16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Adam

“There was just something about you that made me want to meet you.” My heart thuds slowly against my chest, and my mouth goes dry as I let her words wash over me like a warm August sun. “Even though you could’ve been a serial killer, that is.”

The sparkle in her green eyes captivates me so completely that it takes me a moment to grasp what she just said. When it processes, laughter erupts from me.

“Funny enough, I didn’t even think about that possibility.” I chuckle.

“Of course not.” She smiles before continuing in a direction I never thought she’d go. “Statistically, women are less likely to be serial killers, not to mention the fact that I’m pretty sure you could take out anyone who wanted to hurt you.”

Her eyes graze my upper body and heat touches everywhere they do. The corner of my lips lift. “Think about this often?” I work to school my expression as a myriad of emotions flash across her face, from awkwardness to resignation.

I will never get bored of her nervous rambling. It’s charming.

“Actually, no, I write about—” My brow knits together as she abruptly stops mid-sentence. She grips her cup between both hands and looks down when she continues. “Horror isn’t really my thing. However, when meeting up with someone from a chat group, my mind does tend to lean toward outrageous possibilities.”

She lifts her gaze to mine, and they dance with amusement.

“I’ll keep that in mind if I ever decide to surprise you again.” I chuckle, and her face splits into a wide grin, which causes my lips to follow suit.

“Are you planning on surprising me again?” She sits up straighter, leans a bit closer, and her eyes glisten a captivating shade of green. I feel the corner of my lips dip a tiny bit as I remember the whole purpose of wanting an in-person gathering.

My expired visa.

“There’s a high probability of that happening…” I give her a shaky smile and take a sip of tea. I need a moment to gather the courage to explain why I wanted this meeting. “I had a reason for asking to meet up with Amelia…um…you.”

When Susie says nothing, I look up to see her eyebrows drawn. “Adam, is everything okay?”

Gazing into her eyes, a chill runs through me, and my stomach tightens. For the first time in a long time, I’m afraid. Not of asking her to marry me or her saying no but of falling so deeply in love with the woman sitting in front of me.

She sees right through me. Having someone see you so clearly is wonderful, but it’s terrifying to feel so transparent.

“Adam?” She places a hand on my arm, and my eyes drop to it, its warmth moving through me. Placing my hand on hers, I take a deep breath.

“Actually, everything isn’t okay.” She squeezes my arm, and I hold her hand a bit tighter. When I raise my eyes to hers, her brows are pulled together, and her forehead is creased. “No. NO. It’s nothing like that. Physically, I’m okay, and my family is okay but…there is something else.”

Immediately, her face relaxes, and she pulls her hand from my arm. Then, she leans on the table with her elbows crossed. My hand is still resting on my arm, where hers was, missing the skin-to-skin contact.

“So tell me how I—or Amelia—” A mischievous glint shines in her green eyes. "I can help you.”

I look around the room. Did everyone from Pleasant Hollow decide to come here today? My throat tightens, and I swallow past the cotton filling my mouth. I pull my cup up and finish the rest of my tea.

Time to take the plunge.

“You remember I’m Canadian, right?” I let out a slow breath, trying to calm the jackhammer that’s replaced my heart. She nods. I lean forward and mumble softly but very quickly. “Turns out my visa expired.”

“What was that about your visa?” I immediately put a finger over my mouth and make the universal sound for quiet. Looking around to see if anyone is watching us. “Sorry. Is it a secret?”

“Well, more like it’s not common knowledge yet.” She mouths a quiet oooh, and I nod. I lean in and signal with my hand to come closer. “My visa expired.”

“Okay,” she says, clearly not understanding.

“My visa expired .” I try again.

The meaning of what I’m saying finally dawns; her eyes pop open, and her mouth drops. “Oh. OH! Will you still be allowed to play for the Mavericks?”

A crooked grin falls across my lips. Of course, Susie would think about football first. I’m not sure I’d expect anything else of the woman I’ve gotten to know over the last month.

