“Always.”
We get down three steps before she stalls. Her entire face lights up brighter than the candles lit across her apartment.
A nervous lighter sputters out of her when, right on cue, “Your Smiling Face” comes on. “Wh-what’s going on?”
I take her trembling hand in mine. “Dance with me and find out.”
She bites back her smile for a second before letting it fully grace her face. “I’d love to.”
Bringing her to where we danced last time, I place my hand on her waist while her arms wrap around my neck and she sways to the music.
Mia looks around, taking in every candle lit and the sunrise glowing through her window. “Where did you get all these candles? Did you get up before dawn?”
“I may have paid a little extra for rush deliveries, but there’s something else I want to talk to you about before I get on the plane.”
“Oh yeah?” I can feel her fingers fidgeting behind my neck, but I’m locked onto her eyes. I can see the gleam, the hope, and the want in them.
“Mia, I know this is a lot. For the past three days, every plan we thought we had has shifted. I can’t promise I’m always going to be the best at this, but there’s not a doubt in my mind that we can handle it together.”
Mia brings a hand to my cheek. “We’ve always been a little unconventional.”
“We’re past unconventional at this point, honey.” I kiss her forehead. “You don’t have to give an answer today. You can tell me no. It won’t change how I feel about you. I don’t have a ring, and I know this is probably far from the vision you had in your head…I can still give you all that, but I know I can’t leave without asking…will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she says without hesitation. Not a second to think…and this breathtaking smile lights up her face. “I still want aring and a full-blown wedding one day, but I don’t have to think about it. My answer is yes.”
Chapter 25
Adam
“Your flight lands tomorrow morning at ten thirty?” Mia asks as I walk into the Wizards’ workout room.
“Yeah, should be around then.”
A white lie. This is the last away game before we’re back in Boston. We’ve spent a week in Dallas, and now Baltimore. I have to give Emma credit, postgame flights are rare. We usually get out the next morning, but considering we have an early game today and the flight isn’t crazy long—we’re flying back in tonight, and we’ll get a full Monday off.
I want to surprise Mia. She’s been working late the whole time I’ve been gone, but I think both of us have really been able to breathe more over these last two weeks now that everyone we care about knows about the baby and we have a plan for what we want to do moving forward.
Before I left, we agreed we would do a courthouse marriage for now. That way we can get the process started on the house and not feel so rushed on moving in before the baby.
Mia wants to hold off on any type of wedding celebration until after the baby’s born, and I completely understand that, but I still want to give her a proper proposal before then.
“Okay, perfect, my doctor’s appointment isn’t until one so that should give us plenty of time, and then we have to be at the courthouse around three.”
“Sounds good, honey.”
I hear the ruffle of her bag and a clatter of what I can guess is her water bottle. She refills it about six times a day, and I get texts complaining it’s my fault every time.
“Are you headed to work?”
“Yeah,” Mia groans. “You know I can’t leave without my water now. I can’t believe you did this to me. What kind of pregnancy craving is water? When am I going to get something off the wall like olives in my ice cream or pickles with?—”
The line goes silent for about three seconds. “Mia?”
“Sorry, I got lost in thought about what would be weird with pickles, but honestly everything sounds good. Like pickles with cream cheese…on an everything bagel…ooh, with bacon.”
I laugh. “Yeah, I think we’re only getting started here with cravings. You have a full kitchen staff ready for any meal you can think of.”
“You’re going to text someone my bagel idea, aren’t you?”
