“Can you just promise that you’ll watch over him? I know he’s spending time with Killian, and that’s good, but I trust you, Dean. You’re his brother, and he loves you. Please, just make sure he’s okay. I wish that I could be there with you.” Jackson sounded close to tears himself. That wasn’t what I had wanted.
I nodded. “Of course.”
“Thank you. I have to go, but tell Maverick I love him.” Jackson ended the call just as Mav turned to smile at me.
“He’s amazing, right?” My brother beamed happily at me. “I was such an idiot to let him go the first time.”
I climbed to my feet. “Are you taking your meds, Mav?”
“Sure.” He went over to his suitcase and produced an orange bottle, which he shook at me, the pills rattling around inside. “Every morning after I shower. I think it was just all the stress, you know? Missing Jax and the pressure of touring. All the press and shit. Those people are horrible. I hate the questions. They’re so intrusive sometimes. I hate moving from place to place. I want to just stay home and have that stability. Cook for my man every night. Maybe have a house full of kids.” Maverick smiled at me, his green orbs suddenly bright with happiness. “I want that,you know? After Jackson and I get married. A big home that we can fill with kids. I want to adopt so many of them.”
I smiled at him. “I could see that.” It was something I never wanted, but Maverick would be an amazing father. He had a lot of love to give. “Jax said that you and Kill have been spending time together?”
I wasn’t jealous of my best friend and brother. In fact, I liked it. I wanted them to be close. Up until recently, the two of them had acted like they hated one another. Using fists and saying cruel, terrible words that I would never repeat. It made sense now that we knew Maverick had been hurting. Jealous about what Killian had with Matty. What he had wanted for himself.
“Killian’s pretty great when I’m not being an asshole.” Maverick dropped his gaze before he looked up at me again. “I’m so sorry, Dean.” His chin quivered as he stared at me. “For earlier, and for all those years I was so terrible to you.”
I put my hands on his shoulders. “Nope, we’re not doing that again. I’m not mad anymore. I forgive you,” I assured him. “You’re my big brother, and I love you. That’s all that matters.”
“I can still be sorry.” He gave me a shy smile. “We set a date.”
I stared at him in confusion for a second. “You set...a wedding date? Mav, that’s awesome. I’m so excited for you.”
“Yeah, and we’re going to get married in Canfield. At Jackson’s parents. I’m a little nervous about going back there, but it will be worth it. I have so many good memories at his parents’ house.” Maverick flushed as he smiled at me. He looked so happy right now. “Jax is still trying to convince Tom to be his best man. Hopefully, he’ll say yes. I mean, he has to, right? He’s Jackson’s brother.”
I hadn’t seen Tom Olson since we left. Why wouldn’t he want to be his brother’s best man? Unless they had a falling out of some sort. Like he had with Blake, or at least, I assumed Tom and Blake had a fight, because they had been best friends, too.
“I’m sure he’ll say yes. You must have so many ideas for the wedding.”
“I do, but are you sure you want to hear them?”
“I wouldn’t bring it up if I didn’t want to.”
Maverick giggled. “Okay, I literally have like a huge folder of things.” He went back to his suitcase to find his laptop. He smiled at me again. “You can’t tell Jax any of this. I want it to be a surprise.”
“I promise.” I made a zipping motion over my lips as we both sat down on his bed and Maverick opened his computer.
Maverick blushed as he opened one of the folders. “I want to wear this.” It was an actual crown. Like a princess would wear. Or in my brother’s case, a prince.
“You would rock the hell out of that,” I assured him.
He turned an even darker shade of red. “You don’t think it’s stupid?” He chewed on his bottom lip. “I saw it in another wedding photo, and I just thought it would look good.”
“Mav, you would look perfect wearing that. And I think Jackson would love it. He loves you. He’s going to like anything you wear.” I wasn’t sure why Maverick doubted himself so much. Jackson worshiped the ground he walked on. “You’re going to look amazing,” I added.
He blushed again and tucked a piece of white hair behind his ear. “I just want to get married. Well, I really want to marry Jax. He’s the only person I’ve ever wanted.” He giggled and slapped his hand over his mouth. “Sorry, I just...” Maverick sighed happily. “It’s always been him.”
“I can see that now.” And I wish I had seen it earlier, but I couldn’t go back in time to change things. “You’re going to be so happy.”
Maverick nodded. “So are you and Beau.”
“Well, sure, but we’re not in love or anything.” I was terrified to admit my feelings to Beau after he ran the last time. He hadn’tsaid a word about that picture of Jun, but I knew he had seen it, because Jax told Maverick. And he hadn’t been happy.
Maverick popped a brow. “You keep telling yourself that.” He bumped my shoulder. “You just wait and see. You’re going to end up getting married, just like me. You’ll be a stepfather to Cole and have your happily ever after. I can feel it.”
Maybe if I wished hard enough, that would come true.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
