CHAPTER 95
maverick
The red looks fine, right?” I asked as I glanced over to where Duke lounged around on my bed with his head hanging off the edge. His ears twitched, but that was about it. “You’re no help, you know that?”
“Are you talking to Duke again?” Roxy demanded.
My phone sat on my dresser on speaker as Roxy hung out with me while I got ready.
She wanted to come over, but that would only end in chaos, and I didn’t want chaos.
I wanted calm before I went on this date.
I needed it because I was definitely a bundle of nerves.
“He helps… sometimes,” I replied. Never. “Should I wear a tie?”
“Where is he taking you?”
“The Lakeside Reverie,” I told her. The restaurant had changed over the years, becoming even fancier than it was.
That meant I had to try harder. I couldn’t get away with jeans and a dress shirt anymore.
I only had a black suit and a handful of very standard dress shirts—enough to get by when I needed them. “I’m wearing the red shirt.”
“Oh, that’s a good color on you,” she commented.
“But do I wear a tie?”
“Will Harley be wearing a tie?”
“I don’t know.” I sighed. Why did this shit have to be so hard?
“Why don’t you just text him and ask?” Roxy suggested. I pressed my lips together tightly. Okay, that was one way to handle it.
“Would that be weird?” I asked. “Me texting him for clothing advice before a date? Fuck, that’s not who I am.”
“Yeah, but what if you show up and you’re not wearing a tie, but he’s wearing a tie?” she countered. “Then who’s going to look like an idiot?”
“At least I’m a sexy fucking idiot,” I shot back, making her laugh loudly.
“Maverick Fox: Sexy Fucking Idiot.”
“I’ll start putting that shit on my business cards,” I muttered. Caving, I swiped up on my phone and switched screens to text him, because the only way I’d know was if I asked.
Do I need to wear a tie tonight?
Are you wearing a tie?
Is this a tie-wearing kind of date?
HARLEY: You don’t need one, handsome, unless you want one. Just show up how you want.
I read the word handsome again, grinning stupidly. That was the first time he’d ever called me that. And yeah, I liked that a lot.
“Hello?” Roxy whistled. “Don’t you ignore me, Maverick Curtis Fox.”
“Sorry,” I mumbled as I continued to text Harley.
That’d be work boots and jeans, but I feel like that won’t be appropriate.
HARLEY: If that’s what you want to wear, then wear it. I’ll make sure it’s not an issue.
I chuckled at the idea of Harley handling a grumpy hostess if I showed up in my work clothes.
“Are you laughing at me?” she asked.
If you’re going to start fighting people, princess, make sure you wait until I’m there. I want front row seats to the Lowell Beatdown.
“No,” I replied, just barely hearing her.
HARLEY: That’s not a thing.
I have a feeling there’s a secret brawler in there, princess.
HARLEY: If you don’t get here, you won’t find out.
Be there soon.
“Fuck it. We’re skipping the tie,” I said. I was too damn excited to get out of there. I wasn’t about to spend another minute worrying about what tie to wear.
“Send me a picture!” Roxy quipped.
“I’m not sending you a goddamn picture,” I retorted. “But I am hanging up on you.”
“You should just bring me with you on—”
“Hell no.” I chuckled. “Later, Rox.”
“No, no, no! Wait! Take me with you, you little—”
I hung up. I’d apologize later when I had all the details of my date to share with her.
The parking lot at The Lakeside Reverie was empty, which surprised me. They were never empty. I saw a few cars around the side lot and assumed they were employee cars. They were too far out of the way to be anything else.
I parked as close to the door as I could. There was a sign taped to the door—one I had to get out to read it.
Closed For Private Event.
“Shit,” I muttered. I ran a hand through my hair. Closed for a private event? That wasn’t the plan. Did Harley know?
“Mr. Fox!” a young woman exclaimed as she came rushing out the door and almost hit me with it. I took one long step back. “I’m so sorry! We were supposed to have someone out here to greet you.”
“Why?” I asked. I wasn’t going to ask how she knew my name. Yeah, Wilde Bay was a small town, but not that small.
“Mr. Lowell rented out the restaurant,” she exclaimed.
Harley did what now?
“I’m sorry,” I began, “did you just say he rented out the restaurant?”
“For a private event, yes.” She nodded a little too enthusiastically with every word. “If you’ll just come with me…”
She held open the door for me, and I followed her inside. Quiet music grew louder as we passed the hostess station. We turned a corner, and there he was: my date for the evening. I slowed without meaning to, my steps stalling as I drank him in. Harley looked… he looked incredible.
One hand was tucked casually into the pocket of a dark navy suit that fit him perfectly, as if it had been molded and tailored to his body.
The jacket pulled clean across his shoulders and was trimmed to his lean waist. Under it, he wore a dress shirt in some shade of blue I couldn’t name.
The color was gorgeous against his fair skin and brought out his eyes.
Like me, he wasn’t wearing a tie, and the top button of his collar was undone in a look that I was instantly a fan of.
His beard was neatly trimmed, and his hair was styled, pushed back with a few rogue strays across his forehead.
For a second, I just stood there and stared. Harley always looked good—truly, I didn’t care what he wore. But fuck, he looked downright sinful against the setting sun. Yeah, I definitely needed a second to recover because every part of me appreciated the way he looked tonight.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get that second as he strode in my direction.
“Hi,” he greeted with a soft smile.
“You managed to get the place for a private event?” I asked, stupidly saying the first thing that popped into my head. At least it made him chuckle. “This last minute?”
“Yes.”
“Harley, they’re always booked.” The Lakeside Reverie was damn near impossible to get into. When he told me he had reservations for us, I figured it would be a last-minute table or even a spot by the bar. Renting out for an event required months of planning.
“I may have matched what they made last year to rent out the place tonight,” Harley informed me, his tone so casual it was almost off-putting.
He what? Had I heard him correctly? He paid a year’s worth of the restaurant’s profit just to have dinner with me? There was no way in hell that was a small number.
“You didn’t.”
“I did.”
“Harley!”
“I want to be able to have a conversation with you without worrying about someone’s kid yelling from the next table.” He shrugged as if that made complete sense.
“But you like kids,” I said.
“I like my kid,” he corrected. “There’s a difference.”
He leaned in and kissed me once, and I couldn’t help the smile. Grabbing his lapel, I pulled him right back for another kiss.
“Let me spoil you, handsome,” Harley said, and the pet name helped soften the blow of that kind of gift.
I could see how he braced for me to fight back and make it a whole thing.
Once upon a time, I would have. Money was still a thing I struggled with.
I budgeted like there was no tomorrow, and I thought about everything I spent, right down to the penny.
But I also knew that he didn’t have that problem.
He had the money, and I could be okay with it.
“Okay,” I replied. “But I want the best damn seat in the house. No middle of the restaurant shit. I expect a good table. We deserve the best table.”
He laughed, the relief genuine on his face.
“I think I can make that happen.” His smile was breathtaking. I’d never get over this version of his smile—the one that filled every part of his pretty face. It made the sunset over the lake look dull, and I wanted to bask in his glow.
The way I loved this man was unimaginable.