Page 22 of Can't Get Enough

“He struck me as a very private man.”

Except for the fact he told me some really personal shit within minutes of meeting me. That was, I know certain, out of character.

“He definitely is,” Skipper agrees. “But she isn’t. I mean, everyone said they were a mismatch in a lot of ways from the beginning. Obviously she’s drop-dead gorgeous, and he’s rich as hell.”

Something itches under my skin at hearing Maverick reduced to his net worth. Sure, Zere is one of the most beautiful women in the world, but that man… well, anyone would be lucky to have him. He’s fine, yes, but so much more. I learned that in the limited time I spent with him. He’s smart and funny and compassionate. And has a quiet, compelling quality that tunes a room in to his frequency. I’ve met a lot of rich men, but I’ve never met anyone like him.

“Hen.” Skipper snaps her fingers in my face, studying me with a curious expression. “Did you hear me?”

“Sorry.” I blink and shake my head, hoping to scatter the lingering cobwebs in my brain. “What’d you say?”

“I said you have a Zoom scheduled with Zere this morning about the show.” Skipper grabs my iPad and scrolls down. “Right before lunch with the Aspire team. And after lunch you have a call with that magazine that wants to do the spread on Chapel.”

I dispel thoughts of Zere and Maverick. I got too much business of my own to be minding theirs. I sink back into my chair with a sigh. “Why’d you let me load up the schedule like this my first day back?”

“Let you?” Skipper shakes her head, jangling her earrings with a dozen charms. “Who is ever letting you do things?Isaid you should take Monday off and you vetoed that idea.”

“Next time, remind me of this moment.”

“I’ll try.” Skipper stands and crosses back around the desk. She doesn’t break stride, but heads for the door. “I’ll be back.”

“Where you going?”

“I know you well, and with a day like this…” She pauses in thedoor leading to the reception area and laughs over her shoulder. “You’re gonna need more coffee.”

I raise my cup and drain the last few drops of my morning brew before looking at the iPad, the screen overwhelmed with color-coded appointments.

“Damn right I will.”

CHAPTER 7

MAVERICK

Are you sure you’re okay?”

My father’s call makes him the tenth person—today—who has asked me that. Ever since the announcement, well-meaning friends and acquaintances have been “just checking on me,” concerned that I’m devastated by the breakup.

And I am in a way. I’m sorry it ended like this, but I’m also ready to move on and forward.

“Pop, I’m good.” I lean on my bedroom’s balcony railing and consider the tumultuous ocean that is my backyard here in Malibu. “I’ll always care about Zee, but you know we wanted different things.”

“Not like I wouldn’t want more grandkids,” he grouses from the other end of the line.

“You and Mom shouldn’t have put all your bets on me.” I chuckle and draw in a lungful of ocean air. “I do have like twelve cousins. They got kids and half of ’em consider you a second grandfather.”

“I know. I don’t really care about that. I just want you happy, Mav. I thought Zere might be the one who could get you to settle down.”

“I did settle down for three whole years. We shared our lives. We were together and now we’re not. Not everybody gets a soulmate for life like you and Mom.”

“So you don’t want to get married? Don’t want any more kids?”

“I was a father by the time I was twenty-two, and Tamia just graduatedfrom high school. Why would I want to start all over for another eighteen years now?”

“And marriage?”

“I loved Zere, but it wasn’t like that with us. If I’d had with her what you had with Mom, this would be a very different conversation.”

“I know that,” he says, his tone subdued, bordering on despairing. “I’m still living that hell, and it’s been three years since I lost your mother. Not sure it will ever hurt less.”

---