CHAPTER TWO
The house smelled of fresh pine and cinnamon, and despite her swollen belly, Alex moved through her and Ace’s Virginia Beach home with an excited energy as Christmas music played softly.
She walked down the hallway and opened the door to the nursery. The baby’s room was nearly perfect, decorated with grays and whites—not because she and Ace had picked a color based on gender, but because they’d wanted a neutral, calming space. After all, they didn’t know if they were having a boy or a girl, and they didn’t want to. All they wished for was a healthy baby, and the surprise would be a gift they’d unwrap together when the time came.
She walked over to the dresser, folded the three pairs of tiny socks, and placed them in the top drawer.
She still couldn’t believe that in a matter of a couple of weeks, she and Ace would be parents. In the last few weeks, she had experienced so many different emotions, especially with how busy she was.
She suddenly felt a little flutter of anxiety. She was used to handling so much, managing every detail of her charity foundation that served veterans and military families, especially SEAL families like theirs.
The foundation was her passion, and stepping back in recent weeks had been difficult. After three years of managing all the day-to-day operations, it was like letting someone else into her world and trusting them to care for her “other baby.”
She was also pretty much in charge of the upkeep of their house. She didn’t mind, and Ace would always help out when he could. After their wedding, Ace had wanted her to hire a housekeeper to come in and do a lot of the cleaning, at least until she had the baby. But Alex wasn’t thrilled with the idea.
Then there was Christmas, which was only four days away. She and Ace had agreed to continue their tradition of hosting Christmas. Alex loved the idea of their home filled with the warmth and laughter of good friends, family, twinkling lights, and an enormous Christmas tree decked out in ornaments she and Ace had collected over the years. Okay, they were mostly hers. But every ornament on the tree had a story to tell.
The last few days, she had spent doing some last-minute shopping, wrapping gifts, buying food for Christmas dinner, and making sure everything was just right. Every detail felt significant as if she was nesting with double the energy this year.
And speaking of nesting, she was in full domestic overdrive mode. She had cleaned out and reorganized every closet in the house, except for Ace’s side of their walk-in closet. After the closets, she moved on to the kitchen cabinets. That lasted until Ace walked in the front door after work one night and found her standing on a ladder. Needless to say, he wasn’t too happy, and she got an earful from him. However, it all worked out in the end, as he finished organizing the upper cabinets under her supervision.
She looked at her watch and smiled. Speaking of Ace, he should be walking through the front door soon. She took one last look around the nursery, making sure everything was in its place before walking over and flipping off the light switch.
Stepping out of the room, she placed her hand on her belly and gave it a little rub. “You are already so spoiled,” she said to the growing baby inside her belly. She couldn’t wait to meet their little bundle of joy. Overall, her pregnancy has been good. However, when she entered the third trimester, her doctor had to remind her to slow down and take it easy. She had tried really hard, but she was a workaholic and had to always keep herself busy. She was like that when she did work for the government. It was like her mind would never shut off.
She headed toward the staircase. The stairs were one obstacle in the house that she hated maneuvering while being pregnant—more so going down them. She sometimes tended to rush, and going down the stairs with a huge belly made her a little top-heavy. She had a few close calls where gravity had won out, and she almost found herself tumbling down them. Because of that, she always made sure to hold on to the banister.
Once she was downstairs, she grabbed two presents she had wrapped earlier off the couch and walked over to the huge Christmas tree that sat in front of the big bay window in the living room.
As she bent over to place the gifts under the tree, she felt a small twinge shoot through her lower back.It made her pause, one hand drifting to her belly. But as quickly as it came, it was gone. Just a muscle spasm, she figured. It was another reminder to slow down a little.
She stood up straight and rubbed her lower back as she walked into the kitchen to set the table for dinner. Ace loved Italian, so she’d decided to make his favorite—homemade lasagna with layers of rich homemade sauce and creamy cheese.
“Well, little one,” she murmured, rubbing her hand over the round curve of her belly, “tonight, we’re spoiling your dad a little. But I know that you like lasagna just as much as your daddy.” She smiled, feeling a tiny flutter inside, and it filled her with even more joy.
