Ainsley read it out loud. “It’s the world’s most mature cheese.” She shook her head while Mum giggled to herself. “One—how do you know these things? And two, cheese? You choose cheese for your analogy? Really?”
“Why not? It’s delicious. As am I.”
“Okay, okay.” Mum stopped laughing and gave me her authoritative face. “If you can’t have a serious discussion about a serious thing you’re about to undertake, do we really think you should be doing it?”
“Och, you know I’m being serious. I’ll prove how serious I’m being.” I licked my suddenly dry lips. “You said I could have Aunt Sigrid’s ring when the time came.” I referred to my aunt Sigrid from our Norwegian side of the family. They stayed in touch with us via Gran, and we’d even visited their home just outside Oslo when we were kids. And they’d come to visit us. Aunt Sigrid was one of Gran’s four siblings. She had no children of her own and she’d died a year after her husband. She’d split her small estate between her nieces and nephews. Mum was her favorite, and she’d left her engagement ring to her. Mum had then promised me that I could give it to the lassie I chose to spend the rest of my life with.
I didn’t know much about jewelry, but I knew that ring was cool as fuck and way better suited to Maia than the monstrosity Will the Prick had given her.
“She has violet eyes,” I metaphorically pulled the ace out of my sleeve. “It’s meant to be.”
“Oh my God.” Ainsley gaped at me. “So she does.”
“Really?” Mum pressed her fingers to her lips, eyes wide.
Because Aunt Sigrid’s engagement ring was a sapphire almost the exact color as Maia’s eyes.
The kitchen fell silent for a few seconds. Then Mum grimaced. “I think I’m more worried than ever. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
I shrugged, unable to do my cocky “nothing ever bothers me” act with my mum and Ains. “I think she’s worth the risk.”
Mum shot up from the chair and I’d barely got over the surprise of the sudden movement before I was pulled into her embrace. “I hope it all works out the way you want, son.” She leaned back to clasp my face in her palms. “I’ll go get the ring. And I’ll want to meet Maia. Very, very soon.”
I nodded, a lump forming in my throat at the bright tears glistening in my mum’s eyes.
It hit me that if I didn’t convince Maia to give me a real chance, I’d be breaking more than my own heart.
Mum quietly left the kitchen to get the ring.
I turned to Ainsley.
“I’ll break her face if she hurts you,” she announced, tilting her chin up, dark eyes flashing with protectiveness.
I contemplated my big sister. “Appreciate that, Ains. But I’d appreciate it even more if you’d give Maia a chance.”
“I don’t know Maia well enough to not like her. Do I think she’s a bit aloof? Yes. You clearly see another side to her, so I’m inclined to like her because of how much you like her. But that doesn’t mean I won’t break that gorgeous face of hers if she hurts you.”
“One, Maia isn’t aloof. Far from it and you’ll find that out. Two, you know I won’t let you near her gorgeous fucking face, even if she hurts me.”
My sister’s expression softened. “She better deserve you, B.”
“I hope we deserve each other.” I shrugged. “She’s … Maia … she’s the one, Ains.”
Ainsley couldn’t wipe the concern off her face as she nodded slowly. And again, I hoped like fuck I would prove myself right.
CHAPTER SEVEN
BAIRD
The last time I’d been this nervous before a game was my first match after recovering from my injury.
I suppose that variety of nervousness had never gone away, but I’d found a way to compartmentalize those feelings.
This was different. These nerves had nothing to do with the game and everything to do with the fact that Maia was coming to see me play for the first time. It was a qualifying home game against Kingston United and would determine if we made it into the final against Dalmarnock. It was a big game.
And yet I was still more nervous about Maia. I’d gotten her VIP access so she could come meet the gaffer and we’d tell him we’re engaged.
First, I had to give Callan and John the skewed version of the truth we’d decided to give everyone other than our parents. The locker room was not the place to do it, so I had them follow me into one of the empty offices.
