she asked. "No. I mean, she's your mom. I kinda figured you'd want to."
"Yeah, but she loves you," he countered. "I know she'd love to hear it from you."
Kate's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"This?" He gestured at the entire hotel around them. "It's a small part of my empire. Our empire. I just... Right now, if anything happens to me, Nancy inherits it all. I've asked her to make sure that Darius, Mycah, and Janelle are all taken care of, but I left it for her." Once again, he caught her hands, unable to keep himself from playing with that ring on her wedding finger. "But once we're married, it's legally yours too. No prenup, I said, and I mean that. I'm just hoping that you'd be ok with me still taking care of the woman who raised me and the people who are like siblings to me."
"Adam," Kate gasped. "Of course! I don't want the hotels! Give it all to Nancy. I have never wanted your money!"
"Yeah, but you're good at this," he told her. "Kate, you were born to be an executive. Mom wants to retire. She wants you to take her place, and I agree completely, but have exactly no say in it. The VPs have some say in finalizing her recommendation, and she's been working to make sure they approve you. This? It'll do it."
"I don't want the job because I'm marrying you," Kate insisted.
"It's more the stability," he explained. "Those men want to know that you're not going to run off and bankrupt the company. If you're marrying me, they'll see it as commitment to the company as well. And admit it, you are committed to the company."'
"I kinda am," she mumbled.
He just laughed. "See? So when we get home, how about we both tell Mom together? We'll plan a fancy dinner at our place, invite the entire tribe, and break it to them that you're officially joining the family, hm?"
"Gonna let me help cook?" she teased.
Adam leaned in. "No. Not in a million years. You burned macaroni and cheese!"
"Because you have that fancy-ass stove!" Kate shot back. "But Barlow, the doorman, brings up my takeout orders when you're working late."
"Oh, that's how you've been surviving, huh?"
"He's even told me about a few new places that deliver," she teased. "We've been having a torrid affair when you aren't around."
"He's ninety," Adam said, not buying her teasing at all.
Kate just scoffed, doing her best to look offended. "But he says he's a foodie! It's why I'm putting on so much weight, you know."
He just ran his eyes over her. "Where?" But then Adam paused. "Kate, are you honestly ok with all of this? Me looming all over your life, putting my ring on your finger, and everything?"
She turned him back toward the front and made him start walking again. "You're nervous about the tournament. Don't be nervous about me. I love you, Adam. I'm actually ok with your bank account now - mostly because you spend so damned much on Riley's tequila! It kinda puts things in perspective. I also love your family. We're fine."
"I'll still love you when you're old and wrinkly, you know," he pointed out. "I am not looking for arm candy. I'm not going to change my mind. You, Kate, are everything I've wanted, and I'm so ready to settle down. I mean it, but I can't stop thinking that I pressured you into this."
"No." She stopped and turned to face him again, lifting a finger into his face. "You gave me every possible way out. You made sure I knew that saying no wouldn't ruin things between us." Then she grabbed his arms and looked straight in his face. "Do you remember when I met with Rhaven and Zara for dinner that night? We talked about this. I told them I was ready. We talked about if it made more sense to have kids before I take over Nancy's position or after."
"And?" he asked. "What was their sage advice?"
"Zara said before so I could have time to enjoy them being babies. Rhaven said she's going to be their auntie and spoil them rotten. She will too."
But he heard one little word in there that made his heart stutter. "Them?"
Kate ducked her head and laughed. "Yeah. Um, I was thinking maybe two? Ours, adopted, I don't even care about that, but I've seen you with Nancy's grandbabies, Adam. You are fucking adorable with kids. And I don't know. I..." She laughed. "I think I