“It can be scary sometimes.And if you don’t know how to drive in snow, it can get dangerous really quickly.”Mav’s voice is deep and soothing.I swear I could listen to him talk for hours.
“Do you know how to drive in snow, Mom?”Danny pops his head between our seats and stares at me.
“Probably not as well as Maverick does.Please sit back, Danny.I don’t want you to get hurt if we hit another patch of ice.”
“You worry too much.”He rolls his eyes, making my heart sink.Rob used to tell me that all the time and it drove me crazy.I don’t want him to start saying it to me too.
“No, she doesn’t.She’s your mother.It’s her job to worry about you.God put her in your life to protect you and worry about you.No one else is going to do it, so you should appreciate what she does for you.”Maverick’s tone leaves no room for argument.He’s not rude or mean, but he’s firm in what he’s saying and he’s not backing down.
“You’re right,” Danny says softly.“I'm sorry, Mom.”
I glance over at Maverick as tears gather in my eyes.He’s amazing.Absolutely perfect.Rob would’ve teased me for hours if Danny spoke to me like that in front of him.He’d never correct him or put him in his place.
The rest of the drive is silent.As soon as we pull in the driveway, Danny takes my keys and hops out of the truck.He hurries up the walkway and into the house.
I climb out and keep my gaze down as I walk around the truck.I'm an emotional mess right now and I really don’t want Maverick to see it.
“Hey.”He reaches out and takes my hand in his.He leads me out of the snow and under the covered porch, but out of sight of the door.“Are you ok?”
“Thank you for… everything.”I chuckle as the first tear slips down my cheek.
“I didn’t do anything, Syd.”
“Yes, you did.It might feel like nothing to you, but it felt monumental to me.You’ve spent your entire day focused on my son.You stayed calm and collected when he hit you, even though I know you’re in pain.You brought us home and kept us safe… You made sure he was respectful to me, when you could’ve ignored it or teased me along with him.”I meet his eyes and the emotions in them makes me want to cry even harder.I want a man to look at me like this because he loves me and can't help but focus on me and nobody else.
“You’re his mother.It doesn’t matter what he thinks, he should be respectful.My daddy would’ve whooped my butt if I spoke to my mama like that.”He shakes his head.“Did Rob allow that?”
“Allow it?He encouraged it.”I snort, but it’s not funny at all.It’s embarrassing.
“I’ll fix it.Don’t worry about it.”Maverick wraps me in his embrace and presses a lingering kiss to my forehead.
I squeeze my eyes shut and try to memorize what I feel like right now.I know I'm not going to be held or cherished like this again for a long time.I might as well enjoy it.
“It’s not your job to fix my mess of a life,” I whisper.
“Your life isn't a mess, but I’d like a job application.”
“For what?”I scowl up at him, more than confused.
“You said it isn't my job to fix your life, I’d like to make it my job.”He brushes the tears off my cheek with the pads of his thumbs.
“Why?”
“Because I like you, Syd.I’ve had a soft spot for you since the first time I walked into Sydney’s Sweets and I saw you behind the counter smiling ear to ear.”
“What?You’re joking.”
“Not even a little.”He chuckles.“I had to fight with myself when I found out Rob left.Do you know how hard it’s been to stay away from you for so many months?”
“Why did you?”
“Because you needed to be there for the kids.You needed to mourn the loss of your marriage.”
“No part of me is upset about my marriage being over.I'm glad he’s gone.I don’t think I ever truly loved him.”
“Good.That will make it a little easier when I do this…” He leans in and presses a soft kiss to my lips.
Heat spreads up my neck and over my cheeks as electricity pumps through my veins, making me feel like I'm alive for the first time ever.Maverick tilts his head to the side and slips his hand around to the back of my neck.He holds me tightly against him with an arm around my waist.
