He gave her a barely perceptible nod, the intensity of his expression communicating so much. Support. Concern. Need.
“Will you come, Lillian?” her mother asked as she stacked the photo albums on the floor again and rose.
“I’d love to see your new home, Cynthia. Now remember what Alexa said. There’s a crew of men there working to fix it up. So it’s not quite ready for you yet but it will be,” Lillian said. Alexa appreciated the older woman offering the reminder.
“Of course,” Mom said. “Let me just get my purse.” Making her way through a path lined with boxes and stacks of every possible thing, she disappeared back down the hallway toward her bedroom.
Alexa blew out a long breath. “I can’t believe you did that,” she said to Maverick, “or that it worked so well.”
“I couldn’t listen to her continue to berate you when she didn’t know all the facts,” he said, gravel in his voice. “I’m sorry if you didn’t want her to know. But I had to do something.”
“I know that was hard, Alexa, but I think she needed to hear it,” Lillian said. “It pushed her into a place of acceptance and cooperation, which is a start. But be prepared for there to be setbacks and resistance as all this progresses.”
Alexa nodded. “I know.” She turned to Maverick. “And don’t worry. It’s okay.” He gave a tight nod just as her mother returned. Alexa donned a bright smile. “Okay, Mom. Let’s go see your new house.”
She’d only been by Creed’s little rancher before, never gone inside, but no matter what it was like, it would be better than here. Better than something Grant could give—or take away. Creed’s house would be safer and happier for the both of them.
And that was all Alexa had ever wanted for her mom. And herself.
“THIS WILL DO,” Mrs. H said as she, Alexa, and Lillian walked through the rooms of Creed’s house for the millionth time. “This will do just fine.”
Maverick hung back with Phoenix, wanting to give the women privacy, and not wanting to take his anger out on Al’s mom again. He hadn’t really intended to interfere or lose his cool, but he could tell what her mother’s tantrum was doing to Alexa—he could see it in her posture and hear it in her voice—and he couldn’t stand for it to continue for another second, especially when she brought Tyler up that way.
Hanging in the mostly empty living room, he watched as the women went into the kitchen again.
“She took it bad then?” Phoenix asked in a low voice.
Maverick chuffed out a humorless laugh, his gaze tracking Alexa until he couldn’t see her anymore. “You could say that.”
“Seems like she’s come around now, though,” he said.
“Yeah,” Mav said, his gaze scanning over the space. A dark blue couch, coffee table, and end tables were all that remained. The house was a ranch-style with all the rooms on one floor. It had a big combined den and eat-in kitchen that connected past a breakfast bar to the living room. Two decent-sized bedrooms and a bath sat down the hall. More than enough space for one lady, even one with a shit-ton of, well, shit. “You all worked fast here.”
“Wanted to get it emptied out as fast as possible so I could see what work it might need. I called Renner in to help, and I paid the three boys who live next door fifty bucks apiece to haul stuff out to the garbage or the storage pod. Just have to do the master bedroom and I’m done.” Phoenix gestured for Mav to follow him down the hall. “We probably don’t have time to freshen the paint up for her, but other than cleaning the carpets, this is the main thing that I should probably address before she moves in.” He flipped on the bathroom light and knelt by the toilet to pull back the old linoleum. Black mold covered the subflooring underneath. Well, hell. “It’s all soft, so something’s leaking.”
Maverick nodded as his gaze scanned over the old fixtures and the dingy shower. “I got a contractor friend who might be able to help.” Maybe he could get the guy to freshen up the whole room, in addition to fixing the water damage. “And I’ll pay you back for hiring those kids and whatever else you’re laying out.”
“Fuck that,” Phoenix said, giving him a look. “Like I can’t do something nice for your woman?”
The words made desire explode inside Mav’s chest. Desire for Alexa to be his, once and for all. “She’s not mine. And you’re giving her a goddamned house, Phoenix. I’d say that’s already above and beyond.”
“Coulda fooled me.” He smirked and waved his hand. “Anyway, your money’s no good to me, and neither is hers.” A long moment of silence as Phoenix tugged back more of the ruined linoleum to reveal water stains and more spots of mold.
“Can’t claim someone who’s not ready to be claimed,” Maverick finally said in a low voice. “Things are too up in the air.”
“Maybe, maybe not. But she looks at you like you hung the fucking moon for her, so maybe she’s more ready than you think.” He washed his hands.
Mav couldn’t entertain that possibility, even with everything that’d happened the past few days. Not yet. So he ignored Phoenix’s observation even though it kinda made him want to cheer. “Well, how about I do those rival wheels you and I talked about for your bike. And maybe throw in some custom chrome accents?”
The grin made the deep scar on the side of Phoenix’s eye seem less severe. The result of a knife fight back when he’d been a prospect. “Now you’re just turning me on.”
Chuckling, Mav rolled his eyes. “Bring your ride around any time.”
“Hey, there you are,” Alexa said, leaning against the doorjamb.
“How’s she doing?” Maverick asked. He couldn’t help noticing how stressed Al looked. It was in her eyes and the way she hugged herself.
“Honestly? Better than I would’ve expected given how things started out. She adores the big kitchen and den, so I think that won her over even more.” She smiled at Phoenix. “I can’t thank you enough.”
“You already thanked me. We’re good,” he said, moving toward the door. “Actually, you can thank me.” He slipped behind her and whispered something in her ear.
Alexa’s cheeks went pink even as she nodded.
“What the hell was that?” Maverick asked. With Phoenix, you never knew what he might be up to. When she didn’t answer right away, he stepped right up to her, pinning her back to the molding. “Tell me.”
She peered up at him from under her lashes. “He said . . . that me taking care of you was the only thanks he needed.”
Irritation flashed through Mav. “Nosy fucker. Ignore him. You don’t need that kind of—”
“No, he’s right,” Alexa said, grabbing the edges of his cut in her fists. “You’re doing so much for me. I want to be there for you, too. I just—”
“What?” he asked, needing to hear what she had to say like he needed his next breath.
“I just need more time.”