Page 90 of Falling Stars

She pinches the bridge of her nose. “Baylee, living together isn’t exactly taking things slow.”

Exasperated, I blow out a breath. “Mother, I’ve liked him since I was young. If I go any slower, I’ll be in the nursing home before we date.”

Like she hasn’t heard a thing I’ve said, she turns to Maverick. “Mijo, you know I love you, right? But Baylee has a son now. She can’t just pick up and leave. Sean’s going to come to his senses soon and want a relationship with Leo, which he can’t do if the boy’s in New York.”

So much for a nice dinner. I grit my teeth. “We know this, Mom.” I glance around, hating that there are a few people at the nearby picnic tables who can probably hear us. “Sean actually stopped by yesterday to talk and apologize.”

She nods knowingly. “I had a dream he’d get it together.”

“It would’ve been helpful if you’d had a dream that he was going to dump mebeforewe got serious,” I mumble.

“You know our gift doesn’t work that way. The universe tells us what we need to know, not what we want to know. Like when you had that dream that Danny was sick. You got to tell our sweet Paige to stay with her brother at night so he’d have someone at the hospital when he passed. It might not feel like it, but that’s bigger than a breakup,mija.”

My mother always knows what to say to put me in my place. I want to crawl under the picnic table in shame because she’s right, but Maverick nudges me. When I glance at him, he leans over to kiss me on the forehead. “Don’t be upset,” he whispers.

When I turn back to the phone, I realize he didn’t turn the screen away, and my mom saw us just now. I can see the conflict in her eyes, but fortunately, she holds her tongue this time. Instead, she asks about Leo, and I fill her in on him smiling and laughing and the adorable sounds he makes.

By the time we get off the video call, I feel like I just waded through a minefield.

On the walk back to the condo, I keep looking at the night sky.

“Looking for a shooting star?” Mav asks as he pushes Leo’s beautiful new stroller, which he shouldn’t be doing, but he won’t let me push it myself.

“How’d you know?”

“Lucky guess.” He frowns. “Did my accident really cause you to go into early labor?”

I shrug. “It’s hard to tell. My back had been hurting that whole day. I should’ve taken it easy, but I couldn’t afford to cancel any appointments.”

He stops me and grabs my hand. “You know you could’ve asked me for help, right? I would’ve paid your rent so you didn’t lose your house. I feel like an asshole for not being there for you.”

Emotion tightens my throat, and I blink. “I never would’ve asked you for money. You’re not a freaking bank. Just because you’ve had some success doesn’t mean it’s right for people to ask you for things.” I don’t tell him how guilty I feel about what he’s spent on me since he’s been home because I know it would hurt his feelings.

“Baylee, you’re not ‘people.’ You’ve had my back since we were kids, and I’ll always have yours. If you get in trouble, Iwantyou to call me.”

I hear what he’s not saying. That when he’s back in New York, he hopes I’ll lean on him in the same ways I am now.

I can’t promise that. It’s difficult for me to ask for help.

“I’m sorry my mom told you that story. You don’t need to feel bad.”

“She means well,” he says.

“What bugs me is that she was such a basket case about mydad. You’d think she’d be more understanding about us needing time to figure things out.”

“As long as she likes me more than Sean.”

I snort. “That’s what you care about?”

“Sylvia has always loved me. Sean can’t compete with that. As long as I’m your mom’s favorite, we’re good.”

Smiling, I shake my head.

I’m feeling better.

Until we walk into the lobby of Maverick’s condo and run into another one of his exes.

31

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