Page 73 of Forsaking All Others

“Well, I was just wondering what we’re going to do it with?”

“Woman, you’re kidding me, right?Thisis what couldn’t wait?”

He shakes his head and spins around, reaching for his humidor. Setting it on top of the table, he flips the lid open and takes out a cigar. Pushing it between his lips, he pats his kutte for a lighter and fixes me with a look.

“Wearen’t doing anything. You, on the other hand, are going to take that trailer and turn it into our new business venture just like we discussed.”

I cross my arms and lean my back against the door.

“I guess I wasn’t sure if that was still the plan.”

He lights the cigar and puffs on it a few times, before pulling it away from his lips.

“Why wouldn’t it?”

“I don’t know, Maverick,” I sigh.

Dragging my fingers through my hair, I push off the door and make my way toward him. I pull out the chair to the left of him and take a seat.

“We haven’t talked much about where we go from here.”

“Didn’t think you were there yet,” he replies softly.

I lift my eyes to his, watching as he sets the cigar in the ashtray.

“What does that mean?”

Blowing out a sigh, he reaches over the table and lays his hand over mine.

“It means, you’re grieving. It means, things have already changed drastically for you and the kids and I’m trying not to weigh you down.” He pauses, pulling a breath in through his nose. His jaw tightens and with a look of longing in his expressive eyes, he continues. “It means, I’m trying like hell to slow down and give you time to catch up, when all I want to do is reclaim what I lost.”

He pulls his hand away from mine.

“That answer your question?” he asks hoarsely.

“Yes.”

“Then are we done here?”

“I don’t want to pressure you, but the kids are getting restless, Maverick. They’re tired of sleeping together and miss their friends. I know it’s only been a couple of days but that’s an eternity in teenage time. Tara misses Mark—”

“I’m gonna stop you right there, baby. You want something from me do not try to get that something by telling me our teenage daughter misses her boyfriend.”

I cringe.

Yeah, that was a bad move.

“Right.”

He brings the cigar back to his mouth and leans back against the chair.

“The club is still on lockdown. Got another charter coming here tonight to discuss our next move, eventually I’ll be heading north, but I don’t know when that will be, and it doesn’t seem fair to keep you and the kids here all day and night. They need to go back to school and you need to get into a routine again.”

He flicks his ashes and cocks his head to the side.

“How’s your couch?”

“My couch.”

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