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MARIA
I’m so nervous, I can barely breathe. Austin came up with this idea before Milo was shot. We chose a Monday night when the restaurant would be closed and then debated whether to go forward with everything we planned after the shooting. I asked Milo if he’d ever forgive me if I got married without him there. After I told him the reason why we were moving things up, he told me not to be silly and to get it done while Austin’s brothers are in town for the New Year’s holiday. He also said he can’t wait to be an uncle to my new little one.
It doesn’t feel right to be doing this without my little brother there with us, but with Austin set to begin intensive workouts before spring training starts next month and his beloved brothers in town for the last time before the season, it’s sort of now or never. I arranged to FaceTime Milo with his favorite nurse, Gianna, helping me. Now all we need is my parents, grandmothers, aunts and uncles to get here so we can do this.
Turns out that spontaneously marrying one of the most celebrated pitchers of his generation comes with a few steps I never would’ve considered. For example, the Marlins’ publicity arm has been notified and a statement prepared to release to the media as soon as we make it official.
I’m in our bedroom changing into the casual white dress I bought for the occasion. It has a halter top that I’m trying to tie in a knot when Austin comes up behind me.
“Allow me.”
Happy to turn the task over to him, I watch in the mirror as he ties the knot for me.
He’s wearing a light blue button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up over tattooed forearms.
“Even after all this time,” he says, “sometimes I look at you, and I can’t believe you’re real. That we’re real. That it all happened the way it did.”
I’m not surprised that his sweet words bring tears to my eyes. Everything does these days. “I look at you and wonder how I ever landed a man as hot and sweet and sexy and amazing as you are.”
“You didn’t land me. I landed you. You were the far bigger catch.”
“Right,” I say, laughing now. “As if you and your millions and your limelight and your fancy everything weren’t the biggest of big catches.”
“None of that shit means anything compared to what you’ve given me and Ev, and you know it.”
I turn to face him, placing my hands on his chest. “I love you both so much. So, so much.”
“We love you more.”
“No way.”
“Yes way.”
Shaking my head, I go up on tiptoes to kiss him.
A knock on the door forces me to pull back when that’s the last thing I want to do. Kissing him is my favorite thing. “Come in.”
Dee, who, along with Carmen, is the only other person who knows what we’re up to tonight, sticks her head in. “Everyone is here.”
“We’ll be out in a sec,” I tell her.
She flashes a big, goofy grin before she leaves, closing the door.
“Are you ready?” I ask Austin.
“Only because I get to marry you. No one else would do.”
“I should hope not.”
His smile is one of the sexiest things about him. “Only you, babe, and you know that, too. You saved my little girl’s life, and then you made mine complete. I get to marry my own personal Wonder Woman.”
“And I get to marry my own personal Superman.”
He kisses my forehead and then my lips. “A match made in heaven. Let’s go make it official, shall we?”
“Yes, please.”
Holding hands, we leave our bedroom and walk out to the massive great room that opens out to the pool deck. All the people we love best, including Austin’s brothers, Asher and Carter, are there, along with the District Court judge Austin asked to preside over the ceremony. As a huge Marlins fan, Judge Donlon was thrilled to be asked.
