Chapter 23
23
CADENCE
" I 've heard so much about this place. I can't wait!"
Maverick grins and pulls open the door to A Little Like Home . I would want to come here anyway, since it's cute, and judging by how busy it is, the food is great. The fact that it's John's restaurant is just icing on the cake.
"It's damned good food. I'm surprised you picked this place, but I'm not mad about it."
"What, you thought I might pick some fancy restaurant with four forks and twenty courses." I stop just inside the doorway. "Is twenty courses a thing? It sounds exhausting. And really, who needs more than one fork?"
He grins at me, and something low in my stomach clenches. I am so glad I got over myself and agreed to this date. I am not a masochist. I love men. So why did I fight this so hard?
Because you're feeling shit you've never felt dumbass. You're running scared.
I slide into the booth across from Maverick, my eyes drawn to the chalkboard menu on the wall. The restaurant bustles with energy, servers weaving between tables and the clatter of dishes echoing from the kitchen.
"John likes to change things up," Maverick explains, gesturing to the menu. "Keeps it fresh, you know? So the menu is different every day, depending on what he's in the mood to cook."
Our server approaches, a young woman with a bright smile. She runs through the specials, everything sounding so frickin’ amazing it takes forever for me to decide. Finally, we place our orders, and as she walks away. I lean back in my seat, taking in Maverick's appearance.
He's dressed to the nines in a tailored suit that hugs his broad shoulders. It's a far cry from the casual attire I'm used to seeing him in at the rescue. His eyes meet mine, and I catch him sneaking glances at my cleavage and legs, barely concealed by the hem of my dress.
I cross my legs, wishing I had more experience with stilettos. I'd love to see his reaction to a higher heel, but I know I'd never pull it off. I'm the kind of girl who would topple over in anything more than a sensible pump.
"What's on your mind?" Maverick asks, his voice pulling me from my thoughts.
I laugh, shaking my head. "Honestly? I was thinking about how I'd probably fall off a pair of high heels."
His eyebrows raise, a grin spreading across his face. "Oh, there's got to be a story there."
I lean forward, resting my elbows on the table. "Prom night," I begin, the memory flooding back. "I convinced myself that I could handle these ridiculous heels, thinking they'd make me look more sophisticated. I didn't go for the four inches. Nope. Six. I wore flip flops or running shoes my entire life, but somehow figured it would be fine. I didn't practice in them or anything."
Maverick leans in, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Oh fuck.”
"Oh fuck is right. I spent half the night clinging to my date, terrified I'd faceplant on the dance floor. Every step was an adventure." I laugh, shaking my head. "I fell three times in the first hour. Then I ditched them in the corner of the gym and spent the rest of the night barefoot."
Maverick chuckles, his deep laugh sending a shiver down my spine. "Why did you wear them then?"
"Because all the other girls were wearing them, and I wanted to fit in. It's not like I was bullied or anything, but I was the kid who rushed home every day to check on her raccoon. Or baby ducks. Or squirrel. I was a little eccentric." Still am. Though I'm good with it now. Being me is a hell of a lot easier than trying to fit in. And at this point in my life, easy is really attractive.
His gaze softens. "High school is hard on everybody, I think."
"Even you? I can't picture you being anything other than the popular kid." He just has this air about him, like he knows exactly how cool he is. Even laying on the stage in a dance club, he seemed like he wasn't worried about anything.
Of course, that might have been the booze.
He shakes his head. "I was not the popular kid. At all. I wasn't actually at school most of the time."
"And yet you're a lawyer, so you obviously figured it out. What happened?"
He idly twists his water glass. "When we came together as a family, it was kind of a loose thing, at least at the beginning. We didn't have a lot of say over much that happened to us at the facility, but at least we had each other, you know? But none of us were rule followers or much into being told what to do, so we butted heads with the staff. Ransom managed to keep us all together in there for a few years. And we all went to school, because we had to."
A crease appears between his brows. "School is a hard place when you're different. None of us had parents. We were living at a fucking group home, so we had a big target on our back. All of us. So when Ransom turned eighteen, he got the fuck out of there. He went straight to hustling, and before we even knew it, he had the deed to a garage. One by one, we left the group home and joined him."
"How does that work though? A bunch of minor kids living with someone not much older than they are?"
