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“I can’t believe you’re finally here! How was the drive down?” Maverick asked once Tommy and I had stepped into the house and sat down at the kitchen table.
In a surprise move, Jackson had retired early from the Terriers. He had said it was because he wasn’t getting any younger, that his body hurt in places it shouldn’t, and he wanted to spend more time with his husband and son. So, they bought this house in North Carolina and never looked back.
“This guy is a bit of a backseat driver.” Tommy hooked his thumb at me and snorted when I gasped in mock horror.
We could have flown, it would have been quicker, but Tommy had wanted to take his time. I think part of him didn’t want to be stuck on a plane where people could see his scar. He was getting more comfortable in his body, but he still hated it when people stared. I couldn’t blame him.
He wasn’t wrong. “You drive like an old man.”
“I drive safely, Bug. There’s a difference. I wanted to make sure we arrived in North Carolina in one piece.” Tommy grabbed my hand and laced our fingers. He traced the engagement ring he gave me, and heat exploded in my belly.
Maverick giggled. “You two are so cute.” He slid into the seat across from me. “Can you believe Kill and Matty are going to be parents? I mean, wow, right?”
“I don’t know. I think you being this house-husband dad might be more surprising,” I teased.
Maverick blushed and shook his head. He was such a good father, too.
He turned his head away from me to call out to his son. “Andy, your uncles are here.” He winked at me. “He’s so much more talented than I was at his age.”
“Stop it.” I scoffed, but when I realized he was serious, I raised my brows. “Really?”
Maverick nodded as a smile tugged at his lips. “Yeah, he’s fucking amazing.”
“I thought Andy was playing hockey?” Tommy squeezed my hand.
“He’s doing that, too, but I honestly think he only does it to make Jax happy. Like he wants to have both of his parents’ careers in his life.” Maverick turned at the sound of footsteps, and then Andy walked into the room, helping a blue-eyed, raven-haired boy on crutches, his leg wrapped in a cast. It appeared there were a few other things Mav had left out about his son.
Andy broke into a smile when he saw us. “How long are you two staying? Will you be able to watch my game on Sunday? How about listening to my band practice? I wrote a new song. Do you want to hear it?”
“Andrew.” Maverick ruffled his hair until Andy pushed his hand away. “Relax, baby, they’re not going anywhere.”
I nodded. “Yeah, we’re going to be sticking around for a bit. Probably looking at places to live, even though that’s a way off.”
“You’re moving here?” Andy exclaimed.
Tommy leaned into me. “That’s the plan.”
“That is so cool! You’re going to love it here. I mean, Boston is nice, but it’s so great here. It’s quiet and fun. I started a band. We’re going to be huge, just like Mulligan,” Andy gushed before his smile disappeared. “Oh, I’m sorry. This is my boyfriend, Leo. Ricky, these are my uncles, Tom and Blake. Tom is Pop’s brother.”
Leo’s lips turned up into a smile. “I’ve heard so much about the both of you. It’s nice to meet you.”
He held out his hand, the tips of his nails glittering pink. He gently shook my hand, then Tommy’s. He had a little liner around his eyes, a dusting of color over his lids, and looked at Andy like he was the sun and the moon. Mav had mentioned Andy had a boyfriend, but this looked more than serious.
“So, tell me, how did the two of you meet?” I asked curiously.
Andy helped his boyfriend down into one of the chairs before he answered. “School.” He beamed at Leo. “I hadn’t realized what these feelings were that I had around him until I ran into him at the Brooks Racing Christmas party. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Leo was the prettiest boy in the room.”
“Oh, hon.” Leo ducked his head as his skin burned pink. His dark hair covered his eyes, but the smile he wore was as bright as the sun. “I already had a big crush on Andy. It started the day Dad came into school and screamed about the way his son was being treated.”
Dad? My brows shot up when I glanced over at Tommy, who looked just as surprised as I did.
“He calls me Dad.” Maverick waved a hand in the air like he could read my mind. “I mean, I am pretty great, right, boys?”
Andy groaned. “Dad, stop.”
I felt Tommy squeeze my hand as he glanced in my direction. “I know that feeling,” he murmured, which caused my own face to flush.
I let my eyes move around the table and coughed nervously. It was bright and cheery inside the kitchen, light filtering in from the oversized window over the double sink. It was comfortable here. Unlike where Maverick had grown up, this was a home. A place where he could have breakfast with his son, drinks with his friends, and be happy with his husband.
