Page 55 of Want You Back

“Please?” Willow held up her current favorite game, a silly one with a unicorn theme. “It’s more fun with three.” She turned up the charm, eyes going big and pleading. “I think Hannah needs the distraction.”

She had me, and she knew it because she started grinning even before I nodded. “Good point.” I pointed toward the kitchen. “Set up the table for us.”

Hannah had never played the unicorn game, but she took it as seriously as her uncle used to tackle new arcade game levels. She had a solemness to her that also reminded me of Maverick, a wariness that never quite left her eyes even when she was having fun.

“You’re good at strategy,” I told Hannah as she won round one of the game. For not knowing the rules, she’d done well at countering Willow’s and my efforts. Maverick would have played with an all-out recklessness, but Hannah’s more cautious style had nevertheless led to the win. “You remind me of your Uncle Maverick. He was always good at creative problem-solving.”

“I guess.” Hannah shrugged, not cracking a smile. Willow shuffled the cards for another round, and we continued playing until Hannah’s phone chimed. “Uncle Maverick is on his way here. He wants to know if we’ve had dinner yet? He says he could bring some steaks for the grill.”

“Tell him thank you.” I smiled because Maverick had evidently remembered the state of my fridge. “I’ll get the grill preheating.”

We kept our grill out on the small cement patio behind the house. After Maverick arrived, the girls opted to stay indoors with the air conditioning while Maverick followed me out to my grill, toting a Lovelorn Market bag full of meat and vegetables.

“Thanks for having Hannah.” Maverick laid out his haul on the prep table near the grill. I’d anticipated his needs and had seasoning, oil, and utensils at the ready.

“She’s good for Willow.” I joined him in readying the food for the grill. We were a good team, even in something as simple as cooking. Maverick prepared vegetable skewers while I seasoned the steak and tried to keep the conversation light, not ask the questions churning in my gut. “We played a card game. She reminds me of you. Very crafty.”

“Ha. We are related.” Maverick gave a proud smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“She’s also like you in that she’s seen some stuff.” So much for easy small talk, but I welcomed the chance to share my observations. “Carries more weight than a thirteen-year-old should shoulder.”

“Yeah.” Maverick’s shoulders stiffened as he whacked the onion he’d been chopping that much harder. “I wish I could shield her from more of what’s going on with Faith.”

“How did that end up?” I kept my voice cautiously neutral.

“I told Faith I didn’t want to fight the will.”Whack. Whack. Whack.Maverick made quick work of chopping the remaining vegetables. “She took that about as well as you’d imagine. She stormed off. Adler took me to an AA meeting. Left him back at the ranch because he wanted to take the chance to work on his résumé. Think he also wanted to give us a little alone time.”

“Good friend.” Maybe Adler was growing on me as well. He did seem like he was genuinely trying to help Maverick. I arranged the steaks on the hot grill. “Did the meeting help?”

“A little.” Maverick let out a harsh exhale. “I might have to fight her for more than the ranch.”

“Do it.” My afternoon with the girls had convinced me that no matter what else happened, Maverick needed to center Hannah. “Seriously. I’ve seen far too many kids in Hannah’s situation, you included. And I couldn’t intervene back then, but you have the power to do that for Hannah. Be there for her.”

“I’m trying.” Maverick handed me the finished vegetable skewers to add to the grill. The meat sizzled, charred scent filling the air.

“Even if it means following Faith to Houston, that’s what you should do.” I very purposely didn’t glance over at him.

Maverick made a noise that was somewhere between hurt and frustration. “You want me to leave?”

“I’m not saying that.” I pursed my lips, concentrating on flipping steaks. “But family first, always.”

I said the motto so often it might as well join my collection of tattoos on my arms. My own personal preferences were irrelevant. Maverick needed to put Hannah and Faith ahead of whatever we had going here, and that was simply a truth I’d have to swallow.

“You matter too.” He always was a stubborn one.

“I’m not a kid.” I focused all my attention on turning skewers as if I’d be graded on the results.

“No, you’re the man I love, and that counts for something.” Maverick stood beside me, shoulder to shoulder, not letting me ignore his presence. “I’m going to fight for us too.”

“Okay.” I truly didn’t want to argue. Sweat rolled down my back, and my neck was stiff and creaky from the effort of not looking at Maverick. He’d said love, and my heart had thrilled even as my stomach clenched. Love did count for something, but not nearly enough.

“Okay?” Maverick scoffed. “How about telling me you’ll fight for us too?”

Inhale. Exhale. Try to find words that might salvage the evening without bold-faced lying.

“You can’t do that.” Maverick didn’t wait for my reply. “You’ve already packed my bags for me. For all your talk about saving the ranch, you’d let me sell rather than put your own heart on the line.”

“Mav—” I couldn’t not look at him now, and his face was a mask of tight pain. I hated this for all of us. Most of all, I hated that I couldn’t seem to summon the belief he so desperately needed.

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