Silver paused in the doorway, looking at Gracie’s angelic expression as she slept, curled into a ball, her hand clutching the blanket. Whenever she felt down and out, all she had to do was look at Gracie and it helped reset her priorities. Tonight was no exception. With all the upheaval going on in her life—the repairs on the living room, being here with Ace, the fret over what Dinah might do—she needed to keep her focus on Gracie and the blessing she was in Silver’s life. It had been a full day for Gracie. After they left the zoo, they went grocery shopping and then came back to Ace’s house, where they put together a simple meal of barbecue chicken, baked potatoes, and a salad. Ace’s friends from the Titans dropped in for a visit as they were finishing up dinner. For a second, Silver felt the same flush of embarrassment she’d felt this morning when Kade caught Ace and her kissing in the pool. Especially when Kade made a teasing comment about them. But after a few minutes, Silver realized Kade meant no harm. He simply enjoyed needling Ace in a fun-loving way. Ace, Kade, and Xavier had earned the nickname The Triple Threat because of the seamless way they worked together on the field. But watching them interact tonight, Silver realized their relationship went much deeper. They were truly good friends. Kade and Xavier also owned homes in this same neighborhood. Gracie stirred, bringing Silver back to the present. “I love you, sweet pea,” she said softly, pulling the door almost closed, but leaving a couple of inches so she could hear if Gracie needed anything.

Ricardo and his workers were starting on her house tomorrow. She’d need to go in the morning to pack up her belongings in the living room and remove them so they wouldn’t be in the way. Ace offered to help. She probably should’ve told him no in case Riley showed up, but it was so wonderful having Ace around that she wanted to hold onto whatever this thing was between them a little longer. Silver called Marla earlier in the day to update her on all that was going on. Silver couldn’t afford to let any of her projects suffer due to all the commotion. Marla hooted when Silver told her she was staying at Ace’s house. “I knew the two of you would get together,” she said jubilantly. Silver tried to explain that they weren’t together, but Marla only laughed. At the end of the day, Marla was determined to believe what she wanted, so it really didn’t matter what Silver said. Silver sighed, her thoughts going back to the moment when they saw Janene Donnelly at the zoo. When Ace insisted they were merely friends, it stung. Then Silver had to laugh at the absurdity of her reaction, knowing that if he hadn’t said it, she would have. Before Janene came, when they were holding hands, she’d felt a burst of sheer happiness. But she couldn’t plow ahead with her own wishes, knowing it might hurt Gracie. Riley had called a dozen times and left two voice messages since she’d hung up on him. She’d ignored it all, but knew that wouldn’t work forever. She sighed wearily, a feeling of impending doom overshadowing her. Her heart clutched. She offered a silent prayer and felt a measure of peace wash over her. She had to keep pressing forward, hoping it would all work out in the end.

She stepped into the den and halted in her tracks when she realized Ace was sitting on the couch. He’d been on the phone with his sports agent when she put Gracie to bed, and she wondered if he might turn in for the night, because he had to get up so early every morning for his workout. Energy had been building between them the entire day like restless clouds gathering before a storm.

He smiled, sending a jolt of anticipation racing through her. “Hey.”

“Hey,” she said back, trying to reign in her pounding heart. She paused in her tracks, unsure where she should sit. When Xavier and Kade were here, Ace made a point of sitting close to her and casually draped his arm around her shoulders a few times. If she sat right next to him, it would give him the wrong idea. But if she sat too far away, he would also know something was up. Finally, she decided to sit down on the same section of the couch where he was, a foot away from him. He scooted to face her, placing his arm over the top of the couch, his fingers dangerously close to her shoulder.

“How’s Gracie? It took you a while to get her to sleep.”

“Yes, it normally does. Bedtime is always a drawn-out ritual.” She chuckled. “Most of the time Gracie asks for a hundred glasses of water and something to eat before finally settling down. Once we got through all of that, Gracie wanted me to tell her a story about the two princesses in the bedroom.”

He made a face. “Princess in the bedroom? I’ve never heard that story before.”

She laughed as some of the tension ebbed. Being around Ace was good medicine. “No, it’s not a story. She’s talking about the princess paintings you have on the wall of the bedroom.”