Alex walked over to the oven and opened it. The aroma of spices hit her nose, and her belly rumbled, making her laugh. Lately, she was always hungry. She pulled the pan of lasagna out of the oven, placed it on top of the stove, and then placed the pan with the garlic bread in the oven.
She picked up the plates and silverware and was placing them down on the table when she heard the front door open and close. A familiar warmth spread through her chest. There was something comforting about that sound, especially after all the nights Ace had been away. Thankfully, things in the world had been quiet, meaning the team hadn’t been called up much.
She could hear Zuma, their energetic chocolate lab’s nails tapping against the hardwood floor, as he greeted Ace by the door. She grinned when she heard Ace asking Zuma if he’d been a good boy, and Zuma let out a little snarl.
As Ace stepped into the kitchen, Alex’s smile grew, and she closed the distance, wrapping her arms around him and pressing a soft kiss to his lips.
“Welcome home,” she said. Her voice was a gentle whisper, and her promise to greet him this way every night was fulfilled once again.
Ace held her close and kissed her back before flashing her that sexy grin of his. “Hey, sweetheart. How was your day?” His voice was low but deep.
She ran her hands up his chest. “It was good for the most part. Baby and I did a little paperwork for the foundation. We ate. Then we wrapped a few presents while watching Christmas movies. We also made a list of some last-minute things I need to pick up at the grocery store. Then we ate again,” she said laughingly.
In the last few weeks, the baby has had a bit of a sweet tooth. The baby seemed to like Little Debbie Christmas Cakes .
“How are you feeling?” he asked as his blue eyes looked straight into hers.
“I feel okay. But I’ll admit that I’m starting to feel a little anxious and a little sore.”
Ace’s eyebrows scrunched together. “Sore?”
Alex smiled. Of course, he’d picked up on that. “It seems this little one,” she smiled and pointed to her belly, “might be the next soccer star in the family. Their feet keep drilling me in the ribs.”
Ace grinned as his hands slid down to her belly, and he gave it a playful rub. He then leaned down to talk to their baby. “Hey there, little one,” he said, a soft grin on his face. “You need to keep your kicking to a minimum. You’re hurting your mommy.”
Alex laughed as Ace stood back up and pecked her on the lips. He then lifted his nose in the air and sniffed.
“Is that lasagna I smell?”
She smiled. “It is,” she said, stepping away and heading toward the oven to take the bread out.
While she sliced the bread, Ace walked over to the sink and washed his hands. When he was finished, he grabbed the pan of lasagna off the stove and carried it over to the table.
“Would you mind grabbing the salad out of the fridge?” she asked as she set the bread on the table.
As soon as Ace set the salad on the table, they both sat down. Ace looked at the food and smiled.
“This all smells so good.”
Alex grinned as she poured a little bit of salad dressing on her salad. She loved having dinners with Ace. They used the time to talk about their days. Well, at least, what he could tell her.
She had noticed that since he got home, he seemed a little tense, like something was bothering him. She even saw a flicker of something in his eyes. But she didn’t ask about it. She trusted him to tell her when the time was right. That was even if he could tell her. Growing up surrounded by SEALs and then working with them when she was older, she knew not to ask questions and that there would be times they couldn’t speak about things. All she could do was be there to support them.
Ace took a bite of the lasagna and sighed with satisfaction. “You outdid yourself, babe,” he said.
“Thank you. I thought you’d like it,” she told him, grinning as she started eating.
As they ate, Alex told him about what she had planned for the next couple of days.
“You sound like you have a full schedule,” he told her as he took his last bite and then wiped his mouth with his napkin.
“I do, but I promise not to overdo it,” she said, and he grinned.
Ace stood up and took their plates to the sink. When she started to stand up to help, he motioned for her to sit back down.
“I got the dishes tonight,” he smiled and winked.
Alex watched Ace quietly as he cleared the plates from the table. She noticed his jaw was tight, and he seemed drowned in his thoughts. She recognized the tension. It wasn’t just exhaustion or a long day. It was something deeper.
