In second grade, Carlyle Stone had been the cute new girl with the pretty hair and smiling eyes. That first week, he spotted her eating lunch alone, so he joined her. But his motives were more selfish than selfless. Beyond being able to stare at her without getting caught, he would make his parents proud.
His mom believed the best things in life stemmed from random acts of kindness. During dinner, Sarah Hott would ask her family who did something nice for someone else without expecting anything in return. Everything counted. Even when his little sister proudly announced she found a spider in the “bafroom” and put it in Ashy’s bed to keep it warm.
Even now, he could see his mom’s smile and hear her sweet voice. “I’m so proud of you, Ashton. You made a positive difference in someone’s life today.”
It wasn’t until he was older that he realized the power in doing something kind for someone else.
In middle school, his mom left for a two-week stint with an international physicians organization. She was spending time in the Middle East helping citizens through a health crisis. Two days after their group arrived, a terrorist group took the doctors hostage. A week later, they were dead. Tortured and murdered by their captors.
His sweet, dedicated, giving mother must have gone through hell before she died at the hands of pure evil.
Rolling over in bed, Maverick fought against the burn in his throat. Even alone, his reaction embarrassed him. It had been twenty years since her death, but some nights it felt like he was right back there. In the pain and utter heartbreak.
Through that grueling year, Carly had showed him the true meaning of friendship. She’d been his rock and he’d leaned on her, hard. Ever since, death was his trigger. And here she was again, by his side, offering herself up to him. Only, this time, she’d given him much more than her friendship.
Armed with that knowledge, he came to a sobering realization. Everything, including their twenty-five-year relationship, had changed in an instant.
She might be able to put him back into the friend zone, but he could not. He could never reverse course because he had one direction.
Forward.
Always forward.
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A S T O NE F A M I L Y D I NNE R
T he funeral had been beautiful. There wasn’t a dry eye in the church after the priest’s eulogy. Carly held his hand, said all the right things to let him know she cared, but she’d created some kind of force field around herself. After they buried Enrique, family and friends returned to Julia’s and spent the afternoon honoring his friend. Again, Carly was right there, offering her constant support, but she wasn’t herself. Maybe she regretted what they’d done, but Maverick sure as hell didn’t.
On the ride home, they’d talked about everyone and everything but the elephant in the room. It was like the intimacy never even happened. But Maverick couldn’t stop thinking about their hot connection. She hadn’t just revived him physically, she’d lifted him emotionally, too.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Carly pulled up in front of Uninhibited.
“I like your idea about starting a foundation,” Maverick said. “If I do something, you’ll work with me.”
Up went her eyebrows. “I will?”
“Damn straight.”
She shot him a smarmy smile. “And you think I’m bossy. All right, I will, but only because it’s for a good cause.”
“Text me when you leave your parents’ house,” he said.
“I won’t last there three hours. I’ll get to target practice by nine.”
“Thanks for coming with me.” He kissed her cheek and she tensed. “Having you with me made all the difference.”
“I’m glad I could help.” He didn’t like the strain in her voice much, either.
Maverick opened the car door. “I’ll see you in a few. Tell Lisa and Ed hello.” He winked and got out. “Have fun.”
“Ugh.”
After she pulled away, he texted Sinclair. “Let me in.”
Maverick cracked his neck as Sinclair opened the front door, then led him to his private dining room on the first floor. The room was cozy and elegant with a table setting for six.
“Are we expecting company?” Maverick asked.
