Page 28 of I Got You

“Fine.”

Maggie turns around in her seat, buckles, and I put the truck back in drive. Then she turns and looks over her shoulder at him. “And that chick with the big rack who had the balls to stay draped all over you, you better be careful. She’s too old for you and not with you for your brains. Nothing good is going to come from that. And if you want to talk about imperfection, I’ll tell you how I know.”

I’m up for storytime because I’d like to know what she’s talking about, but she didn’t ask me. I see a hint of a smile in the rearview and then a mumble.

“Isn’t referring to it as a rack a little sexist?”

Maggie’s head rolls. “She’s seventeen or whatever, and she has way bigger boobs than I’ll ever experience. I can call them whatever I want.”

Hank’s hand goes to his face, and I don’t even try to stifle my laugh.

Maggie’s head snaps in my direction. “Oh…my…goodness. Did you just laugh…at my lack of boobage?”

Hank groans.

“Boobage?” I ask.

“Please let me out,” Hank demands. “I’d rather walk than hear anything more about your…chest.”

“Hey.” I surprise Hank as he meets my eyes in the mirror. “If you’re going to hang out with girls like that, you better be man enough to talk about a lot more than breasts.” Maggie looks at me and grins.

We ride the last few minutes in silence, and I pull back into the restaurant parking lot next to her car. Hank immediately hops out and climbs in the passenger seat of her Suburban.

Maggie gets out and comes around to my side as I step out.

“I’m sorry about all of that.” She pulls her eyes away from the car and tips her chin up to look at me. “Are you sure you don’t want to keep living your simple life?”

“You handled that like an expert. I would’ve just kicked his little ass.”

She laughs. “Shane, I don’t have any idea what I’m doing.”

“It doesn’t look like that to me.”

“I’m going to hug you now whether you like it or not.” She moves into me. “Thank you for going with me.”

Her arms come around my middle, and I tentatively wrap my arms around her. This hugging thing is strange but also not completely terrible.

“I think we have a thing about parking lots.” Her face presses against my chest. “I really hope he’s watching and getting all riled up about this.”

I can tell she’s smiling at the idea of torturing the little shit.

She releases me and steps back. “I’ll give you a bit to think this over. Even someone in love with me would have every right to question marrying me after tonight.”

“I don’t need time, Maggie. I told you I’m in.”

Her eyes meet mine, wide and shocked. “I still don’t understand why you’re willing to do this, but just to be sure, why don’t you come over Sunday and eat and watch movies with us. To be fair, you should experience the whole lot of us before you make your final decision.”

I nod. “Ok.”

I’ll go, but I’m not going to change my mind. If tonight showed me anything, I can’t not do this. I know what I’m giving up. My privacy. My solitude. My freedom. All of the things that bring me comfort and that I’ve earned surviving life in the system.

Maybe the woman I never got to know was right. Sometimes there isn’t another choice because it’s obvious to me that these kids need to stay with Maggie.

Chapter 9

MAGGIE

“Coach Carter? You’ve been talking to Coach Carter…and he said he’ll marry you?” Cole whispers as we push through the church doors and toward our cars.

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