As they head to the parking garage where we left our cars, Austin stops me. “We’re going that way.” He points to the left of the garage.
“What do you mean? We parked over there.”
“Just come with me,” he says, taking my hand as we say goodbye to the others. One of them is having a New Year’s Eve party that we’re looking forward to. Austin has fit right in with his new Marlins teammates, and their significant others have been welcoming to me, as well.
Because I’d follow him anywhere, I let him lead me away from where we left his BMW SUV. I don’t get why he’d want to delay seeing Everly any longer than we already have. I’m about to ask that question when he stops next to a white Mercedes G-Class SUV parked at the curb. It has a gigantic red bow on top. A man I’ve never met is standing next to it. Austin greets him with a handshake.
“Thanks again for this,” Austin says to him.
“My pleasure.”
“Uh, what’s this?” I ask Austin in a low tone that can’t be overheard by the other man.
“It’s your new ride,” he says, grinning widely. “Merry Christmas.”
I stare at the gorgeous vehicle, recalling how I said the one his teammate had gotten for his wife was cool. But that didn’t mean I wanted one for myself.
“Say something,” he says, his smile fading.
“It’s really nice, Austin.” My stomach begins to ache. “Thank you.”
He tips his head to look at me more closely. “Why do you not seem happy?”
“I, uh… Tell me you didn’t get rid of the Honda.” I’ve had my silver Honda Civic for years, and I love that car.
“Not yet,” he says, seeming baffled. “But we won’t have any problem selling it.”
“I can’t sell that car.”
“What’s going on here, Maria?”
I eye the G-Wagon, which is what his teammate called theirs. “Could we maybe discuss this in private?” In addition to the man who apparently delivered the new vehicle, people are swirling all around us, hustling to get to where they’re going for the holidays. It’s only a matter of minutes before someone recognizes the Marlins’ famous new pitcher.
“Sure.” He gives the man a hundred-dollar bill he had ready for him. “Merry Christmas.”
“Same to you, and if I might add, I’m a huge fan. Go Marlins.”
“Thanks, man.” Austin accepts the bro-shake-back-slap guys do these days and then holds the passenger door for me.
The new-car smell is the first thing I notice.
Austin takes the bow off the top, stashes it in the back and gets into the driver’s side.
“What about the BMW?”
“We’ll get it tomorrow.” He looks over at me. “I should’ve asked if you wanted to drive.”
“No, you can. I’d be afraid to drive a car this expensive.”
“The car is yours, Maria. Of course you’re going to drive it. And why do you want to keep the Honda if you have this?”
“I can’t drive this to the clinic where I work with people who don’t have enough to eat, Austin.”
He releases a deep sigh. “You said you liked the one Lolo got for Elle.”
“I do, but that doesn’t mean I expected you to get one for me.”
“I wanted to do something cool for you for Christmas. I thought you’d love it.”
“Anyone would love this car, Austin.”
“Anyone but my fiancée, you mean.”
My stomach aches in earnest now. “Please don’t be hurt. You’re so amazingly generous, and you know how much I appreciate that, but this car is not me.” And it sort of pains me that he didn’t already know that. How could he not know?
He surprises me when he pulls over just outside the airport and puts the SUV in Park before turning to me. “We give a ton of money to charity. I’ve fully funded the new clinic.”
“And I love you so much for that. You’ll never know what that means to me.”
“I do know what it means to you, because I know you. I know what matters to you. As long as we’re taking care of those less fortunate, aren’t we allowed to enjoy a few luxuries?”
“We live in the most beautiful home I’ve ever seen and just had ten magical days in Hawaii. Our life is one big luxury.”
“So, what’s one more?”
“I don’t want to hurt your feelings. You obviously went to some trouble to arrange a nice surprise for me, and I don’t want to ruin it.”
“You’re not hurting my feelings. I just thought you’d need a bigger car for when we started adding to our family, and this thing is a beast. I want my family in something super safe, because the way people drive around here freaks me out. I pity the fool who hits you in this thing.”
“It does seem rather rugged.”
“It has amazing safety ratings.”
“I am a safety girl.”
“See? I knew that. Please don’t be thinking I don’t get you, because I do.”