Chapter 6 Mckenna
SIX
MCKENNA
The early morning knock on my door surprises me.
I pad to the front door, my slippers quiet on the hardwood floors, and peek out the side window.
Disbelief rolls through me as I pull open the door. “Mav?”
“Morning, beauty.” He holds up two paper coffee cups from Java House.
“What are you doing here?” I step back and usher him into the brownstone.
“Was in the area.”
I laugh.
He grins. “I was. Went for an early morning run with Jameson and had some errands to do nearby.”
“Errands.” I’m skeptical.
His eyes glitter. They’re clear and open and just how I remember them. “Errands,” he repeats, giving me a long, lingering look. Then, he lifts his hand and takes a sip of his coffee.
“Are we friends now?”
“We’ll never be just friends, Mckenna.” He passes me the second coffee cup.
I bite the corner of my lip, tipping my coffee in his direction. “Are you going to randomly drop by unannounced?”
“Does it bother you?”
I consider his question for a long moment. “No.”
“Good.”
“Did you just want to see me, Mav?”
“Mostly. And I wanted to ask you something.”
“You’re being cryptic.” I turn toward the kitchen and he follows. “Ask away.”
“What does your study schedule look like for the bar exam?”
“It will be intense. I start Monday and I’ll be spending most of my days at the library.”
“Are you busy on Thursday nights?”
I spin toward him, resting my back along the kitchen counter. I take a swig of the latte. “Why?”
“I signed up for something and I want to see if you’re interested in joining.”
I arch an eyebrow. Nerves and anticipation bundle in my abdomen. Mav swept back into my life like a tornado and I’m already caught up in his funnel, hoping he doesn’t spit me back out. “What is it?”
“Well…” He sits down on a barstool. “I started a bowling team.”
I nearly spit out the coffee I’m drinking. I cough, lifting my fist to my mouth. “A bowling team?”
Mav nods. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I clear my throat. “You joined a…bowling league?”
“My team is registered, yes,” he explains. “Jameson needs some structure in his life. Thursday night he and Amelia joined her friends for trivia whenever he was in town…”
“And you’re replacing that with bowling?”
He grins, clearly proud of himself. “Reign and Allegra are in since they’ll be in Boston this summer. What do you say?”
I chuckle, dumbfounded.
“It could be a good way to relieve stress, to break up your study routine…” he tacks on.
“I, um…” I stall, biting my lip again. “I don’t know how to tell you this, Mav. About bowling—”
He waves a hand. “Don’t worry about your skill set. We’re more interested in numbers right now.”
I bite back my laughter. “Do I have to wear the shoes?”
“They’re mandatory. I’m getting shirts made.”
“What’s the team name?”
Mav freezes, his eyes holding mine. “Boston Beauties.”
I snort. “No, it’s not.”
His grin widens. “The Bowling Tones.”
I tip my head back and laugh.
“You in, Mckenna?” he prompts.
“Yeah, Mav. I’ll join your bowling team.”
“Excellent.” He stands and moves toward me. Leaning down, he wraps me in a loose hug but doesn’t even kiss my cheek.
Still, my eyes fall shut and I breathe him in.
He pulls away, amusement flaring in the depths of his gaze. “I’ll be in touch with the practice and game schedule, but it won’t be more than Thursday nights and Saturday mornings.”
“You’re serious?”
“We need to practice if we’re going to win, Mckenna,” he chides. “I’ll send you the information by tomorrow.” He moves toward the front door.
“That’s it? You’re going?”
“Told you, beauty, I was running an errand.” He eyes me again.
I sputter, pointing to myself. “I was your errand?”
“I have a higher success percentage if I do things in person. It’s my personality. I’m charming.” He shrugs playfully, that boyish grin I love cutting across his face.
He’s right; he is charming.
“Good luck studying.” He pulls open the front door.
I lift a hand in farewell. “See you later, Mav.”
He winks and then, he’s gone.
I glance around the empty brownstone, the energy of the space different now that Mav left.
He’s the best twister I’ve ever encountered.
I take another pull of my coffee and grin.
Then, I shower, dress, and meet Allegra for breakfast.
As I slide into the booth across from her, I’m still smiling.
“Mav?” My best friend correctly guesses.
“Is it that obvious?”
Allegra nods. “I’m happy for you, Kenny.”
“Nothing is happening.”
Allegra laughs. “Smart yet oblivious.”
I roll my eyes and open a menu, hiding my face.
But I can’t deny the bubble of laughter that crawls up my throat.
Will Maverick Tate ever not have this effect on me?
And will I ever have to find out?
“You didn’t really make fucking shirts,” Levi groans as I join the group in the bowling alley.
“You ever notice that bowling alleys smell the same everywhere in the country?” Derek remarks, taking a button-down short-sleeved shirt from Mav’s outstretched hand.
Levi grumbles as he yanks a shirt from Mav.
“The Bowling Tones?” Allegra inquires, chuckling. “That was creative of you, Mav.”
Maverick bows deeply, grinning. “Thank you, A. I aim to please.”
