Hey guys! How are you all doing?

Just as promised, here I am with an update!

Thanks for being so patient and for taking time to read and reviewing.

I'll do my best to keep writing and post again soon.

Hope you like this one!

Happy reading!

Xoxo,

Nina

"Happy birthday, darlin'!" Adam walked closer to her and hugged her lightly trying not to squish Gracie too much and delicately pecked her lips.

"What? How? Your huge op?" Kim was startled. She looked around and she couldn't believe the faces she was seeing, her friends, her parents, Andrew's parents, Adam's dad.

"It was a huge op. Operation Belle's Birthday." Atwater's voice echoed through the room and Kim just stood there still shocked but chuckled at Kevin's comment.

Adam took Gracie out of Kim's arms right after the little girl hugged her teacher by the neck and kissed her cheek wishing her a happy birthday.

Kim walked over to the guests and started greeting everyone, especially her parents. She had no idea Adam had contact with them.

"We finally got to meet your boyfriend, he's very good looking." Kim blushed at her mom's comment. "It's a pity your sister couldn't make it here today."

"Next time we get together for dinner with your sister and her family you're not getting away with bringing Adam with you. He seems like a great guy." Her dad added right after he hugged his younger daughter.

Her parents weren't the only ones who seemed to approve of Adam, Susan and George were delighted too. Although it was strange for them to be in that situation, the fact that Adam had asked Sylvie for help to reach out to them meant a lot. It meant that he respected Kim's history and most of all that he loved her.

"You knew everything about this. Didn't you?" Kim asked her friend when she came to warp her in a hug along with Casey.

"I did. I tried to keep you calm, but I promised I wouldn't say a word. It was worth it though, wasn't it?"

"It was." Kim answered with the biggest grin plastered on her face.

"Happy birthday, Kim!" Matt hugged her too and handed her a gift bag. "Sylvie helped me pick it so I assume you'll like it."

"Thank you! You didn't have to. Having all of you here is more than enough."

She really meant that. It was incredible to see all those people gathered to celebrate her. This was something that she never expected, let alone something she'd ever plan, but she loved it. Every single part of it. Even the pink cake with sprinkles and rainbows that Grace seemed to be in love with.

She didn't have much of a chance to interact with Adam during the party since she was the center of attention, but they did manage to throw in a few hugs and of course a kiss when she was practically forced to blow the candles of her cake. Hailey and Sylvie both took adorable pictures of Kim, Adam and Gracie that they later sent to them. That was going to make a perfect addition to Gracie's scrapbook.

"I can't believe you did all this." She sneaked into the kitchen, she knew he was there after he asked Grace to take a shower and Kim ushered the last guest out the door.

"Are you talking about that awful looking cake? I swear I showed Gracie other options and tried to make her change her original choice, but she was pretty determined she wanted pink, sprinkles and rainbows." Kim laughed at his explanation.

"I thought the cake was cute. But I was talking about the whole surprise."

"I had some help with that."

"So I've been told, but I also know that it was all your idea. And I loved it." She walked close enough to kiss him. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome." He cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers once more. "I'm sorry I made you feel bad earlier, but there was a good reason for it."

"Yeah, it was a little disappointing to be honest. But you managed to make up for it."

"Darlin', I didn't even start making it up for it." He said seductively and dipped his head to brush his lips against the soft skin of her neck. "Gracie wants to have a sleepover with us, that means you're officially invited to stay with us tonight. What do you say?" Kim smiled and nodded shyly.

"I'd love to."

"Good, because we also have some presents we want to give you. And before you get your hopes up, I thought I had the best gift for you and then Gracie just hit it out of the park when she told me what she wanted to get you; well, that was after she suggested getting you a puppy, of course." She laughed.

"Well, good thing you didn't agree on the puppy." She snuggled against his chest and hugged him by the waist. "You really didn't have to get me anything."

"Um, hell no. Of course we did. It's your birthday and you deserve every single gift on the surface of the planet."

"I already have the best gift of them all."

"Do you, now?" He asked all cocky.

"I do. A tall and handsome detective that I'm totally in love with."

"You know? I have intel from a trustworthy source that guarantees the detective you're talking about is totally crazy about you." He moved closer to her and whispered the next part into the shell of her ear, making her shiver. "And he can't wait to get you alone in his room to celebrate properly." She looked down and was a bit embarrassed at the memory of how worried she was. "What's wrong?" His index finger moved to her chin and he delicately shifted her head so she could look at him in the eye. He could read her so perfectly now.

"It's really stupid." He just waited for her to continue. "I was a bit worried."

"What about?"

"Um…" She was fiddling with the collar of his shirt. "You, maybe, not wanting to be with me." She shrugged.

"That's crazy. I don't want to sound like a pervert, but the thought of being with you lives rent free in my mind." She blushed, but was still determined to explain her point of view.

"Well, it didn't seem so crazy to me. We haven't been together in some time and you were a bit distant, I know you were busy doing all this, but I guess I went just a little crazy." She put her index finger and her thumb together, almost making them touch.

"It's true. We haven't, and it's frustrating as hell because there's nothing I desire more than you." He grabbed her by the neck and kissed her so hard he left her gasping for air. "I just can't get enough of you." He whispered softly with his forehead pressed against hers.

"Uncle Adam, I'm ready!" Her voice came over from her room and Adam just took a deep breath and chuckled.

"And now after this brief interruption I'm going to help Grace and you are going to the living room and sit back on the couch and relax. The Ruzeks will be with you shortly." After one short kiss he went to find his niece.

Kim did as she was asked and waited for them in the living room as she scrolled through the pictures on her phone and smiled at all the wonderful memories she'd made today.

