We fall quiet. The only sound is Charli snoring.
“We should probably get some sleep.” I struggle to get on my feet from the awkward position I’m sitting. Mav hops up and takes my hands, lifting me with ease.
He’s so tall that he can’t quite stand all the way up without knocking into the ceiling fan.
“Thanks.”
He drops his hands but holds on to mine, lightly running his thumbs along the backs of my fingers. He smiles, the same friendly Maverick smile he always does, but my heart rate speeds up.
“Let me show you to the guest room.” I change my tone to speak to Charli. “Come on, girl.”
Why, yes, I am using the dog to get out of this situation. I’ve got images of Maverick with two girls stuck in my head, and I don’t hate the view. What is wrong with me?
“My room is the last door on the right. Dad is last on the left, and he does own a gun. You’ve been warned.”
He drops his bag on the bed, and Charli climbs right up, does a circle on the end of the mattress, and lies back down.
“Night, Mav.”
“Hey, wait.” He grabs my hand as I turn to leave.
“Oh right, the bathroom is across the hall. You can go first.”
“Thanks, but that’s not it.” He looks uneasy as he shifts from one foot to another.
“You’re making me nervous. What’s wrong?”
“You told me not to hit on you, or you’d bust a bottle over my head, so I’m choosing my words carefully here.”
I snort loudly then remember my dad is sleeping. I wiggle my hand free from his and then hold both up to show him. “No beer bottle. You’re safe. As long as you don’t invite me to a threesome.”
“Don’t knock it ʼtil you try it.” He grins then his lips fall into a more serious line. “You’re fire, Kota. You won’t be single forever. You could have any guy you wanted.”
I try to laugh it off, but he steps closer, and the bubble around us loses all the oxygen. “It’s good to keep your standards high, but people can surprise you if you let them in. So they don’t get it right over text, or they occasionally like to indulge in threesomes, it doesn’t mean they aren’t also capable of giving you the things you want.”
He stops, but I can’t find my voice to respond. I can’t move either.
“That’s it. That’s all I wanted to say.” He moves first and sits on the bed. Charli sticks a leg out in his direction, wanting to be closer to him but too lazy to get up. Johnny is kind of like that. People extend themselves to be near him.
I force my feet backward and hold on to the doorknob as I twist my lips into a friendly smile. “Thanks, Mav. I’ll see you in the morning.”
When I wake up the next morning, it’s to Dad’s and Johnny’s voices. I check the time, then get up and change into my running clothes. I make a quick stop in the bathroom to brush my teeth and put my hair up into a ponytail.
The smell of bacon greets me as I walk into the kitchen. Johnny is at the stove, shirtless, and Dad sits at the kitchen table with a bottle of Icy Hot and Ibuprofen in front of him and his back brace on.
“Oh no, what happened?”
“Eh.” Dad waves me off. “I tweaked it when we were loading the trailer.”
“Why didn’t you wait for me? Mav and I could have done it. It’s barely seven o’clock. Are you that eager to get rid of me?”
His smile softens, and I slump into one of the chairs and steal a piece of bacon off the plate in the middle of the table.
“These came for you.” Dad slides three identical envelopes in front of me.
I lift the top one, see the return address, and let it drop.
“Still bugging you to be in the school’s Hall of Fame?”
I nod and fill my mouth with another piece of bacon. For six months, the high school has been sending me invites for the school’s athletic Hall of Fame. I thought I’d successfully dodged them since the ceremony was last month, but apparently not.
Mav spins around. “That’s awesome.”
“It’s unnecessary and unwarranted.” I stand and drop them unopened in the trash. “I’m going for a run. Do you want me to take Charli?” I look around. “Where is she?”
Maverick’s lips twitch, and he points with the spatula to the floor. I lean down and see Charli next to Dad’s feet.
“You made a friend.”
Dad grunts a response but bends down and scratches behind her ears.
