Holiday Hoax (Windy City Holidates #3)

Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

IAN

The sound of rhythmic beeping pulls my consciousness up to the surface. I blink my eyes open waiting for my vision to become clear. A soft hand squeezes mine.

“Mom.” I know it’s her by the cloying perfume that’s strong enough to overpower the antiseptic scent of the hospital. “How long was I out?”

“Here are your glasses.” Dad slips them on so I can see.

“You were brought in around nine thirty, and it’s nearly one in the morning.”

“I’ll go get Stella and Nico,” Dad says as he walks out the door.

“Apparently your epi pen was a dud. Thank goodness you ate at the restaurant instead of just getting it to go.”

“I have more than one epi pen at home.”

“Still.” She pulls on her sweater sleeves. “I think they’re going to keep you for a day or two. Your heart rate plummeted in the ambulance, so you’ll see a cardiologist tomorrow.”

Stella comes around the corner followed by Nico and Dad.

“What’s going on, drama queen?” she jokes. “Couldn’t even let me be the sick one, always gotta show me up.” She leans down and hugs me.

“If we’re being technical, my allergies existed before your lupus diagnosis.”

“Stop.” Mom shakes her head at our antics. “You two can’t be serious about anything, even when you’re in a hospital bed.”

“It’s really late, you guys didn’t have to stay until I woke up.”

“We’re not the only ones here,” Nico says pointedly. “Your girlfriend is out in the waiting room.”

“Mia is here?” I sit up a bit straighter in the bed, memories of trying to call her while my throat swelled closed come rushing back. “Why isn’t she in here?”

“I didn’t know she was actually your girlfriend,” Mom says defensively. “You never told me you were seeing anyone.”

A nurse walks past and does a double take at all the people in the room. She presses her lips together in a firm line and walks into the room. “I’m sorry, but you can’t all be in here this late. Only one visitor is allowed overnight.”

“They’re just leaving. My girlfriend will be staying the night. Can you bring her down? Mia Mattia.”

She nods and looks pointedly at everyone else. Nico grabs my hand and bends down, “We’re going to have a long conversation about my sister when you’re not in a hospital bed.” He waits until Stella gives me another hug and then wraps his arm around her shoulders to lead her out.

“I think it’ll be better for me to stay,” Mom says.

“No. You’re freezing.” I point at the purple hue of her bony hands. “Go home. I’m going to be fine. I need to see Mia.”

“Come on, Delia,” Dad says as he holds open her coat for her. “He’s a big boy. We’ll come give the hospital hell in the morning.”

They each give me a hug before slipping out. I run a hand through my hair, looking at all the shit I’m hooked up to in the room. It’s more than a bit mortifying that this happened to me as an adult. I was twelve the last time this happened.

A combination of gasp and hiccup draws my attention to the doorway which Mia is standing in. Her gorgeous brown eyes are red-rimmed while tears begin to roll down her cheeks. She’s never looked more beautiful to me than she does right now.

“Ian,” she whispers as she slowly approaches me. She sets down her purse and coat in the chair my mom had been sitting in. “I’ve never been so terrified.”

“I’m sorry, baby.” I open my arms and pull her onto the bed with me.

She stiffens as I pull her back to lay with me. “I don’t think I should be up here.”

“I don’t give a fuck. The only place you should be is right here with me.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t pick up the phone when they called me. I should have, I was just sitting there and getting in my head about everything.”

I put my finger over her lips to silence her. “The only thing I could think of while my throat was starting to swell was that I never told you how I feel.”

“How do you feel?” She swallows nervously.

“I love you, Mia. I know we didn’t start out conventionally, but I love you. More than I thought was humanly possible. I wasn’t going to say anything because I don’t want to scare you, but I spent the day clearing space in my closet and emptying some drawers for you in the bathroom. I wasn’t going to ask you to move in or anything, but I was hoping to slowly convince you to leave things in my house until it was just easier for you to spend all your time with me. You make my house feel like a home, not just by adding colors to walls but adding color to my life.”

“I—”

A knock on the door interrupts us. Mia rolls out of my arms and onto the floor as if we were teenagers getting caught in a movie theater.

“Mr. Jameson, I’m Nina. I need to check your vitals and ask you a few questions.”

Mia sits down while I answer everything and get checked out. The nurse shows Mia how to turn the couch into a bed and shows her where the linens and extra pillow are. I’m dying to finish our conversation, so every second the nurse spends in the room feels like a lifetime.

“Get your ass off that couch and back over here,” I say as soon as we’re alone again.

She doesn’t hesitate and lays down beside me again. It takes a minute to make sure none of the cords are tangled around her, but once we’re set, she nestles in the crook of my arm.

“You said you were scared to pick up the phone. Why?”

“I just realized this morning how much I love waking up beside you. I was worried you didn’t feel the same way or that I’d grow reliant on you.”

“I want you to be reliant on me.”

She looks up at me, her eyes searching mine. I hope she sees the truth in them. “I realized on the way to the hospital that I’ve been scared because I love you. I love you in a way that’s different from anything I’ve felt before, and it happened so fast, you know? It wasn’t slow and gradual, it was like a free fall.”

“A good free fall?”

“The best. A free fall into calm, warm waters.”

Mia walks out of the closet in a scarlet sweater dress and a pair of brown leather boots while I put my tie on. I watch as she turns right and then left, smoothing the dress over her stomach and ass. She blows a piece of hair that’s fallen free from the twist she pulled it into out of her face.

“If you change clothes one more time, I’m dragging you to my parents in a pair of my sweats. You look just as beautiful in that dress as you did in the first dozen you tried.”

I’m sure our closet looks like a tornado went through it. Marta loves it. She constantly tells us how much she loves having Mia here. Apparently, she never felt like she was earning her paycheck because of my chronic tidiness.

She looks over at me like I’m the ridiculous one. “This dinner is important. Not only is it with the entire board, but also your parents. How are you not freaking out right now?”

“Because I know I got the job.” I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her waist, resting my chin on her head. “I also have the most beautiful, intelligent, and kind woman in Chicago wearing my ring.”

The four-carat, brilliant cut diamond sparkles on her finger. I didn’t think I’d propose so soon, but after my scare in the hospital and our shared declarations of love, it just felt right to take that next step. We’re set on a long engagement.

The dinner is being held at my parents’ house, like it is every year. I usher Mia to the elevator and help her into her coat. She swipes on one more pass of lipstick and tucks her hair behind her ear before looking at me to let me know she’s ready.

I love little moments like these with her. The way she immediately takes her shoes off when she gets off the elevator, the little moans she makes as I rub her feet every night. Watching her get ready makes me deliriously happy.

The evening goes better than I could have hoped. I’m officially named as the next CEO of Jameson Industries. But that’s not even the best news of the night. Stella and Nico announced after all the guests left that they’re very much unexpectedly expecting a baby in the coming year. Mom was over the moon, which will take a lot of heat off Mia, especially with wedding planning.

I lead Mia down the Christmas-tree-lined hall, her shoes echoing off the marble tiles while she takes in the over-the-top decor. My mother has always gone all out for all the holidays, it’s overkill, but my parents throw a lot of parties this time of year so it makes sense. Watching her quietly taking in the lights in my childhood home overwhelms me with gratitude.

“What’s that look for?” she asks, walking over to me and running her hands up my chest.

“I’m just the luckiest guy in the fucking world right now.” I reach down and cup her face. “Dream wife. Dream job. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”