Chapter 14
MAVERICK
Knox Bradford will be lucky if he survives this weekend.
It’s bad enough he keeps making comments like he’s going to tell Dove how I feel about her. But on top of that, he doesn’t miss an opportunity to flatter or flirt with her, and if he puts his hand on her waist one more time, I’m going to break it.
“Little Knoxey,” Dove smiles up at him in a way I don’t like. “You’re all grown up and as handsome as your daddy.”
She changed out of her professional, grad student attire and into a thin cotton sundress with little purple flowers all over it. Her pale blonde hair hangs around her shoulders in soft waves, and she smells like peaches and the ocean and home.
“I heard you’re a regular Wallace Stevens now, too,” she teases him—like he needs any more encouragement.
“I play around with words.” He has the nerve to act humble. Faker. “Lately I’ve been experimenting with a short poem, a limerick, about two people… sitting in a tree… K-I-S-S—”
Austin sits forward quickly with a cough. “Speaking of dogs,” he says. “I didn’t know a dog saved Dove’s life. What’s that about?”
“Oh…” She shifts in her chair, seemingly oblivious to my cousin, who I’m going to kill if his older brother doesn’t block me. “When I was around seven, I was determined to ice skate like Angelina Ballerina.”
“Should I know who that is?” Austin frowns.
“Don’t you have a little girl?” Dove tilts her head to the side, and my shoulders tense.
Austin, of course, takes her question like a pro. “She lives with her grandparents in Dallas for now.”
Dove’s blue eyes are round, and she reaches across to grasp his arm. “I’m sorry. You must miss her so much.”
Austin’s lips press together, and he nods slowly. “I really do… but I’m so busy during football season, and she’s so little.”
Dove blinks down thoughtfully before blinking up at him again. “I hope I’m not overstepping… My dad wasn’t in my life until I was seven, and I thought about him all the time. I bet she thinks about you, too.”
Austin’s expression warms. “Thanks, Dove. Now tell me about this ice-skating incident.”
“Well,” She slaps her hands on her thighs. “I slipped away from the house, and I ran all the way down to the reservoir, because I’d heard it froze in the winter—”
“Oh, fuck,” Knox groans, sitting back in his chair. “Don’t tell me…”
I’ve never liked this story either, mostly because the thought of my beautiful Dove fighting for her life in freezing-cold ice water is almost more than I can take.
She looks from Knox to Austin to Edward, and finally to me, then she exhales a little laugh and says, “Long story short, Akela never left my side, and here I am today!” Then she takes a big bite of buttery mashed potatoes. “These are really delicious, Mav. They might be my favorite now, too.”
“Thanks.” I huff a laugh, rubbing away the sudden tension in the back of my neck. Then I walk over to lean against the porch railing near her chair. “Did you ever learn to ice skate?”
She shakes her pretty blonde head, looking up at me. “I think my parents were too traumatized to think about it.”
“I could teach you if you still want to learn.”
“Like Rocky?”
“Sure.” I nod, remembering our text. “It’s really safe.”
“I don’t know with you around.” She gives me a wink I feel right in my stomach. “That feels dangerous to me.”
Clearing my throat, I know she’s teasing. Still, Knox makes a noise through a cough like, Do it.
“Ignore him,” I tell her quietly, bending my knees so I’m squatting beside her chair. “I’d be glad to teach you how to ice skate. It’ll be fun.”
“Okay.” She smiles at me, and for a moment, it’s just the two of us.
Unfortunately, the moment ends too soon.
“Uncle Mav, Uncle Mav!” Maddie runs through the gate yelling all the way to the porch. “Where’s Kee-Kee? Does she miss her best friend Maddie?”
As if on cue, Kelani hops up, doing a little bouncy run to greet the arriving mob. Maddie drops to her knees to scoop her up in a swinging hug. Her cooing turns to squealing as Kelani happily licks her all over the face.
“Knoxey!” Haddy cries, running straight to greet the guys. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing Austin and Edward! Oh my gosh, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you two!”
“We can’t help it if you never come home anymore.” Austin stands, leaning down to hug her.
“That’s not true!” she fusses, turning to hug Edward. “We just keep missing each other.”
“Let me see this newest family member.” Austin steps forward to greet Gavin, who of course, has Lucy sitting on his arm. “The stories are true. She looks just like baby Haddy. Is she also a super pooper?”
“Oh my god,” Haddy cries, slapping his arm. “Austin Sinclair!”
Gina lets out a strangled squeal, and Gavin chuckles as he passes his daughter over to Austin. “Your uncle Hendrix might disagree, but she seems pretty average, poop-wise.”
“I’m sure that’s where the average part ends.” Austin gives Lucy a bounce, and she lifts her hands squealing before patting his cheeks and leaning forward to put her mouth on his chin. “Hey, little lady.”
“Aw, she’s giving you a kiss.” Haddy pats her back. “That’s your cousin Austin, Lulu. He carried us all around when we were your age.”
“When you weren’t out here with your parents,” Austin counters.
“She does have Haddy’s bone structure,” Edward notes, standing beside them. “But I think her eyes are more like Gavin’s. Haddy’s eyes are violet.”
“Like Elizabeth Taylor’s!” Gina walks over with Heather to stand beside Dove. “It’s why she won all those pageants.”
“Oh, those silly pageants,” Dove laughs, shaking her head. “Don’t remind me.”
I want to reassure her she should’ve won every pageant she ever entered, but Knox would give me hell for such a comment.
“You were always so good with babies.” Gina puts her hand on Austin’s arm, where Lucy is currently propped chewing her fist. “You must miss Callie.”
