Chapter 9

Maverick

Ruby was hiding something. I wasn't quite sure what she was hiding or if she was just not at all interested in me, but everything pointed to her having a big secret. We'd spent the past week talking each night before bed, getting to know one another.

Sort of.

She, unlike every other woman on the face of the planet, was not a sharer. She didn't volunteer information freely and only answered the questions asked, usually in the vaguest terms. I knew she was from the Midwest, Ohio, but I didn't believe it was Cleveland, and that her parents were dead, that orange was her favorite color. It was all first date stuff most women gave away without a second thought.

Ruby was not most women. I had a deep desire to figure her out, to learn everything there was to know about her. That meant I needed Slate to look into her, something I should've done before moving her in with Mabel, but desperate times and all that.

"Oh my god, Mav, thank goodness someone is here!" Ellie rushed towards me, breathless with eyes wide.

"Hey, Ellie, where's the fire?" Diesel's woman looked like she was in a hurry. Usually, she was relaxed and calm, but not today.

She sighed and pointed over her shoulder to where Leo was hugging Chopper. "My editor showed up on my doorstep today because apparently my new book has all kinds of continuity issues. She's here for the next twelve hours and I don't know where Diesel is. Can you watch Leo? I can take the twins with me as they'll just be napping, but Leo is hyped up enough already, we'll never get any work done if he's running around."

I peeked around her again at Leo and then back at her. "You want me to watch your kid?"

"And Diesel's kid," she added as if that was the issue. "And yes, I trust you to watch him. The question is, will you?"

"Yeah, of course." I motioned around the empty clubhouse. "You have anything planned for him?"

"No, but it would be good if he spent a few minutes outside to soak up some vitamin D."

"Got it. Take the kid out to sun him and keep him watered. No problem."

Her lips tugged up into a slight grin. "Look at you, halfway to being a parent."

"Bite your tongue," I told her with a glare that made her laugh. I was of an age that I should be ready for kids, but I hadn't yet met a woman who I'd want to stick around for the next eighteen years, or forever. "I'll bring him back to you in one piece. Promise."

With an excited squeal, Ellie wrapped her arms around me and smacked a kiss against my cheek. "You're the best, Maverick. My favorite other than Diesel," she whispered, and pulled back. "Leo, you get to spend the day with Uncle Maverick!"

"All right! Are we gonna ride today?" His big smile was contagious, and I was tempted to say hell yes, but the weight of Ellie's glare burned the side of my face.

"Um," I slid a glance to make sure and yep, she was glaring at me. "We'll see, kiddo."

The kid was a pro because his shoulders sank at my words, knowing that was as close to a no as I was willing to give him. "Okay, fine."

"Let's grab some food first and I'll find something fun to do."

"I love to have fun!" His exuberance was so damn adorable I knew we'd have a great time together. As soon as I figured out what to do.

"Then let's get to it while your mom does boring ol' work."

He giggled and gave Chopper one last hug before he stopped in front of me with his little hand out. "Yeah, have fun with boring ol' work, Mom."

Ellie laughed as she exited the clubhouse, shaking her head. "Have fun and stay out of trouble, you two!"

I had no fucking clue what to do with a six-year-old little boy. At some point I was a six-year-old, but hell, it was so long ago I didn't remember what I liked to do. Leo looked at me with wide, expectant blue eyes and I knew exactly what to do. "How do you feel about tacos?"

"Oh man, I love tacos, Uncle Maverick!"

Perfect. I got to my feet and took his little hand in mine. "Then let's go get tacos and then we're going to see my grandma."

Leo stopped and slowly looked up to me with even bigger eyes than he had at the mention of tacos. "You have a grandma?"

"Yep. Her name is Mabel."

His blue eyes were as big as saucers. "Is she one hundred years old?"

A loud roar of laughter barked out of me. "Not quite, but I'll give you an extra big brownie if you ask her that."

"Deal," he shouted, and started walking again.

Thirty minutes and three dozen tacos later, we stood on my grandmother's doorstep and rang the bell before we stepped inside. "Is that you, Dylan?"

