5. Ace
Five
Ace
“You know how I only have one rule?” I ask suggestively.
Oliver’s brown eyes go from side to side as if searching his brain for what I could be referring to.
We’re on our way back to our home. It went fast and I’m worried he’s a bit miffed that it didn’t last longer. Though it was quite eventful, so maybe he had enough.
Oliver plays along with my little game and eventually guesses.
“Don’t be so loud?”
We both chuckle.
“That’s not really a rule, more of a suggestion.”
Because truthfully, it’s hot as hell when he moans. The sound vibrating off the wall back at me adds to the experience.
“I guess you’ve been so respectful of the rule that maybe you’ve forgotten it.”
He nods. “Yeah, I’m used to following rules.”
I try not to cringe at his answer, regret at my insistence over this silly rule of mine.
We pull into the driveway and I park the car outside.
He tries to think and I can tell he’s getting frustrated. Or fearful.
Finally, he gives up and sags into the seat.
Now I feel terrible. This was supposed to be fun, not frustrating.
“Come on, let’s go inside.”
We both get out and he goes to the trunk.
“Leave our stuff for now.”
He listens. It’s strange bossing him around. I tell myself it’s for a good reason and to kiss him extra tonight to make up for it.
I grab his hand and lead him up the stairs. I give him a once over.
“Why are we going in the front? And not parking in the garage?”
Normally I adore his curiosity and how observant he is. I’m too damn nervous at this moment to appreciate it now.
“Open the door.”
I pull out my phone and a smile cracks through the confusion. He knows something is up. It’s all come down to this moment.
As soon as he clicks the door and pushes it open, there’s popping sounds and strobe lights and people yelling, “Surprise!”
We’re suddenly surrounded by people. I’m shocked at how loud the echo is from everyone’s voices and the little confetti pops. My head swims a little but I push it away. This is Oliver’s moment.
Of course, Lilla races over to him first and swings her arms around him as if they’ve been besties for years.
“You didn’t tell me you were getting engaged!” Lilla says in the most high pitched voice. The way she narrows her eyes, I think she might actually be mad.
Oliver tries to interject on her rambling that we’re not engaged, but he can’t get a word in edgewise. She quickly smiles and gives him a big hug after making him promise they will go wedding suit shopping together and get her dress together.
Chance waits patiently then goes in for a hug.
“Engaged?!”
Oliver looks back at me searching for an answer. I try not to laugh because it reminds me of how he described when Lilla and everyone at the fourth of July party assumed we were boyfriends and he had no opportunity to correct them.
Chance keeps chatting away, and asking about the nudist pool before he’s shoved to the side by a train of people. They wish him a happy birthday and I record all of it.
After nearly thirty minutes I stop the recording and he turns to me with tears in his eyes.
I’m afraid he’s overwhelmed and annoyed until he whispers a thank you and he goes in for a chest hug. Wrapping my arms around him, I kiss the top of his head and whisper to him.
“Happy Birthday, Ollie. I love you.”
“I love you too!”
I clear my throat and try to ignore the sounds of photos being snapped of us. All I can think is how lucky I am. That, and why people have the sound on their phones.
When he finally pulls away he’s swarmed again by the room of people. Eventually, Chance and Maggie lead him to the rec room for some games while I meet Hannah in the kitchen to finish the final touches for dinner.
We both lean against the counter once all the food is ready to be eaten, buffet style.
“We did it,” she says with relief.
I correct her. “You did it.”
Her eyes squint and with a mischievous smile she says, “Yeah, I guess all you did was have sex with your boyfriend all weekend.”
I take a deep breath and without shame say, “Yeah, it was pretty great.”
“And get engaged?” Her eyebrows are lifted up the whole time she waits for me to answer.
What should I say? Yes, kind of? I look down at the black ring on my left finger.
“I mean technically he asked but that wasn’t his plan…”
Hannah plays with the bit of hair not over her shoulder. “I expected you to be the one to propose.”
I swallow hard. “Honestly I hadn’t thought of it. He’s so young. He needs time to grow and become his own person. I don’t want to hold him back.”
Hannah nods. “But you’re both wearing rings? Let me see it.”
She smiles at the cheap little ring. “It suits you.”
Now I’m smiling. “Oliver said the sweetest stuff, he was actually kneeling beside me because I was talking about mom…”
The mention of our mom has her eyes watering instantly.
“I can’t imagine my life with anyone else,” I echo what he said to me that night. “Yet I can’t imagine making him get married at twenty-one.”
Hannah places her arm around me, as if she’s the older sibling. “You two don’t have to get married. Just be engaged for ten years.”
We both laugh.
“Now go have fun with him.”
Sucking in a breath, I shake my head. “I need a minute.”
Surprise passes through her face for a minute. I don’t want to say why I need time because I don’t know if I understand it either. How to put it into words…
“I’ll go let everyone know the food is ready. Why don’t you chill in here?”
I nod, grateful that despite being annoying far too often, she’s also super understanding.
Soon the kitchen floods with people and I glue myself to Oliver’s side, despite feeling overwhelmed. We tell him to get food first since he’s the man of the day, yet he argues to go last. My stomach is doing flips, so I’m kind of glad we don’t eat right away.
“When we’re done eating, we’re supposed to face Chance and Maggie in some spike ball.”
“Sweet. Chance isn’t too upset about me kicking his ass last time, is he?”
Oliver chuckles and sucks through his teeth. “I wish I could say he’s a gracious loser…”
Chance complained about it for two weeks straight.
“He’s been training though, so I’d watch out.”
I take Oliver’s warning and try to prepare myself and boy was I not ready.
Chance murders me in the two games we play. I tell myself it’s because I loaded my plate with too much pasta and sausage and scarfed it down too fast. Who carbo loads before a big event? Only idiots like me.
Maggie and Oliver end up quitting halfway through the first round because Chance and I are competing so hard. I think they disappear back inside after the first game entirely.
By the third game we’re both feeling green and call it a truce when we’re tied halfway through.
“I want a rematch,” I grumble as I grip his shoulder hard.
“Oh so you’re a sore loser too, huh?” He teases, his blond hair drenched with sweat.
“I guess so,” I say, letting him go.
We do a fist bump then find our partners in the crowd.
How are there so many damn people here still? And I don’t recognize over half of them.
It doesn’t matter. It’s for Oliver.
That reminder does the trick and I’m in good spirits when I find Oliver in the kitchen talking to Martha.
“Ace, I never thought you’d have a party here again.”
Oliver looks at me with shock. “Again?”
“It wasn’t me who threw the party,” I grumble.
I can see his wheels turning in his head. He’s probably thinking about some ex of mine. “It was Hannah.”
I put my arm around him and pull him close. “You’re worth it,” I say, to squash any concerns he may have.
“Plus you didn’t invite anyone crazy like I did,” Hannah chimes in, walking over to us.
“You gotta tell me all the stuff that happened.”
“Sure,” I say reluctantly.
“After cake,” Hannah adds.
“Cake!”
There’s that bright smile again that I love so much.