29. Evie Wilder
Chapter twenty-nine
Evie Wilder
I tug my sleeves down against the chill of the early October air. It’s the night of Juliette’s bachelorette party, and I’ve been invited. We’ve talked on and off since the brand shoot, but not enough to justify this invite. She insisted I come regardless of the fact that we barely know each other. I think she’s too kind for her own good, but I also hope that I’m on my way to becoming the good friend she already treats me as.
The sound of a truck door shutting draws my attention from the front of The Secret Door bookshop, where we’re kicking off the beginning of Juliette’s night, and to Maverick. He walks around to where I’m standing, his smile easing some of the tension in my chest.
“You’re going to have a great time,” he tells me as he pulls me in by my waist. My purse slides off my shoulder. I let it fall to the ground in favor of touching him .
“I think I will,” I say, tucking my hands beneath his Carhartt jacket to settle on his chest. The flannel he’s wearing is soft and faded, like he wears it often. As much as I want to make friends tonight, I wouldn’t mind skipping to snuggle up to him instead.
He smirks as if he can read my mind. “I’ll see you later tonight at the bonfire.” One of his hands cups the side of my face. I unashamedly lean into his touch.
“Is it cringy to say I’m going to miss you?” I ask, twisting a button on his shirt.
He walks me backward until I’m pressed against the side of his truck.
“No,” he murmurs, leaning down so his lips are hovering a breath away from mine. “Because I feel the same.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s not cringy,” I say to tease him. His exasperated sigh hits my lips. “What? I’m just saying two things can be true at the same time.”
“Wilder.” The low warning turns my stomach into a butterfly garden.
“Carter,” I whisper, barely able to get the word out before his lips are on mine.
His kiss is shameless. Passionate and rich with enough longing to make my knees weak. His tongue parts my lips, drawing a soft sound from within me. A responding growl vibrates through his chest as he splays his hand against my lower back, pressing until I arch into him.
A sharp whistle pierces the air, followed by raucous laughter. We break apart, chests heaving.
“That’s one way to make an announcement!” Levi’s voice calls out.
I peek out from behind Maverick to see him smirking from two parking spots away, leaning out the window of his truck. Dahlia is on the sidewalk, grinning like someone just told her every book in The Secret Door is free today only. Next to her with a matching expression is her little sister Jasmine, and behind both of them is one too many faces peering through the store window.
“Sometimes I really wish I would have been born into a different family,” Maverick says and I laugh.
“Life would be so much more boring though.”
“Peaceful. I think you meant to say it would be so much more peaceful.”
He kisses me through my giggles, groaning when more cheers erupt from our audience.
“Have fun, beautiful.” I blush under his tender gaze. “Call if you need anything.”
After one more sweet goodbye kiss, he walks over to the driver’s side of his truck, ignoring the teasing from his friends and family.
I grab my purse off the ground, sweeping off the bits of gravel. My face is burning when I walk over to the girls.
“It looks like the first thing on our agenda tonight is a storytime,” Juliette says when she opens the door for me. Her eyes are sparkling with interest.
“Since it’s your night, I suppose I can oblige you,” I say, laughing when she claps excitedly.
I enter into the quaint bookstore, breathing in the scent of paper and cinnamon that permeates the air. Dahlia–who planned this whole night–told me that she, Sloane, and Juliette come here at least once a week. MJ joins them sometimes too, as well as Maddie and Jasmine. The further I walk into the shop, the more I can see the appeal.
Tall oak shelves stuffed to the brim line the walls, while shorter ones are lined up along the center with plenty of room in between for multiple people to browse. Twinkle lights hang from the rafters, creating a soft warm glow. Then there’s the area that gives The Secret Door its namesake. Dahlia leads the way, pulling on the book that makes a shelf swing open to reveal a hidden lounge area. There are café tables in the center for those who want to work or eat something from the connected café, and plenty of couches and overstuffed chairs piled high with throw pillows for those just wanting a cozy reading spot.
Tonight, each table is decorated with photos of Adrian and Juliette. There are also sunflowers in vintage amber glass vases. She touches each photo, her eyes brimming with tears.
“Dahlia, it’s beautiful, thank you.” The two women share a tearful hug.
“Mom would have loved this,” MJ says, appearing beside me. She’s wearing a long maxi dress, with a turtleneck beneath it. Her bump makes the dress poke out in an adorable way. Pregnancy looks wonderful on her. She was meant to be a mother, and I know she’s a good one because she was raised by the best one I’ve ever met.
“She would have,” I agree quietly. “She’d be so happy that another one of her babies is getting married.”
“She’d be ecstatic to know you and Mav are together.”
Emotion clogs my throat. “You think so?”
“I know so,” MJ says. “Beckham would already have ten of those embroidered blankets she loved so much.”
I laugh, using the sleeve of Maverick’s Rockets sweatshirt to brush away a stray tear. Hopefully no one notices, or if they do, that they think it’s joy for the bride, who is currently being outfitted with a pink sash and tiara.
“She did have an unhealthy obsession with putting names on blankets.”
“Speaking of Beckham, where is he tonight? Did Mav take him?”
I shake my head. “Dahlia’s friend Isa did. We’re going to pick him up after the bonfire.”
It feels strange to have him staying with someone other than Maverick or me, but I know Isa will take good care of him. Dahlia vouched for her, and we talked at the book club meeting, then again when Dahlia mentioned her offer to babysit. She has a son of her own too, Fletcher, so she has experience.
