Page 80 of 10,000 Hours With A Rich Menace

“Nothing about this is traditional. I don’t even have an engagement ring. Why not do things our way, Mavie?”

He continued staring at me, making me second guess the idea to get married in city hall. “Give me another reason.”

“My mom isn’t here. I would want to do all those wedding things with her… have her brush my hair, help me with my dress, and make me feel seen on that special day.” I looked up into his eyes, the tears threatening to fall.

Every girl dreamed of getting married to the man of their dreams. While I wasn’t sure Maverick was the man of my dreams, a wedding was going to happen between us. A wedding that came with having those you love the most right by your side, and I only had two people on my side. My mother wasn’t here to give me something borrowed, blue, or new. She wasn’t here to sit in the front and dab her eyes as she watched me get married.

There wouldn’t be a celebratory toast where she told stories about how crazy I was as a child. I would never have those moments and having to go through a wedding, not being able to have those moments felt cruel and like a punishment.

Maverick abandoned the doorway and walked over toward me. He pulled me off the stool and hugged me. Put his arms around me and squeezed me as I squeezed him back, needing a hug like this.

Despite him initiating the hug, he was still a little stiff, but these were baby steps. The fact that he wanted to comfort me meant a lot to me. “Turn yo’ ass around, Magenta.”

She quickly turned around, and he held my face kissing my lips, and grabbing my ass. “Thank you,” I said when we finally broke away from our kiss.

“For what?”

“The hug. You don’t like hugs, and you hugged me.”

“I don’t like hugs, but I like hugging you.” He kissed me on the neck and then turned to leave. “You not giving her ass no groceries. Wonder, the disrespect don’t fly with Caselli’s.”

“I’m not a Caselli yet.”

He winked. “You wanna be, right? At city hall you said.”

I smiled. “Really?”

“I’m going to sit in the sauna… inform Jeffie of the changes, Chartreuse.”

Greene rolled her eyes and laughed, because he never got her name right, and he never used the same color, either. I sat backdown and looked at the canvas, while Greene came over and sat down.

“Do you do private coaching?”

“What?”

“That man doesn’t have a heart. I mean, I was almost sure he didn’t have one, and you got him walking around whistling and smiling. He asked me how I was doing and said my name right.”

“He did?”

“Well, he called me Emerald, but it was in the green family so I’m going to take that as a win. Then, he offered me some of his smoothie… poured me the rest he had in the blender. Gross by the way.” She gagged.

“Maybe he’s just feeling happier these days, Blue?” I teased her, pulling on one of her curls while we both laughed.

Greene placed her iPad down. “You are the reason he’s feeling happier these days. Now, maybe you can give me some tips on talking to Beans.”

“Ah, you have a crush on Beans?”

Beans didn’t come around the house often, other than when he had to talk to Maverick about something. I did notice the few times that he came over that Greene would be fixing her hair or trying to do something to keep busy.

“I wouldn’t say a crush…”

“Then what would you call it?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. How do I even approach him?”

“Greene, have you met me? I didn’t exactly have a bunch of men beating down my door. I’m someone that would still have a man circle yes or no to ask if he liked me. Be yourself, because clearly that is how you attract the real men.”

She smiled. “Thanks, Stevie.”

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