“What's she doing here?” She flicked her head in my direction with a sneer, but otherwise ignored me.
“Devon Lions was hanging around her. I fucking hate that guy.”
I sat a little straighter. He hated Devon? Interesting. He had been nothing but nice to me.
“You hate everyone.” Macey sank back into the seat and the car purred to life. “I need sleep. Practice starts back up tomorrow and I am so not ready.”
My phone vibrated, and I slid it out of my pocket.
* * *
Kyle: Sorry I bailed. Get a ride with Maverick.
* * *
Lo: Traitor. I hate you!
* * *
Kyle: Love you too, Cous.
* * *
A couple of classes with Kyle, and I’d somehow already fallen into friendly banter with him. But he made it so easy whereas these two moody sods made it impossible. Then it occurred to me, maybe I was here because Kyle arranged it? He lost serious brownie points if that was the case. No wonder Maverick was pissed at having to play babysitter. When I glanced back up, his eyes were on me in the rear-view mirror. “New boyfriend?”
“Fuck you.”
Macey barked a laugh. “Who knew the princess had claws.”
I winced at her mocking tone, and we rode the rest of the way in thick silence. The second Maverick pulled into the Stone-Prince's driveway, I was out of there. He didn't follow. Macey got out of the car, leaning back in to say something. Whatever it was, she didn't look happy, her usual scowl even more menacing. She slammed the door, and the car roared out of the drive and disappeared.
“Where's he going?”
She shouldered past me. “None of your fucking business.”
I watched her go. She had a runway worthy body, all long legs and slender curves. Her hair was the same dark tone of Maverick's, and it hung to her shoulders in an angular bob. She was strikingly beautiful, but her eyes screamed don't mess with me or I will eat you alive. I didn't want to get in her way—or Maverick's—but I was here and we had to find a way to co-exist.
After going to the kitchen to grab a drink and snack, I went to the pool house. Dad still wasn't home, and I had noticed Gentry's car wasn’t in the driveway. What time did they work until around here? Back home a late finish was around eight. It was almost eleven. Still, I sent my dad a quick text letting him know I was home, and went to my room. Stripping out of my clothes, I pulled on my favourite Oxford University t-shirt letting its familiarity seep into my skin. It had belonged to my brother, Elliot. I’d stolen it one weekend after visiting him during his freshmen year. I had quite a collection. Now I lay on the bed imagining what he'd make of all this. He would have given Maverick a piece of his mind. Macey too, if he hadn’t tried to sleep with her first. I swiped the tears falling with the pad of my thumb. I couldn't think about Elliot without feeling swamped with grief.
Which is why I rarely let myself remember.
“Morning, sweetheart. How was your first day?” Dad was already up, fiddling with the puce tie hanging loose around his neck.
“It was fine,” I said. “Here.” I went to him and took the material, folding it into the perfect knot, stepping back to survey my handiwork.
“Thanks. You'd think after all these years, I'd know how to get it right. But your...” He didn't finish. Sometimes it was easier to not talk about the things that once meant the most to you.
“I know, Dad. Late night? I didn't hear you come in.” I smoothed my hair into a ponytail and stretched my arms in front of me working out the kinks from the restless night’s sleep I’d had.
“Gentry organised drinks with the team. One became two and, well, you know how that one goes.” I heard the accusation in his voice but his expression wasn’t scathing. We’d had that argument enough times.
“And yet here you are, looking as fresh as a daisy.”
He came over to me and dropped a kiss on my head. “Oh, trust me, on the inside I'm dying. The party was good? You got home okay?”
I pressed my lips together and nodded, feeling the taste of bitterness on my tongue.
“Oh no,” Dad chuckled. “What's that face for?”
“Nothing.”
“Lo?”
“You could've warned me about them.” I leaned back against the counter of our small kitchenette.
“Who?” He feigned ignorance.
“Oh, come on, Dad. Maverick and Macey. What’s their deal?”
“You caught that, huh? Gentry mentioned there was some tension, but I didn't expect it to be this bad. They're being nice to you though, right? Because if they're not I can—”
“No, no, it's fine. I can handle them. Besides, what they lack in personality, Kyle makes up for in droves.”
“The kid has zest, that's for sure.”
A comfortable silence settled between us as we carried on getting ready. When I grabbed my bag off the floor, Dad held the door open for me, and I slipped underneath his arm as we made our way to the main house.
“Did the agent give you a date, yet?”
“She's working on it. There was a delay with the final paperwork. Hopefully we'll be in our own place soon enough.” His eyes darted around. “It's not so bad here, is it?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “It's alright, I just don't think I'll feel settled until we're in the new house, you know?”
Dad paused when he reached the kitchen door and turned back to me. “I know it's been a big upheaval, but I know we can be happy here, kiddo. If you just give it a chance.”
“I know, Dad. I'll try.” Though I couldn't make any promises. We'd left so much behind it felt wrong being here, but maybe with time, things would get easier. His eyes lingered on me, and I saw doubt there.
“Guess what?” I grinned, wanting to reassure him I could do this.
“What?” He opened the door, and we entered the kitchen.
“I made a friend. Three, in fact.”
“Wow, three, and were these friends girls or boys?”
I punched his arm playfully, but froze when my eyes landed on the two figures sitting at the island.
“Something smells good,” Dad said seemingly oblivious to the tension.
Macey shoved her plate away and rose from her stool. “We ate all the pancakes.”
Well, okay then.
“Maverick?” She barked, and I half expected him to jump to attention. But he didn't.
“I'll meet you at the car,” he said coolly, and her expression slipped for a second as she murmured 'whatever' under her breath, before spinning on her heels and marching out of the room.
“There's fresh coffee in the pot.” Maverick spoke again and Dad searched for cups. I was too confused to move. He was being amicable now? This was new.
“So, Maverick, Gentry tells me you’re captain of the Wreckers? I hear you're tipped to do great things this season?”
I slipped onto the stool opposite the eldest Stone-Prince son and peeked at him through my lashes. He shovelled another spoonful of cereal into his mouth and washed it down with juice. “We have a good shot at the championship, yeah.”