I enter the site, time slips away into a black hole, unseen, unheard, and unfelt. Before I realize it, I’ve eaten a whole bag of chips and a container of dip, and I have twenty-seven dream nursery pictures saved on my laptop.
With my belly full and my heart content, I close the lid on my laptop and sink down into the soft, overstuffed couch. Within seconds, my eyelids feel heavier than cement blocks and I slowly drift off into a peaceful nap. Time suspends in my slumber. Reality and my dream world intertwine, making my dreams so vivid that I’d swear they were actually happening.
In my dream, I know I’m flying through the air and the feeling is exhilarating. Butterflies take up residence in my stomach and rapidly flutter up to my chest as my speed increases. It’s such a wonderful feeling of freedom that I don’t want to wake up and lose it. Off in the distance, there’s a shrill noise that’s disturbing my place of Zen and a voice that calls to me repeatedly. But I ignore them; it’s too nice here to give it up.
Chapter Twenty-One
ACE