"I thought your name was Maverick," Leo said in a whisper.

"It's a nickname. Come on." Inside the living room, Mabel sat with Sophie looking through photo albums. "Are you showing Sophie embarrassing pictures of me?"

She looked up with a smile. "You bet I am."

My shoulders fell. "Then I guess I'll keep these tacos for Leo and me."

Sophie looked up excitedly at my words. "Can I have a taco?"

I smiled. "You can have two," I assured her. "This is Leo and he's hanging with me for the day. Leo, this is Sophie and my grandma Mabel."

"Hi, Sophie. Hi, Grandma Mabel."

"Oh, aren't you adorable?" Mabel laughed. "It's nice to meet you, Leo. And thank you for bringing me tacos."

"Who brought…oh." Ruby exited the kitchen with a shocked expression on her face. "Maverick, hi. Who's your friend?"

"This is Leo. Leo, that's Ruby and she's Sophie's mom."

"Hi, Ruby."

"Leo, hey." She smiled. "Aren't you a little young to buy three women you don't know tacos?"

He laughed. "It was Uncle Mav."

"Well, thank you, Uncle Mav." Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Bring the tacos to the kitchen."

It wasn't the welcome I was expecting, but she didn't frown when she saw me, and I took that as a win. "Ruby, how's it going?"

"Good," she answered without turning to me. "How are you?"

"Better now that I've seen you."

She snorted and gave me a saucy glance over her shoulder. "Nice line."

"And the truth, which makes it not a line." I winked and her cheeks reddened adorably. "Did I mess up your lunch plans?"

"Not when the alternative is tacos." She turned to me with a stunning smile. "In fact, never when the alternative is tacos."

"Glad to please. Are you settled in?"

"Yep." She turned and grabbed plates from the cupboard, and though it was a little odd seeing someone other than Mabel do it, with Ruby it just felt right. "I should thank you again."

"Nope, I should be thanking you. Now that I know there's someone looking after Mabel, I don't have to worry constantly."

"Guess we have a mutual admiration society going on, huh?"

"Oh, it's definitely mutual." I wiggled my eyebrows and she laughed.

"How did you end up on babysitting duty? I thought you didn't have any siblings."

I smiled and leaned across the table. "You remembered?"

She laughed. "I did."

"Leo is my club president's son, and his woman needed some help and I volunteered. Or maybe she volunteered me with pleading eyes."

"Sucker," she teased with a laugh. "Thanks for thinking of Sophie."

I opened my mouth to deny it, but the look in Ruby's eyes told me it wouldn't make a difference. "Yeah, sure."

"Mom, can we go out back and play?" Sophie's wide smile punched me in the chest.

"Yeah, sure. Don't leave the yard, either of you," she said, and pointed to Leo as well.

"Okay! Come on, Leo!" They darted out of the back door and rushed around the yard as if they'd been locked up for years.

"You're a good guy, Maverick. Or Dylan."

"Either works." I shrugged, slightly uncomfortable with her praise. "Or you could just tell me your secret."

Her smile dimmed. "What secret?"

I sighed heavily. "So, not yet, then? Patience is a virtue, Ruby, and I'm nothing if not virtuous."

Laughter spilled out of her, and she shook her head. "I'm sure you are."

"Are you two gonna flirt all day or is someone gonna feed me?" Mabel's voice broke through the fog of whatever was happening between us and then her laughter sounded.

"We weren't flirting," Ruby said stiffly.

"Well, whatever you kids these days are calling it, I thought I was gonna have to hose you down. Both of you," she said, and fanned her face.

"Grandma," I groaned. "Don't embarrass Ruby."

"Why should she be embarrassed?" Mabel shook her head and shooed me out of her seat so she could sit down. "Nothing at all wrong with flirting with a handsome man. Even if he does need a shave and a haircut."

Ruby laughed again and the sound was incredible. Her shoulders shook and her eyes sparkled, like she was really enjoying herself and it was the first real smile, the first big smile of hers I'd seen. "Thanks for that, Mabel."

"Everybody's a comedian," I grumbled, and went to call the kids in for lunch.