"People didn't really care.” He shakes his head, looking a little jaded. “That's the truth of it. There are so many kids in the system, that as long as we weren't out getting arrested, they mostly left us alone. As business got better and Ransom could officially provide for us, he became our legal guardian, one by one. Looking back at it, I'm not entirely sure how he managed it, but he did. He wouldn't let anyone separate us."
I can totally picture that. Ransom seems like the kind of guy that could convince anyone of anything. So talking some social workers into letting him take care of a bunch of troubled teenagers? Piece of cake. "So when you went with him, you stopped going to school? Fill in the blanks for me."
"I was sixteen when I dropped out. They couldn't legally make me stay. I worked in the garage with Ransom for a year or so. Then he walked in one day, and handed me information for an online school. I wasn't into it. I didn't see the vision yet, not then. But he did. And he laid it out for me."
"What did he say?"
His lips quirk. "That we were going to be rich and powerful one day. And we were going to need a smart lawyer to watch our backs. And it had to be one of us. He said I was built for it. And I guess he was right. I finished high school online, and I got into a college program, then worked my way into the program at the University."
"Do you regret any of it? Letting him choose your future for you I mean?"
"No, I don't. He was right. He always is. Being a lawyer suits me, and we damned sure do need a lawyer in the family. But it wasn't actually like that. If I really hated it, I don't think he would have made a big deal out of it. But I liked it."
"But you hated the rules."
"Yeah, I did. And now, I know them like the back of my fucking hand, and I can figure out ways around them. There's a lot of gray area to work with, and I'm a master at it."
Isn't that the truth? I've been running the rescue for years, and I've discovered that firsthand. As a kid you imagine the rules applying to everyone, equally, but it's not like that. Some people, some companies, seem to get around them. And I guess, if I had the know-how, I'd want to be one of them. Maybe that's unfair, but I'd rather focus on taking care of more animals than dealing with a truckload of red tape.
"Is that what you do for Alexis?" I didn't mean to bring it up. It's none of my business, but it's such a departure from corporate law, that I need to understand.
Lips tight, he shakes his head. "No. That's different. The law is on her side, but her ex is…a piece of work."
"I know you can't talk about it…but will she be okay?" I hate the idea of Alex losing her daughter to a bad guy. And based on everything she's said about him, that's what he is.
"I'll make damned sure she will be." The absolute conviction in his voice is reassuring. Mommas shouldn't be separated from their babies. Not the good moms, anyway. Moms like mine? Sometimes, separation is the right thing.
"You really do take care of everyone, don't you?"
His nose wrinkles up."I try. I don't always get it right."
"None of us do."
We pause as the waitress brings our entrees. Everything smells so good, like something Nan would serve. It smells like home.
"I think I understand the name of the restaurant now."
Maverick nods, head nearly in his plate. "Yeah, we thought it fit. John got pissy when it came to naming it. He was a little tired. So we picked it, and he seems okay with it. Everything he makes is a little like home. At least, the kind of home we wished we had.
I can totally picture it. John stalking off, grumbling, unable to take nine other men trying to give him input on the name. And honestly, the name is perfect.
I take a bite of my pasta, savoring the rich flavor. Maverick sighs happily as he looks at his plate, a silly smile on his face. These guys love their food, that's for sure.
As we eat, Maverick clears his throat, drawing my attention. "Cadence, I've been wanting to ask you something."
I set my fork down, meeting his gaze. "What is it?"
"I know you were resistant to accepting help, especially from me. I guess I just wondered where that came from? Why…why was staying in the rescue still a better option in your mind?"
I take a deep breath, my thoughts drifting to Nan and Pops. "It's a long story, but I guess it starts with my grandpa."
Maverick leans forward, his eyes questioning and understanding all at the same time. I like that he doesn't push, or interrupt. Instead he sits, looking like he'd wait forever for me to gather my thoughts.
"Pops was really sick toward the end. Nan and I watched him deteriorate, and it was...it was hard." An understatement, yeah, but I don't have the words to explain how painful that time really was.
My voice catches, and I pause, taking a sip of water. Maverick reaches across the table, his hand covering mine in a gentle gesture of support.
"Nan and Pops, they were inseparable. Two peas in a pod, as they say. When he passed, it was like a part of her died with him. She was lost without him."
I blink back tears, the memories still raw. "We tried to get him to see a doctor sooner, but he was stubborn. By the time we convinced him, it was too late."
Maverick squeezes my hand, his touch grounding me. "I'm so sorry, Cadence. I can't imagine how difficult that must have been for you and Nan."
