“I won’t stand in your way.” She laughed and swiped the moisture out from under her eyes. “Oh, man. I keep thinking a massive crying session is going to make it better, but it doesn’t.”
He lifted her arm, checking her injuries. “I’m not excusing Brayden in the least …”
“But …?” she added.
Maverik’s cheeks lined with worry. “But it’s awfully hard to love someone when you don’t love yourself. He’s lost, baby girl.” He released her arm gently, his chin touching his chest. “I can’t help but feel like I messed up somewhere. When did I teach him that his best quality was throwing a baseball?”
“Mav.” She put her hand on his back. “You are an excellent father. He’s just being an idiot. I’ve heard it’s part of the human experience.”
Maverik nodded slowly. “I was an idiot once.”
“Just once?” she joked, hoping to lighten the mood. She hated seeing this big, strong, loving man think any of this was his fault.
He chuckled lightly. “Come on, let’s get you home.”
She settled back on the seat and started coasting again.
He walked beside her. “Any chance I could get you to go to dinner?”
“Of course. Anytime.”
“Should we ask Brayden?”
“No.” She winked.
“I’m sure if you asked, he’d come.”
“I’m glad one of us knows that. Because I don’t.”
“He’s still in love with you.”
“He has a funny way of showing it.” Tension gathered between her shoulder blades. This conversation was going downhill—fast.
Maverik let out a heavy sigh. “I miss you, baby girl. You two being apart is like having the Earth spin the other direction—it goes against natural laws. If my kid can’t pull his head out of the sand, will you come to Arizona and visit me?”
She briefly closed her eyes. “I may have to do that just to survive.” Arizona was a whole plane ride. And she wasn’t even sure that much distance would be far enough to cure her aching heart.
Chapter Thirteen
Brayden
What was it with men and their daughters—or almost daughters? He’d gotten an earful from his dad on Monday afternoon after the gym for breaking Tilly’s heart. He’d tried to explain that it was best for her, but Dad wouldn’t listen. He kept telling him to stop being an idiot, and then he stormed over to Tilly’s and didn’t come back for hours.
It was around seven when he finally told Brayden about Tilly’s bike crash in the canyon. Brayden had run to his front door and ripped it open, intent on seeing with his own eyes that she was okay.
“She’s asleep, and if you wake her up I’ll have your hide,” Dad called from the kitchen, where he was filling a glass with filtered water and ice.
Brayden slammed the door in response. He shouldn’t go over there anyway. He needed to stay away from her.
“The fact that you chased out there tells me all I needed to know.” Dad took a long drink from his glass, his eyes never leaving Brayden. A challenge issued with a look.
Brayden worked to control his breathing. Yeah, he still wanted Tilly. How could he not? She was the best of everything in this world. He thought about her all day long. He relived their best moments. He clung to the hoodie that held her scent. And because he still loved her, he would protect her—even from himself.
Dad headed to the guest bedroom. “Don’t wait too long. A woman like that won’t be around forever.”
Brayden pressed his hands into fists and pushed them into his chest; his rib cage felt like it was falling apart and squeezing too tight all at once. Or, perhaps it was him in general that was falling apart. The thought of Tilly in someone else’s arms made him stumble forward until he’d landed in the recliner, where he eventually fell into a restless sleep.
The next afternoon, he’d had food from her favorite Chinese restaurant delivered to her door. He’d watched through a crack in the curtains as she argued with the delivery man. He showed her the receipt to prove that it was paid for. She asked him another question, and he lifted his shoulders.
