Maverick: Are you resting now that the store is closed for the day?
An image came through of Belle's stocking feet on the coffee table, another renovation show on in the background with the caption:
Belle: Yes, Dad.
That was interesting.Why was she referring to me as a father?Was I overly protective of her?Maybe.But she hadn't seen herself passed out on the floor of the bathroom with the room reeking of sickness.She didn't experience the awful realization that she had no one to take care of her.
Why was I texting her now?
Maverick: Aspen's giving me shit about yesterday.
Belle: She asked me a lot of questions too.
Belle: But don't worry.I assured her that there was nothing going on.That I annoy you.
That might have been true at one time, but it felt more like a story I was telling myself now.She didn't irritate me yesterday.I felt nothing but concern for her and her well-being.Her insistence that she annoyed me didn't sit right.
Should I tell her that she didn't annoy me?But when I saw her on my job site in bare feet and lingerie, I was irritated.I didn't want the guys to see her in that state, and I didn't trust myself to be near her when she was half naked.
A small voice in my head reminded me that I wanted her for myself.I didn't want to share her with anyone else.And I was annoyed because I was starting to crave her.
I'd worked so hard over the years to stay away from her.I couldn't deviate from that goal now.Nothing had changed since high school, even if I'd seen her in a different light.And maybe her life wasn't as easy as I assumed it had been.
A small hand curled around mine."Maverick?Can we play a game?"
There was something about this little girl that softened everything inside me.It was impossible to be annoyed by her.
"What do you want to play?"I asked as she guided me toward the living room where Mom kept our childhood games.
I caught Aspen's knowing smirk.She thought it was funny that Ayla preferred Morgan and me over Mom and Aspen.I think it had something to do with us being big and gruff.She wanted to soften us up.
She literally could get me to do anything.Last time we were here, I played a game where I wore glasses with a pencil on my nose.The goal of the game was to draw something with it and have everyone else guess what it was.It was hilarious and totally worth embarrassing myself to hear her giggle.
Ayla plopped on the floor next to Morgan."We found a new game."
This one had marbles and levers; the point was to sink everyone else's marbles while yours remained on top."I remember this one."
"Aspen used to keep it in her room and play with it for hours," Morgan said.
Ayla frowned."You can play with it by yourself?"
"She was fascinated by the marbles and the levers," I said.
"We didn't play with her much," Morgan added.
"Why?"Ayla persisted.
"Because she was the youngest and a girl," Morgan said.
Ayla tipped her head to the side."Why did that matter?"
"She was annoying," I said simply.
She frowned."Will I not like a sister or a brother either?"
I shot a panicked look at Morgan.
"You'll love your brother or sister.We were jerks, but that doesn't mean that your sibling will be."