"Happy birthday!" Gracie came running towards her in her pjs and with wet hair climbing on the couch, she was jumping up and down with two gift bags in her hands. "These are for you!" She extended the bags over to Kim, unable to hide the excitement in her little face.

"Thank you, so much!" Kim took the bags and wrapped Gracie in her arms leaving a kiss on her cheek. Once again Adam just stood there and watched them falling even more in love with her, as if that was possible. "Which one should I open first?"

"This one." He signaled his bag first. "So that we can leave the best for last." He ruffled Gracie's hair. Kim looked at them both and opened the bag. She took out a card and a small box. "You can read that later." He blushed a little and stuck the card right back in the bag as he took a spot on his couch right next to his favorite girls. Kim just looked at him over the top of her eyes and smiled.

"Awww, you remembered!" She looked at him right after she opened the little box revealing the pair of earrings she'd told him she liked. They were small delicate hoops with a small pearl pendant hanging from them. "I love them. Thank you." She reached over to him and kissed him on the cheek.

"You're welcome."

"Now this one!" Gracie almost shoved the bag over to Kim and the brunette opened it only to find another small box in it. When she opened it she found a silver R where multiple color stones traced the letter. Kim thought it was cute but she couldn't really make out what it was about until Grace started speaking again. "I chose it." That much her teacher did figure out. "It's a charm for your bracelet, so you can always remember us even if we are far away like mommy and daddy." Kim thought she was going to fall apart right there. "I think this would make you think of us, because when I saw it the first thing I thought about was Ruzek, and that's my name." She said with pride making both adults smile.

"Gracie, this is the best gift ever." She turned to look at Adam. "No offense."

"Non taken. I told you her present was the best." Gracie looked at them back and forth with the biggest smile.

"Help me add it to my bracelet." Kim told Grace and took her bracelet off to add the new charm. "I love it sweetheart, but I don't want you to worry about me not thinking about you. I could never forget this beautiful face and shiny smile." She tried to comfort the little girl tickling her side.

"Never ever?" Gracie asked concerned.

"Never ever ever." Kim touched the tip of her little nose with her index finger before clasping the bracelet back on. "Look, it looks amazing." She twirled her wrist around making the stones shine, she knew Gracie was going to love that.

"It does!" She answered yawning. Although she was excited, it had been a long day for Grace and she was tired.

"I think someone needs to go to bed." Adam said looking at his niece.

"But our sleepover." The young Ruzek protested.

"Muffin you can't stay up even if you tried, and we were not having pizza and ice cream today anyway. We can do that another night. Now, off to bed you go."

"Ok." She didn't seem so sure, but she was going to do what she was told. She kissed both adults good night and ran to her room only to come back a few minutes later with a piece of construction paper in her hands. "This is also for you." She handed it to Kim. "You Can read it later." She said giggling because she knew she was copying her uncle. As soon as Kim grabbed the card from her hand, Grace ran back to her room leaving both of them alone.

"Oh, God." She said softly when she saw what Grace had made for her. She drew the pink cake and hearts and rainbows all over the paper, but it was the words written there that got to the middle of her heart. 'Happy birthday aunt Kim. I love you!' The way in which the words were written totally gave out that fact that she did that on her own. Adam scooted over to see what the fuss was about and he did get a bit emotional too.

"I didn't tell her to do that, I swear. In fact the aunt topic didn't even pop up in this household, but I love the fact she did that."

"Me too." Kim placed her hand on his knee and tried to hold back her tears doing a pretty mediocre job.

"I'm going to go talk to her."

"Wait. Do you mind if I go?" Kim asked for permission because she didn't want to overstep, getting a genuine smile from him.

"Your niece is waiting." He added as he signaled the way to her room. She got up from the couch and went to find Grace, not before kissing him softly.

Three knocks announced that she was there. "Hey marshmallow. Can I come in?"

"Yup." Gracie answered and covered her face with her fairy themed bed sheets when she felt Kim was walking in and sitting right next to her in the side of her bed.

"Why are you hiding, love?"

"Because I'm a little shy about what I called you in the card."

"Well, let me tell you a secret. I absolutely loved it." The sheets began to uncover her little face slowly leaving only her green eyes visible.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Can I keep doing it?"

"You most certainly can if that's what you want."

"It is! I'm really happy you and uncle Adam are together, so I can finally have you as my real aunt."

"You have no idea how glad that makes us both, your uncle and I."

"I'm gladder." At this point the sheet was down her neck and Kim was laughing at her choice of words but decided not to correct her right now. "I have a question."

"What's that?"

"In school you're still Ms. B, right?"

"Yes, hun. In school I'm still your teacher but" Kim

couldn't finish because Gracie's excitement finished the sentence for her.

"But outside you can be Aunt Kim."

"Exactly. Do you think that works?"

"Yes!" She nodded enthusiastically. "Are you still having a sleepover with uncle Adam even if I have to go to bed because I'm tired?" Kim swallowed hard at that question, she wished Adam was here to answer that.

"Well, it was the idea. Is that ok with you?"

"Mm hmm. You're going to be here in the morning and we can have breakfast together, right?"

"Of course." Kim lightly brushed a strand of hair away from her face and kissed her forehead.

"Can you read me a story before you go?" She asked yawning and rubbing her eyes with her little fists.

"Any special requests?"

"Yes, that one." She pointed at a bigger book full of different fairy tales. "That's the one mommy was reading to me before she had to go." The way Grace naturally said that made Kim's stomach twist in a huge knot. This girl was amazing, she had no idea how strong she was and how important she was becoming in Kim's life. Gracie Ruzek was her niece. Gracie Ruzek was her family.

"You got it princess." Was the last thing she said before grabbing the book and reading the story that would cradle the little girl to sleep.