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. There's more to the story, the promise I made to Pops to take care of Nan, but I'm not ready to share that part yet. It feels too personal, too close to my heart.
"After he was gone, I threw myself into taking care of Nan. I think, in my mind, if I could be the most amazing granddaughter on the planet, it would make up for losing him."
"Because you're all she has left."
"Yeah."
Maverick's thumb rubs gentle circles on the back of my hand. "I understand that. You're loyal and you love deeply. Those are good things. But doing it alone isn't sustainable. It's okay to accept help, to lean on others when you need it."
I meet Maverick's gaze, the truth of his words resonating deep within me. "You're right," I admit softly. "It's not easy for me to ask for help. I guess I've always felt like I had to be the strong one, you know?"
Maverick nods, his expression understanding. "Your grandpa, was he sick for a long?"
I take a deep breath, the memories flooding back. "He was diagnosed with lymphoma. It was...it was aggressive. We tried everything, but the treatments just weren't working."
I feel the sting of tears in my eyes, and Maverick's hand tightens around mine. "He fought so hard, but in the end, it was too much for his body to handle. It was less than three months from diagnosis to his passing."
"Aw fuck honey, that's awful."
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. "When Nan got sick, it was like reliving that nightmare all over again. I was so scared of losing her, too."
Maverick's thumb traces gentle circles on the back of my hand, a comforting gesture. "It's terrifying, losing the person you love most in the world." There's a certainty in his words, a lived experience.
"It was," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. "I spent so many nights lying awake, worrying about what would happen if...if Nan didn't make it. I kept thinking about how alone I would be." No one to put as an emergency contact. No one to care if I came home late. That's not a life I want to live. I want connections. I want a family.
Maverick's brow furrows. "Your mom didn't step up, even then?"
I shake my head, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "My mom...she's not really in the picture. I barely hear from her, sometimes going years without any contact."
I see the surprise flicker across Maverick's face, followed by a flash of anger. "She didn't even come to see Nan when she was sick?"
"She did, actually. Blew into town like a hurricane, promising to be there for us. But when things got tough, when Nan really needed her...she couldn't handle it. She left, just like she always does."
And all I felt was relief.
Patty always brings drama when she comes. I could see she truly wanted to be there, at least at first. But pretty quickly, it became obvious that she didn't have the emotional bandwidth to be of any help. She was too lost in what she was losing. What she was feeling. What she needed. She didn't ask how I was handling it, or actually do anything to help Nan.
It felt like I had to take care of both of them. And when she left, all I could be was glad.
"It broke Nan's heart. She still holds out hope that my mom will come around, that she'll want to be a part of our lives. But I've learned not to expect anything from her."
Maverick's expression softens, his hand reaching up to cup my cheek. "I'm so sorry, Cadence. You deserve so much better than that. Every kid does."
"Maybe. But I had Nan, and I think that makes me pretty damn lucky."
"I think so too," he says, scanning my face with soft eyes. "I?—
The shrill ring of his phone interrupts his next words. "Fuck. I'm sorry, that's the family ring. I'll get rid of them."
He answers, trying to keep his voice low, but I still catch bits and pieces 'are you fucking kidding me' and 'it would serve you right if I let you rot in there'. I slowly lean a little closer, now desperate to know what's going on.
He groans and stabs the off button with his thumb then gives me a helpless look. "I'm so damned sorry Cady. But I have to go. My brothers need me."
"Wait…right now? It can't wait?" What happened to no interruptions? I’m more disappointed than I’d like to admit.
"Fuck. I'm sorry, but no, it can't." He pulls out his wallet and drops enough bills on the table to cover every meal in the restaurant, then comes to pull out my chair. I look at my pasta longingly, wishing I'd eaten faster. He takes my hand, pulling me out the door and back toward the apartment building. When we get into the elevator, he surprises me by hitting the down button.
"Um…what's happening?"
"I have to get to my brothers," he says distractedly as the doors open to the garage. Still holding my hand, he guides me to his very fancy car.
"And I'm going too?" I ask as I drop into the front seat. He carefully tucks my dress in, then crouches next to me.
"Cadence, it's taken me months to get this date. There is no way I'm going to let it end this early. So yes, you're coming."
Grinning, I rest my head against the headrest. "Good. Where are we going?"
He winces and runs his hand through his hair. "To bail my brothers out of jail."