Shaking my head I quickly give her a rundown of everything Finn and I have discussed.

His assistant did confirm that my two quickest options are family vouching for me or marriage. With the first option, I can stay in the country but wouldn’t be able to continue playing for the Mavericks.

So that leaves marriage as the best option.

“Are you telling me that you were going to ask me to marry you?” Susie says, clearly teasing me. But she takes one look at my face and her expression turns serious. “Oh my gosh, you were?”

Heat creeps up my neck, and I shrug. “It was Finn’s idea.”

“Surrre.” She chuckles. “Blame it on your agent. Are those books you’re reading secretly romance novels, Adam Chase Daniels? You know, a bunch of those tropes include marriage of convenience where one of the main characters needs help in the form of marriage.”

“So I’ve been told,” I mumble. I feel my face getting hotter, which only makes her laugh louder.

This is torture of a special kind.

Bringing my hand to my face, I run it through my hair and groan. “I told Finn this was the worst idea. Thank you for taking the chance to meet with a possible serial killer. Finding out that you are Amelia was a fun surprise. On another note, I’m sorry that—”

“Adam,” Susie says firmly as she takes my hand. “It’s not the worst idea. It’s just a lot to take in. I already know I like you.”

“You do?” I quirk an eyebrow, bowled over but wondering if I’m being punked. I look around but don’t see any cameras. “Are you joking right now?”

“Am I the only one who feels something between us?” She withdraws her hand from mine and looks down at her cup. That simple action leaves me feeling like a gust of wind slammed into me. I reach out and pick up her hand. Her gaze falls on our joined fingers.

“No,” I say with all the emotion I have for her coming through my voice. “I found you enchanting from the moment you went on your first ramble.”

She gasps and rips her hand away to cover her face. Embarrassment, obviously from her bright pink face.

I gently grab her wrist and pull it away to see her eyes. “Susie, if you weren’t Josh’s sister, I would’ve asked you out after our first meeting weeks ago.”

“I’m still Josh’s sister.” A soft smile crosses her face. “And I’m sure that bro-code of yours still applies to ‘fake marriages.’”

Hearing her use the word fake hits me like a punch to the gut. Yes, it would be rushed and for a purpose, but it wouldn’t be fake for me. It would be more like being married so we can date to see if we want to spend the rest of our lives together.

I’m pretty sure I already know the answer to that question. It’s just a matter of whether she feels the same.

“I’ll worry about Josh another time. Besides, my intention was to marry this girl I met named ‘Amelia.’ So technically, I’m not asking Susie Owens. I’m asking if ‘Amelia’ is open to the idea of a rushed marriage. I’d really like a chance to get married and then date her.” I watch her face run the gamut of emotions. “But please don’t feel any pressure. No rush. I’m just going to be deported soon.”

A huge smile splits my face, and she grins back, a bit of surprise falling from her face.

“How did you come up with the name Amelia? Is it after Amelia Adams?” Susie’s eyes widen to the size of soup bowls and I realize what I just said. I work to cover my blunder quickly. “Olivia and Nicole are always raving about her books. I don’t read her or anything.”

She scrunches her nose and laughs. “Of course, you don’t; that wouldn’t be very manly of you now, would it?”

“Low blow, Miss Owens. I would be manly regardless of what type of books I read.” I lift an arm and flex, then wink at her, and she giggles. “No, but seriously, how did you come up with Amelia?”

“Amelia was my grandmother’s name,” Susie responds. “It’s also my middle name. Suzanne Ameila Owens.”

“Kind of funny that we used our middle names, isn’t it?” I let my eyes roam over her face slowly. Bold, I know, but right now, I don’t care. I just proposed to her. Does anything I do after that matter?

I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that we both used our middle names in Blitz Brigade. In fact, I’m starting to think that everything about meeting Susie Owens is fate.