Page 125 of Stutter

I roll my eyes. “I’d have to be blind and deaf not to notice when you disappear forhourswithout a peep.”

He grunts and gives me nothing more.

________

“You’ll be there?”

“Yes, Pup, we’ll be there. We wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I promise, kissing him, and then Raven leans up on her toes to kiss him as well.

He looks at the door then back to us then back at the door, holding his duffle.

“Go, Jonas. When we come back we’ll celebrate your birthday before we go to your mom’s for dinner.” Maverick grins.

“I don’t want to.” He drops the duffle and holds his arms out. Raven wastes no time jumping back into his arms. As if she hasn’t already been clinging to him like a koala bear all morning. It’ll be the first time they spend the entire night apart in a very long time. “It’s only an hour away,” he says into the crook of her neck, inhaling our sweet girl’s sweet jasmine and berries signature scent. “I’ll call Coach Sutton and tell him I’ll be there in the morning instead.”

Raven nods like it’s the best idea she’s ever heard in her entire life.

“Pup,” I manage to say but the look he gives me kills me. There’stearsin his eyes. I groan internally when Raven looks back at me with tears in her eyes. I’m about to call Maverick for backup because I’m fucking weak. Fuck they kill me.

“Get your ass in the car, Jonas, or I’m driving you myself. Get into winner mode and get fucking right in the head. You have scouts from every northeastern team looking at you. Go make us proud. Have time with your teammates. Just, you know, don’t get into another fight.” He warns.

“Can I take her with me?”

“No.” We say at the same time.

“You guys are so mean!” She whispers something in his ear, but he shakes his head. “You don’t fit in there remember? We already tried.”

“Were you trying to take her in your duffle bag?” Maverick asks but there’s amusement in his tone and I bite back my grin. Of course they would try to find a way to sneak her away.

They’re adorable.

“We just wanted to see if she fit.” He explains.

I break out into laughter. “That thing is barely large enough for three sweaters and your cleats.”

“Wanted to cover all the bases.” He sighs heavily, (dramatically) “Okay baby. I gotta go. I’ll see you in the morning. Please don’t be late. I need my good luck kiss.”

The man doesn’t run on luck. He and Raven are the two most determined people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.

________

He doesn’t care that they lost by one point.

He only cares that when he gets out of the locker room, Raven finds him.

He only cares that the next day, on January twelfth, while we’re out eating and celebrating his birthday, she’s holding his hand.

He only cares that when we wake up the next morning in his familial estate to see Elena, Raven wakes up between us so we can share her before facing the day.

When those scouts call one final time, he agrees to meet with them, which makes Maverick’s eyes sparkle with pride.

And me?

I’m the most content I’ve ever been in my life, which is why that nagging feeling the other shoe is about to drop makes me dream awful things, and I wake up in the middle of the night and inject Raven with one more biochip in her shoulder.

Just in case.

Then I tug her just a little closer, so those dreams don’t come back.

---