My Favorite Souvenir(94)

“The animal on the wall!”

He laughed. “It’s a stuffed raccoon, an ode to our time at Wyatt Manor.”

I shook my head. “I cannot believe all the detail you put into this.”

“Check out the tablecloth in the kitchen,” he said.

I covered my mouth. “Oh my God!”

It had pineapples on it, in honor of the sex party we’d attended in Santa Fe.

He’d turned our adventures into a home. It felt like a metaphor for my entire experience with him.

It was a feast for the eyes—miniature furniture with real linens, carpets, lighting. But where were the people?

Then my eyes found the upstairs bedroom, and there they were. The male figurine with brown hair was kneeling in front of the female—a redhead wearing southwestern-style boots. The man’s hands were extended, and there was a tiny box sitting atop them.

My heart beat faster as I realized the man was proposing.

When I turned around to look at Matteo, he was already down on one knee with a little box of his own.

My mouth went agape.

“Hazel, we haven’t known each other for two years yet, but I can’t remember a time without you. You’re my adventure partner, my best friend, my lover, and my soulmate. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

He had no idea how much his doing this tonight meant.

At a loss for words, I wiped the tears from my eyes. “I love you so much. I would rather die than live life without you at this point. I will absolutely marry you.”

I hadn’t even looked closely at the ring until now. It was a gorgeous, round solitaire diamond. He couldn’t place it on my finger fast enough, and when he did, it felt magical—like my entire experience with him since the moment we met.

Matteo lifted me up and spun me around.

When he put me down, I said, “I’m really anxious to give you your present. Be right back.”

My heart racing, I ran to our room to grab the gift bag.

I returned to him in the spare room and handed it over.

He removed the tissue paper, and his forehead crinkled. He lifted out buffalo plaid footie pajamas—a pair for him and a pair for me. His said Mr. Hooker, and mine said Mrs. Hooker.

Clearing my throat, I said, “I struggled with whether to order Mr. and Mrs. I didn’t want you to think I was being presumptuous. It was supposed to be a joke. But after tonight, it totally fits, doesn’t it? The buffalo plaid is really Christmasy, too.”

“Heck yeah! How did you know I’ve always wanted these?” He winked. “Are we supposed to change into them tonight? Because I’d be down for that. Although, they’ll be tough to get off easily when I need you naked.” He paused. “Wait. Buffalo? Buffalo plaid. Maybe Zara wasn’t referring to your rental car in Louisiana? Maybe this is where she got the buffalo from. Or I guess it was a bull…”

“That hadn’t occurred to me. I’m not sure.”

My palms were sweaty. He hadn’t seen what else was in the bag. The entire point of this was being missed.

“There’s something else in there,” I finally said.

“Really?” He reached inside. “Oh shoot. You’re right.”

Matteo lifted out a third pair of buffalo-plaid footie pajamas. He unfolded them and held them up to read the words on the front: Baby Hooker.

He grinned. “Sweet! Someday our future baby can wear this.”

He wasn’t getting it.

I bit my lip as my heart pounded. “Well, if the future’s in eight months…yeah.”

It took him a few seconds to process.

“Wait, what? You’re…you’re pregnant?” He shook his head in disbelief. “How?”

“Turmeric.” I laughed nervously.

“Huh?”

“Turmeric. I started taking supplements. Heard turmeric had lots of health benefits. Didn’t know one of those benefits was interfering with birth control.”

He blinked repeatedly. “I fucking love turmeric! Gonna put that shit on everything now!” Still holding the pajamas, he wrapped his arms around me.

“You’re happy about this?”

He squeezed me tighter. “Of course I’m happy. This is best Christmas gift you could give me.”

“I was worried it was too soon.”

“It can’t come soon enough.” An adorable excitement flashed in his eyes. “Be right back. I have to get something.”

Matteo walked over to the closet and removed a box from the top shelf. He opened it and took something out. “I was saving this. But I think it’s time to bring it out now.”

He held up a little baby figurine and walked over to the dollhouse. He reached into the second floor bedroom and took the small box out of the man’s hands. He adjusted the guy’s legs so he was standing across from the woman. Then he positioned both of their arms out and placed the baby in between them. It was one of the sweetest moments of my life.

Matteo knelt down and placed his cheek on my stomach.

“Hey, little guy or girl. It’s your daddy.” He looked up at me.

I smiled down at him as tears came to his eyes. It was rare to see him cry, and now I was crying, too.

He continued talking to our baby. “I thought your mom’s hair in that Ziploc bag was my favorite keepsake from our time together. But nope. You, little one, will always be my favorite souvenir.”