Page 43 of Forsaking All Others

The guy who calls himself a Knight but never quits being a king.

“Okay, buddy, you’re all set to go,” Maverick declares.

He tugs on the harness of Theo’s car seat, making sure it’s secure before he pokes the tip of his nose.

Maverick has always been good to Theo, just like Colt has been attentive to Tara and Shepard. But it’s different, isn’t it? I brought Colt into the family I created with Maverick. He knew what he was signing up for when he asked me to be his, but Maverick—when he made me his queen, he pictured a different life. He never expected to one day be sitting in a hospital entertaining a child we didn’t make together. He never anticipated I’d be wearing another man’s ring.

There I go again…comparing my husband to my ex-husband. It’s no wonder Colt thinks I’m having an affair and who is to say I’m not? Things aren’t physical between me and Maverick, but I’ve been kidding myself for a long time. I keep thinking that I’ll snap out of it, that I’ll just one day wake up and stop running in the same circle. I won’t miss him. I won’t care who he’s with. I won’t long to hear his voice or look forward to him picking up the kids. My heart won’t race when he enters a room and it won’t break when he leaves it.

I love Colt, I swear I do. Even now, as mad as I am, I love him. But there’s all different kinds of love.

There’s love that gets you by.

Love that’s comfortable and safe.

It’s pure and true, and for some people it’s enough.

But those are the people that never experienced the kind of love that rocks your entire world and soothes every part of your soul.

That love is rare.

It’s unforgettable too.

Sometimes that wild and crazy love loses its way, though.

There’s pain and there’s suffering.

You tear each other apart but what you don’t realize when you’re doing all that, is the person you’re trying to break is the only one who will ever make you feel whole. I wanted Colt to be at the hospital today, but I wanted him to be there for Theo, not me.

I force my eyes away from Mav’s back and look at my sweet boy. He’s starting to regain color and his eyes aren’t as droopy as they were when he first awoke from the anesthesia.

“Mav,” Theo calls, his brows furrowing slightly as he regards Maverick. “I thought you were coming with us.”

The corners of Maverick’s mouth lift with a grin.

“Yeah, but I got my bike here so I’m going to follow you guys home. That cool with you?”

A smile spreads across my son’s face. Theo thinks it’s so cool Mav rides a motorcycle. He nods in response and Maverick gives his nose another poke. Straightening to his full height, he takes Theo’s iPad from my hands and places it on his lap, then he closes the door. Turning back to me, he leans against the car. His dark eyes drink me in for a second and the energy between us crackles. His lips curl into a soft smile and that’s all it takes for the air to become too thick.

“He looks a lot better,” he murmurs softly.

“Yeah, he does,” I agree.

Earlier, before Maverick even arrived, things were really bad. Theo wouldn’t stop throwing up and he could barely raise his head. Then they sent him for all those tests, all of which came back negative, and the anesthesia did a number on my poor boy too. It wasn’t until about an hour ago that he started to make a turnaround. The fever finally broke, but the doctor didn’t give us a clear diagnosis. All he said was that it was probably viral and that we should bring him back if his fever spikes again. Not very reassuring, but we’re free to go home and all my baby wants is his own bed.

“Do you have any Motrin in the house in case the fever returns?”

“Yes,” I whisper, and he nods.

“If you didn’t I would’ve stopped off and got some.”

That makes me smile.

Typical Mav.

“I know you would’ve.” I cock my head to the side. “I’m starting to wonder if there is anything you won’t do for me.”

Still lounging lazily against my car, he considers my words.

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