Before I leave, I glare at Dad. “No more moving things while we’re here.”
He holds his tongue, but the unimpressed look on his face tells me he’s going to do whatever he wants—stubborn old man.
I get only a few feet from the house when Mav falls into step beside me.
“Hey,” I say, surprised. “Need to get away from my dad?”
“Nah, he pushed me out the door and told me no respectable man lets a woman run by herself. Something about the neighborhood not being what it used to be.”
“Oh geez. I’m sorry. Also, I’m good. I can outrun most people.”
“It’s cool. I have to get back into the routine of it again anyway.”
I start down my old path toward the high school. The neighborhood is older, lots of retired couples live here, and the streets are quiet this time of day. At the end of the block, we turn right.
I take us up and down each street scoping out the changes instead of taking the direct route to the school. The morning air is heavy with humidity. The sky is clear, and the sun is already hot on my skin.
By the time the track and football field comes into view, sweat drips down my back.
“Wow,” Johnny says beside me. He’s been quiet. “Nice field.”
“The football team is like everything here,” I mock in my best high school cheerleader voice.
“You don’t sound bitter at all,” he says sarcastically.
“Eh, I’m not really. They redid the field my sophomore year, and that included the track, so I benefited.”
We come up short at the chain-link fence, staring in. A few morning walkers are moving along the rubber circle.
“How come you don’t want to be inducted into your school’s Hall of Fame?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You tossed the invite in the trash.” He quirks a dark brow.
“I don’t even run anymore. Not for real, you know? I don’t deserve to be in it, and even if I did, it’s silly.”
“So? Who cares if it’s silly? And don’t even get me started on the ‘I don’t deserve to be in it’ nonsense. Who are you, the selection committee authority? Let them celebrate your general ballerness. I mean, you work at a Hall of Fame. You know how much it means.”
I’m quiet. It’s so much more complicated than that, but I appreciate him thinking I’m baller anyway.
“Come on. We should get back. It’s another long day on the road.”
We take a more direct path back to the house. A block before Dad’s house, a guy has his back to us with the hood of his sports car up. Maybe the neighborhood has aged down since I lived here. Teenage me spent a lot of time running these streets hoping for a new, hot neighbor.
He turns as our feet hitting the pavement get closer, and my breath hitches. He takes me in, recognition dawning and his mouth curving up. “Dakota?”
My high school track coach leans down to grab a water bottle at his feet, his eyes never leaving me. I don’t want to notice the sweat beading up on his chest and abs, but I do. Hans Hote. Coach McHottie is what we called him, and the name still fits. I manage to wave and keep my feet moving, one in front of the other. I push my legs harder as my pulse kicks up another notch.
“Morning,” Johnny says, keeping my pace. My lungs burn as we round the corner to my dad’s street.
“Want to tell me who the hell that was and why we sprinted away?”
“Nobody,” I lie. “Come on. I’m starving.”
Shortly after breakfast, Maverick and I walk outside, ready to
make the last leg of our trip.
“Miss you, DJ. Knock ’em dead up there in Minnesota.”
“I will.” I wrap my arms around him and soak up the smell of his aftershave. “Thanks for letting me borrow the furniture.”
I didn’t see what they put in the trailer, but Johnny said they got a couch, chair, nightstand, and bed. The apartment will still be bare, but it’s everything I need.
I pause before I get into the passenger seat. Maverick’s already behind the wheel with his sunglasses on. Dad stands in the front yard. I miss him. I miss my mom. Years later, and I still sometimes forget that she’s gone.
“Bye.” I wave.
“Don’t let him talk you into any tattoos,” Dad warns. A small smile tips up the corner of his lips. “Drive safe with my DJ.” His voice softens. “Bye, Charli!”
“I’m pretty sure your dad likes my dog more than me,” Maverick says as he pulls away from my childhood home.
“Oh, he definitely likes Charli more than you,” I confirm.
