Chapter 2
Two
“Shay, hur-hurry up. You can’t make us late,” my brother demands, standing at the door of our hotel suite, bouncing on his feet, vibrating with excitement to get out of this room and see his favorite person.
My mom smirks from where she sits on the edge of one of the queen beds.
“Maverick doesn’t care how your hair looks,” he says, giving me wide, hurry-the-hell-up eyes.
I flash him a pointed look from where I stand in front of the mirror, and I hear my mom snicker from behind me.
"What?” He shrugs innocently. “He told me you’re the prettiest girl he’s ever seen. I doubt he cares about your hair.”
The queasiness in my stomach ever since my phone call with Symone last night has been surprisingly replaced with butterflies at my brother’s inside scoop.
My eyes meet my mom’s in the mirror, and I can tell she wants to say something, especially after I came back upset last night and she forced me to explain why.
I wipe my fingers under my eyes. I don’t feel so pretty today.
I could really use some of those under-eye patch thingies.
Instead, I opt for some concealer and mascara. I can feel my brother’s anxiety ramping up. He’s practically tapping a hole through the floor. Guilt washes over me. He doesn’t do well with being late, especially when he’s going somewhere new.
I toss my makeup back in my bag and notice a notification on my phone as I pull my hair into a ponytail.
“He just texted me,” I say to my brother. “I’ll tell him we’re about to walk down, okay?”
Mav
You feeling better?
Me
Better, but I feel like I shut it down with you guys last night, so ignore my puffy face.
Mav
I’m sure you are the cutest puffball.
Me
… be down in 5.
“Do you want us to bring you back some food?” I ask my mom.
She shakes her head. “Thank you, but your dad is bringing me something back.”
“Shaaayyy…” my brother whines from the door.
“Coming…” I hold up my finger and grab my hoodie, knowing I’ll probably get cold in the restaurant.
“Have you heard from Jordan today?” my mom asks softly.
“Oh yeah, he’s sent me, like, a whole book.” I roll my eyes.
“Do you believe him?” she asks as I tug my hoodie over my head.
Adjusting my ponytail again in the mirror, I look at her reflection. “I don’t know, Mama. Would you?”
She lets out a defeated huff, and I know she’s hurting right along with me. “Honey, I don’t know him like you do. Go with your gut.”
On command, my stomach sours with a sickening feeling all over again.
I won’t be eating much this morning.
As we step into the hotel restaurant, my brother walks right past the host to a beaming Maverick.
My chest squeezes as I watch Joey awkwardly determining if it’s okay to hug Maverick, and in true Maverick form, he pulls him in with no hesitation.
He’s always been so amazing with Joey. Over time, they’ve developed their own friendship.
Joey isn’t one to like touching people he isn’t comfortable with, but I remember witnessing the first time he hugged Maverick, and the emotion in Mav’s eyes had me wanting to protect them both forever.
Maverick may be a playboy, a flirt, and a hothead on the ice, but he’s one of the most genuine men I know.
Maverick LeBlanc is a rare breed. And one day, he’s going to make some lucky girl the most cherished person on earth, because that’s the thing about Maverick. If you’re one of his people, he’ll wrap you in one of his big hugs, and you’ll feel like the most special thing to him in that moment.
His friendship means more to me than he realizes.
I continue walking toward them, and he smiles when he sees me until he traces his eyes over every inch of my face. Even though I told him I didn’t feel good last night, I have a feeling he’s seeing through my bullshit.
If he asks, am I willing to tell him the truth?
“I figured they may not have one of these here and you might need it today,” Maverick says, holding his hand out toward me, and that’s when I notice the purple Gatorade.
My favorite flavor.
Have I ever even told him this was my favorite?
See, that’s the thing about Maverick; he notices things about his friends and does them without any expectations.
“A freaking lifesaver.” I take it from him and blow him a kiss. “Seriously, thank you.”
“It’s nothing, Little Moore.” He winks, teasing me with the nickname he started when the hockey team found out I was their coach’s daughter.
We all sit down and start looking at the menu. This would typically be the type of food I’d slam, but today, nothing sounds super appetizing.
