Chapter 71 – The Twins

Isabelle Reinhart.

The living room was filled with an air of laughter as Alex and I shared the past 9 months' worth of office stories with Ace. It was both refreshing and heartwarming to see him engaged and genuinely interested in catching up on everything he had missed.

As our conversation flowed on, a sudden chime of the doorbell broke into our conversation. I excused myself and headed to the door, knowing exactly who I'd find on the other side.

As I swung the door open, Noah and Emily stood there, their faces beaming with excitement. "Hey, come on in," I greeted them, a grin spreading across my face. They stepped inside, an eagerness radiating from them as they looked around the living room.

“About time, you guys! You were supposed to be here two hours ago,” I said.

Noah chuckled and ruffled my hair playfully. "Sorry, Belle. We didn’t sleep all night cause of this little storm," he pointed towards little Ezra in Emily’s arms. “Took an afternoon nap with the babies.”

My heart swelled with warmth at his words. We walked into the living room, and I couldn't help but notice the way Ace's attention shifted from Alex to the twins. His eyebrows lifted in curiosity, and a small, knowing smile curved his lips.

“Oh, look. The boomers are here,” Alex made a disgusted face and Noah flipped him off to which he replied with a flying kiss and all of us just rolled our eyes.

He hadn’t officially met the twins yet. He only got discharged last night and this was our first official gathering as a group with the babies.

Emily and Noah sat on either side of Ace, their excitement prominent. "Ace, meet the twins," Noah said with a grin, gesturing to the little ones in their arms.

Ace's gaze zeroed in on the babies, his expression transforming from curiosity to a mix of astonishment and joy. His pupils dilating as he took in the tiny bundles of life.

Emily's smile was radiant as she introduced them. "Ace, meet Zoe," she said, nodding towards the baby in Noah's arms.

Ace's eyes softened as he met Zoe's gaze, his face breaking into a delighted smile. "Hey there, Zoe," he cooed gently, his voice filled with a mix of wonder and affection.

Noah looked at Ace with a proud grin. "And this little dude is Ezra," he said, indicating the other baby in Emily's arms.

Ace's attention shifted to Ezra, a similar expression of awe and tenderness on his face. He reached out his finger, and Ezra's tiny hand grasped it. I could see Ace melting in that exact moment.

Emily and Noah shared a triumphant glance, the pride of parents evident in their eyes.

I watched as he gently accepted the tiny bundle that Noah carefully placed in his arms. His hands trembled slightly, and my heart swelled with warmth.

As Ace pressed a tender kiss to Zoe's forehead, a soft smile lit up his features.

“Oh, you’re so beautiful, Zoe.”

"Ace?" Emily's voice broke through the tender moment, and his gaze lifted from the mesmerizing sight of the baby in his arms.

Her eyes held a mix of hope and anticipation, her smile both gentle and mischievous. "We have something to ask you," she said, her voice carrying a note of excitement.

Ace's brows furrowed in curiosity, but he remained patient as he listened to her.

With a soft sigh, Emily looked at Noah, a glance that spoke volumes passing between them. Then she turned back to Ace. "Isabelle and Alex already named Zoe, and William gave Ezra his middle name," she explained, her tone carrying a sense of camaraderie.

Ace's expression shifted from curiosity to surprise, his eyebrows shooting up. "Wait, you guys let them do it?" he said with a chuckle, glancing between Noah and Emily.

Noah's grin was mischievous as he answered, "Well, we couldn't just leave you out of the naming game, now could we?"

Ace smirked at him. "Ah, of course not. I’m reason you guys are friends.”

Emily's smile turned warmer, her eyes reflecting a shared sentiment. "We thought," she began, "That it would be wonderful if you gave Zoe her middle name."

Ace's eyes widened in surprise. He shifted his gaze to the little bundle of joy in his arms, a mixture of awe and emotion washing over him. "Wow, that's... This is such a big thing. Are you sure?"

Noah sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Sadly, yes," he replied, feigning a sad expression.

Ace couldn't help but laugh. He looked at Emily, his gaze softening. "I'm honored, really. But are you sure you want me to do this?"

Emily's expressions were soft, her voice carrying a note of warmth. "Ace, you're family. And family means being a part of every moment. And don’t worry, I already have a list of names for your kids."

All of the eyes shot up to me and I bit my lip and turned my gaze down to my feet, blushing a deep shade of red.

Ace looked back at the baby in his arms. He pressed a gentle kiss to the baby's forehead. "Well, little Zoe, I hope you're ready for a middle name that's as extraordinary as you are."

And just like that, the five of us hung out together for the rest of the day together.