“That’s nice of her.”
“It was. I’m grateful to have a community here,” I say.
Our conversation pauses as we join in clapping for Juliette who is now striking a pose in her bride-to-be sash. The flimsy silk and plastic tiara clashes marvelously with her vintage lace dress, but she doesn’t seem to care one bit.
“I’m sure my brother has made it known, but we’re all happy to have you back,” MJ says, once the fanfare dies down. She never minces words, which is why it means so much to have her say those.
“I’m glad to be back.”
Heads turn in my direction, and I realize I must have missed something said while talking to MJ.
“It would seem that it’s your turn in the spotlight,” MJ says, amusement in her voice. “Do me a favor and go light on the details. I don’t want to hear about you making out with my brother. It was bad enough to see it through the window.”
My face burns. I was not prepared for this.
“Don’t look so scared,” Dahlia says with a laugh. “You don’t have to share if you don’t want to.”
I believe she believes that, but the expectant eyes of those around us say otherwise
“I guess I just don’t know where to start…” I trail off as I try to think. How do I tell a story that doesn’t seem to have a beginning?
I sit down on a couch next to Sloane, who gives me a sympathetic look. I suppose she went through this not long ago, since she and Grayson got together over the summer. Her story of a fake engagement turned real was probably a lot more interesting than me falling for my brother’s best friend though.
“Skip all the details and just tell us what the first kiss was like!” Jasmine says, making everyone–including me–laugh.
I look over at MJ who rolls her eyes like she expected this.
“Go ahead, I’ll try not to throw up,” she deadpans, making everyone laugh again.
I take a deep breath, and launch into the story, deciding to start with the first time I felt distinct feelings for Maverick. The night when he threw me over his shoulder at that stupid college party all those years ago. It wasn’t the first time he’d come to my rescue, but it was the first time he felt like more than Drew’s overprotective best friend.
The girls all lean in, listening to my story with wide eyes. And the more I tell, the more I realize: it really was only ever supposed to be Maverick. It was always going to be him in the end.
I haven’t laughed this much in forever. After a book scavenger hunt, dinner, and a surprise lingerie shower that had Juliette as red as a tomato, we’re now at MJ’s house by the bonfire all the guys built. Grayson is telling the story of how he saw Juliette at a Valentine’s mixer and had to fend off guys on Adrian’s behalf because he was home watching her dog. His version of the story is no doubt more dramatic–and entertaining–than the real one.
I’m more than glad that Juliette and Adrian are so obsessed with each other they couldn’t stay away the entire night. Because while I loved all the time with the girls, I missed Maverick like crazy. In the past week since our first kiss, we’ve spent more time together than apart. These few hours without being by his side had me anxious to see him again.
So anxious that when I saw him I jumped into his arms like he’d just come home from battle instead of a night of backyard football and grilling. He’d teased me about missing him, but he hasn’t let go of me since I arrived. Even now, as the night is coming to a close, I’m leaned back against his chest, basking in the warm glow of the fire with his arms wrapped around me.
My phone buzzes on the blanket next to me, and I pick it up thinking it’s probably Isa updating me about Beckham. She’s been kind enough to send hourly updates, complete with photos. It should be about time for the next one. But when I look at the message, my smile drops. The blood drains from my face and I can hear my pulse pounding in my ears. My ex-boss Leona’s name is on my screen. Has she ever texted me? Even when I worked for Cleo, she always used email or called.
I click on the message to open it, wondering what could constitute a late night message from someone like her.
Leona: Evie. In case you’ve deleted my number, this is Leona Dauvian. I’m messaging to formally apologize for the way I treated you a month ago. I’ve come to see the error of my ways and have blacklisted your ex-husband from all future projects. It has come to my attention that he is not worthy of space in the pages of Cleo. I’m sorry for not seeing that sooner. I wish you well, and if you ever want a job here again, the door is always open. Likewise, if you’d like a letter of recommendation, I would be happy to write one as recompense for my irreputable behavior.
“Everything okay?” Maverick murmurs against my ear.
“I-I think so,” I say, still in shock. I read the message once more to make sure I haven’t imagined it, then lift it up for Maverick to see.
“Wow,” he says, keeping his voice low so no one else hears. “That’s good, right?”
I nod, putting my phone back down on the blanket. “I think so. I mean, it’s nice that she apologized, even if she made my life miserable for months.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of it’s good that Ezra is getting some of what he deserves for the way he treated you.”
I hum in acknowledgement. “That’s nice too, but I don’t know that this will keep him down for long. He’s always been able to charm himself into places.”
Maverick’s arms tighten around me, and I rest against him .
“Either way, I’m here now. Whatever happens there doesn’t affect me. I’m happy,” I say, and actually believe my own words for once.
After months of crying over Ezra, I’m done. I’m sure there will be days where the memories will come back to haunt me, but I know that I’ll be okay.
Maverick kisses the top of my head. “I’m glad you feel that way. I want you to be happy. And you know I’ll always protect you and Beckham both.”
I smile at the edge in his tone. “I know.”
Yes, hundreds of doubts and uncertainties can creep up in me, but one thing I will never question is Maverick protecting us. I relax into his arms, putting the message out of my mind. No matter what, I’m safe with him.