Page 65 of Maverick

"Yes, you. Every family thing I've been to since you moved in, I get asked where you are. Everyone's excited about a real life grandma living here. They're all jonesing for some quality time."

She stares at me, eyes wide, for a long moment. "Quality time with me?"

"You called most of them Son, or Honey, or Love, so now they're arguing about who's going to be the first to bake cookies with you. You're maybe not a traditional grandma, you swear too fucking much for that, but that only makes you more enticing tothe rest of my brothers. Nick had an amazing grandma, but he lost her too soon. The rest of us? We had to settle for whatever we saw on TV, so having you here, in our home? We couldn't be happier."

She shakes her head, a slow dawning smile breathing her face. "You're serious?" she asks, waiting for my nod. "I had no idea."

"I like having you in my home. You're funny. You're kind. You have some serious attitude that makes me like you all the more. If Cadence wasn't in the picture, I'd still want to spend time with you."

"But Cadence is in the picture."

"Right. And I'm really hooked on her. We've been mostly avoiding each other the last few weeks, but I don't want to do that anymore. But I also didn't see how I could start changing that without talking to you."

"Do you want me to clear out a little more?"

"No! That's not what I meant, at all. I just wanted to be respectful and if things progress the way I hope they will, Cadence and I…we…well. Shit."

Nan takes pity on me. "You're worried about me busting you with your hands on my granddaughter?"

"I'll be respectful, I swear, but yes, I'm worried Cadence is going to hold back with me, or use you as an excuse to not give me a chance. And I'm not asking you to step aside or give up your place in her life. I just...I just want a chance to be a part of it, too. To show her how much I care about her. But I won't do anything without your approval."

Nan is silent for a long moment, and I hold my breath, waiting for her response. Finally, she sighs, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"You have my blessing hon, but just saying, you may have a bit of an uphill battle. My Cady is stubborn, and fierce, and verymuch a woman of my own making. I made too many mistakes with Patty, so I tried to bring up Cadence to be strong and confident in herself, and I succeeded."

"I know that. That's all the stuff I like about her. You're not going to warn me off? Tell me to be respectful or some other protective shit."

Nan grins, the lines around her eyes nearly hiding them. "Oh honey, I don't need to do that. But I do have a warning for you." She leans closer, crooking a finger at me. "If she decides she's had enough of your shit, and tells you to back off for real, I suggest you listen. Or you may end up spending the rest of the summer in the hospital."

Um…okay?

21

CADENCE

Ican do this. It's not a big deal. I've told lots of guys I like them, and it's never gone bad.

The mental pep talk doesn't help. Maverick isn't just any guy, and our situation sure as hell is not simple.

And I've never cared this much about someone wanting me back. I've always been a 'lots of fish in the sea' kind of girl, so I never hesitated to cut someone loose, confident there would be another man when I wanted one.

I miss that confidence. I miss the stakes being low.

Exhaling, I push the door open. But instead of finding the place lit up with Nan cooking in the kitchen like I normally would, it's dark.

"Nan?" I call, pushing her door open. Empty. "Maverick?" I don't hear anyone. I guess I'm on my own for supper. One downside of living with a grandma who loves to cook is that it makes learning how to do anything more than grilled cheese completely unnecessary. I'd feel bad about it, but Nan lights up in the kitchen, especially when there's someone to cook for.

Food and cooking are love.

About to yank the fridge open and grab sandwich stuff, I spot the note. "Come upstairs when you get home," in Nan's handwriting. She knows how to use a smartphone, so she could have texted me, but the fact that she didn't is also totally her.

Handwritten notes are as much a part of my childhood as home cooking. Notes in my lunch kit, reminder notes on the bathroom mirror, passive aggressive little notes on my pillow when I snuck back into the house. The woman must have bat hearing, because I never went out without finding one of those notes when I got home.

Holding her note in my hand, I climb the stairs to Ransom's penthouse, my heart pounding with each step. What am I about to walk into? With these guys, it could be a simple supper, or a stolen tiger from an off-book circus. Either feels equally likely.

I push it open, revealing a scene that instantly melts away my nerves.

Nan, Jonas, Maverick, and Ransom are all huddled around the massive kitchen island, laughing and chatting as they roll out a variety of cookie doughs. Flour dusts their cheeks and shirts, and the countertop is a beautiful mess of mixing bowls, measuring cups, and colorful sprinkles.

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