Page 94 of Best Part of Me

Maverick takes one step forward, and I move with him, still clutching his sweater. “Jones, just let me explain.”

“You womanizing asshole. I’m gonna fucking kill you.” Jones advances toward him, but I shoot in between them, shielding Maverick.

“Jones, stop,” I say, my voice steady as I hold out my palms. “It’s not like that.”

“No? Did you know he has naked pictures of you on his phone?” Jones bellows.

I drop my chin. Suddenly Dad is standing at the doorway too. And now I’m not so sure I should confess. Maybe us ending things would’ve been better than this.

“I did. I do. And I’m not naked,” I argue.

“Boy, you better start explaining,” Dad says to Maverick, as if he’s looking straight through me.

“Dad,” I speak slowly. “Maverick loves me. And I love him.”

My confession is out in the open for everyone to hear. It feels as if a weight has been lifted. All that sneaking around and worrying about hurting someone. It’s out in the open now.

“He doesn’t love you,” Jones spits out. “He can’t. He doesn’t know how to love anyone but himself.”

My jaw ticks, flames licking my face as anger fills me. “That’s not true. Because he loves you.”

“Fuck that. If he did, he wouldn’t be messing around with my little sister. Filling her head with promises he can’t keep. Being just another number for him.”

“She’s not just another number. I care about her. I love her,” Maverick admits.

I whip my head around to face him. Almost as if I’m surprised to hear his confession too. But it’s not the statement that surprises me, it’s the declaration. In front of Jones, Dad, Grandma Nettie, Gigi, and Rosie.

And for the first time, this thing between us feels real.

Jones’s eyes water, and he points his finger in Maverick’s face. “Don’t. Don’t you say that.”

“It’s true, man,” Maverick says, but he’s not looking at Jones when he does, rather, he’s staring directly at me. Gazing into my eyes.

And that’s why, when Jones reels his fist back, Maverick isn’t expecting it, and he ducks too late, and Jones gets in a decent punch straight to the jaw. Maverick sets his palm against the sting and adjusts his jaw in his hand.

“Get the hell outta here. I don’t ever want to see you again,” Jones sneers.

“Camille.” Dad’s voice finally sounds out. “Is that where you were? You were withhim?” He points at Maverick now too.

There’s a short battle in my mind over whether I should admit to everything or lie. But after a bit of repressing, I finally nod. If Maverick and I have any hope of a relationship together, we have to tell the truth.

Dad exhales, propping his hands on his hips. “You know how I feel about him.”

“Dad,” I say, losing control of my voice as my chin wobbles.

“And what would your mother say?”

It’s that comment that does it, that breaks me. Glossy eyes turn to gushing tears and sobs I can’t swallow back.

Grandma Nettie enters the kitchen and wraps an arm around my waist. “That’s enough, Jackie.” She uses the childish nickname she’s always called him.

The entire house is quiet. It’s never quiet, and it’s eerie. I’m the one always talking and filling it with noise. If it’s not me talking, it’s my music buzzing. And it seems it will be no different this time.

“You know what, Dad.” My voice rumbles in my chest. “As much as we hate it, Mom isn’t here. So we can’t ask her what she thinks.”

“I think we already know,” Jones mutters.

“I’d like to think Mom would tell me to do what’s in my heart, to do what makes me happy. Mom was the only person concerned about my happiness. Chris never asked me what I wanted. No other guy I dated before him asked what I wanted. But Maverick did.” Jones rolls his eyes and huffs loudly, but I ignore him and continue. “And guess what? Maverick doesn’t just make me happy, he really knows me. He sees me.” I reach out for his hand, and he accepts, despite Jones’s groans. “No more sneaking around.”

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