9
Dakota
It’s dark when we get to the apartment. I’m too tired to scope out the surrounding area appropriately. We still have to get our stuff inside, and I have to unpack at least the essentials so that I can get ready for work tomorrow morning.
Work. Squee! I’m so excited about my first day.
Maverick pulls into a parking spot in the underground lot. Four guys lean against the wall, pushing off when Mav kills the engine and opens the door.
“Uhh…” I start uneasily. “Are we about to get shook down?”
Maverick shoots me a funny look then calls to them, “Hey, guys. Thanks for—” His voice cuts out as he closes the door and greets the guys. I stay in the truck, but I look them over more closely. They’re in matching green shirts with the words, Making Moves on the front.
The guys listen to Maverick. He points to the trailer, and two of them head toward it while the others walk to a work truck and pull out a tarp and straps. Well, that makes more sense. He hired people to move him in.
Maverick returns to the truck and opens the door. “Ready to see your new place?”
“Yeah. Umm… I can grab my stuff first since it’s at the back of the trailer. Can you help me with the big pieces? I think I can get the bed frame on my own, but not the mattress or the couch. Probably not the chair either.”
He gives me a confused look. “You think they’re going to move my stuff and not yours?”
“I—” Well, yeah.
“I called earlier. I figured as late as it was going to be, it’d be easier if we could bring in the small stuff and start to unpack while they get the furniture. You have a big day tomorrow.”
“You didn’t have to do that. Thank you.”
He smiles big. “Come on. Let’s check out your new digs.”
We take the elevator to the second floor. Mav tells me that the first is a lobby, and the front doors open to the arena on the opposite side of the street. There is also mail, dry cleaning drop off and pick up, coffee (there goes my side gig), and a concierge desk.
The building locks down overnight, and I’ll need the key card he flashes me to get in after nine. I’m giddy with excitement as he points to a door and says, “That one is yours.”
He hands over the key, and I swipe it. A clicking sound and green light tell me it worked, and I push inside.
It’s empty, as expected, but the space is huge. So much bigger than I expected.
I walk through a large entryway. The kitchen is on the left, and the living area stretches out in front of me. I move straight through to the windows on the far wall. The downtown lights up below, and my stomach flutters. Holy crap.
I want to twirl, and I’m so not a twirler.
“This is amazing.”
“Setup is a lot like mine.” He points to the right. “Bedroom and en suite.” He stands next in an open doorway and flips on a light. It’s a normal-sized bedroom with a decent walk-in closet and an attached bathroom. I can’t stop grinning.
“Laundry closet is here.” He opens a door where a washer and dryer should be, but it’s empty. “Oh, shit.”
“It’s okay,” I say quickly. “I’ll figure out laundry. This place is incredible.”
“You can use mine.”
I definitely won’t be schlepping my dirty panties up to Maverick’s apartment, but I appreciate the offer.
We continue to explore. There’s a small half bath on the other side of the kitchen and a dining area. It’s perfect. I’ve never lived alone, and I’m suddenly really excited about it and a little nervous. This place is all mine for the next eight weeks.
Someone must knock because Johnny goes to the door and pulls it open for the movers, but I don’t even hear it because I’m still too wrapped up in checking out every detail of the place.
I’m opening all the cabinets in the kitchen while they come in with the furniture.
“Where do you want it?” one of the guys asks.
I turn and see them holding the pink couch in my new living room. I can’t help but laugh.
“Right there is fine.”
Two more guys come in with the matching chair. My heart squeezes. Dad, you sneak. “By the window.”
“He insisted,” Johnny says. “You’re going to have the most uncomfortable furniture in all of Minnesota, but I figured you wouldn’t have it any other way.”
My eyes are teary, and I shake my head, unable to speak for a few seconds. “It’s perfect.” Like my mom is here watching me. “Let’s go get the rest. I can’t wait to sleep in my new apartment.”
We get all the bags in one trip. Maverick wheels my oversized suitcase into my room.
