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“I’m Ethan Matthews, center for the Iron Huskies,” I go on. “And I’m here for a very special reason. Is Mia Sanders in the audience?”
The mascot by my side raises his gigantic foam head to look around. A commotion starts at the top of the bleachers, and soon my teammates are all pointing and cheering toward the image of Mia, guided to the sidelines by Amanda.
I skate to her. Her eyes are wide and confused, and she asks me, “What is going on?” with disbelief.
I hold the ring box to the level of my chest, and she takes the hint immediately, her hand going to her mouth in surprise.
“Mia…” I take a deep breath. My heart is pounding to the point of aching. The first time I did this was at a quiet, fancy restaurant table, and now it’s in front of a sea of fans. “I told you I would do right by you. This is not just because of our baby, but it’s also because you taught me that I could love and be happy again.”
I tuck the microphone under my arm, open the ring box, and take the microphone back out. Then, I go down to one knee, and looking into Mia’s eyes, I discover a world I want to live in forever.
“Mia, will you marry me?” I ask in a single breath.
Her hand trembles, yet she grabs the microphone from me with confidence. Bringing it to her lips, she looks around and blushes upon seeing herself on the big screen.
When she gazes deep into my eyes, I see infinite happiness in hers and it fills my heart.
“Yes!” Mia squeals, then wraps her arms around me to kiss me.
Now the entire audience erupts into cheers, a wave of feverish excitement sweeping through the crowd. I put the ring on her finger, and she proudly shows it to the audience.
We kiss again, and as we do, the audience continues to cheer. We only stop when coach approaches, taps me on the shoulder, and points to the bench, signaling us that it’s time to get ready for the game to restart.
“I have a game to win,” I say, giving her one last peck on the lips. As I start to skate back, I hold onto Mia’s hand for as long as I can.
“Win it for me!” she says, lighting a fire inside of me.
And we make the Vegas Cyclones fight for it until the very last second, but the advantage we opened in the first period remains. When the final siren goes on, the guys and I are still trying to score one last goal, fighting non-stop to smash the opponent until the very last minute.
We win. And when I reunite with Mia, we both feel like winners, because we have each other, and that’s all that matters.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
With the championship over, it’s time to adapt to regular life as a couple.
The first thing Ethan does when we are back in Detroit is suggest we go to the Bahamas, but then I remind him I have prenatal appointments to make, and his mood immediately shifts.
Now he’s all excited for the first ultrasound, while I’m anxious and uncertain. I spent the night at his house so we could go together in the morning. Right now, he’s waiting for me as I get ready and is being the perfect gentleman by not rushing me at all.
I finish getting dressed and, as a recent habit, check my profile in the mirror. I’m twelve weeks in, just when the belly is supposed to start showing, but so far, I have seen nothing. My stomach is slightly round, but I could easily blame that on the good breakfast I had earlier. This all still feels so surreal.
I opt for a pink linen top paired with leggings and touch up my make up before heading out. The house is enormous, and I still get lost in its hallways, but I follow the sound of the TV to find Ethan. He’s sitting in the living room, anxiously tossing his car keys from one hand to another. Excitement and eagerness are written all over his face and he’s so lost in thought that he doesn’t notice as I approach.
“I’m ready,” I announce with a curtsy.
Ethan startles and looks at me. “Oh!” he says, immediately jumping to his feet “Let’s go, then.”
I follow him to the garage. His car of choice today is a white BMW, so pristine and shiny that it almost looks like the diamond I have on my finger.
Ethan opens the door for me, and off we go. I absentmindedly play with my ring. When Ethan catches me doing it, he instantly comments, “We should get married soon.”
“I told you: I want to get married after the baby is born,” I remind him. “You can’t alter a wedding dress to accommodate all the changes that will happen over the months. It’s too challenging.”
“Right, the wedding dress.” He taps his fingers over the steering wheel. “I just can’t wait for you to be my wife, Mia.”
I feel a warmth spread through me at his words. “Me either,” I murmur, gently rubbing his shoulder. “But everything has its time. This baby won’t be coming for another six months, so we’ll have plenty of time for ourselves.”
When we arrive at the clinic, we step into a sophisticated facility dedicated to the well-being of mothers and babies.
