Just hearing her voice makes the last of the panic loosen its grip on my chest.
“Livy,” I sigh. “Are you all right?”
“Yep! Rory picked me up early!”
“I know that now, baby.”
“And I’m not supposed to tell you why.”
“Livy,” Rory says in the background.
“What? I didn’t tell her!”
I let out a breathless laugh and lean into Maverick. “Rory, you scared ten years off my life. Why didn’t you tell me you picked her up early?”
“I’m sorry. Taking her early was always part of the plan for today.”
“What plan?”
“I can’t tell you that without ruining the surprise.”
“What surprise?”
“The one I’m not telling you about.”
I sigh, pressing my fingers against my forehead. “Rory.”
“I’m sorry, Mia. Seriously. I thought you and Maverick would have been here by now. I know the bus normally drops Livy off here since the fire, and I assumed you’d be home before anyone realized she hadn’t ridden it.”
“We’ve been picking her up,” I tell him. “But that still doesn’t explain why you didn’t call me.”
“Because I’m an idiot?” he offers. “It honestly didn’t occur to me that you’d go to the school. I’m already here at the estate with her, and she’s perfectly safe.”
“Perfectly safe and apparently keeping secrets from her mother.”
“It’s your birthday,” Livy calls. “Secrets are allowed on birthdays.”
“I’m not certain that’s an actual rule.”
“It is today.”
My legs still feel unsteady, but I finally manage a real smile.
“All right. We’re leaving the school now.”
“Take your time,” Rory says. “Everything’s fine here.”
“We’ll be there soon.”
I end the call and press the phone against my chest.
“She’s safe,” I whisper.
Maverick draws me against him, one arm wrapping firmly around my waist.
“She is,” he agrees, although his body is still rigid with the fear neither of us has quite shaken.
I rest my forehead against his chest.
