17. Maverick Carter
Chapter seventeen
Maverick Carter
Evie doesn’t speak much the rest of the day. The movers bring in boxes and she directs them where to go in a quiet voice. All of the light that had returned to her eyes over the past few days has been taken over by shadows once more. She doesn’t smile, or respond to my gentle teasing. I’m afraid of pushing her too hard, so I begin to hold back my comments.
Once the moving company leaves, she turns down my offer to help her unpack. I get on my bike and ride to the bakery, hoping that some time working will lessen the ache that my worry for her causes. It doesn’t.
I come back home with a bag of desserts, but I don’t message her or dare to walk up the stairs. I think I overstepped a boundary this morning. That’s likely why she wants to stay away from me. What was I thinking wrapping my arms around her like that? I wasn’t , that’s the answer .
She looked so adorable with a blush staining her cheeks in her oversized sweater and fuzzy ankle socks. When her eyes raked over me, fire burning within them, I lost all common sense. All I could think about was holding her tight to see if I could make her blush even more. I was a selfish fool.
I sigh and set the bag on my coffee table before sinking onto my leather couch and closing my eyes. I can still feel her body pressed against mine. Hear her uneven breaths. Smell the soft scent of roses in her hair. I wanted to do more than teach her. I wanted to taste her. To unravel her so she could feel as utterly undone as me.
I rip my hat off and rake my hands through my hair with a groan. What am I doing? I shouldn’t be having these feelings about her. I’m supposed to be taking care of her, that’s all. She’s recovering and I’m drooling over her like some creep with only half a brain cell. No wonder she ran away from me.
It’s been so long since I’ve had these kinds of feelings. After Alexis cheated and left me, I closed myself off. It was easier to be alone than deal with the pain. Over time, I slowly warmed up to the idea of putting myself out there again. Evie has taken that spark of an idea and turned it into an inferno.
My phone buzzes, so I pull it out to see a text from Adrian.
Adrian: Do you plan on coming to get your dog? Juliette might steal her if you don’t. She keeps saying how cute Maisy and Murphy sound together.
I can’t believe I forgot about Maisy. Now I know just how bad I have it.
Maverick: Sorry man, I’ll head over right now. Tell Juliette to hold off on the adoption papers .
Adrian: No problem. I know you have a lot going on. Please hurry. We don’t need another dog.
I chuckle as I pull my hat back on and head to the door. Juliette has a golden retriever named Murphy, and a soft spot for well–everything. So it doesn’t surprise me at all that she loves Maisy and wants another dog. It also doesn’t surprise me that my surly brother thinks one dog is more than enough. He’s used to things being tidy and in order. Since he met Juliette though, she’s softened his edges and bent his hard and fast rules. So even though he says he’s against it, I’d bet if she really wanted another, they’d get one. The likelihood will certainly increase once they’re married in a few weeks.
I head out to my truck, enjoying the cool evening air. It would be perfect for a ride on my motorcycle, but I can’t bring Maisy on there so I opt for my truck with the windows down instead. Once I get in, I pull my phone back out to text Evie. I don’t want her to wonder where I am, even if she doesn’t want to see me. At the very least she’ll know that I’m not home, so she has free rein of the house.
Maverick: I’m going to Adrian’s to pick up Maisy. His house is about an hour away, so I might be back pretty late. I brought dessert home, it’s on the coffee table in the living room if you want any.
I set my phone in the cupholder, then start my truck. I’m surprised when it lights up with her name.
Wilder: Okay, thanks for letting me know.
I see that she’s typing so I wait, my truck idling.
Wilder: I’m glad she’ll be home. You’ve been slacking on the daily puppy photos.
A smile stretches my lips, warmth filling my chest. Maybe we aren’t as bad off as I thought if she’s texting like this. I quickly find a photo of Maisy from when I first got her. She was small enough to fit in my boot, which is actually where she chose to take a nap. I send the photo.
Wilder: She’s so cute I can’t stand it. Prepare for me to steal her when I move out.
My smile falls. When she moves out. Of course she’s already thinking of that. She wants to have her own home, not live above mine. I rub my chest where the warmth from earlier is starting to feel more like heartburn. I can’t think of her leaving, not when I just got her back. Not that she was ever mine in the first place I suppose.
Maverick: Don’t even think about it, Wilder.
It’s hard to be playful while thinking about her leaving, but I try to for her sake. She doesn’t deserve to deal with my emotions. It’s her life. We’re just friends.
Wilder: Sorry I can’t talk right now, I’m busy planning a heist.
I let out a laugh, unable to help it even with the mixture of emotions roiling in me.
Maverick: I’ll be sure to ask Adrian about security measures when I see him.
Wilder: By the time you get there I’ll already have a foolproof plan.
I’m thinking of what to say next when she texts again.
Wilder: Drive safe!
I heart the message and set my phone down. It’s for the best that I get going, even if that conversation was the most we’ve spoken–uh, typed–all day.
The early autumn air swirls around me as I drive. I take in deep breaths of it, hoping it’ll soothe the nerves within me. By the time I pull into Peach Hollow–Adrian and Juliette’s residential community–I feel marginally better. At least calmer than I was when I left. No less concerned for Evie though.
I turn into Adrian’s driveway, spying him and Juliette down by the lake behind their neighboring houses. Murphy and Maisy are rolling around in the grass and leaves, while Juliette and Adrian watch from a nearby bench. The pinks and oranges of the sunset I saw as I drove are now fading into an inky blue twilight.
I whistle as I get out of my truck, garnering the attention of all of them, but mainly Maisy. She gallops toward me. I grin and bend down to wrap her up in a hug. I ruffle her long fur, then scratch behind her ears.