“He has a plan to change that situation,” Edward says, and we all perk up.
“What?” Gina looks from him to Austin again.
Austin looks down, shaking his head. “Never could keep a secret, could you, Ed?”
“Nevermind that, tell us!” Gina shakes Austin’s arm.
“Dad’s talking about retiring…” We all let out varying exclamations of disbelief as Austin continues.
“He asked if I’d ever consider moving back to Newhope and taking over as head coach at the high school.
I’m at the end of my contract. I could retire, and I’d be able to take care of Callie myself. ”
“Oh, Austin.” Haddy clasps her hands in front of her nose, eyes watery. “It would be like a full-circle moment. Your dad going back to Newhope with Kimmie… Will you do it?”
“Yeah,” he nods. “I’m going to talk to him and make a plan.”
“Well, that’s a happy ending!” Dove smiles, putting her hand in the crook of my arm.
Austin nods at her, and I put my hand over her smaller one holding onto me. I think about my own life and happy endings. I think about the orchard and the trees, and I wonder how I could help Dove with her happy ending.
“Glass tables.” Dove is leaning against the kitchen counter holding a mug of coffee in both hands.
Her hair is all pulled up in a messy bun, and little bits fall around her cheeks and neck. She’s wearing a long-sleeved tee and PJ pants, and her face looks freshly washed.
She’s a ray of sunshine across the smooth ocean. She’s a warm fire on a cool summer night. She makes my stomach tighten and my body lift. She’s perfect.
“I hate seeing hairy legs and feet when I’m trying to eat.” Her mouth distorts in an expression of pure disgust, and she sticks out her tongue.
“Aw!” Knox falls back with a groan, holding his neck. “So gross.”
She laughs, and I pat her shoulder as I pass. “’morning, sunshine. What are you two doing in here?”
“Oh, Mav!” She turns worried eyes on me. “Did we wake you?”
“How was the couch, Brocephus?” Knox calls to me, and I flip him off as I pull a Mountain Dew from the fridge.
“Knox was just about to tell me what he hates the most. Go.” Dove lifts her mug to take a sip, and I walk around to stand beside her.
My cousin’s eyes drift up to me, and if he says some double-entendre, innuendo bullshit about me and Dove, I swear to God…
He hesitates. My shoulders tense…
“Wicker chairs,” he blurts, dropping his eyes to hers.
“Oh lord, tell me about it,” Dove replies. “They’re scratchy, they pull your clothes…”
“They’re too weak. I’m a big guy. Breaking chairs is a legit concern.”
“I didn’t even think of that.” Dove nods slowly. “That would be so embarrassing, and potentially dangerous.”
“How about you, Mav?” She lifts her chin, dropping her head back against the chair to look up at me. “What’s something you hate?”
I consider how easy it would be to lift my hand and slide my thumb along the line of her jaw, thread my fingers in her soft hair. I think about bending down and pressing my lips to hers, and my insides turn into…
“Jell-O,” I say roughly.
Dove shifts around crinkling her brows. “Jell-O? Explain, please.”
I huff a laugh, glancing over at my cousin, whose eyes are gleaming as he watches us. I know he approves of this.
Even though he drives me crazy, Knox has always been my best wingman. Yeah, he gives me shit about carrying a torch for Dove for so long, but he has always supported my feelings. He told me if I hadn’t called dibs, he’d probably have a massive crush on her, too.
He is also full of shit. As a star quarterback, Knox always has plenty of girlfriends. I can’t imagine him waiting five seconds for anyone, let alone years.
He’s always pushed me to tell her how I feel. The problem growing up was Dove and I lived three states away from each other, and all my time was consumed by hockey. Now I’m practically a world away.
How could I tell her something like that and then basically disappear? It doesn’t make sense to me.
Of course, it only provoked him to come here and try to push the envelope.
“It reminds me of being sick,” I say, doing my best to recover. “It doesn’t taste real, and what’s it even made of?”
“Horse hooves and buttholes.” Knox stands, slapping me on the chest. “Bet I can do more pull-ups than you.”
“Wow.” Dove puts her mug on the counter, holding the back of her hand under her nose like she almost did a spit-take. “Since we’re on the subject.”
“He’s pretty apropos of nothing.” I follow him. “He also knows who’s stronger.”
“A lot’s changed this year.” Knox whips off his tee and jumps up to grab the bar I installed in the hallway leading to my bedroom. “Count ’em.”
“Ooo, yay!” Dove runs over to the sofa, getting on her knees and propping her elbows on the back of it. Her hands are under her chin, and she bats wide eyes at us. “Did it sound like I was complaining just then? Take off that shirt, Mav. You’re up next.”
I blow air through my lips, pretending to be annoyed, but the truth is, I don’t mind showing off my body for her. I’ve worked hard for this physique. I kill myself every day out on the ice, and I’m aware of my effect on women.
I’d like to explore my effect on Dove.
Leaning against the couch beside her, I cross my arms as I watch Knox pulling up on the bar. His muscles flex, and okay, he’s got the Bradford bod, too.
Dove glances up at me, speaking softly. “I don’t like Jell-O either.”
I bend my knees, resting my hand near her elbow. “It’s not good.”
“It really is made from horses’ hooves.”
“So gross.” I huff a laugh.
“Fifty,” Knox shouts, doing a little dismount before walking over to push my shoulder. “Beat it.”
My eyes are still on Dove’s, and I roll mine as I rise, taking off my T-shirt.
I don’t miss the way her lips press together or the way her blue eyes slide down my torso. I give her a quick wink before jumping up and grasping the bar in both hands.
Knox might get on my last fucking nerve sometimes, but my wingman got it right this time.