“You gave us nicknames?” Jameson sounds surprised.
“Team names,” Mav clarifies.
“I’m Riff Raff?” Levi scoffs, giving Mav serious side-eye.
“Ooh, I’m Spare Angel! Love that for me,” Allegra remarks.
“Base Drop,” Jameson reads, nodding along. “I like it.”
“Here you go, my little Strike Counsel.” Mav hands me a blue and red shirt.
“Damn, that’s badass, Kenny,” Jameson remarks.
“Better than fucking Riff Raff,” Levi grumbles.
“Who are you?” Allegra asks Derek.
He holds up his shirt.
“Reignmaker!” Levi shouts, pointing at Derek. “He gets to be Reignmaker and I’m Riff Raff?”
“Mav likes me more,” Derek explains.
“He doesn’t have to be so obvious about it.” Levi sulks.
“I’m Snare Bear,” Mav explains, buttoning his shirt.
I grin, loving to see the playful side of Mav again.
I missed him. Hell, I missed this. The camaraderie, the laughs, the trust that exists in this group.
The Burnt Clovers have had their ups and downs, but they always show up and rally for their own.
This past year, I’ve been grateful that they count me as one of them.
“All right, Bowling Tones.” Mav claps his hands together, tossing me a wink. “To the lanes!”
He leads us to the two lanes that are demarcated with our team name and bowling aliases.
“I can’t remember the last time I bowled,” Allegra says seriously, taking the seat next to mine.
“Me neither,” I agree.
Allegra rolls her eyes. “Yeah, but you’re good at this sport.”
I snort. “No one knows that but you.”
Allegra’s eyes widen. “You didn’t tell him?”
“He didn’t give me the chance. He assumed I was embarrassed by my skill set.”
Allegra and I share a laugh. Along with violin lessons, bowling was my other extracurricular as a child. It always surprises people to learn that about me, but I enjoyed both the individual and team aspects of the sport.
“If I never bowl again it will be too soon,” Levi remarks.
“Stop sulking,” Allegra says, pointing at him. “It’s why you ended up being Riff Raff.”
I chuckle as Derek disguises his laugh as a cough.
“The last time I bowled was with Amelia and her nieces,” Jameson remarks, his words monotonous.
Levi tosses an arm around his neck, clasping his shoulder.
“How you doing, Jameson?” Allegra asks gently.
He looks up and meets her gaze. Shrugs. “Hanging in there.” His gaze shifts to me and his expression softens.
“Yeah,” I agree quietly. “It will get easier.”
“Hope so,” he murmurs.
Derek and Allegra stand, moving toward the lanes and picking out their bowling balls.
Mav’s eyes meet mine and I note the curiosity in them. I bite my lip and turn to strike up a conversation with Levi.
Ever since our date, things between Mav and me have been easygoing and comfortable. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that there are moments that remind me of what we once were. Seconds where the air shifts or time slows. Heartbeats where I hope he’ll kiss me.
I laugh as Levi recounts a story from his last trip to Knoxville, Tennessee. I nod as Jameson confides in me about his breakup with Amelia. I let my guard down, allow my shoulders to relax, and enjoy being here with this group of people.
When it’s my turn to bowl, I pick up a ball, stride forward, and snap my wrist. The ball glides down the lane smoothly, connecting with the pins just right of center to create a domino effect and resulting in a strike.
“Yes, girl!” Jameson shouts.
I whirl around, throwing an arm in the air, and beam.
“Way to go, Kenny!” Allegra cheers.
Laughing, I move toward the group. But before I reclaim my chair, Mav swings me into his arms, spinning me in a circle.
“That was awesome, Mckenna!” He places me gently on my feet, pushing my hair out of my face.
I laugh. “I was on my high school team.”
“Of course you were.” Grinning, he adds, “Keep that up and you may steal my Captain title.”
“I don’t want to be captain, Mav.”
“No?” he teases.
I shake my head, biting my bottom lip.
Mav’s eyes drop to my mouth, a flicker of heat burning in their blue depths. “What do you want then, Mckenna?” he whispers, just so I can hear.
My breath catches in my throat and my eyes dart from his eyes to his lips, trying to confirm that I heard him correctly.
He’s watching me carefully and under his scrutiny, from his proximity alone, my heart rate ticks up.
Time slows, sounds abate, and again, it’s just us. Mav and me.
“Stop flirting!” Levi hollers, snapping our moment and bringing me back to reality.
I blush, ducking my head, as I slip a piece of hair behind my ear.
“Don’t let him embarrass you,” Mav says, tucking me under his arm, unbothered.
“You’re too good for him, Kenny,” Levi tacks on, pointing at Mav, and I know he’s trying to erase any embarrassment he caused me.
I smirk at him. “Thanks, Levi.”
He grins back before snatching up a ball and lining up his shot.
I look at Mav, not at all surprised that he’s still studying me. Does he want to kiss me? Do I want him to?
He dips down and my heart lurches into my throat.
Mav presses his cheek against the crown of my head. “Nice strike, beauty. The Bowling Tones are lucky to have you.”