Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry. Yes, we’re both fine. I didn’t mean to scare you. We both fell asleep, and it was too late to go, so we stayed in. I gave her a bath and left my phone in the kitchen. I didn’t hear it over the giggles and the splashing water.”
“You’re okay. You’re both okay.” It’s not a question; it's more of him trying to reassure himself.
“I’m sorry, Maverick. I didn’t mean to worry you.” My heart squeezes at the fear I hear in his voice.
“She’s fine. They’re both fine,” he tells someone.
“I’m so sorry.”
“I just— You didn’t call, and when you didn’t answer, I panicked. You always answer or get back to me right away.”
“We’re home. Everything is all good. I promise.”
“I need to see. I’m calling you back.” He ends the call, and before I have a chance to take a deep breath, it’s ringing with a video call.
“Hey, Mav.” I smile softly.
“Where’s Ada?”
I walk into the living room, where she’s crawled onto her beanbag and is watching her movie. “She’s okay,” I say softly. I turn the phone so that he can see her, but quickly step away. I don’t need a repeat of earlier.
I move back far enough I can see her, but hopefully she won’t notice I’m on the phone and want to know who it is.
“Fuck. I never want to go through that again.”
“I’m sorry,” I say again. I don’t know what else to say. I didn’t do anything wrong, but I still feel like I should apologize.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. It’s all on me. I just worry.”
“I know you do.” This man and his heart…. I swear I don’t know how it fits inside his chest. “We’re still going to see you tomorrow when you get home, right?”
“Yeah, baby. I’m coming straight to you.”
“Okay. Enjoy your last night. We’re going to watch a princess movie and go to bed.”
“Right. Okay. Stel—” He hesitates. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow.” I end the call and move back to the couch, taking a seat. This time, it’s me that’s blowing up his phone. I send him a picture every fifteen minutes or so of Ada doing something cute, or of the movie. Just reminding him we’re okay. It’s all that I know to do to ease his fears.
When I put Ada to bed, I send him a picture of the monitor with a goodnight message.
Me: Night, Mav.
Maverick: Night, angel.
I don’t know why he calls me that, but I don’t hate it. Climbing into bed, I close my eyes and dream of the man who holds my heart. Not just mine, but my daughter’s too.
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
Maverick
The weather this week has been complete shit. I’ve been rained out three of the five days, today being the third. It worked out, though. Since Merrick was rained out, too, we’ve been moving him into his new place. He closed on the loan last night, so he and I have spent the day taking everything to his new place.
It’s a bittersweet day, but we knew we wouldn’t be living together forever. Besides, his place is really nice, and the previous owners had the house professionally cleaned so it was move-in ready. It worked out in his favor that we were both off today. We borrowed an enclosed trailer from Orrin that he uses to haul parts when he needs them. We got everything in one load. He bought new living room furniture, since everything we have was handed down.
“What about the kitchen? You can’t eat off nothing but paper plates, bro,” I tell him.
“I’ll just order what I need online. I hate shopping for that shit. Hell, I hate shopping. Period.”
“I’m sure any of our brothers’ wives would help you. I could ask Stella too.”
“Nah, I’ll figure it out. How is Stella?”
I shrug. “Good. She’s working today, or I would have roped her into helping us.” I laugh.
“I love you, Mav, but you’re lying to yourself, brother.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Stella. She’s not just your friend.”
“Yes, she is. Why is that so hard to believe?”
“Do I really need to dumb this down for you?” he asks, as if the mere thought of having to explain himself is exhausting.
“Yeah, I guess you do. Why do you and everyone else keep insisting we’re not just friends? Sterling and Alyssa were best friends for years.”
Merrick tosses his head back in laughter. “They’re married now and having a baby.”
“So, that doesn’t mean all male and female friendships turn out that way.” I truly don’t know why they don’t get it.
“You smile when you hear her name. When she walks into a room, your eyes light up like they did when we were kids and Santa brought you that BB gun you’d been asking for. You love on her daughter as if she’s your own, and when you thought something had happened to her, you freaked the fuck out. That was just last weekend, brother. Have you forgotten already?”