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I felt her tears soak through my shirt as she cried into my chest, soft whimpers escaping her parted lips. I held her together the best I could while I racked my brain for a way out of this nightmare. We could liquidate some of our assets quickly and put the money into the business, but it still wouldn’t be enough.
“What are we going to tell the kids when we lose everything?” Her voice was soft against the fabric of my shirt. Sweat dripped down my neck, my hair matting to my forehead. I threaded my fingers through her damp hair, pulling her head back so I could look into her blue eyes. They were big and full of fear, just like I had expected.
Fear gripped my throat. I used every ounce of my willpower to push it down. I couldn’t let her know I was just as terrified as her.
“We won’t lose everything,” I whispered into the silent garage. She closed her eyes and leaned her tear-streaked face against mine.
“I shouldn’t have left. I was selfish.” Guilt crept into her voice, just as I knew it would. “Ryan was gone, and my dad needed me.”
“Don’t you ever feel guilty for staying home and being a mother,” I told her fiercely. “You told me that was one of your dreams, princess.” She shook her head.
“One of them, Ace. The other was to be at my dad’s side, helping him build our legacy. Now, it has fallen apart, and there will be nothing left, nothing for our kids, all because I was selfish and chose to stay home.” She leaned away from me, pulling out of my grasp, wrapping her arms around her chest.
“Don’t you dare blame yourself.” I gripped her warm, flushed face in my hands. Her bottom lip trembled under my intense gaze, and my heart broke. “This isn’t all on you. I’ve been there the whole time, and your dad hid this from both me and Ryan, but I won’t give up. I’ll sell everything: the lake house, cars, boat – whatever the hell I need to sell to keep that business. I’ll do whatever I need to for you and for our kids, Celine. Don’t you ever doubt me.”
She leaned her face into my hands. Tears rolled down her red cheeks. Her expression broke me. I wouldn’t break my promise to always provide for her and our kids. I wasn’t a deadbeat husband. I would do whatever was necessary to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.
“I’ve only ever doubted you once, Ace, and that was many years ago when you left me, but there has never been another moment that I have ever questioned your intentions.” Her eyes fluttered closed, wet lashes brushing her cheeks. She sighed deeply, her shoulders sagging with the weight of the situation. “What are we going to do?”
I brushed my lips against her forehead, unable to hold myself back anymore.
“I am going to fix this for you,” I swore. Somehow, I would. I would not let her or our family suffer.
She opened those big blue eyes and pierced me with her gaze. “How bad is it, Ace?”
“Millions.”
“No!” she gasped in horror.
“Mommy, where are you?” Jessie’s – our son’s – bubbly voice called from the house.
“Ace, what are we going to do? The kids?” She pulled out of my embrace yet again and stumbled back until she was flush against the door. “What about Ryan and Amber? Oh, and they have five kids! My parents, Ace – my mom, my dad – oh, they won’t be able to retire,” she rambled on, her mind racing through all these terrible scenarios, and I cringed, seeing everything she was pointing out.
“I think we should start with selling the lake house and the boat. The trip this winter needs to be canceled as well. We need to save as much as possible, especially with Christmas coming up.” She nodded in agreement, glancing at the door when we heard Jessie’s voice call again.
“Mommy, where are you?”
“I’m coming, baby!” She turned back to me. “We can’t let on to the kids. I don’t want them to be scared of losing their house or fear having less. I’m going to go put dinner on and then call Ryan and find out what the hell my father has been doing wrong.” I reached forward, grabbing her wrist, whirling her around to pull her to me.
“I love you, princess.” I brushed my lips against hers, amazed at her strength that always came through. Nothing could knock this woman down – not a hurricane, not surgery, not losing the ability to walk and having to learn again. She was invincible, and I would be damned if I let anything intercept her path.
She smiled against my lips, and my heart skipped a beat. “I’ll always love you, Ace,” she whispered, our noses brushing before she pressed her lips against mine in a hot kiss.
* * *
“Dad, I got a 100% on my math test,” Summer, my thirteen-year-old daughter, announced at the table after polishing off her plate of mac and cheese. Celine had prepared a feast for us.
“Well done, squirt!” I ruffled her hair, earning a groan from the moody teenager.
“Dad! My hair! It took me hours to braid it!” I resisted the urge to smirk. I loved messing with her.
“I think it looks better now.” Charlie laughed from across the table, sticking his tongue out at his older sister.
Jessie clapped from beside Celine, his blue eyes bright with amusement. I eyed Celine over my beer. Our family was beautiful in every way; our kids were beautiful, intelligent, and most importantly, healthy. I didn’t need a big house and a fancy car to have a good life. I didn’t have it when I first met Celine, and we didn’t have it in the beginning.
We would be okay. The kids would have to adjust, but we would be okay.
“Don’t worry anymore. I will take care of us. I will provide for my family, Celine.” There was a twinkle in her eye as she sipped her red wine. The kids were too busy throwing insults back and forth to notice our conversation, so I continued. “We will be okay. All we need is each other. All I’ve ever needed is you.”
