Page 119 of Maximum
My face fell. “Why do I get the feeling that you all just want to leave here?”
Leon, who was sitting next to me, took my hand under the table and leaned his shoulder against mine. “It must be a sign that you raised us well. We don’t feel a need to hide here on the farm; instead, we’re ready to go and see what the world has to offer.”
“It’s like the birds, Mum,” Hawk interjected. “You don’t want us to be the slow ones that you have to push out of the nest.”
With a chuckle, I pulled Leon into a sideways hug. “I wouldn’t mind keeping you in my nest until you’re into your twenties.”
He pulled free. “Mum!!”
“You can’t blame me for wanting to protect you for always.”
Benjamin rolled his eyes. “My mom is the same way and my dad is overprotective. You should have heard him discuss safety on campus with Rose. It’s ridiculous.”
Maximum stood up for his brother. “Atlas cares about you and Rose. Of course he worries.”
“Yeah, but it’s annoying when they fight about it. Dad hates her YouTube channel because he’s sure she’s attracting stalkers and sickos who are going to kidnap her. That happened to my mum once, did you know that?”
When some of the workers hadn’t heard the story, Benjamin delved into the details of how his mother Jolene was almost killed before he and Rose were born.
“My mum once had a stalker too. It was her ex-husband who wouldn’t leave her alone. He kept writing and even showed up here at the farm a few times,” Hawk said.
“Pierre wasn’t a stalker,” I clarified. “He was just very slow to accept that our divorce was final.”
Maximum crossed his arms. “He’s a prick.”
“Now he’s married to one of the people who used to work here,” Hawk volunteered as if he were the family reporter.
“Why would anyone marry him if they knew he was a jerk?” Benjamin asked.
“Because some people are a better fit than others. It’s like when you do a jigsaw puzzle and some of the pieces have the weirdest shapes, which makes you wonder if it’s a flaw from the factory, but then when you find the matching piece they lock together in perfect harmony. It was that way with Pierre and Kate. They are very happy together.”
“Fleur is right. It’s about finding someone whose flaws you can live with and who can accept you for who you are as well,” Maximum said.
Benjamin rose up from his seat to reach the large jug of lemonade. Refilling his glass, he said, “My mom says that love has healing powers, and that no matter the level of trauma you’ve been through, love is the antidote.”
“Jolene is a wise woman.” Maximum took the jug from Benjamin. “But I hope she also told you that it doesn’t just happen automatically. Some people are so closed off that they reject love all together.”
I knew he was referring to me and my initial refusal to even consider him as a potential love interest.
With a smile to my best friend, I nodded. “I agree. If you’re willing to work on yourself and open your heart, then amazing things are waiting for you.”
“Aunt Lumi fell in love with Uncle Damian when she was only seventeen,” Dove’s eyes flashed to Lucas and back, but he didn’t seem to notice.
“Yes, everyone has their own story. Some meet young and others have a long personal journey before they end up with the right person.”
“I found my person on this farm,” Maximum grinned at me across the table. For a long second, we smiled at each other with shared memories of that day.
“Whatever! Can we go now?” Leon rose up from the bench. “The lads and I are taking the dirt bikes down to the forest.”
I frowned. “Why not go riding instead? The horses could use the exercise and I know we taught all you boys to ride.”
“The bikes are more fun.”
“Thanks for lunch,” Gabe said and was quickly followed by Benjamin and Lucas.
“You’re welcome,” I called after them and looked to Dove. “Aren’t you going with them?”
“No. You heard them. It’s only for boys.”