“What princesses?” he said dubiously.

“The pictures of the two girls, dressed in medieval clothes, holding the flowers,” she said, feeling as though she were stating the obvious.

“Oh, those pictures. They’re not princesses, but sisters.”

“Really?” She studied him. “Why do you have those pictures on your wall?” She motioned, her hand encompassing the room. “They’re so different from everything else in your house.” She tried to phrase her next statement so it wouldn’t sound rude. “The whole bedroom’s feminine.”

He laughed. “Yes, very much so. You can thank Ariana for that,” he said dryly. “That’s her room … or rather the room she stays in when she comes to visit. I told her to decorate it how she pleased.”

“Oh.” It was hard for Silver to wrap her mind around the new life Ace had carved for himself. To have enough money to allow his sister to decorate a room that would only be used when she visited. To always be in the public eye … having to perform at a topnotch level … it must be stressful. And yet, Ace seemed to be managing it okay. She realized then that he was studying her. A smile tugged at her lips. “What?”

“I was just wondering what was going on in that beautiful, infinitely complicated head of yours.” He reached out and fingered a strand of hair against her cheek, his hand lingering there.

Her mouth went dry as she swallowed. If only she could squelch this dizzying attraction, she might stand a chance at keeping her cool. Her eyes went to his lips, and she thought about their earlier kiss, an intoxicating heat swirling up her collar. “Tell me about the paintings.” There. She’d asked an intelligent question. Something to divert his, or rather her, attention.

He removed his hand from her hair, shifting. “What do you want to know?”

“Who’s the artist?”

He grinned. “Is this a pop quiz to see if the football player still has any brains left after an X number of hits?”

She put a finger to her lips, her expression one of mock concentration. “Now that you mention it, I was thinking you were a little slow.”

“Hey,” he drawled with an exaggerated wounded expression.

“Nah, just teasing.” She returned his grin with one of her own. “You seem like you’re still halfway intelligent.”

“Halfway,” he mused. “I guess I’ll take that.”

Ace’s easy-going manner had the magical ability of soothing her nerves. Before she realized what she was doing, she nudged him. “You look like you’re doing all right.”

His eyes caught hers. “Better, now that you’re here.”

She flinched, catching herself. Oops, she’d better keep her guard up. He was so dang charming … and so incredibly handsome she could hardly form a clear thought around him. Geez. She was pathetic. “Tell me about the paintings.”

“They were done by an artist named James C. Christensen. They’re called Two Sisters—one is wealthy, one is poor.”

She cocked her head. “Makes sense. I notice they’re framed accordingly. The rich in an ornate frame and the poor in a simple one.”

“Yes. Both sisters are holding flowers. The rich girl’s flower symbolizes charity, the poor humility. The idea is that regardless of whether you’re rich or poor, you can make a valuable contribution to society.” A slight smile touched his lips. “I think it was Ariana’s way of reminding me to always remember where I came from. And that rich or poor, I’m enough.”

His words caught her off guard, pushing a lump of emotion into her throat. “Wow,” she said quietly. “That’s neat. You and Ariana must be close.”

“We are.” He chuckled. “When we’re not driving each other crazy.”

Her thoughts took another turn. “You seem close to Xavier and Kade.”

“Yeah, they’re good guys.”

It was refreshing to know that Ace had some good friends who seemed to genuinely care about him, unlike Riley who viewed Ace as competition. “You must really love the Titans to tattoo it on your arm.” She couldn’t help but smile when she said it. Ace should’ve known her well enough to realize she couldn’t let something like that go without calling attention to it. They’d always teased each other relentlessly—like how he enjoyed teasing her about her maiden name … Silver Bliss. It still struck her as funny, and a little odd, that he tattooed the initials of his team on his arm. “What if you get traded to another team? Would you cross a line through TTF and put your other team under it … like those thugs in prison who cross out the names of their ex-girlfriends and add another underneath it?”

His eyes widened as he gulped a laugh. “What?”

She pointed to his arm. “Your tattoo. I saw it this morning when you were swimming.”

