“I would’ve gotten it,” I call after him.
“I know,” he mouths.
It doesn’t take them long to make my milkshake. He sets the cup down in front of me and I grab it like someone’s going to snatch it from me.
He laughs. “Eager, are we?”
I smile around the straw.
He finishes his meal while I sip on my milkshake. He doesn’t seem in a hurry to get to our gate, so I take my time. I end up only drinking half the milkshake and Xander finishes the rest.
Before we leave the restaurant he slips the blindfold back on, along with the headphones.
We wait outside our gate and board the second plane thirty or so minutes later.
I settle into my seat and hope that I don’t die of boredom before we get there.
Xander
The plane touches down and Thea jolts awake, her hands reaching out blindly for something to grab onto. I take one of her hands in mine and she instantly calms.
I don’t remove the blindfold or headphones. I know I’m dragging this out as long as possible, but she’ll thank me later.
The plane taxis in and we wait to be able to deplane. When we finally can, I stand and grab my backpack, slipping it onto my shoulders, before helping Thea off the plane.
I guide her to the baggage claim and wait for our bags. I can tell she’s growing more impatient by the minute, and I can’t blame her. She’s been traveling for approximately sixteen hours, but considering I took away sight and hearing from her, it probably feels much longer.
I finally locate our bags and we wheel them outside to the taxi line.
The man hops out to put our bags in and I help Thea into the car.
I take the headphones off her and she immediately asks, “Can I see yet?”
“Not yet,” I tell her.
I’m aware she might kill me in my sleep for this, but once we get there I think she’ll be too blown away to care.
She groans and crosses her arms over her chest. “How much longer?”
“Not much,” I tell her.
The taxi driver gets back in the car and I hand him a piece of paper with the address for our hotel on it.
Once we get there, and to our room, then Thea can finally know where we are.
The driver takes off, speeding down the road.
The city is beautiful, and I’m almost tempted to take off Thea’s blindfold and reveal our destination now, but I know it’ll be worth it to wait. The view from our hotel is spectacular.
I booked the honeymoon suite, and from the pictures I saw online, it’s worth the price tag.
I’m thankful to make the kind of money I do, that it can afford me the opportunity to do these kinds of things, but more than that I’m just happy I’m doing what I love.
Playing football for the Colorado Rebels is a dream come true.
I’d always dreamed since I was a little boy that I’d get to play professional football, but I knew the chances of making it there were slim to none.
But I did it.