28. Adam #2
Mia’s anxious questions don’t come until we were about five minutes out. Honestly, I expected her to figure it out at the halfway mark, but she probably just thought there was no way we’d go there.
“Adam, are we going where I think we’re going?” A nervous laugh follows after her question.
“I don’t know, where do you think we’re going?”
That pinched expression she got with the eye mask threat comes back. “Adam.”
“Mia.”
“There’s no way we’re going there. You don’t even know what I’m talking about.”
“Are you sure about that?” I smirk, knowing we’re seconds away from pulling into the neighborhood of our future home.
I see Mia suck in a breath as we approach the turn, and when I take it, her smile is remarkable. “I thought you said we were having a picnic.”
“We are.”
“But…” Mia blinks several times as, I’m assuming, she’s trying to piece together what exactly I have planned. Or trying to make sure she’s actually witnessing her grandfather’s house come into view.
Hell, I have as well. The pictures her dad showed me don’t do this place justice. Its brownstone has clearly been properly maintained along with its Victorian stonework.
I told Patrick I only wanted to see the outside though, just to make sure I get the right place, but the inside is Mia’s to show me. I can’t wait to hear all of her stories and memories of this place.
I can’t wait to fill the house with new ones…and the first one starts tonight.
When we pull in the driveway, Mia has tears pooling in her eyes. “I swear they’re happy tears—just ignore them. It’s these damn hormones. I’m really going to need the details now, please.”
I tuck some of her hair behind her ear. “I’ll fill you in, but I don’t want our food getting cold.”
I get out of the car before she can get a full protest out and open her door. “Come on, it’s set up out back.”
“Wh—how?” Mia takes my hand. “I’m loving this, but still very confused as to how you pulled this off.”
“I had some help. I believe your dad said he left the gate to the back open… Do you happen to know where the gate is?”
“I knew I saw their car as we were pulling in the neighborhood.” Her smile only grows as she fans her eyes. “I feel like these are going to fall anyway, but I’m trying to hold them back. Follow me.”
Yeah, one look at the setup on the back porch and I’m sure she’ll be crying. Patrick warned me her mom might’ve gone a little overboard with the decorating.
Mia doesn’t slow down or pause before turning the corner, and while she looks at what I’m sure is a very beautiful and romantic setup… I just see her.
Her head tilts back, and a few tears do slip out. “Adam, this is perfect.”
I reach for her and kiss her temple. “Yeah, it is.”
She turns her head to me. “How could you have given me options? What if I didn’t pick this one?”
I wipe at the slow tear falling down her cheek. “Well, some part of me knew making it a surprise would be enough to win you over, but if worse came to worst, your parents would’ve gotten a nice date out of it.”
Finally, I look over to the back porch, and it is indeed a bit more overboard than discussed, but it’s also like Mia said…perfect. There’re flowers everywhere. Tea lights line the awning, and candles are lit throughout on the patio.
Mia starts walking over to the table set in the middle, her eyes still wide. “I can’t believe you got them to help… I mean, I can, but the fact that you thought to ask and plan this with them…”
“I wanted to make this day special. So, yeah, I made the calls and I asked for help when I needed it. Which, I honestly hated at first—I never really had people to call before or thought I didn’t, at least until moving here…
” I pull out the chair for her to sit. “And I do hate to admit that as much as your dad argued, we can’t get inside today.
But after I called with a very compelling speech, we got the okay for this and started the process of us moving in.
We’ll just need to get your family lawyer a copy of our marriage license once it comes in. ”
Mia’s tears start to fall a little harder and for a moment my chest hurts.
“Mia, honey—”
“Still happy tears. I-I just can’t believe this. Here I was thinking we’d have so much to plan and talk about to get this process started and you did it all—I don’t even know when you had time to do this.”
“Thankfully, I’m not an overly superstitious athlete.
” I chuckle, scooting my chair closer to hers.
“I made several calls before reporting on game days. Your parents helped a lot, too. But it was something me and Dex talked about. I still want to date you, Mia. Yeah, we’re married, and we’re going to have this baby.
But I want to date my wife. I want to continue falling in love with you even more.
Every day. Every milestone. Every unconventional step of the way. ”
Who knew that trade a year ago would turn out to be the best fucking thing to ever happen to me.
The tears still pooling in Mia’s eyes gleam with all the lights. “I can’t wait for that, too. I wish I had a grander declaration, but—”
“I don’t need your words. I need you here with me. I know in my gut that you feel the same way.” I take her hand in mine. “Since the starting topic of the house has been discussed, I do have a new one for you.”
“Okay, what do you have for me, All-star? Let’s problem solve together.”
“Our last name.”
Mia raises an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t want to be the Reyers. It hit me when they congratulated us that way—I would never expect you to take it either, so how would you feel if I took your last name?”
Mia’s jaw drops. “You want my last name?”
Shit, maybe she wants to change her last name.
“We could also come up with a new one together… I just don’t want that name tied to my kid, not even hyphenated. But I do want the same last name as my family. None of this has to be decided right now, but I want it on the table.”
Mia hums softly. “I don’t admit this often, but I was so very wrong.”
Her, wrong? Doubtful.
“I truly thought you couldn’t get sexier.”
Her words register, and weight rolls off my shoulders as I laugh.
Mia moves to my lap, her arms wrapping around my shoulders.
“I mean, you’re hot enough with the height, the beard, and all the muscles.
And then you have this fun, yet no-bullshit personality.
You plan amazing dates, and now, after marrying me so I can have the house of my dreams, you tell me you want to take my last name… Wait, what about your jersey?”
“I’ll get a new one.” I brush her hair behind her back. “Changing my last name won’t make you any less mine.”