Chapter 22
Maverick
The patio was finished. Next, I needed to install the fountain and the four-seasons room. Eve had approved the fireplace. She'd said it was going to look amazing, and she couldn't say no.
The fountain was going to be a little more elaborate than what Belle had drawn. It was something I'd been thinking about for a while.
Recently, she'd framed her drawings of storybook characters and hung them on the walls.
Most were known characters from popular movies and stories, but one was just a little girl.
Belle had done a series of them and hung them together.
They reminded me of what she might have looked like when she was younger.
The collection inspired me to put a matching little girl in the fountain, clutching flowers and holding a watering can. Water would flow from the watering can, and she'd wear a dress and a flower crown in her hair.
I was building the statue in my workshop at home so that it could be a surprise. It was a gamble because she hadn't ordered anything specific. I hoped she liked it. If not, I could remove it. But I hoped she'd love it as much as I did.
I'd taken a picture of her drawing and kept it on my phone so I could recreate the design. I couldn't help but think of a little girl with dark hair and blue eyes like Belle. Would she get lost in books and play endless games of imagination?
I hadn't answered Belle when she asked me about kids. I'd told her that I hadn't thought family life was meant for me. But my outlook had changed, and it was all because of Belle. Before I could tell her any of that, I needed to get this project done.
The patio would be finished in time for spring, and the four-seasons room would be done in advance of cooler weather.
It was unseasonably warm for April in Colorado. But winter weather wasn't done yet.
Belle stepped outside. "I can't believe you're almost done."
"I'll build the fountain next." I gestured where it would go.
"Can I order the chairs and tables now?"
There was no reason why she couldn't get the patio ready for the warmer weather. "You want me to put you in touch with the landscaper? You'll probably want flowers and bushes to give it the garden feel you're going for."
"That would be perfect. I can't wait to see people out here in the summer, reading and sipping their coffees."
I had a feeling there would be kids playing in the fountain too.
I wanted to do something that Belle would appreciate, but in the back of my mind, I was aware that a unique design would increase attention to the project.
The more elaborate, the more likely it was that it would be picked up by a magazine.
Not that it was my goal, but it was a possibility.
Attention to my work was usually a goal. The more people who saw it, the more customers I had clamoring to work with me. It was hard to let go of that internal drive that I'd always had when it came to my business.
I was looking for ways to increase our reputation and our customer base. But I'd thought of her when I created the design for the fountain. It was based on Belle's drawings, and I wanted to surprise her with something special. It wasn't entirely selfish, but I worried how she'd react.
I hoped she didn't see it as shameless self-promotion when I wanted to do something nice for her.
"It's going to look great when everything's done. When do you think that will be?"
"While I'm working on installing the fountain, the crew will start the addition. We'll finish leveling it and setting the foundation. The fireplace and the walls will be next. You still want it to be all glass? You could put shades in to counter the sun if it's at a bad angle."
"The more sun the better," Belle said as we moved over to the area where we'd staked the four-seasons room.
It would be a large space, perfect for meetings or gatherings. "Have you ever thought about hosting birthday parties? I'd imagine a little girl like you would love a party at a bookstore. It could be character themed or whatever the kids would want."
Belle stilled. "That's a great idea. I hadn't thought about that. And it would bring in extra money."
"I just thought of it." I had a feeling the fountain with the little girl statue was going to draw more kids to the outdoor space. It would be the perfect backdrop for pictures. When the guilt crept in that I was being selfish, I brushed it off.
Belle wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me. For the most part, we'd avoided public displays of affection around my crew. Usually, I was in work mode and wasn't tempted to kiss her when we talked business.
It must have been gratitude for my idea that prompted the hug. The door to the back patio opened.
"I should have put up a sign to say that the back is still off-limits while construction is going on. We can fence off this area to deter any curious people."
"That would be great." She looked up at me, her arms still wrapped around my middle, and I brushed a strand of hair out of her face.
"What are you doing?"
At the sharp tone, Belle jumped back from me.
It was her mother.
She stood nearby, her eyes narrowed and her upper lip screwed up in disgust. "Why are you hugging your contractor?"
This was what I was worried about when we were kids. Her parents wouldn't want her hanging out with a guy like me. To her mother, I was the hired help, not a respected business owner.
"Mom. What are you doing here?" Belle asked, her forehead creased.
"I came to see if you wanted to go to lunch. But you're"—she waved a hand at me—"doing whatever you're doing with this man."
Belle sighed. "This man is the contractor doing the work on the patio. Maverick Sterling."
If her mother recognized my name, she didn't mention it.
She placed her hand on her hip. "Do you know how it looks to be touching your employee? It's unprofessional. I knew you weren't prepared to run a business. You have no idea what you're doing."
"Maverick is my boyfriend," Belle said, ignoring the tirade about how she didn't measure up.
I curled my fingers into fists. It wasn't my place to jump in and defend Belle, no matter how much I wanted to.
Her mother sucked in a breath. "Why would you be dating your contractor? Isn't that a conflict? Is he working for you, or is this a favor? You're blurring the lines. It makes enforcing any kind of contract impossible."
"I wouldn't do that to Belle or any of my clients. The contract with the town controls our agreement." Except for the little deviation with her fountain. That was a design choice I hoped she would love.
"You're taking me to lunch," she demanded, and to my surprise, Belle moved toward her mother and away from me.
