Page 17 of Say You Will
“I will.”
Not waiting for goodbyes, I left.
Ace was outside, slumped in one of the outdoor seating chairs. His back was to me. I moved forward, trying to formulate some excuse, but came up blank. I ran my fingers through the long, dark strands he’d let grow out, admiring the hint of silver as I tugged on the ends. He tilted his head back to look up at me.
Ace grabbed hold of my hand gently and pulled me around to stand in front of him, where he could see me better. “Whatever this big secret is, it’s got you and me all in knots, babe. Why won’t you let me help you?”
I pressed my lips together.
“You can tell Jake and Terry, but not me?”
Again, silence was my answer.
He sighed. Long and weary. “Fine. Can we go home?”
I nodded, extending a hand to help him up, but he ignored it, pushing to his feet and throwing me a sullen glare.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“You’re not. If you were, you’d tell me. You’d let me help.”
“Well, there is one thing you could do for me.” I needed him to be there for the party. Needed to throw him a bone.
He returned to face me. “What, please? I want to help.”
“You know the Summer Solstice Party Jake and Terry are throwing?”
“Yeah, the one they just up and decided to throw on my birthday which, by the way, isn’t much of a surprise. I’m expecting the besties and a cake though Jake won’t tell me. We’re going, right?”
“Yes, of course. It’s just that I promised your mom I’d take her out shopping, but I also promised Jake I’d help with the party. Then my scheduler called and is desperate to find somebody to cover the morning shift.” Ace’s demeanor softened as I listed out my conflicts.
“That’s some scheduling snafu.” He smirked. I loved his smirk, the way the corner of his mouth turned up and his eyes glowed with suppressed mirth.
“Yeah. Do you think you could take your mom out in my place? She wanted to get a new dress and get her nails done. Papa Lark already has a golf outing with his buddies, so he can’t take her.”
“Aw, babe. That’s so sweet. I didn’t know you planned to spend the day with my mom. Though I am surprised you planned it on my birthday.”
“I wasn’t thinking when we made plans, I was only looking at what days I had off. I figured we still had the evening.” I ran my hands down his chest.
Ace moved into my personal space and placed his hands on my hips. “I think I can handle taking my mom out for the afternoon. Then we’ll go to the party together later on.”
I leaned in for a kiss, one he seemed happy to give. “Thank you. I really was going a bit crazy.”
“You were, but I got you. Now, can we go home?”
Happy to have the crisis averted, I nodded, mentally calculating when I could call his mom, hoping to God she would be free and be able to coordinate with my parents for them to be out of the Larks’ house by the time Ace arrived.