“I already looked ahead to make sure they had pancakes, Joey Boy. I was going to have to take y’all down the road to the IHOP if not.” He smiles at my brother, making Joey laugh.
If only everyone could be this kind and patient with Joey.
“So, what’s Coach up to?”
“Probably giving our mom the good stuff by now,” Joey says nonchalantly as he looks over the menu.
Maverick almost spits his drink out.
“What?” Joey laughs. He may be sixteen, but he doesn’t have the same thoughts as most perverted teen boys do.
“Nothing, buddy,” Mav says as the waitress comes up and gets our drink order.
When she leaves, I clarify, “What Joey meant is that our dad went out to breakfast with the assistant coaches and he’s bringing Mom back some good food.”
“Ahh, so yeah, definitely the good stuff. Coach has good taste.”
Joey puts his hands up and gives us both a look like we are idiots. “Yeeeah, that’s what I meant.”
Maverick gives me a secret wink, and again, my stomach feels a little less sour.
“So we need to make a game plan for horseback lessons this summer. Maybe we can pick one day a week that y’all could come out to the ranch.”
“Yes, please. Please.” Joey practically bounces out of his seat.
We started going to Cane Creek Ranch, Mav’s home, about a month ago, so Joey could ride his horse. Maverick suggested it after reading that horseback riding is an effective therapy for children with autism. Once basketball season was over, I took him any chance Maverick had free time.
“I’m in class on Mondays and Wednesdays. And I’m going to be training in the mornings on most days too, but I do plan to go home on the weekends unless I go see my mom in Charlotte.” He looks to me. “Are you taking the whole summer off?”
“Mainly taking June off, we do have a week-long family vacay to Florida. Then, the second week of July, before Coach expects us back for summer workouts, we’ll host campers at Mountain Ridge, so I’ll be there that whole week and pretty much back for good at that point.
But I’m sure, just like before, Mom will meet me with Joey, and then we can ride out to Cane Creek together. ”
“Okay, well, for June, let's plan on Saturdays then. That okay?”
“Any day…” Joey chimes in quickly.
I laugh. “Yeah, Saturdays will be good.”
Jordan will hate that. But oh well, I don’t let him control me, especially when it comes to my brother. And even more so after last night.
“Maybe Coach and your mom could come out one weekend so Joey can show them how well he can ride, in person.” He smiles proudly over at Joey.
My chest warms. “They’d love that.”
“May have to put Coach on one of our wild ones.”
Joey breaks out into a fit of laughter at that.
“Perfect, we’ll set something up.”
I love spending time with Maverick, but it’s a slippery slope, because some days I find myself being drawn to him, even though I know I shouldn’t be. Sometimes I need to remind myself that our banter and his fun, flirty behavior is just Mav being Mav.
Two and a Half Years Ago
“He’s looking over here,” Symone says, nudging me.
I glance across the room and see him. Maverick Leblanc. Tall. Sexy. Tattooed. And the guy who’s been texting me daily for the past few weeks.
Even the flirty glint in his stare feels dangerous as his eyes trail over me from head to toe.
“Come on, let’s go over there.” I smirk.
“Atta girl,” Symone says.
I sashay over to him, my best friend in tow.
“We finally officially meet, Leblanc,” I greet confidently, extending my hand to his extra-large one.
He hesitates for a second before responding exactly how I expected.
“What do you mean? We’re already besties,” he says, tilting his head toward Sy, who’s at my side, and shrugs. “Sorry, she may not have told you because she didn’t want to hurt your feelings, but I’m Maverick Leblanc, Shay’s new best friend.”
And for the next few minutes, I feel every word he says deep down, swirling around with the butterflies he has swarming in my belly.
I walk away giddy and excited for our next interaction, hopeful for more time with him as the night goes on.
But about an hour later, when I see an upperclassmen flipping her brown hair as she sits happily on his lap, I realize that maybe I misread our whole interaction.
Him flirting with me was nothing out of the ordinary for him.
Maybe he really does just want to be my friend.
I make up my mind right then and there. Friends, it is then.