“Flowers. How lovely.” She took them and held them to her nose, inhaling deep. “Such a thoughtful girl. Come in. Theo, take her coat and hang it up.”
“Yes, ma’am.” His reply brought an approving look from his mother and a smile from Missy. She liked seeing his mother boss him around. That wouldn’t last. Wouldn’t be long until his mama was trying to boss her around too. It would be interesting to see who ended up managing whom. With his luck they’d both gang up on him.
He grinned to himself. He couldn’t wait.
“Missy. You are such a pretty girl. Thin. We will fix that. Come.” Not waiting to see if they were following, his mother turned and headed to the kitchen.
He almost laughed. Missy looked slightly dazed. He helped her out of her coat, helping himself to a kiss at the same time.
“Stop it. What if your mother sees?”
“She’d just start planning the wedding.”
Missy’s eyes widened and she swallowed hard. “What are you talking about?”
“You. Me. Together forever. I hadn’t planned to do this here, but…” He took a deep breath. “Marry me. Share my life with me.”
“Are you sure?”
“More sure than I’ve ever been about anything in my life.”
Missy didn’t know whether to laugh or cry or both. Her nerves were shot. She’d been more frightened about meeting T.S.’ mother than even he realized. He and his mother were close. She’d have to be a total idiot not to see that. If his mother didn’t like her, it could really put a strain on their new relationship.
She’d been so focused on this meeting and the fact she and T.S. were moving in together, she hadn’t thought any farther. She, who planned everything, hadn’t had any plans other than getting through today.
Already he’d surprised her with the idea of buying a new place together. She liked that. It wouldn’t be her place or his place but their place.
But this. This was crazy. “You want me to marry you?”
“Yes.”
She caught a twinge of uncertainty in his eyes before he masked it. They were both getting better but had a ways to go. But they would do it together. Certainty poured through her. “Yes.”
“Yes?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
T.S. grabbed her into his arms and spun her around. As he kissed her, Missy could hear the sound of clapping. His mother. How had they forgotten his mother?
He set her on his feet, grinning like a loon. She was happy, but a bit more reserved. What would his mother think?
“A wedding. We’re going to have a wedding.” She swept Missy into her arms and hugged her. Missy was taller than Mrs. MacNamara, but the woman’s hug was fierce.
She broke away and glared at her son. “Is that any way to ask a woman to marry you? In your mama’s foyer?”
“I got carried away.”
His mother clapped her hands. “Ah, young love. We must celebrate.”
“You’re okay with this?” Missy asked. “I mean I can understand if you have some concerns. We’ve known each other for months but have only been dating a short time.” No way was she telling his mother they were practically living together.
He had his mother’s eyes. That thought struck Missy full force when Mrs. MacNamara turned to her. “The fact that you would ask shows me you are a good girl. You love him and that is all a mother can ask for.” T.S.’ mother patted at her eyes with a handkerchief she pulled out of her pocket. “You will be the daughter I never had. We will have such fun planning the wedding.”
“Mama,” he warned.
“Pah.” His mother waved him away. “This is for women to discuss. Yes?” She questioned Missy.
“Yes. Absolutely yes. I’d love to have your help, Mrs. MacNamara.”
“First, you must call me Sophia.”
Missy shot T.S. a look before turning to his mother again. “Can you tell me his name? He refuses to tell me what T.S. stands for other than Theo.”
His mother laughed. “It was always such a big name for a boy. He changed it to just his initials when he started junior high. Such a shame.”
“Mama,” he groaned. “You don’t need to tell her that.” T.S. wrapped an arm around each woman.
“You’re marrying the girl, Theo. She will see it on the marriage certificate.”
He sighed and nodded. He hadn’t thought about that.
Now Missy was really curious. “My middle name is Grace,” she offered.
“Such a lovely name,” his mother praised. “Theo was named after my grandfathers.”
He groaned and lowered his head. “It’s Theophilus Samuel.”
Sophia patted her son on the cheek and smiled at Missy. “I must check on dinner.” She hurried to the kitchen, giving them a moment of privacy.
Missy caught T.S.’ face in her hands. She’d never seen him embarrassed by anything before. He was so strong, so sure of himself. She could easily imagine him as a little boy, being teased about his name. “I love you, Theophilus Samuel.” She kissed him. “Theo.” And again. “T.S.” And yet again. “It doesn’t matter what your name is. It doesn’t matter what your past is. I love the man you are.”
“Missy.” He said nothing more but her name. But he didn’t have to. There was so much love and need in that one word. Her heart expanded to fill her chest. His mother had accepted her. She was going to marry T.S. and have a family of her own.
This was better than anything she’d ever planned. She would change her last name to his. Rid herself of all remnants of her past and start anew. “Missy MacNamara has a nice ring.”
“You would do that for me? Change your name?”
She shook her head. “I’d do it for me. For us.”
He pulled her close and kissed her like she was the most important thing in his world. It felt good. It felt right. And it was fair, considering he was the most important thing in her world.
“Dinner’s ready,” his mother called from the kitchen.
He broke the kiss and stroked the side of her face. “Later.”
“Later,” she promised.