Chapter Fourteen Maia
Chapter Fourteen
Maia
That is a case of some seriously sour grapes,” Erik muttered as Jackson took off, practically stomping down the hallway.
Deck watched his brother go, then dipped his gaze to me. “I’m going to try to talk to him before he does something stupid.”
A wave of worry swept through me. “Don’t let him mess with your head, okay?”
I didn’t want to give voice to the concerns that had fluttered to life somewhere deep. That Jackson could twist something or give an ultimatum that would have Decker reconsidering what lay ahead for us.
As if he could read my mind, Deck lowered his head and brushed his mouth over mine. “Not going to lose what’s just getting started. Not when I feel like I’ve been waiting for this for half my life.”
Half his life. It could’ve hurt, hearing that, thinking about all the time we’d wasted. But I refused to look at it that way. We’d always appreciate what we had now because we’d gone so long without having it fully. We’d never take it for granted.
I stretched up onto my tiptoes to kiss Deck one more time. “Good luck.”
As he released me and strode from the room, Erik began fanning himself. “Hot damn. I love a man who knows what he wants.”
“You and me both,” Booker shot back with a wink, then glanced at me. “I’m going to make sure it doesn’t come to blows a second time.”
“Thanks, Booker,” I said with a smile.
“Wait a gosh danged second,” Erik said, pointing a finger at me. “That hunk of a man is single and part of team rainbow flag, and you never told me?”
A laugh bubbled out of me. “Sorry. You’ve always said you hated football. Remember when I tried to take you to a game, and you refused?”
“Well, I’m having second thoughts, okay?” Erik muttered.
Violet patted him on the shoulder. “Come on, Romeo. Let’s go get our stuff. You can reconsider your life choices another time.”
We made our way up the stairs to the sprawling second floor as Erik alternated between asking me questions about Booker and how Deck and I had fared last night.
“Come on, you’re not going to give us even one tiny, sordid detail?” Erik complained.
Violet shook her head. “He’s a hopeless romantic.”
Erik pinned her with a stare. “Let me live, okay?”
I laughed. “Okay. One thing. I’ve never felt more . . . alive.”
Erik lifted the back of his hand to his head and swooned into Violet, who nearly stumbled under his weight. “Sugar, I’m jealous.”
“And I think I slipped a disc,” Violet grumbled, shoving him upright.
Before we separated at the landing, I turned to my friends. “Thanks for holding my hand through my quarter-life crisis. I’m really lucky to have you both.”
Erik tugged us into a tight hug. “The trio of terror is the best ever.”
Vi struggled under his grip. “It might be better if you learned how to be gentle.”
I laughed as he released us. “Okay, meet back here in ten?”
They waved, and I headed for the room Deck and I had stayed in. My only regret about last night was that this wasn’t a place we could revisit. But I took a mental picture as I gathered up our belongings and deposited them into a plastic bag I’d been given.
A throat cleared behind me, and I whirled. Frederick stood there, blocking the door. “I see you’ve retrieved your things.”
“Yes.” My mouth went dry as I tried to see if anyone else was nearby. The room Deck and I had been assigned was tucked away in a far corner of the house, and I hadn’t seen another soul since ducking into the hallway.
“You know,” he began, “I could’ve given you the world.”
The pure cheesiness of the line would’ve had me laughing at any other time, but unease won out now.
“I guess that depends on how you define the word,” I said honestly, trying to keep my breathing even. Because for me, being at peace with who I was, and being celebrated for that, was worth far more than a fancy castle in the mountains.
Frederick lifted his nose as if he smelled something bad. “We’ll just see if you feel that way a year from now.”
I doubted my opinion would change, but even if it did, I’d rest easy. Because I’d gone for what I wanted. I hadn’t bowed to invisible rules or worried about what was expected. I’d reached for what would make me happy, even if it was a little reckless.
As Frederick turned on his heel and strode back down the hall, peace washed over me. It was time to live life on my terms.
Movement caught my eye as Violet stepped into the doorway. “Hi, sorry,” I said, grabbing my shirt and stuffing it into the bag. “I got waylaid by Frederick. He really is a douchebag.”
“Do you have any idea what it’s like to have you as a best friend?” Violet asked, her voice devoid of all emotion.
I turned, frowning. “What do you mean?”
“It’s the Maia show, twenty-four seven. Maia’s such a hard worker. All the animals and kids love Maia. Don’t you think Maia deserves so much better than Jackson? What are you, Mary freaking Poppins with a golden vajayjay?”
I reared back as if she’d slapped me. I’d never heard her like this before in my life. “Vi, I don’t think people talk like that.”
“They do,” she snarled. “And I just deal with it. The fact that I’m invisible next to you.
Forget the fact that I’m the one who gets all the donations for the preserve.
I’m the one who always listens to Erik’s stupid dating woes.
I’m the one who goes out of my way to make sure there’s always something fun to do.
But no one sees that. I’m just invisible next to you. ”
“You’re not,” I whispered, my stomach sinking. “You just got an award at work last week. And Erik’s always talking about what great advice you give.”
“What about Henry?” she snapped. “It wasn’t enough that you had Jackson, Decker, and freaking Frederick panting after you? You needed Henry, too?”
“Henry’s not interested in me, Vi. He wants to ask you out,” I said softly.
“Liar!” Violet lunged, gripping me by the hair and shoving a sharp object beneath my chin. “He kept saying he was worried about you last night. Kept saying that we needed to check on you. It’s always fucking Maia! You ruined my favorite holiday! But not anymore.”
A knife. She had a knife.
My world tilted as I tried to stay upright. “Violet—”
“Shut up, bitch! I’ve had enough of your bullshit. It’s time you did something for me. Think about all the attention I’ll get, all the sympathy, when I tell them I found a masked man attacking you. Probably the same one they think killed that poor girl.”
“Think?” I croaked.
Violet scoffed. “I thought it was you. I was just so mad. Henry could only see you, and I snapped. I grabbed the bird statue before I even realized it and smashed it into her skull. It’s your fault she’s dead. But don’t worry. You’ll be joining her soon.”