He raised the sleeve of his t-shirt.

She swallowed, trying to ignore the definition of his bicep. Her fingers itched to trace the outline of the letters, TTF. Instead, she balled her fist and pushed it into the couch.

“Do you think this stands for Texas Titans Football?”

“Yeah.” She shrugged, not knowing what to make of the hint of amusement twinkling in his eyes. “What else could it mean?” At that one question, his demeanor changed as swiftly as Texas weather. She was confused by the twinge of pain in his dark eyes. This time, she touched his arm. “Are you okay?”

He nodded, a forced smile wrapping his lips. Silence stretched between them, leaving Silver trying to figure out what to say, until he spoke. “One of the reasons Xavier and Kade and I are so tight is because we were drafted to the Titans the same year, all of us rookies, trying to make a name for ourselves.” He paused, giving her another smile that looked more like a grimace. “You can’t imagine the pressure we’re under—one minute the fans are chanting your name and the next, you’re being cut down to size by the coaches and critics. There were four of us then.”

Silver tensed. “Four? What happened?”

“Timothy Fuller, Tiny Tim, was a defensive lineman. A tough guy, weighing over three hundred pounds and leading the pack for tackles. But he had a heart of gold. We played against New England, and Tim didn’t do so well. The coach ripped him up afterwards. Tim went out partying to blow off some steam. He got drunk and drove the wrong way up an exit ramp and hit a semi-truck head on.”

Shock rippled through her. “I’m sorry.”

He nodded, remorse turning his eyes to a fathomless midnight. “I was there at that party … knew Tim was upset. I should’ve never let him drive.” His voice caught as he took in a breath. “It was Kade’s idea to get the tattoo as a way of remembering Tiny Tim Fuller. To remember that our worth is not merely defined by what happens on the field, or the scoreboard.”

Her hand seemed to have a mind of its own as she traced the letters with her index finger. “I can’t imagine what that must’ve been like to lose your friend … especially after …” Her voice trailed off when she saw the moisture in Ace’s eyes. She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought that up. It’s just that after the birthday party at the restaurant, seeing Lucas’s father … reminded me of all that you went through.”

“It’s okay. I think about Lucas still … miss him almost every day.”

The haunted look in his eyes touched something inside her as she nodded.

A rueful grin tugged at his lips. “I was a mess back then, wasn’t I?”

“Yes,” she answered truthfully, her eyes tracing the faint scar over his eyebrow, “you were.” Her mind went back to that night in the park, when she went looking for Ace after Lucas’s death. The sight of him drunk, blood trickling from the gash in his head had jolted her—made her question whether or not she could trust her heart to Ace. He could hardly take care of himself at that point, much less be part of a viable relationship. “That was a terrible time.” She shuddered. “The darkness in you was so fierce, it scared me,” she admitted.

He nodded, a grim expression cloaking his features. “I was angry … reckless … mad at the world.” He paused. “Is that why you chose Riley?”

“W—what?” Time seemed to stop as Silver drew in a ragged breath. He kept looking at her with his dark eyes that had the power to penetrate through her defenses, straight into her heart. She leaned back. “Ace,” she began, “I don’t think talking about this is a good idea.”

He caught her arm. “Please?” His voice was gravelly … pleading. “I need to know.”

“It’s complicated,” she began.

His dark eyebrows knitted together. “Did you love Riley more than me?”

Would it always come back to this with them? Maybe it was like those movies where the actors kept coming back to that point in time where a different decision would’ve changed everything. She couldn’t stop tears from pooling in her eyes. “Don’t do this,” she uttered.

“Don’t do what? Ask for the truth? I should at least get that.” There was a trace of defiance in his voice as he eyed her. When she didn’t answer, he took in a breath, regret coloring his expression. “I was so angry at first. Didn’t understand how you could throw our love aside.”

She closed her eyes, the images of all that happened running through her mind. Tonight the pain was just as fresh as it had been then. Then she felt Ace’s hand on her, realized he was tracing the outline of her cheek. She jerked her eyes open as the memories gushed like a waterfall, demanding to be released. “I always loved you, even back in junior high when we were just friends.”

