Page 18 of Resilient Rhythms
I grin at her wide-legged navy trousers. “So professional. You’re a lawyer now.”
She snorts, holding the door wider. “Still gotta pass the bar.”
“You’ll crush it.”
“California is the hardest.”
“More reason to stay in Massachusetts.”
Mckenna laughs lightly and moves toward the coffee table to pick up a lavender clutch. “I’m ready when you are.”
We head out of the brownstone and Alfred drives us to a trendy wine bar where we had our first date, back when our relationship was fake. When Mckenna only dated me to settle her law school tuition. When my reputation was ruined by a scandal with a senator’s wife.
That night cracked the ice between us. It released some of the tension and put Mckenna and me on equal footing, on a path toward friendship at the very least. I never imagined I could have more than that with her and now, I want every damn thing she’s willing to give me.
“Drew already checked it out and we’re in the clear,” I say as Alfred pulls up to the front entrance.
A soft smile crosses Mckenna’s face. “I remember the night you met me here.”
“Yeah,” I laugh. “You were hitting that wine bottle pretty hard.”
She swats my hand. “I was nervous.”
I dip my chin, meeting her gaze for a moment. “Me too.” I slide out of the SUV and hold the door for her.
Once we’re seated at a table in the back corner, I gesture toward the menu and point to the bottle of wine that Mckenna ordered that night.
“You really want to reminisce, don’t you?” she asks playfully.
“Honestly? I want to get back to what we had.”
Mckenna sobers and she straightens in her seat. “Cutting right to the chase.”
“What’s the point in wasting time? I know I fucked up, Mckenna. I miss you like crazy and I’m still in love with you. I want to be us again.”
“Maverick, it’s not that?—”
“Simple? Yeah, I know.”
“I was going to say easy.”
I quirk an eyebrow.
She pauses as the server approaches our table. I order a bunch of appetizers and feel a flush of guilt when Mckenna opts for a Coke over wine. I know she’s doing that on my account, but the truth is, right now, it’s best for me to steer clear of alcohol. I ask for an iced tea and lean back in my seat.
Mckenna watches me closely. Our server returns in record time with our beverages and Mckenna bites her bottom lip as she lifts the glass in my direction. “To hard conversations.”
“And good outcomes,” I reply, tapping my glass against hers.
When Mckenna places her glass down, she sighs, her shoulders falling. “I don’t want us to hurt each other again.”
“Then we communicate. Put everything on the table.”
She drags her fingertips along the edge of the high-top. “I’m still working through things, Mav. It’s getting better, with therapy, but some nights…”
I bite my tongue, giving her the chance to collect her thoughts and choose her words.
“I still wake up thinking Bran is here. That he’s after me. Following me.”
