Page 30 of Reclaiming Kendall

Appreciate What You’re Given

The next morning when everyone leaves for work, Mav heads out to drop Will off at school. I've got a five-day weekend due to cancellations, and I'm kind of hoping it stays that way. I need to get some of the stuff done around the house that I've been putting off. Cleaning duties are always divided between the five of us, but I'm the worst at procrastinating. Normally, the guys pick up my slack and never complain. I vacuum all three levels of the house before Mav makes it back home.

I've got music playing from my phone in my back pocket and between that and the vacuum, I never even hear him come in. When I turn, the sight of him propped against the door frame with his arms crossed against his chest startles me so hard, I drop the handle of the vacuum.

One side of his lips tilt up as I grab it quickly and shut it off, "You scared the crap out of me."

"So, I saw," he says still smiling. "Feel like going over to the country club and playing some tennis?"

When we first moved back home, the guys made sure to make me a member over there, so I could enjoy all the amenities that they do such as the tennis courts and such. Almost everything else we already have here, like a gym and swimming pool. Sometimes, Ry and I will go play a game or two of tennis, or we've gone to watch the guys when they play basketball.

"Sure," I tell him, knowing he needs to let off some steam. Deep down I'm excited he asked me to go with him instead of just hitting the gym like he normally would. Plus, we'll get to see Grant if he's not too busy.

"Give me a sec to change?" I ask.

He nods his confirmation but doesn't leave. Choosing to stay and watch me, instead. I roll the vacuum cord up and stash it back in the corner of our closet before changing into the little white tennis skirt and polo shirt. I'm using the mirror to style my hair up into a neat ponytail when I notice he's followed me into the closet. If I wasn't acutely aware of Mav's personality, it might freak me out a little how he simply watches without saying a word. Knowing him the way that I do, I'm one hundred percent sure he's just biding his time until he's ready, and I'm okay giving him that. Hell, today might just be one of those days where he simply needs companionship without all the extra stuff.

I grab my tennis racket out of the corner before turning to him, "Ready?"

Taking my hand, he nods before leading us downstairs. Just as we're about to get into his new Rover, the garage door slides open, and Teagan's Jeep pulls into its spot. When the guys gave me so much shit about picking a new car, I really laid into them because the only one of them that has kept the same ride since we've been together is Lucas. Well, Grant did, too, but his doesn't count since he didn't take it to college with us. It's an antique truck that Lucas and his brothers rebuilt forever ago, and Grant didn't want to put the extra miles on it as he says just scooting around campus. Mav and Teagan both stuck with the same make when they upgraded to newer versions.

Pulling myself out of my thoughts, I direct a smile towards where Teagan is climbing out of his Jeep, "What are you doing home so early, pumpkin?"

His lips pull back into a wide grin at the nickname, "We had an administrative half-day today, so I bonked as soon as I could."

"Wanna go with us over to the club to play some tennis?" I offer.

He puts a few seconds of thought into it before he declines, "Not today, but thanks, sweets. I might go in and take a nap or mow the grass or something. Someone is slacking lately."

The last is said a little louder, but with a wink letting me know he's just kidding. I can almost hear Mav's eyes rolling in the Rover behind me. Teagan makes his way over to me and drops a kiss on my lips before heading inside, and I hop in with Mav.

Turning the radio on to a low volume, I sing along with a few of the songs on our drive. Mav sneaks a few glances at me when he thinks that I'm not looking and eventually, reaches out to link his fingers with mine before pulling them up to his lips. It's in some of the smallest moments such as these that remind me why I fell in love with them in the first place.

When the club comes into view, I extract my hand from his. Every time we come here, it makes my palms sweaty and my heart race. The guys were brought up in this life, but I feel out of place a lot of times. I dealt with the stares and name calling, growing up as the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Now, I can even deal with the whispering because of our lifestyle. What I can't handle is some of the snotty upper society that come here treating me like a gold digger. I always leave wondering if it's truly happening or if I'm so self-conscious that I'm making the shit up.

Grabbing my racket, I follow Mav inside where he stops at the front desk to check in. Once done, he tows me toward the gym where we run into none other than Grant and Ryleigh coming out of the main door.

"Hey, sweetheart," Grant says as he spots us.

I throw my arms around him and reach up on my toes for a kiss. He complies, and I turn to Ry, "Dude, what are you doing here?"

At the same time, she says, "Fancy meeting you here."

It makes us giggle, and I hold up my racket. We've had the Ryleigh hates tennis discussion plenty of times, so her eye roll doesn't surprise me. No, what does that is when she grabs my upper arm and pulls me away from the guys, announcing that we'd be right back. She's never held back anything while I'm with one of them, even Lucas, and it's about Logan. Mav's eyebrow tips up, and I shrug following her around the corner.

"What's going on?" I ask once we're out of earshot, and she turns around.

She holds her hands up in surrender, "Okay, hear me out before you say anything. You know better than anyone how I feel about my self-worth and all that jazz. Here lately, I've been feeling completely subpar compared to Logan."

I go to open my mouth and debate but remember her request and shut it just as quickly, so she can continue, "It probably sounds stupid as fuck I know. I'm not changing myself for him. I'd never do that. I just want to be happy with myself again. I've really let myself go since I graduated."

Her rambling means she's really is super nervous, so I put on my best friend hat, "Hey, I'm not judging or anything. But as long as it’s for you and not because of him or something he said. I will kick his ass, and so will his brothers."

"No, no, it's nothing like that,” she assures me. "I'm not changing for any man, and that includes Logan Rowe."

"Why didn't you just come to the house?" I ask in all seriousness.

She shrugs, "I know that guys talk, and I didn't want one of yours slipping up and saying something to him by accident. Goose was already doing his training thing here, so I figured I'd take advantage of that. He would never say anything if I didn't want him to."

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