Page 19 of Shot to the Hart

“Ooo, daisies, but sunflowers are a close second.”

“That’s enough, Dom. Let the woman eat,” Nik demands.

“Fine, Dad. Last one, I promise, and this one is the most important. Favorite food?” Dom asks with a huff.

“I can’t pick one dish. Favorite cuisine though, Mexican.”

He turns to me with a confident grin. “I’ll have to host the next family dinner and make my moms famous tacos.”

Maverick chuckles, “By making his moms famous tacos, he means he will bring the ingredients to his Moms house and she will make them.” This gains some laughs around the table.

Dom turns red and focuses on his food before I lean over and whisper, “Regardless of whether you or your mom make them, I’m sure they will be delicious. Can’t wait.” This earns a smile, and he immediately is back to his bright and bubbly demeanor.

The guys are great and I’m kind of glad I got to meet them, but I’m beat. Once Nik and Collins are clearing the table, I look to Maverick and ask, “Do you mind showing me to my room? I’m tired, and I think I could use a shower and sleep.”

“I was just about to put Bella down for the night, would you like to see her bedtime routine first?” he replies.

“Yes, of course.” He scoops Arabella up after the guys pass her around the room for hugs and forehead kisses. This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, and I am in awe of how loved this little girl is. It puts an ache in my chest, unwanted feelings creep their way to the forefront of my brain.

I begin following them down the hallway where we take a right into Arabella's room. Along one wall is a sun mural that says, “You are my sunshine” painted into it, and below lays hersmall bed with sunshine and daisy sheets that match her mural. Toys litter her floor, and my eyes immediately find Floppy in the corner. I grab him and place him in her bed.

Maverick catches my attention, leading me into her attached bathroom and guides me through her night time routine. “She doesn’t enjoy getting her hair brushed, but if you brush it while she’s ‘brushing’ her teeth it makes it easier. Or, in the mornings, while she’s watching TV. It’s curly, so I definitely recommend you braid it before bed,” he mentions as he expertly french braids her hair then helps her finish her teeth. “So, when needed, she loves a bath, she has a ton of toys as you can see, but we are going to forgo that tonight. Alright, Bella, go pick two books and we can show Ms. Kodi how you read.” I watch in awe from the opposite side of Bella’s bed as Maverick reads The Rainbow Fish and Llama Llama Red Pajama, Bella finishing some of the lines for him, and I can’t help but smile at them. He turns her nightlight and sound machine on once he’s read the books. Simple enough. I think she and I will be able to manage that.

The last step brings that ache back to my heart, those unwanted feelings and thoughts from earlier come boiling back to the surface with a vengeance. Maverick leans down, placing a gentle kiss on Bella’s forehead, and she giggles, beaming up at him. My father worked so much that I never got these experiences, my mom did everything for me. And then one day, when I was about eight years old, he left us. He has a whole other family out there, getting the love and time that Mom and I never did. It leads me to wonder if my half-siblings got this sort of bedtime routine from him. At least that’s what I see on his social media, the only way he ever bothered to let me into his life since he left. Bella is one lucky little girl to be so loved and cared for.

12

MAVERICK

MAN, AM I FUCKED.

Afew thoughts ran through my head during dinner and I’m reflecting on them as Kodi follows me quietly out of Bella’s room and down the hall. I don’t like how close she was when she was speaking with Dom, I found myself wishing she was leaning into me and laughing as I asked her all of her favorite things. I don’t like the suggestive glares she received from everyone when she walked in. I definitely logged all of her favorites in my brain for a later time, just in case I need them.Even though I definitely shouldn’t need them.

I selfishly put her in the bedroom closest to mine, even though I should have put her across the hall from Bella to make her job easier.

She steps into her room behind me and gasps. The room isn’t much smaller than mine, I made sure she has a king bed, plenty of storage, and her ensuite has a standalone tub so she can unwind whenever she likes. “Maverick. This is too much. I really. . .Honestly, I just need a bed,” she laughs lightly.

“You deserve a space to escape, and I want you to be as comfortable as possible here.” She gives me a tight smile, shifting her weight back and forth letting me know she’s uncomfortable, and I immediately feel as though maybe I overstepped. “Kodi, I’m sorry. I just. . .we’ve never had anyone stay here, and I wanted. . .”

Before I can continue my nervous ramble she cuts me off, “Hey, hey. It’s okay. I’ve just never in my life had this much space to call my own. I mean, I was sleeping on a couch before you offered me this job, so I really do appreciate it. Tonight was just a little overwhelming, I’m out of energy and well,thank you, seriously.” Just the confirmation that she appreciates the effort I’ve made is enough to calm my nerves about the situation.

To be truthful, I haven’t had a woman in my home since Arabella’s mother left in the middle of the night without a word. Having Kodi stay here, although we’re not involved, still makes me nervous for Arabella's heart, and truthfully, mine too. If Kodi ever decides to move onto a different job, I get transferred back to the team in Carolina, or I meet someone being a few of the possibilities that could leave Bella and I brokenhearted. That’s not including the ways that I refuse to give any thought to how beautiful she looks in the dim lamp light checking out the books on the shelves I had installed, or the way her curves call for me to grab them in the leggings that I crave to slide down her legs.

“I love to read, I can’t wait to arrange my personal collection on these,” Kodi says as she turns to me and gives me a shy smile and runs a hand along the shelves.

“What do you read?” I swear she turns a little pink, but maybe I’m imagining it.

“Oh, just uh… romance mostly.” I wonder if she reads monster romance, or if she's into fantasies or classics like Pride and Prejudice. Or, if she’s into the ones that Grace refers to asher spicy books. I didn’t need to know my little sister reads spicy books, but she subjected me to that information against my will.

“Well, I will leave you with your romance books and your space. My room is just a little further down the hall if you need anything at all. The guys will probably hang out a little longer, so if they get too loud, just text me, and I’ll shut them up. Goodnight, Kodi.”

“Goodnight, Maverick. Thank you again.”

I head towards the theater, where the guys normally gather while I put Arabella to bed. A giant screen built into the wall sits on the far wall, a big black sectional takes up a majority of the floor space, and a small mini bar, snack pantry, and popcorn machine line the back wall. Sure enough, they have the Nintendo on. Dom is spread out on the floor, a pillow tucked under his chin near Nik’s feet with snacks while Nik is typing on his phone with a scowl. Collins and Tatum seem to be in the middle of a very intense round of Mario Kart.

“Dude, throw another shell at me and see what happens!” Collins growls through gritted teeth. Tate responds with only a laugh.

I opt to plop down next to Nik, “You okay dude?”

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