Page 56 of Don't Hurt Us
Chapter 26
Sydney
That’stheplan.
His words flash through my mind over and over again.I still can’t understand why Maverick has any interest in me.Why he’d want to share his life with me and become a father to my children?It just doesn’t make sense to me.
I yawn and stretch my arms over my head.I barely slept last night.I kept thinking about his comment and how when I peeked up at him, there was no hesitation.No second guessing.
He was serious when he said he plans to marry me.
“Hey, sweetheart.”Maverick wraps his arms around me from behind and presses a soft kiss to my neck.“Are you doing ok?”
He watches me carefully.I swear the man can see straight to my heart and knows what’s going through my mind every second of the day.
I take a deep breath and remind myself how Maverick keeps showing up.He keeps putting in the work and is always present.He’s been cutting back his hours more and more at the bar to make sure he’s home with us as much as he can be.He can’t possibly do anything more to prove he’s here for the long run.
“I'm doing great.I'm living with the man I love and I heard one day we’ll be getting married.”I grin.
I need to stop punishing Maverick for the sins of Rob.I have to make an effort to remind myself Mav’s never done anything to make me doubt his commitment to me or my children.He’s in this because he wants to be, not because he feels like he has to be.
“And you’re not freaking out about that?”He quirks a brow.
“I'm not letting myself.You’re right.You’re not Rob and I need to stop waiting for you to screw up and disappoint me.You’ve proven you’re here for us and I need to stop thinking differently.”
“I love that idea,” he murmurs as he presses his lips against mine.
I instantly melt into his arms and toy with his hair.I don’t know what I did to deserve a man like this, but I'm never letting go of him.I’d be stupid to let Rob’s screwups affect any other relationships in my life.
When Maverick ends our kiss, he cradles my head against his chest and sways to music I can’t hear.I swear I’ve never seen him so at peace.
“I think we should head over to the house while Peck and Sophia are here.Do one final walkthrough before being done with the place.Then I have baseball practice this afternoon with Danny’s team.”
“Ok, let me just check with Peck before we leave.”
Stepping inside the home I raised my children in, I take a deep breath and let it out slowly.I'm going to miss this place.I loved this house when we were looking for a place to buy, but now I hate everything about it.
I dreamed of cuddling up on the couch with the fireplace warming the space, yet we never did that because Rob said the fireplace made our home too hot and he didn’t like the smell of burning wood.
I wanted to spend all day in the kitchen cooking various things and stocking the fridge of food for my family to eat.Instead, Rob complained every time I cooked.He said I didn’t know what I was doing and how I should stick to baking… But how I should only do that at the store so I didn’t dirty the kitchen.
There are so many things in this house I dreamed of enjoying, but Rob ruined each and every one of them for me.
I move towards the kitchen and check every drawer and cabinet.I'm about to leave the kitchen when Maverick stops me.
“Check in the drawer under the oven.I forgot about that space when I left my old place to move into the house.I left behind some things I loved.”
“I don’t think I have any…” the words die on my tongue as I pull the drawer open and find Mom’s old cookie sheets.I didn’t know they were in here.I thought I had lost them.
Tears flood my eyes as I think about how upset I was when I couldn’t find these.Rob must’ve put them in here just to hurt me.He knew I was going crazy looking for them.
“Are you ok?”Maverick steps up behind me and hugs me to his chest.
“I thought these were gone.He must’ve hidden them here so I couldn’t find them.I never stored anything in here.”
“Well, now we know we have to check every inch of the house.Who knows what else he could’ve hidden.”
I hadn’t checked the cabinet above the fridge since I was never tall enough to reach it, but when Maverick opens it, I gasp.There are over a dozen items I’ve looked for over the years.Things that meant so much to me and I was crushed when I thought I had lost them.
