Chapter 36
The sun was blinding as we pushed open the heavy doors, but dark oppressing clouds were rolling in, getting ready to blanket the city with sheets of rain.
I shielded my eyes and threaded my arm with Dad’s, watching as our shadows danced along the stone steps that led to the parking lot.
I squared my shoulders, trying to relieve the tension brewed from sleepless nights and restless thoughts.
As we made it to the bottom of the steps, I spotted a familiar figure leaning against a fence covered with creeping ivy.
Maverick.
His dark jacket was slightly rumpled, and his hands were in his front pockets as his eyes locked on mine.
Our fight still lingered in my memory—angry words, harsh tones, and then the kind of silence that feels like a brick wall.
But beyond that, seeing him waiting gave me a flicker of hope.
A match striking in pitch blackness to illuminate the darkness.
For a moment, I froze, making Dad stumble and look around for the source of my confusion. He huffed and patted the hand that was threaded through his arm, turning to whisper, “He was there, you know. Sitting behind me. I tried to get your attention, but you wouldn’t turn around.”
My head jerked to him as he nodded, pulling his arm from mine and crossing them. Had Maverick been there? Hearing Trey’s hateful words and my meek responses?
“I apologized to him about the doctor, and he told me how proud he was, watching you fight for what you deserved.”
“Are you serious, Dad?”
We hadn’t spoken since our fight, spewing words sharp enough to cut and accusations borne from stress and fear.
Time slowed as Maverick moved toward us while my feet remained rooted in place, feeling like they were stuck in two cement blocks.
I hardly dared to breathe as Dad placed a steadying hand on my back and leaned in to whisper, “Absolutely.”
Within seconds, he stood in front of us, looking rumpled but still more handsome than any man had a right to.
Dad stretched out his hand, gripping Maverick’s firmly before letting go. “Hi, Son. Good to see you.”
I focused on a crack in the pavement, terrified of what I’d see when I met his eyes.
“Good morning again, sir,” he said softly. His voice sounded timid and unsure, causing my gaze to find his.
My fears were quickly put to rest, because when my eyes traveled from his shoes past his stomach and to his face, I wasn’t met with scorn or anger, but with raw vulnerability.
“You’re here. What are you doing here?” I asked, voice laced with confusion.
Dad took a step to the side, giving us space. “Where else would I be?”
“After our fight, I didn’t think there was anything left to say.”
“We both said a lot that day, Summer. But I have to believe there are better…kinder words still to be said. I was angry, and I said a lot of things I shouldn’t have. But I wasn’t going to let you face the aftermath of today alone. And I was hoping for the chance to talk.”
My breath caught in my throat, the bitterness from our fight feeling distant, drowned out by the relief at having him there.
“So, I heard you saw a good show. Trey tried to make me look like a thief,” I said, taking a step closer toward him.
“Yeah,” Dad added, keeping his arms crossed and his eyes hard as he watched the scene unfold. “Luckily your girl had a damn good lawyer, and her ex was a shitgibbon of the highest degree.”
His subtle use of your girl wasn’t missed, but I refused to let myself assume, knowing we still had plenty of baggage to deal with.
“I caught the final act, all right,” Maverick said, tilting his head and half-smiling. “The judge wasn’t fooled for a second.”
“Thank goodness. But it still feels like I just stepped off the battlefield.”
He stepped closer, reaching toward me before shaking his head and dropping his hands to his side.
“You didn’t just win your case, Summer. You protected what mattered.
That’s who you are. That’s why—” He hesitated, voice low but steady as his gaze stayed on mine.
“That’s why I came. I couldn’t stand not being here with you. ”
My throat burned and I didn’t fight the swell of emotions threatening to spill over.
“Even after what I said?” I exhaled, curling into myself and wanting nothing more than to disappear.
“Especially after what you said. It may have been harsh, but it was the truth, and something I needed to hear.”
Without thinking, I stepped into his space, wrapping my arms around his waist and burying my head against his chest. His breath hitched, but his hands stayed by his side. I waited, holding him tight and silently hoping he’d choose me. Choose us.
One breath turned into two, and then three.
By the fourth, I wondered if he’d only shown up because he didn’t want to go back on his word, and not because of how he felt about us.
When I exhaled for the fifth time, my arms loosened and I closed my eyes, keeping my face pressed to his chest—wanting to remember his scent and feel before breaking away.
As my fingers skimmed his side, trailing down his body before letting go, he grasped them, wrapping them back around his waist before tugging me closer.
One hand cupped my head while the other settled on my back, rubbing soothing circles.
We stood there, in the middle of the sidewalk, grasping each other like we were the only two people left on the planet.
Dad cleared his throat, and I lifted my head from Maverick’s chest, blushing as I looked at my father. He winked, silently giving me the approval he never had with Trey.
“Why don’t we take a raincheck for lunch.”
“Oh, Dad. There’s no reason for that,” I said, taking one step away from Maverick, but keeping our hands intertwined.
“That’s all right, sir. It wasn’t my intention to interrupt your lunch date.”
“Nonsense. I’m glad you’re here. This way I won’t be stuck eating a salad.”
I rolled my eyes as Dad stepped up to Maverick, stretching out a hand. They shook, and Dad lightly slapped him on the back.
“You’ll be okay?” he asked, setting a hand on my shoulder. I nodded, shamelessly smiling as Dad took his keys out of his pocket and headed to his car.
The courtroom doors opened with a bang, sounding like a gunshot and making me jump.
I turned to the noise, watching Trey step out into the sunlight, his face tight with fury.
His fiancée followed, but he paid her no mind, and I immediately felt a pang of sympathy.
He paused when he saw us, and I crowded Maverick’s space, laying my head back against his chest.
Trey’s jaw clenched, but he said nothing, quickly descending the steps and walking in the opposite direction.
The passing crowd swallowed him whole as his fiancée followed with her head held high and one hand resting protectively on her stomach.
I turned away, not watching them go, and not caring where they went.
As the noise of the city swirled around us, I felt untouchable.
Traffic, distant horns, and footsteps sounded around us, but as Maverick’s hand stayed in mine, squeezing, I knew nothing else mattered.
Sometimes victory wasn’t about what you gained, but what you refused to lose—and I refused to lose him.