“Ace,” she said, her tone soft but firm. “Are you okay?”
He froze for a moment, the plate in his hand hovering over the sink. Slowly, he turned to face her, leaning back against the counter. He ran his hand through his hair, which he only did when he was nervous or worried.
“We got called up.”
Alex’s heart sank, though she kept her expression calm. She folded her hands over her growing belly, leaning back slightly in her chair. “When?”
“Tonight,” he replied, his voice low and steady, but she could see the flicker of conflict in his eyes.
She knew this was part of loving a man like Ace, a Navy SEAL who would do whatever it took to protect and serve. But knowing there was a chance he might not be here when the baby arrived left a pang of fear she hadn’t expected. As strong as she was, the thought of giving birth without him by her side made her ache.
“Derek doesn’t think we’ll be gone too long—maybe a few days.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she nodded, her training kicking in to keep her emotions in check. Alex wasn’t stupid. She knew that things could go sideways and that what they thought could take days could actually turn into weeks.
“Derek said he’ll do everything he can to get us back here as soon as the mission’s done. He’s as torn up about this as much as I am.”
She stood up and walked over to him. She placed her hand on his cheek, and she tilted her head to meet his gaze. She wanted him to know that it was okay. Shit, it had to be okay.
“It’ll be okay, Ace. I’ll be fine. The only thing that matters is you and the rest of the team coming home safe.”
Ace’s expression softened, and his gaze was full of love. He reached up, brushing a stray hair from her face. “You know that coming back to you is what motivates me. Besides, I don’t want to miss out on this crazy life we’re about to dive into. And I definitely don’t want to miss Christmas with you.”
She laughed softly. “Just don’t do anything too crazy out there, okay? And that goes for all of you.”
Ace covered her hand with his own, turning his face to press a kiss to her palm. He chuckled, knowing full well that “crazy” was practically in his job description. “I will do my best.”
She lifted up on her tiptoes. “I love you,” she whispered before softly kissing his lips.
“I love you, too,” he whispered against her lips.
She slid her arms around his waist and hugged him, her head resting against his chest. He was her home.
◆◆◆
As Alex wrapped her arms around him, Ace held her close, his chin resting on the top of her head. He breathed in her familiar scent, a mix of coconut and the beach, and his chest tightened. Alex was his rock, always so steady, so understanding, even now when he had to leave her so close to their child’s arrival.
Her strength made him love her even more, but it didn’t erase the unease gnawing at him. She was due in just over two weeks, and anything could happen. He knew she would downplay the risk—just as she always did.
“Stop worrying, I’ll be fine,” Alex said, her voice muffled against his chest.She leaned back slightly to look up at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I’ve got the ladies, plus Dad and Juliette. You focus on getting the job done.”
Ace gave her a small nod, but he still wasn’t convinced. Without a word, he bent down and scooped her up into his arms, earning a surprised laugh from her.
“Ace!” she exclaimed, her hands gripping his shoulders.
He grinned, the sound of her laughter easing some of the weight in his chest. He carried her down the hall.
When they reached the massive TV room that Alex had dubbed the game room, Ace gently placed her on the oversized couch and grabbed the remote. He flicked through the channels until he found her favorite holiday movies playing back-to-back.
“What is this?” she asked, a smile playing on her lips.
He shrugged his shoulders. “I have a few hours until I need to leave, and I want to spend it with you.”
Her eyes softened, and she reached for him. He sank down beside her, and she wasted no time curling into his side, her head resting on his shoulder.
Ace wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer as he absently rubbed small circles on her back. The warmth of her body against his, the faint sound of a Christmas movie playing in the background was a moment of peace he wanted to hold onto forever.
They stayed like that while the movie played. They said very little but shared everything in the quiet comfort of each other’s presence. Ace kept glancing down at her, committing the curve of her smile and the softness of her breathing to memory.
He knew when the time came for him to leave, it was going to be harder than ever to walk away. But he knew he had to. And he knew, deep down, that Alex would be just fine. She always was.