Page 106 of Mine to Take

When fear bubbles up inside me, I stomp it out. I refuse to let anything dampen this moment. “We will. But not before I introduce you to my parents.”

31

Willow

Excitement crackles in the air as we step inside Slap Shotz. With the Wildcats riding high from their win this evening, there’s a heightened exuberance to the atmosphere that feels infectious. I’ve been pinned to Maverick’s side ever since he walked out of the locker room, kissed me in front of everyone, then introduced me to his family.

They were all so warm and welcoming. Even though I only spent a short period of time around them, it’s easy to see that he, his parents, and Juliette are tight knit. They offered to take us out to eat, but Maverick declined, wanting to celebrate their win tonight with his teammates.

Britt and Fallyn can’t stop beaming at me. The rest of the girls I’ve gotten to know this evening are just as warm and friendly. After the game, I tried cajoling Holland into sticking around, but she declined the offer.

She refuses to come within a fifty-foot radius of Bridger. I wish those two would just bury the hatchet and move on with their lives. But it’s doubtful that will happen anytime soon.

Once we settle at a table with all the other players and their girlfriends, he says, “I’m going to grab something at the bar. What can I get you?”

“Just a water.”

With a tilt of his head, he studies me carefully. “Do you mind if I have something? If you do, I won’t. It’s not a big deal.”

“I don’t mind at all.”

“Okay.” He rises to his feet before slipping his fingers beneath my chin and pressing his lips to mine for a quick kiss. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”

And then he’s gone, navigating his way through the thick crowd. People reach out to pat his shoulder as he saunters past. A few girls jump in his path and attempt to flirt. Giddiness explodes inside me when he doesn’t give them the time of day.

“I’m going to be completely honest here—I’ve never seen my brother like this before.”

My gaze slices to Juliette. I was so intent on Maverick that I didn’t realize she’d dropped down beside me.

Warmth spreads throughout my chest at the admittance. “Really?”

“Nope.” Her smile intensifies, as if she’s truly thrilled by the prospect.

“He doesn’t normally date?”

Her brow furrows as she shifts before leaning closer. “There was a girl in high school, but…”

I bite down on my tongue to keep everything trapped inside. I hate that he and my brother have this contentious past that sits between them.

It only makes it more imperative that I tell Maverick the truth about who I am as soon as possible. It sickens me that I’m keeping all these secrets when he’s been nothing but upfront and honest.

“Did he really like her?” As much as I don’t want to pry, I need to know.

Juliette nibbles at her lower lip as her gaze slices to her brother, who’s laughing with a few teammates near the bar. I can’t help but follow her line of sight. As soon as my attention lands on him, I’m slammed by the emotions that have taken root inside me.

How did I ever think that spending one night with him and walking away in the morning would be enough to satiate me?

He’s opened my eyes to so much. There’s no way to move forward and pretend that what I’ve experienced at his skilled hands doesn’t exist or never happened.

“Yeah, he did.”

I press my lips together, not wanting to ask for more details.

Little does she realize that I had a front-row seat to the fallout from the other side of things.

River was with Sabrina for more than twelve months. They broke up freshman year of college when they couldn’t make their long-distance relationship work. Even though she hurt Maverick, I liked her a lot. She’d sit with me when I wasn’t feeling well and we became friends. She didn’t mention Maverick very often, but even then, I was curious. At the time, her love story with River seemed romantic and meant to be.

In the end, it didn’t work out.

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