“Missed you, too,” he says, smiling up at her. “Dad’s waiting in the car.”
“Alright, we can head out,” she says.
He grabs her bag, even though it’s a little too big for him to carry. And here I go, liking the kid even more than I already did.
Maverick turns to look at Kane, who’s leaning against the kitchen island. “Are you feeling better?”
Kane smiles. “Yeah, kid, I’m doing a lot better. Thanks for lending me your mom for the week to help take care of me.”
“She’s good at taking care of people when they’re sick or hurt. This one time when I was throwing up all?—”
“And I think that’s enough of that story,” Abby says, steering Maverick to the door with a laugh. “Not everyone needs to hear about the color of your puke.”
Maverick steps away from his mom to say bye to Oliver. They do a weird series of fist bumps that has both of them smiling. With their choreographed greeting complete, Maverick walks back to Abby’s side.
Abby’s eyes ping between the three of us. There’s sadness in her stare, but also a stubborn determination. I love her steely determination most of the time, but not with this.
With a harsh exhale, she opens the door.
“Bye,” Maverick says with a wave.
Everyone voices their goodbyes, but one small voice rings in my ears above all the rest. “Bye,” Oliver says in return.
Kane told us what Oliver said a few weeks ago, but it’s completely different hearing it with your own ears. My heart feels like it’s going to explode out of my chest with the amount of pride I have right now.
I’m so fucking proud of him for facing his demons like a determined ninja warrior. Even if he never spoke again, I would still be proud of him. He isn’t my son, but I love him like he is.
Abby has a look of awe on her face that makes me like her even more. She understands how significant that one little word is.
“Bye, Oliver,” she says with a warm smile, then she lets the door close behind them.
“I want more,” I say, flipping the slightly damp dish towel over my shoulder. The words have been on the tip of my tongue since the moment Abby left earlier this morning, but I haven’t had a chance to say anything.
Oliver was here, and we needed more than two minutes to talk about this. Oliver is finally in bed for the night, so the words just kind of flew from my mouth.
“Dinner?” Kane asks, loading the last of the dishes in the dishwasher. He points to the fridge. “There’s leftovers.”
Okay, maybe that wasn’t the best way to start this conversation but whatever. It’s already out there.
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “With Abby… what we had last night.”
Kane freezes, looking at me with wide eyes. Linc turns around, leaning against the kitchen table with his feet crossed in front of him.
His face is seemingly blank, but he can’t hide much from me. I can see a slight glimmer of interest in what I’m saying.
“What do you mean you want more?” Kane asks, straightening from where he was reaching in the cupboard below the sink for the dishwasher soap. “The whole one-night thing was your idea.”
He’s got me there, but I have eyes. I saw the way he looked at her last night. He isn’t prepared to walk away from her any more than I am.
“A small part of me thought it would actually work. That we would be able to spend the night together and then all go on with our lives as friends.” I shake my head, letting out a heavy exhale. “I was… wrong.”
Kane opens his mouth but then snaps it shut. He runs his hand over his face.
“Was one night enough?” I ask, my gaze bouncing between the two of them. They both hesitate for a beat before shaking their heads.
That’s what I thought.
“Nothing else has changed,” Linc says.