I was clearly not invited. If she'd refused to go, Belle would have set the boundary that she wasn't going to bend to her mother's wishes. Instead, Belle's shoulders curved as she went inside. Belle turned the sign from Open to Be Right Back and left.
Rob approached with a toothpick in his mouth. "Who was that?"
"Her mother."
"Whoowee. You're in trouble with that one. She doesn't like you dating her daughter." With a chuckle, he threw the toothpick on the ground.
"That was foreseeable," I mumbled, wondering why I hadn't listened to my instincts to begin with and stayed the hell away from Belle.
Rob gave me a sharp look. "You're a grown man."
"Your point?" I asked, stubbornly refusing to look at him.
"You going to let a woman's mother tell you who you can date?" His tone was incredulous.
"It's not like I have to make a decision. Belle will do that for me." I felt defeated. I would always be the guy who came home covered in dirt at the end of the night. Belle deserved someone better than me.
"You don't have much faith in your woman if you think she'll bow to pressure from her mother," Rob said.
"You saw how she left with her. I wasn't invited."
Rob gestured at me. "You'd need a shower first."
"Belle went with her willingly. She didn't say no or throw up any boundaries. She still lets her mother get to her." I had a close family, but I'd never let them walk all over me. If they didn't like Belle, it wouldn't prevent me from pursuing her.
He scuffed the dirt with his boot. "You know you're an idiot."
"Hey—" I said by way of warning.
He paused and faced me. "We've worked together for a long time, and I respect you. But I have to say something. You'd be stupid to let that woman go. She loves you."
That made me pause. "How do you know that?"
"I can tell by the way she looks at you. And you're going to throw that all away because her mother disapproves of your relationship? Then you never deserved her." He walked away with that parting shot, his tone filled with disgust.
I couldn't even be moved by his words. All I could think was that I was an idiot. I should have known that she'd cave to her mother. Hadn't I seen all the signs the last time her mother was around?
Belle could have taken a stand with her mother, but she didn't. Instead, her mother demanded she take her to lunch, and she complied.
I refocused on work and refused to check to see when Belle was back. If she was upset about spending time with her mother, then that was her problem. She was the one who did that to herself.
All I could think about was that Belle hadn't stood up for me. I couldn't see past it. She hadn't chosen me. She'd picked her mother.
I worked longer hours than usual, double-checking that everything was done according to code. I prided myself on never having any issues with the county inspectors. My work was impeccable, and a dalliance with a client wasn't going to loosen those standards.
Usually, I went inside and spent the evening with Belle. But not tonight. I felt sick over what had transpired earlier and needed time to cool down. Instead, I got in my truck and headed home. I didn't want to talk to my brothers or hear what they had to say.
Rob had said enough. And his words hadn't landed in a good place.
I knew what was happening, and I knew what I needed to do. I needed to distance myself from Belle to protect my heart. She'd always cave to pressure from her parents. Eventually, she'd realize that I didn't fit into her future, and she'd break things off.
Then there were my feelings about how she was acting. I didn't like that she'd gone with her mother, that she hadn't defended me or our relationship. I didn't like any of it.
Maybe I shouldn't have gotten involved with her. But it was too late to go back and erase the last few weeks.
Instead, I went downstairs and punched a bag. I usually kept fit with my labor-intensive job. But when I was feeling unsettled, I liked to take it out on a punching bag.
Hopefully, when my knuckles were sore, I'd have more clarity about the situation.
But by the time the sweat was dripping off my face and my hands were sore, I didn't feel any better.
I was still upset with Belle, her mother, and her dad.
Even Rob. Who did he think he was to tell me about my love life?
Rob claimed that Belle loved me. But what difference did it make? At the end of the day, I wasn't good enough for her. Love couldn't overcome those kinds of barriers. Rob didn't know what he was talking about.
He probably never encountered this situation before. He stayed in his lane, marrying someone whose parents approved of him.
I hadn't done that. So he had no idea what he was talking about. Then I realized I didn't know much about the personal life of my crew. I purposely didn't ask them about how they spent their evenings. Maybe that was a mistake, but it was the truth.
If I kept my distance from everyone, I couldn't get attached to them. I wouldn't be upset when they left or got another job.
I showered, hoping cleaning off the day's dirt and sweat would make me feel better. But it didn't. When I checked my phone, Belle had left a message.
Belle: Is everything okay? You usually stop by after work.
Maverick: I was tired. Needed to get some rest.
Belle: Let me know if I can do anything to help.
There was nothing she could do to help the situation.
As I lay in bed, I remembered how raw she'd felt when she had lunch with her mother last time.
How I'd been there to help her through it.
I didn't want her to be upset, but I couldn't get past the idea that she had done this to herself.
She let her mother pop into her life, drag her to lunch where she pontificated on her life choices, and make her feel bad.
This was a self-inflicted kind of pain. And I couldn't stand by and let it continue on my watch. Especially when I was positive her mother was steering Belle away from me.
It was only a matter of time before Belle listened to her mother's advice. I wasn't the man for her. Hell, she'd probably close her bookstore and go back to school to get her doctorate. She'd be a professor at some prestigious college in no time. And I'd be laying pavers.
My business was successful, but it was nothing compared to what Belle's parents wanted for her future. I was removing myself from the equation. I told myself it was to make Belle's life easier. But it didn't feel good.