“You mean to your future wife?” Ace teased.
Dax ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “I don’t know what the hell happened. I have game. I never choke.”
“There’s a first time for everything.” Ace patted his friend on the shoulder.
“I need a drink. You guys coming?” Dax inclined his head towards the bar.
Ace looked at Stephanie. As much as she didn’t want this night to end, she was exhausted. But she didn’t want to keep Ace from his big night. She was just about to tell Ace to go ahead and she would find a ride home when he turned to Dax. “If you and Riley are good I think we’re going to head out.”
“Yeah man, we got this. See you when you get back.” Dax and Ace did the one-arm man hug.
“And just because this one is bouncing out,” Dax slapped Ace on the back as he turned to Stephanie. “Doesn’t mean you can be a stranger. Come back in soon.”
What did he mean? Was Ace leaving?
“I will.” Stephanie hoped that she was hiding her confusion. “I love what you guys have done. I’ll be back soon.”
When Dax left, Ace placed his hand on Stephanie’s lower back. “Ice cream and sweats?”
“Ice cream and sweats.” She nodded, ignoring the questions that were flashing in her mind like a strobe light.
Where was Ace going? When was he leaving? How long would he be gone?
As Ace led her down the back stairwell, she told herself it didn’t matter. She wanted a night where she didn’t think about the future; where nothing mattered except where she was in the here and now. And it looked like the clock hadn’t quite struck midnight yet. She wanted to enjoy every second before her coach turned into a pumpkin.