My heart leaped in my chest. The way he talked as if he would be around for a long time.
God, I want that so much.
“Besides,” I said, trying to make myself think about the here and now and not the future. “You haven’t eaten since your practice, and you need the food for energy if you’re going to work on your stone-skipping today.”
Aiden made his sandwich while Ace helped him. Their budding relationship was one of the highlights of my days. My heart ached at how much I wanted to see it continue to grow.
“I need to give you something,” Ace said.
I peered up and realized that Aiden had finished his food and was back at the river trying to skip stones.
“What?”
Ace stood and dug into his pocket. He pulled out a small, black velvet bag.
“This.” He loosened the drawstring on the bag and poured the contents into his free hand.
I inhaled sharply, noticing the beautiful sparkle chain. Slowly Ace undid the chain and held the necklace up. Hanging from the white gold necklace was a heart shaped locket.
My locket.
The one I hadn’t seen since the night of that fight.
“I got it fixed,” he said as he undid the clasp.
Wordlessly, he stepped forward and placed the chain around my neck before securing it at the back.
He opened the locket and stared at the pictures inside. “Now, you can always keep them close.”
I was too moved to speak. I brushed my fingers over the locket, turning it upside down to see the image of my mother on one side and our son on the other.
I held the locket and closed my eyes. My body warmed from the sensation of his lips on my forehead when he kissed it.
“Thank you.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “For even thinking you would’ve used that picture to manipulate me.” He brushed his lips across my knuckles.
I swallowed and lifted my chin. “You know what would really sayI’m sorry?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
He looked at me out of the corner of his eyes. “What?”
“Dance with me,” I said. I grabbed my phone and turned on my favorite playlist, a mix of hip hop and pop songs.
I held out my hand out to Ace when Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” came on.
Ace lifted an eyebrow and smirked, but he took my hand. He held up our clasped hands and I spun around before tossing my free hand in the air and moving my hips to the music.
I clapped in time with the music and laughed when Ace gave me thatyou’re crazyexpression.
I sang the part about haters hating, in his face, making him laugh out loud. I loved the resounding ripple that his laughter caused in my stomach. I danced all the more harder as a result of it. When Taylor sang about having the music in her mind that kept her going, I raised my hands in the air and shimmied my hips.
I let my hips whip back and forth and imagined myself on stage. By the end of the song, I didn’t even realize that I’d gotten my foot a little twisted up in the blanket. I went to take a step and stumbled right into the arms of my husband.
“Caught ya,” he declared, his lips only a few inches from mine.
“Just like you always do.” My voice was breathless. “You think Lena Clarkson would be willing to give me some lessons on performing?” I joked.
He shook his head. “You don’t need any.”