“Thank you.” I take it from him and try to lift it onto the bed. It is heavy. He moves in to help.
“I’d invite you up to see my place, but it looks like you’re in a zone here.”
He isn’t wrong. I’ve got tunnel vision to get this place exactly how I want it before going to bed. “I have to find everything for tomorrow. What floor are you on?”
“Eleventh.” He scoops Charli up in his arms. She’s been busy checking out the place too. “What time do you have to be at the arena?”
“Nine. Just enough time to run and eat breakfast. Oh crap. Food. I didn’t even think about groceries.”
“We can go grab some stuff now if you want.”
“No, it’s fine. I have my protein powder and peanut butter somewhere, and my blender is in here.” I pat the suitcase.
“No wonder it was so heavy.” He smiles. “So you’re good?”
“Yep! I’m going to unpack and then try to sleep.”
“Text me if you need anything.”
“Thank you.” I walk him to the front door. He steps out into the hallway and then hits me with a grin. “Welcome, neighbor.”
I skip my morning run and spend the time freaking out about my job and setting up the kitchen. I didn’t bring a lot of kitchenware since it’s just me, but I have a couple of plates, bowls, glasses, and a handful of silverware. I also grabbed one pan, one spatula, a whisk, and a potato peeler. Although the latter was an impulse grab, and I have no real plans to use it.
I set up my blender to make my smoothie. I can’t find my jar of peanut butter anywhere, and I know I packed it. Reagan was making fun of me, tossing it into the air while I packed shoes. Oooh, I bet it’s in the shoe bag.
The doorbell rings, and I freeze on my way to the bedroom like I’m caught in someone else’s house. I wait for a second and then quietly pad over to the door and look out. No one is there, but there is something on the ground in front of the door.
Curious, I unlock and open the door. Several Trader Joe’s bags filled with groceries sit outside and on the very top—a jar of peanut butter. Score! I could kiss Maverick.
When it’s time for work, I make sure I have my purse, phone, and key card for the apartment and then take the elevator to the first floor. I smile at the white marble and the sunlight
that streams into the open space.
A man stands at the door holding it open for people coming and going and there’s a young woman behind the counter that I assume is the concierge Johnny mentioned.
I smile at her, and then the doorman greets me. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” I reply as I step outside. The street between the apartment and the arena is busy, and I walk up to the corner and cross with the others waiting. I take in the downtown area. Other tall buildings with company names surround us. Some I know, and others I don’t.
I feel underdressed next to some of these people in their formal business attire: suits and no-nonsense pumps. I opted for a simple black dress and my red Chucks. Katherine in HR said it was business casual with an emphasis on casual, so I’m not too worried. Besides, who is going to see my shoes while I sit behind a desk?
I get a text from Reagan as I’m about to enter the front doors of the arena. I pause and move to the side to let people pass.
Have a great day with the hockey hotties. I expect roster details. EXPLICIT details. She added six eggplant emojis, a briefcase, and a kissy-face. I love her.
Inside the door, I stop at the front desk and give them my name as I was instructed to do. They make a call and tell me to wait in the lobby, and a few minutes later, Blythe herself appears.
She’s stunning. Even more so in person. Power suit has nothing on the jumper she owns with every long stride of her legs. Her dark skin is beautiful against the cream color of her outfit, but the best part is the bright red heels on her feet. Oh, I think I’ve just found my new role model.
“Dakota.” She smiles and extends her hand. Simple gold jewelry, a bracelet, and a ring—not on her ring finger. “I am so thrilled you’re here.”
“Thank you. I can’t believe it. I keep waiting to wake up and be back in Valley.”
Her dark brown eyes light up as she smiles. She hands me a badge and leads me past the front desk. “This is the main entrance. You can also come in through the back near the training rooms, but this is probably easier coming from the apartment. Did you get settled okay?”
Wild Love (Campus Nights Book 4) Page 6
