“We were probably lucky things lasted as long as they did,” Maverick pointed out. “I mean, seven brothers between the ages of thirty-eight and twenty-seven all living together isn’t that common.”
“Maybe not, but it worked for us. The house is quieter now without Theo and Levi there. I’m not sure I like it.”
“Not sure I do either. Theo did keep things lively.”
They shared a laugh, because Theo had been their resident “cruise director” practically since he’d learned to talk, always fullof crazy ideas for game nights, movie marathons, cookouts, and sporting competitions that were spirited as hell. Theo was never without a March Madness-style tournament bracket so he could create head-to-head battles, in everything from darts to pool to shooting layups—none of them allowed to stop until only one winner was left.
He also had a great sense of humor, and he wove one hell of a tale. The dude was seriously never without a smile. Maverick was sometimes envious of his older brother’s easygoing nature and genuinely positive outlook on life.
Theo had recently moved into one of the cabins on the farm with his girlfriend, Gretchen, while Levi had moved from their part of the mountain down into the valley, living with his new wife on her family’s farm, Lucky Penny.
“Then everybody started falling in love and shacking up,” Grayson grumbled. “First, Lucy fell for Miles and Joey and left the state, something I really didn’t think any of us would ever do.”
Maverick agreed. If there was one thing he’d always been so certain of, that he would have bet the bank on, it was that he and his brothers and cousins would all remain in Gracemont. And no, not just in town but on the farm. Stormy Weather Farm was their home, and he’d truly believed none of them would ever leave it. Then Lucy fell in love and moved to Philadelphia, and Levi moved to Lucky Penny Farm.
Grayson ran a hand through his hair, and Maverick noticed his brother was overdue for a haircut. Lucy used to trim it for him, because Grayson was finicky when it came to how his hair was styled, and none of the hairdressers in town had ever cut it to please him.
Maybe he’d try to talk Grayson into driving up to Philadelphia with him in a couple of weeks for a visit.
“I miss Luce. We should go for a visit.”
Grayson brightened up. “Yeah. We should. She was always a bright light around here, cheerful, fun.” Grayson smiled sadly. “Of course, there’s no denying she’s happier than she’s ever been with those guys of hers.”
“She found the answer to the million-dollar question,” Maverick added.
“Just like Levi, Theo, and now Mila.”
Maverick’s cousin Mila had been the latest to succumb to the Storm curse, falling hard and fast for the farm’s new vineyard manager, single dad Boone, a couple months earlier.
“Remi gives it another week before Boone convinces Mila to move in with him and Sadie.”
Grayson chuckled. “It’s not Mila that’d be moving. It’s her clothes. According to Nora, she’s already shacking up there six nights out of seven. Never seen a couple so attached at the hip.”
Maverick rolled his eyes. “Really? Then you obviously haven’t been paying attention to Theo and Gretchen. Or Levi and Kasi.”
“Good point. You know, we’re damn lucky our brothers have fallen for women we like. Imagine having to spend the holidays and Sunday dinners with someone like…” Grayson paused for dramatic effect, though Maverick knew exactly where he was headed. “Oh, I don’t know—maybe Roni Gray.”
Maverick picked up a pen from the desk and chucked it at his brother’s head, even though he didn’t disagree with Grayson’s assessment. He’d only stuck around about half an hour on Sunday afternoon, after he woke up, and even during that little bit of time, she’d gotten on his nerves. She laughed too much—always at her own jokes—and she never stopped talking. Theo had the gift of gab too, but at least he had interesting things to say. Roni’s favorite andonlytopics were herself or the “good old days” back in high school, which had been her glory days.
Maverick didn’t share that opinion, because graduation had been the best part of high school for him.
Obviously, his beer—and bourbon…and cocktail—goggles had been working overtime Saturday night to make him think she was someone he wanted to hook up with.
“Just please, bro, for my peace of mind, swear you didn’t do more than make out,” Grayson said after successfully dodging the pen. “Because Roni feels desperate enough these days to poke holes in the condom.”
“We kissed. Bit of fondling. That’s it,” Maverick said. “Besides, you know I’m always very careful. I have no intention of leaving any little Mavericks behind me when I depart this world.”
Grayson sighed, just like he always did when Maverick said anything about not wanting to get married and have kids. While Grayson didn’t say it outright, Maverick knew his brother well enough to know he wanted exactly what Levi and Theo had found. “Not sure why you’re so resistant to marriage and kids. It’s not like we didn’t grow up with the world’s greatest role models.”
Truer words were never spoken. Mom and Dad were as in love now as they had been the day they’d met at the town’s Fourth of July picnic and were struck down by love at first touch. They’d made love, marriage, and raising kids look like the best things on earth, so he guessed his brother’s confusion made sense, because there certainly wasn’t any deep-seated childhood trauma that had turned him against those institutions.
Nope, his aversion to love came from a different source, one with a name he never said, not even in his own head.
“So, is this you today?” Grayson asked, pointing to Maverick and his inert state.
“Yep. Probably.”
“Figured. Go home.”
