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“Get what?” Maven asks.
“Your kindness and selflessness. It’s why you altered your life just to help with mine.”
“Oh.” She smiles and lifts one shoulder in a shrug. “I don’t know if I’d consider that selflessness. Helping someone I care about is the bare minimum.”
“If that’s what you think is the bare minimum, I can’t wait to see what you consider going above and beyond.”
“Stick around and you’ll find out.”
I’ll stick around forever if you let me.
“Daddy.” June tugs on my arm. “Can we go inside? I wanna see the parade.”
Maven pulls out her keychain and turns the lock. “Sorry, JB. I’m slacking. We’re here,” she calls out, opening the door with her hip and stepping inside. She unzips her jacket and hangs it on a rack. “Hello?”
“You’re here!” Lacey bounds across the living room and almost tackles Maven in a fierce hug. “I haven’t seen you inweeks.”
“That’s my fault,” I say with a sheepish grin. “I’ve been keeping her very busy.”
“With work,” Maven clarifies, and I wink at her. “I’m so happy to see you, Lace.”
“You, too. You look good.” Lacey hugs me next then ruffles June’s hair. “Are you behaving yourself, Dallas?”
I grin. “Not at all.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.” She takes the pot of mashed potatoes I’m holding and gestures us forward. “We’re all in the kitchen. Do you want something to drink? Probably no alcohol before the game, right, Lansfield?”
“Depends. Do you want to watch your husband yell at me for being an idiot?” I ask.
“Don’t tempt me with a good time.” Lacey’s grin is sly. “I almost wore another one of your jerseys today just to piss him off a little.”
I laugh, remembering the time she asked for one of my jerseys to wear to a game before she started dating Shawn. I guess it was the nudge he needed to realize how he felt about her.
I never got the jersey back. I wonder where it is.
“You know I would’ve lent you another one,” I say. “Anything to rile the old man up.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Maven’s smile slip a little around the edges. She touches her neck, undoubtedly looking for her necklace, and I touch mine on instinct.
“Everything riles him up these days. I don’t think he got a lick of sleep when you had a concussion,” Lacey says. “Don’t tell anyone, but you’re secretly his favorite.”
“What about the parade, Daddy?” June interrupts.
“We have it on in the kitchen. Come on, I’ll take you,” Lacey says, and the pair walk ahead of us.
“Hey.” I reach out and hook my pinky around Maven’s. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She glances at me. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I don’t know. You seemed a little pissed when Lacey mentioned the jersey thing. You know she and I never?—”
“I know.” Maven sighs and shakes her head. “It’s stupid. I’m fine. Really.”
“Come on, pretty girl,” I say softly, and I run my thumb over the back of her hand. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”
“I wasn’t pissed, I was jealous. Jealous that she got to wear your jersey,” she explains. “Which is such a dumb thing to be jealous about because I love Lacey, and you have a literal child with another woman, but I think about these people who have had you before me, and I wish it were me. I wish I had found you sooner.”
I give her a slow grin and tug her behind a corner, out of sight. “The first away game you and June came to, you walked onto the field in my jersey. Justin was warming up withme, remember?” I ask, and she nods. “He called you hot or something, and I was so pissed that he was looking at you. So, yeah, I know what you mean about jealousy.”
