Aced

“You’re a mom,” she says into my ear with such love and affection that tears sting the backs of my eyes. I don’t care either because we’ve been through a lifetime of ups and downs together so I love being able to experience this up with her. “Do you know how hard it is for me not to push the grandparents away so I can hog him all to myself?”

“I think you’ll lose that fight,” I say, pulling back and looking at the smile on her face and the tears in her eyes.

“And Ace, huh?” she says with a quirk of her eyebrows, earning her a smirk of mine in return, considering she is the one who started the whole acronym with me way back when.

“What am I, chopped liver?” Becks asks as he squeezes into the room and along the wall toward me, since everyone else is focused on where my mom is now holding Ace at the foot of the bed.

“No . . . but I’d easily trade you for the warm chocolate chip cookie and milk this hospital gives you,” I tease, causing him to laugh and shake his head.

“I see how you are, Donavan,” he says as he leans in and presses a kiss to my cheek. “You did good, Ry. We’re so damn happy for you.”

“Thanks, Becks.” My God. Where are all the emotion and tears coming from right now? You’d think things were sad the way I’m leaking like a faucet instead of being the exact opposite: perfect.

“And of course he looks just like his Uncle Becks. Damn handsome.” Haddie rolls her eyes beside him and then gives him the “I’m innocent” face when he looks at her and that makes me laugh.

“Nope. I’m pretty sure his good looks take after his Uncle Tanner,” my brother says, stepping beside Becks and shaking his hand with a good-natured squeeze, kissing Haddie on the cheek in greeting before looking at me. “Hey Bubs. How’re you handling all of this?”

“It’s indescribable,” I say softly because there really are no words to accurately describe the feelings, emotions, and sensations that are a constant high in my body and mind right now.

“You look gorgeous.” I roll my eyes at the comment. “And he definitely does take after me.”

“Bullshit, Thomas,” Colton says, as he steps to the other side of the bed and reaches out to shake his hand. “I get to claim this one.”

Tanner gives him the hands up motion like it’s no contest and Colton laughs. Colton glances down at me and squeezes my hand. I can see the pride in his eyes over Ace and that gives me more hope than I thought I was even looking for that he’ll overcome his fear. Look at what those few moments of holding Ace did already.

“Where’s your better half?” I ask my brother.

“She had an event to work and is super bummed but she’s going to try to drive up tomorrow to meet him.” He leans in and gives me a hug that brims with love and whispers in my ear, “Mom’s in fricking heaven having a new little baby to spoil. She’s already telling Dad she’s not sure how she’s going to live so far away from him, so be prepared for her wanting to spend the night a lot.”

“Thanks for the warning, but I might just need the help.”

“Ha. You needing it and accepting it are two different things,” he says with a doubtful lift of his eyebrows. He’s so very right but I can’t let him know that. I glance over to where Ace is nestled gently in my mother’s arms and the need to hold him is so strong right now I have to tell myself he’s okay. And of course he is. I trust every single person in this room but when you have something be a part of you for nearly nine months, it’s a little hard to not to need that connection.

My eyes shift to the sight of Andy and Colton in a quick but heartfelt embrace. I watch as Andy steps back, one hand still on the side of Colton’s cheek, and his eyes searching his son’s in that way he always does to make sure he’s okay. It’s the look of unconditional love, and I hope that when people watch me interact with Ace, they see the same thing.

Their connection captivates me. As I watch Colton accept love from his dad, my concern over Colton’s lack of engagement dissipates. By demonstration, Andy has given Colton all the tools he needs to know how to be a good father. My fears fade as a vivid picture forms in my head of how Colton will love Ace: absolute, unequivocal devotion.

Just as he has loved me.

Andy glances my way. “And there’s the woman of the hour!” His voice booms through the room and then he immediately winces when he realizes how loud he was.

“Andy . . .”

He swoops down and gathers me up in one of his bear hugs you can usually feel all the way to your toes, but at least he’s a little gentler this time around. “Rylee-girl, you’ve made me so damn happy. All over again. You are such a blessing to this family,” he says. He pulls back and does the same thing I was just admiring with Colton to me—hand on my cheek, eyes searching mine—and I feel blessed to be completely loved by my in-laws.

“You good?” he asks, eyes double-checking to make sure the smile on my face is real.

“I’m incredible,” I whisper back with the smile spreading on my lips. How lucky was Colton to have sat on this amazing man’s doorstep? A patient man capable of teaching him what it means to love so completely. For that, I will forever be grateful to him. “Congratulations, Grandpa.”

He throws his head back and laughs that full-body laugh of his that reminds me so much of Colton’s, even though he is adopted, that I squeeze his hands and wonder if Ace will have the same mannerism when he laughs like that when he’s older.