“Will that be enough?” Gina sits beside me, tracing her finger down the side of my arm.
“Enough?” My brow furrows.
“For him…?” Her voice is quiet, and she blinks round green eyes up at me.
The YouTubeGreasekaraoke mix has moved forward to "Hopelessly Devoted,” and the night we spent in Harristown bears down on my memory.Will it be enough for me?
We’re all quiet, and I don’t have an answer for her or me.
Everything between Maverick and me is hanging in this crazy limbo state. He threw down the gauntlet, but no details have been added. It’s just lying there, and I’ve been too afraid to pick it up.
I reach over to put my hand on her arm, giving it a squeeze. “I don’t know.”
We’re quiet a little longer, until Kelani jumps into mylap. She licks me straight in the mouth, and I snort, grabbing her growing puppy-body.
Haddy exhales a sigh, shifting around to face me. “It’s not enough for me.” Her tone is serious, and she holds out her hand, palm up. “No matter what, we’re all getting together. At least once a year. Here, there, wherever. We’re not losing touch like we did ever again.”
I put my hand on top of hers, and Gina puts her hand on top of mine, saying, “It’s a deal. Here, there, or wherever!”
“It’s a deal,” I add, firmly. “Now let’s take this dog out before she pees in my lap!”
It’s latewhen the girls leave.
We ended up ordering pizza and binging as much as we could of the latest season of Drag Race. Gina informed us all Owen has a great-aunt, who is a gorgeous black drag queen named Monay.
Obviously, she isn’t his biological aunt, but she moved back to Eureka with his actual aunt’s little sister when he was a boy. We all decided on the spot one of our “wherever” destinations would be Eureka.
I’m curled up in my bed asleep, when I feel a large, warm body slip under the covers behind me. It’s what Maverick started doing when he’d get home late or early in the morning after traveling.
His strong arms go around my waist, and he pulls my back flush against his chest. My eyes are closed, but a smile curls my lips. I turn my face to find his, giving him a kiss, wanting more, but he pulls away, kissing my nose.
“I take it you passed.” His voice is soft, but I can hear the smile in it.
It floods me with warmth, and I smile, nodding. “I did. Then I passed out.”
“I never doubted, and I see you had a celebration.” That part is said with a soft chuckle that warms my veins. “I’m sorry I missed it.”
My hand slides down his forearm, and I pull his hug closer over my body. “It was good to be with the girls.”
His lips press against the top of my shoulder. “I know. Get some sleep. We can talk more in the morning.”
And as much as I want to talk more now, as much as I want to do more, I fall asleep, locked in heaven, safe in his arms.
28
MAVERICK
“How did it feel to be sidelined by Stellan Leek?” Susan’s green eyes lock on mine as if it’s a challenge, as if she’s waiting to see if I’ll go off.
We’re sequestered in a back area of an elegant restaurant downtown. It’s one of those places where the tables are all dark, polished mahogany and the booths are all black leather and shiny brass. Recessed lights cast a warm yellow glow, and we’ve just had perfectly cooked steaks, potatoes au gratin, and broccolini over small talk.
Now we’re each nursing thick tumblers of scotch, and it feels very formal and uncomfortable. It feels like I’m being interrogated.
I’ve been interviewed lots of times, but it’s always been easygoing, good-natured chats over hot dogs and beer if food were even involved.
Sports journalists usually want to get my hot take on new additions to the team, or they want to see if they can getme to spill whatever strategy we’re working on for the upcoming season. They want a fun scoop for the fans.
This interview is different.