He jerked in surprise, lowering his hand. “But you never said anything.”

Her jaw tensed as she eyed him. “I kept waiting for you to step up to the plate, and make a move.”

“I—I had no idea.”

She tipped her head, not believing that for one second. He had to have known how she felt. “Really?”

He let out a long breath, looking defeated. “That’s not true,” he admitted. “I did know.” He paused. “But the truth is—I was scared. Even though you and I were friends, we came from two different worlds.” A wry grin twisted his lips. “The Mexican and the blue-eyed wedita.”

She nodded, feeling vindicated that he was admitting the truth.

A hard chuckle escaped his lips. “But then I told myself that it didn’t matter … that my love for you was strong enough to withstand the obstacles. I was trying to work up the courage to tell you how I felt, then Riley stepped in.” A pained look overtook him. “Once he set his sights on you, I didn’t stand a chance.”

It lay on her tongue to deny it, but she knew he’d see right through her. “You’re right,” she said finally. “I was impressed with Riley back then. Felt lucky that he noticed me. Riley had all the confidence in the world … looks … money.” The words tasted bitter as they left her mouth, but she had to get them out.

“I get it. Riley had a future.”

“Riley had everything handed to him on a silver platter,” she countered sourly.

“I was jealous of how easy it was for him. While I had to fight and struggle for everything.”

A laugh gurgled in her throat. “Don’t you see? It’s the struggle that made you strong.”

He looked surprised and then pleased by her comment, but she wasn’t finished yet.

“Riley’s a putz who couldn’t make it on his own if his life depended upon it.” She lifted her chin. “Furthermore, it didn’t take me long to realize, even back in high school, that money, influence, popularity—all those things don’t mean jack. They’re a hollow substitute for love.”

His jaw went slack. “If you felt that way, why did you marry Riley? Did you ever love him?”

“Not like I loved you.” It took her brain a second to register that she’d said that out loud. The breath seemed to leave her lungs as she gulped. Crap! She’d said too much, carried this little trip down memory lane too far.

Ace leaned forward, locking eyes with her, willing her to tell him the truth. “Why did you marry Riley?”

She drew back. “Like I said earlier, it’s complicated.”

His jaw went stone hard. “Try me.”

Should she tell him? It was all over and done now. What did it matter? Maybe if she admitted it to someone out loud, it would help put the sordid thing to rest once and for all. Her brain scrambled to figure out where to start. She moistened her dry lips. “That day you came to the wedding—”

“Well, hello!” A deviant chuckled exploded from Ariana’s lips. “Looks like the two of you are making up for lost time.” She strode over to the opposite corner of the sectional and plopped down, removing her purse from her shoulder and placing it beside her.

Silver backed up, eyes wide. She’d been so focused on Ace that she hadn’t heard Ariana come in. From the scowl on Ace’s face, he was obviously ticked Ariana had interrupted them at the crucial point in the conversation, but Silver was relieved.

Ariana wiggled her eyebrows, a rich, velvety laughter in her voice, “What y’all doing?”

“Nothing that concerns you,” Ace muttered irritably as he sat back and folded his arms over his chest.

Ariana looked around. “Where’s your little one?”

“She’s asleep. In your room,” Silver added.

She tipped her head. “It’s Gracie, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Silver answered.

“She’s a beautiful girl.”

A burst of pleasure ran over Silver as she smiled. “Thanks.”

Ariana crossed her legs, her voice going juicy. “So, what have y’all been up to? The two of you all alone … in this big den.” Her eyes danced as she looked at them.

“Ace took us to the zoo,” Silver said, neatly sidestepping the comment. She cut her eyes at Ace. Was he just going to sit there pouting all night because Ariana had interrupted them? Geez, Louise. The man could be so exasperating!

“I’ll bet Gracie loved that.” Ariana wrapped her hands around her knees, linking her fingers. She focused on Ace. “So, I was thinking … for my birthday, I’d like for you and Silver to go to dinner with me and Paul.” Her eyes moved to Silver. “How does that sound?”

Ace turned to her, looking thoughtful. “What do you think? Are you up for going out Saturday evening?”

