Page 96 of You Saw the Best In Me

We park, and he finally faces me, but it’s not sadness that I see in his eyes.

It’s hope.

“My bosses want me to set up a meeting with the owner of this land,” he says, lifting the middle console and tapping the seat next to his.

“Are you going to do it?” I ask, snuggling under his arm and resting my head on his chest.

“I have options. I could sell Grams’ house to Old Man Tony, and he’d give me this land. I could build us a house here,” he stops, sighing like he fears what comes next.

I don’t interrupt or question him, letting him work through what it is that he needs to tell me.

“Or, I could sell it to my bosses,” he finishes, and he’s lost me.

“How do you know you can even sell Grams’ house?” I ask, and that smile I love is back.

He’s got something up his sleeve, and I’m dying to know what it is.

“I met with the lawyer this morning. Grams left me everything. The house, her car, and her bank account. That old witch was holding out on me for years,” he laughs, and now I’m even more confused.

“Harper?” I look up at him, and he’s beaming with pride.

“I’m her legal guardian,” he whispers, almost as if saying it too loudly will jinx it.

“Oh my god, this is incredible news,” I hug him tightly, kissing his cheek.

Finally, the anxiousness feels like it’s left his body, and the real Maverick is sitting before me.

I let him fill in the rest of the pieces to his puzzle, and I’m relieved that everything will be okay and work in his favor.

Old Man Tony wants the house to be fixed and resold, making it an easy out for Maverick. He spent the night shooting at Tony’s, which seemed to help clear his mind.

He will work out more details in the coming weeks, but everything is coming together overall.

The final piece is to tell Harper everything, including that he’ll sell the house. I’m afraid she’ll resist the idea entirely and push Maverick away.

It’s too much change for a kid, and she’s fragile after losing the woman who raised her since she was three.

Whether or not Grams was the best guardian, Harper grew up with her, and the grieving process can be difficult at her age, even with her big brother beside her.

“Do you want me to be there when you talk with her tonight?” I ask, buckling up as he takes me back to work.

“I think I can handle this one. I know she’s going to fight me a little, and we have a lot to go over,” he says, hoping I don’t take offense to that.

I’d never butt into their relationship, especially now. They need to communicate, and I don’t mind giving them the space to do so.

“I’ll go to the store and grab stuff for dinner then. We cannot live off takeout for another night,” I laugh, kissing him on the cheek as we return to the salon.

“See you tonight, baby girl,” he closes my door and watches until I make it inside.

It’s like a weight has been lifted, and I can finally be happy for Maverick and Harper. This has been his goal for a long time, and it’s finally achievable.

Maybe not as he’d pictured, but nonetheless, he has what he’s always wanted.

My smile is radiant, and Reilly wants all the details. She’s quickly become one of my best friends, and I love having someone here to confide in besides Maverick.

When Grams died, she switched shifts with me instantly, and I didn’t have to use any sick time. I’m indebted to her for that, and I’m sure I can guess what she’ll want in return.

“So you’re adopting a thirteen-year-old?” she asks as we snack on the brownies she made.