“I’ve missed you girl,” I say as I pet her. She licks my arm in response.
“She missed you too,” Juliette says.
I stand up and throw an arm around her for a quick hug, then do the same to my brother who’s holding her hand.
“Thanks for taking care of her. I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner. I lost track of time.”
“It’s okay, we enjoyed taking care of her. She and Murphy got along great.”
I smile down at the golden retriever sitting with perfect manners by her feet. “That’s good. I really appreciate the help.”
Juliette smiles. “Would you like to come in for some tea before you head back home?”
“I’d love some coffee if you had it,” I say, then laugh when her nose scrunches up. “I’m kidding, I know you both hate it. I’d take something with caffeine though. It’s a long drive back. ”
“That I can manage,” she says in her signature soft tone. She always sounds so gentle, even when she gets excited. She’s like a peaceful river flowing, occasionally babbling, but never roaring.
“I should warn you that she intends on interrogating you about Evie,” Adrian says as we walk toward his house. He and Juliette aren’t living together until they get married, but they spend so much time in one another’s house that you wouldn’t know that.
Juliette hits his arm. “Why would you say that?”
“Because he deserves to know. I wouldn’t want to be ambushed.”
“It’s not an ambush, just conversation,” she huffs.
“All conversation feels like an ambush to him,” I joke, making Juliette laugh. “I actually wouldn’t mind talking about Evie. You might be able to give me some advice.”
Adrian opens the front door of his cottage. Murphy and Maisy scramble ahead of us into the warm and cozy space. Even though he can be quite blunt, Adrian’s home decor has always felt homey and comfortable. It’s become even more so now that Juliette is in his life. There are blankets and throw pillows everywhere that make the couch and chairs look inviting. It’s the kind of place made for drinking tea and reading books, which happen to be their favorite pastimes.
“What do you need advice about?” Juliette asks as she heads toward the apothecary cabinet that serves as tea storage.
“I don’t want to share too much of her personal life,” I say as I take a seat at the dining room table. Adrian sits across from me. Juliette fills the kettle and takes down mugs with a familiarity that comes from knowing and loving Adrian for over a year now.
“That’s okay,” she says with a gentle smile. “Just share what you’re comfortable with. ”
This is one of the reasons I knew talking to Juliette and Adrian would be good for me. They don’t pry, because they’re both naturally more private and introverted. The other reason is that I know Juliette has been through some rough things in her past. She’s shared little by little with the family as she’s started to trust us more. I know she and Evie don’t have the same past, but she might be able to help me with how to help Evie while she’s healing.
“Well, she’s been through a lot, both as a kid and an adult. People she loved hurt her and betrayed her. She doesn’t like to talk about what happened, and she really doesn’t like it when anyone tries to help her too much. It’s been difficult to get her to let me help. Every step of the way is a battle.”
Juliette nods in understanding as she pulls out three tea bags, one from one drawer, and two from another. “It sounds like she’s closed off because she doesn’t want to experience that pain again, and she’s probably so independent because she wants to feel in control of her life.”
She pours water over the bags one cup at a time. The scent of cinnamon and chamomile float through the air.
“I think you’re exactly right,” I tell her.
Adrian stands and takes two cups from her, then brings them to the table. Juliette sets one in front of me. It’s a dark tea that smells spicy when I lift it to my nose. Probably chai tea, if I had to guess.
“It needs to steep for a few minutes. Do you want any sugar or cream?” she asks.
I shake my head. “No, this is perfect, thank you.”
She grabs a glass container of honey off of the cabinet, and drizzles some into the two mugs in front of Adrian before sitting down beside him .
“So, what’s the problem?” Adrian asks, his eyes staring at me like he’s trying to figure out what I’m going to say before I say it. “Is it just that you want her to be happy?”
I sigh and look down at my tea, cupping the warm mug in my palms.
“You like her,” Juliette says, happiness lining her voice.
I grit my teeth and nod. “I do, even though I know I shouldn’t.”
“Why not?
“Because she’s healing still.”
“People who are healing don’t deserve love?” Juliette questions.
I look up from my mug and across the table. She innocently sips her tea like she didn’t just ask me a philosophical question.
“Of course they do, of course she does. But I don’t want to take advantage of her vulnerability. She was married, that healing process is a lot different than a regular breakup.”
“I don’t think you could ever take advantage of anybody,” Juliette says.
I shake my head. “Maybe not on purpose, but–”
“Mav.” She reaches out and places a hand on my wrist, her eyes soft. “You care for her. I’ve seen that since the first time her name was mentioned in front of me. And it’s made even more obvious by everything you’re doing for her. You’re not going to take advantage of her.”
She pulls back her hand. I try to muster up a smile, but I’m sure it’s weak.
“I want that to be true, but I don’t know what I’m doing here. I’m afraid I’m going to go too far and she’ll hate me. I can’t lose her again. ”
“Just take things slow,” Adrian says, drawing my attention to him.
His stoic expression doesn’t inspire much warmth, but I know he never says anything he doesn’t mean.
“When Juliette and I first met, we both had a lot to unpack. We still do. It takes time, so you just have to be patient.”
“And steady,” Juliette says as she leans against my brother. “Be her strength and place to run to.” He looks down at her, his gaze softening and a ghost of a smile appearing on his face. Their love is so strong that I know this advice must be as well.
I nod slowly, their words starting to come together and make sense. “I can do that. I’m not in a rush.”
“Good,” Juliette says. “Because if she’s been through as much as you’re implying, it might take her a while. Everyone processes at different rates.”
I take a drink of my tea and find myself feeling both relaxed and energized for the first time since Evie ran off this morning. Maybe these feelings for Evie aren’t so bad after all.