I’m too busy fiddling with the straps of my dress, trying desperately to get some of the pressure against my chest to ease up so I could take a deep breath, when I heard Quinn gasp.
“Mav!” Next thing I know she’s running past where I’m standing, her black hair streaming in the air behind her as she speeds forward right into her brother’s arms.
Clay moves to stand next to me and I look up to meet his green eyes, the questions he isn’t vocalizing dancing in their emerald depths. He’s not stupid and I’m doing a crappy job at hiding the memories haunting me right now. He gives me a small smile, shifting his hold on the urn to wrap his free arm around me and pulls me into a strong hold.
“You’re shakin’,” he says against my temple and I just nod.
“I’m good, Clay. Go see your brother.”
“I’m fine right where I am, sugar.”
I keep my eyes to the ground, focusing on his worn boots instead of looking up, hating myself for making this moment about me when I should be focused on them. Like it or not, I can’t fight the feelings that being near him bring me. I’m that stupid, naive sixteen-year-old all over again.
“Let’s get out of here,” he says after a few silent seconds.
I look up and give him a smile, hoping that it looks a hell of a lot braver than I feel. Inside I feel like I might puke.
“You think I could have a second with my family?” My head shoots up at the coldness I hadn’t anticipated in Maverick’s voice. He’s not focused on me, though, instead looking at his brother with a hard expression and one brow raised upward.
“Mav!” Quinn gasps and he moves his attention from his brother to her.
“Sorry, Quinn, but I’m thinkin’ that Clay’s lady friend would understand that this should be a moment for our family and give us time alone.”
“I’ll just—”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence, sugar,” Clay all but spits through clenched teeth and drops his arm to take a step forward. “You’ve got something to say, Mav, then say it.”
“Nothing to say, Clayton, I just think it would be nice for your girlfriend to give us some space.”
“My girlfriend,” he parrots sarcastically, his deep voice vibrating in anger.
“Mav.” Quinn attempts to butt in, but stops when Maverick leaves her side and turns to stalk out of the church. I should find it comical that he obviously didn’t recognize me, or hell, maybe he did and he’s just picking up where he left off ten years ago in the middle of the dark woods.
I take a deep breath. “It’s okay. He’s right. Y’all need some time as a family. I’ll head over to the PieHole and start settin’ up for tonight.”
Quinn brushes a tear from her cheek and just shakes her head. I look at Clay to see him staring in the direction that his brother just left.
“You’re family,” he finally says, not looking in my direction.
“Clay, really, it’s okay. It’s been a long time since y’all were back together and I don’t need to be there for that reunion. It sucks that it takes all of this to finally bring him home, but he’s here and y’all need to make up for a lot of time lost.”
“Shut up, Leighton.”
“Don’t, Clay.”
“Don’t what? You’ve got every right to be here. You’re just as much a part of our family as he is. Hell, maybe even more so than he is at this point. So just shut up, come with us, and ignore him.”
I shake my head, the fight instantly leaving my sails, knowing I would be arguing until the end of time if I pressed this issue.
“I can’t believe he doesn’t even recognize you,” Quinn whispers.
“Or he did and that’s why he wants me gone. You know we didn’t part on good terms back then. It’s really no big deal, Q. I’m good and the last thing I want is to let him cause you more pain today. Let’s just get you home and changed. Don’t worry about me. That’s the last thing you should be doing.”
We move, the three of us together, out of the church. Everyone has cleared out and there are only two huge trucks and the pastor’s Honda sitting in the gravel lot now. Maverick is leaning against the black Silverado, his Stetson pulled down again as he takes a drag off his smoke.
“Gross, when did he start that again?” Quinn asks her brother. I watch the smoke puff out around his face, wondering why I find that so sexy.
“No clue, darlin’, figured he quit a long time ago.”
“Still here?” Maverick asks without looking up from the rocks he’s kicking up with the toe of his boot.
“Shut the fuck up, Mav,” Clay snaps.
“Yeah? Who’s gonna make me? You?”
“Jesus, how old are you two?” I ask, finally finding my voice. “Maybe you two could stop actin’ like kids long enough to keep your shit to yourselves and be there for your sister.”
“The hell you say?”
I look up, finding the backbone I had seemed to lose at my first glimpse of Maverick Davis in one long ass decade and cross my arms over my chest, cursing my boobs when I notice his eyes drop to where I’m sure they’re spilling out the top of my dress.
“My eyes are up here, cowboy,” I snap and drop my arms to point to my face. “Have a little respect.”
“Well, darlin’, if you didn’t want someone to look, maybe you should cover yourself. You put it out there, I’m gonna look.”
“You’re an asshole,” I fume.
“I’m surprised you let her dress like that, Clay, she’s just beggin’ for the attention.”
“Just when I thought that you couldn’t be a bigger fucking ass, you just keep goin’,” I respond, interrupting Clay before he could speak.
“Darlin’, you don’t know me a thing about me, so why don’t you keep your opinions to yourself.”
“Jesus, Mav,” Quinn gasps in shock.
I look at Quinn, giving her a smile before walking the two steps forward that will bring me toe-to-toe with Maverick.
“You, Maverick Austin Davis, haven’t changed one bit. You would think that in the years that you’ve been gone from Pine Oak you would remember what happens when you treat a girl like the shit stuck under your boot, but let me assure you that I stopped dressing for attention a long time ago. Ten years ago to be exact and honestly darlin’ I couldn’t give two shits if you noticed me when that notice is neither wanted nor desired. Get your head out of your own ass long enough to stop being a massive prick and have some respect for your brother, sister, and your father.”