“Well, normally, I’d say that would be nice, but I’m doing an event that night.” Silver tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “In fact, I’ve got to find someone to watch Gracie.” If Riley reneges on taking her this weekend like he usually does, she added mentally. She spread her hands, offering an apologetic smile. “Sorry.”

Ariana’s lips turned down in a pout. “That’s too bad. Ace, you should take Gracie to the restaurant, let her hang out with Mom and the boys. They would love that.”

“That’s a great idea.” Ace grinned. “Gracie’s been asking if she can go back.”

“Are you sure your mom won’t mind?” Silver didn’t want to be a burden, but it would be nice to have a place for Gracie to go when Silver ran events. Ace’s house was too far of a drive for her usual babysitter, so she was trying to figure out other arrangements. She didn’t know at this point if she’d need a babysitter for Saturday, but didn’t want to bring Riley into the conversation.

A wide smile broke over Ariana’s face. “Mom would love it.”

Ace scooted forward. “Well, sis, I hate to be rude, but Silver and I were in the middle of something when you came in.”

The second Silver saw Ariana’s face fall, she jumped into action. “Stop being rude,” she commanded him, hitting his arm.

He turned to her in exasperation. “Well, we were.”

“It’s nothing that can’t wait.” She smiled sweetly at Ariana. “We’d love to have you stay and hang out with us.” She elbowed Ace. “Wouldn’t we?”

“Do I have a choice?” he grumbled, rolling his eyes.

“Not really,” Silver said pleasantly.

Ariana hooted. “She told you, brother.” She looked at Silver, hopping slightly on the couch to find a comfortable spot. “So, what’re we gonna do? Watch a movie?”

“Sounds good to me,” Silver said, before Ace could protest.

Ace gave her a meaningful look. “Don’t think for one minute that this gets you off the hook,” he said quietly.

“Off the hook for what?” Ariana said, leaning forward.

Silver laughed when Ace’s face went a shade darker.

“Nothing,” he growled.

Ariana looked confused. “What’s going on? Did I miss something?”

“Nope, nothing important,” Silver said lightly. “Are you hungry? We have some leftover chicken and potatoes.”

“Really? Something other than that protein junk? I’m impressed. That’s a welcome change. Silver you should come around more often.”

Ace made a face. “Why does everybody keep knocking my protein bars?”

“Because they’re nasty,” Silver piped in.

Ariana laughed, fluffing her short hair. “Exactly. I own a gym, and I hate those things. Have you ever looked to see how much sugar those bars contain?”

Silver wrinkled her nose. “Really? I’m surprised, because they taste like bitter cardboard.”

Ariana rewarded her with a wicked grin that morphed to a giggle. “Ace would be better off eating a candy bar.”

“Well, it would certainly taste better,” Silver quipped. For a split second, she felt like they were back in high school. Silver and Ariana banding together against Ace, as they made wise cracks, Ace striking back with witty comments.

Ariana stood. “I’m gonna fix myself a plate of real food.” She looked at Ace as she spoke.

He held up his hands. “Be my guest.”

“I’ll help her,” Silver said, moving to stand, but Ace caught her arm.

“Oh, no. You’re staying here with me.”

She swallowed hard. “I am?” The protective tone in his voice, sent tantalizing shivers circling through her.

His jaw was set in a firm stance. “Yes. You’re gonna help me pick out a movie.” He smiled. “I figure it’s the least you can do, since you got a get out of the conversation pass when my intrusive sister arrived.”

“I heard that,” Ariana quipped from the other room.

Silver laughed nervously, unsure how to answer. It was true. She was immensely grateful that Ariana had shown up when she did. But now she’d have to find a way to dance around the topic in the future. Ace would bug her relentlessly until she eventually caved. Why in the heck did she open her big mouth?

A second later, Ace draped an arm around her, preventing her escape. Then he leaned in, his warm breath tickling her ear. “See, this is nice,” he whispered, his lips lingering next to her skin.

Her pulse roared in her ears as a wave of desire rolled over her. “It’s okay,” she said nonchalantly, scooting into the comfort of the curve of his shoulder.

He only laughed and pulled her closer.