“I couldn’t do it.” He shook his head as he looked at the patio beneath our feet. “The bottle had too tight a grip on me. I knew I couldn’t stay sober long enough to tour and perform every night.”
“But you were still drinking when you agreed to go on tour with Trey.”
“Yeah, but when Luc signed me to his label and Trey asked me to tour with him, I couldn’t let my band down. They’d been waiting for a break like this forever, so I promised myself I wouldn’t drink before a show or awards ceremony or interview or whatever.”
“But you did?”
“Yeah, I did.” He sighed. “That’s when Trey finally called me out and hauled my ass to a meeting.”
None of this made sense to me. “So why were you living in that tiny apartment, if you’ve been making money off your songs?”
“Because I was ashamed of the money I was making.” He ran a shaky hand over his head. “I didn’t feel like I deserved it. My band was still struggling. My brother was struggling. I sure as hell didn’t want my folks to crawl out from under their rock and try to shake me down for money. I wanted to help my brother. I tried—”
“Mav, it’s okay.” Only the soft pressure of my lips on his finally silenced him. “It’s okay to be successful. It’s okay to live in a beautiful home and have nice things. I know you want to help your brother, and maybe someday he’ll let you. Or maybe not. Either way, he wouldn’t want that to detract from the life you get to enjoy.”
“It just seems like way more than I need.” He looked back at the imposing house, his voice breaking, when he said, “But I’d give anything to raise our kids in a house like this. To give them the kind of security I’d always wanted.”
He clearly realized what he said because he paled before swiping a hand over his face. “I’m sorry, I’m sure you’re not ready to start talking about marriage and babies. I just can’t help but think—”
“It’s okay.” My eyes filled with tears as I shook my head at his look of shock and awe. “It’s okay to talk about it. To think about it. To want it. I do too.”
“Seriously?” He grabbed the back of my head, pulling me close as he whispered in my ear, “You’d really think about giving me a baby someday?”
I curled my arms around his waist, laying my head on his chest as I nodded. “Now can we go in and see this house that’s got you so riled up?”
He laughed. “Yeah.” I took a few steps before he hauled me back against his chest and wrapped his arms around my waist while he kissed my neck. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Allowing me to tell you anything without making me feel like shit about it.”
I turned my head and planted a kiss on his cheek. “There’s nothing you can’t tell me, Mav. I’ll never judge you.”
ChapterSeventeen
Maverick
“This house is wild, isn’t it?”
Codie nodded as she walked around the huge center island in the kitchen, gliding her hand over the smooth polished stone.
It was over 7800 square feet, with natural stone floors, floor to ceiling windows in every room, and two staircases greeting you when you walked in the front door. I couldn’t even wager a guess at how high the ceilings in the foyer were. Fifty feet, at least.
There were a formal living room, dining room and library, with a separate outbuilding Travis sold as either a studio or a pool house.
“This fireplace,” Codie said, crossing the massive open-concept room. “Is incredible, isn’t it?”
Travis said it took the stone mason almost a month to build it, since all of the stones had to be custom sourced and fitted.
“Yeah.”
I had a crazy vision of Codie decorating the fireplace for Christmas. Helping her decorate the massive tree that would sit in the corner. Lining up at least five stockings on the hand-hewn wood mantle. God, I wanted this house. And that life. With this woman.
“What’s wrong?” Codie asked, looking at me over her shoulder. “You’re not sure about this house?” When I didn’t respond, she closed the distance between us. “Mav, you don’t have to decide right now. Take all the time you need—”
“I want this house.”
She nodded; her smile tentative. “Okay, that’s good. So, what’s the problem?”
