Chapter 5

Maverick

How I woke up before eight the next morning, I had no fucking clue other than sheer willpower. I was up and dressed early enough that I arrived at the hospital five minutes before visiting hours officially began.

She laughed when I walked into her room at eight on the dot. "Can't remember the last time I saw you awake this early in the morning."

"Been an early riser since basic training," I reminded her with an annoyed grunt. "If you'd rather wait until later in the afternoon, I can come back."

"No, no," she insisted. "I'm happy to see you, just shocked is all. Did you meet any women last night?" The teasing twinkle in her eyes put a smile on my face because it meant she was okay, just getting older.

"What makes you think I went anywhere last night?"

She laughed again. "Because I know you, and because you still smell like perfume. Did you even shower?"

"I did," I insisted self-consciously. "And there was no woman, at least not how you think." The woman was determined to pester me about a woman and kids until one of us was dead.

"Just one of those one-night affairs?" She wiggled her eyebrows, her smile growing even bigger at my clear discomfort.

"Grandma," I groaned. "No. Not that either, and if you say anything like that ever again, I'll never have kids. Ouch."

She pinched the back of my arm and laughed. "Don't be a grouch. Tell me about your night."

"Not much happened," I lied. "But I did find someone to help take care of you." I let the words sit there for a long, pregnant pause, giving her plenty of time to reject the idea outright.

"At midnight? Tell me more."

I ignored the jab about the timing and told her what I could about Ruby. "She's a single mother in need of a job. She seems qualified and kind, and I think this job will help all of us out."

Mabel snorted. "She must be beautiful if you decided that so quickly."

Ruby was more than beautiful, but that was irrelevant. "She's competent and I think you two will get along. That's all."

"Sure, if you say so. Where is she?"

I smiled. "Refused to accept the job until you knew what was going on and gave your approval."

Mable laughed. "I like her already."

Good, that was exactly what I needed to hear. "How did things go last night?"

"Just as it should," she assured me. "My blood pressure is back where it should be so whenever the doctor gets off his butt, we'll be heading home."

***

Hours later, we arrived back at Mabel's house, the home where I grew up and learned how to be a man. I got her settled on the sofa, I'd called Ruby from the hospital and asked her to come and visit and I was pleased to see she'd turned up bright and early. Leaving my grandma to her shows I went outside to meet with Ruby. "Hey, thanks for coming."

She folded her arms, big green eyes studying me carefully, she was with a little girl who was half hiding behind her. "I said I would."

"People say a lot of things. I'm glad you're here." My words seemed to appease her. "And who is this pretty girl?"

"I'm Sophie," she said with a shy smile.

I squatted down so we were eye to eye and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Sophie. I'm Maverick."

"Maverick? That's a pretty name."

I chuckled and extended my hand to her. "Thanks. I've never been called pretty before."

She put her little hand in mine and then pulled back with a terrified expression on her face. "I'm sorry," she said quickly.

"Don't be," I said, brushing off the concern written on her face. "I think I might like being pretty."

That pulled a giggle from her and that was good enough for me. "You girls ready to meet my grandmother?"

Ruby gave a stern nod. "You've talked to her?"

"Yeah," I answered, and stood back to my full height. "She's agreed that she needs the help and she appreciated that you needed her approval first. Come on in." I motioned for them to follow me up the short wooden steps and into the house. "Grandma, Ruby and Sophie are here!"

Mabel's blue eyes sparkled with pleasure as she took in the sight of her new roommates. Ruby looked beautiful if understated compared to the look she wore at The Den. Today she had on blue jeans that hugged her curves and a pale green sweater that made her eyes look a deeper shade of green. Sophie was dressed much the same, though her sweater was purple. "What a beautiful little girl you are, Sophie," she enthused. "I would've made cookies, but I was in the hospital."

Sophie gasped. "Are you all right, Grandma?"

"Sophie," Ruby began, but Mabel waved her off.

"It's all right. My name is Mabel, but I'd be pleased as punch if you call me Grandma."

Sophie looked to her mother as the decision maker and Ruby nodded her approval. "Are you okay?" she asked Mabel again in a softer, worried voice.

"I am now. When you get old, you start to forget things, but with your mama's help, I'll live until I'm old and gray."

Sophie's blond brows dipped in confusion. "But you are old and gray."

Mabel tossed her head back and laughed. "Well, you got me there, Sophie. Then maybe I'll just live for a good long time, until you're all grown up." Mabel's words seemed to calm Sophie and I wondered what the story was with these two women. I'd have to ask Slate to look into Ruby, just to be safe.

Ruby pulled a coloring book and crayons from the pink backpack I hadn't noticed until now. "Let's set you up in the kitchen while the grownups talk, okay?"

Sophie nodded and followed her mother into the kitchen, smiling and waving at Mabel as she passed.

When Ruby returned, she was all business. "Listen, I'm happy for this job because it's better and allows me to spend more time with Sophie."

I didn't like the sound of that. "Then why do I hear a but coming?"

Mabel swatted at me, but I was too far out of her reach. "Don't be rude, Dylan."

Ruby's lips tugged into a smile. "But I can't leave Mrs. P high and dry. She's an older woman too and she's come to rely on me as much as I relied on her. I won't shirk my responsibilities here, but she lives close enough that I can still do for her what I've been doing." The words rushed out and her lips pressed into a thin line when she finished.

"Mrs. P?"

"She's my neighbor, or she was. She watched Sophie while I worked, and I ran errands like groceries and picking up her prescriptions. Will that be a problem?"

"Oh, no, not at all," Mabel assured her. "In fact, I respect the hell out of you for telling me up front."

Ruby smiled. "Okay. Good. What do you need from me, Mabel?"

While they went over the details of cooking and doctor's appointments, I went to check on Sophie. "You doin' all right in here, kiddo?"

She nodded and looked up with a smile. "Yep. Wanna color with me?"

I looked back at Mabel and Ruby in deep conversation and shrugged. "It's been a long time, so you'll have to show me how."

She giggled. "You can't forget how to color. It's like riding a bike."

Sophie was right, and we colored and talked about her favorite things—fairies, bicycles, and cupcakes—and some of mine as well, which included motorcycles, tacos, and music. Eventually, Ruby and Mabel entered the kitchen wearing matching smiles. "Well, what's the verdict?"

Ruby sighed. "I'm going to head back to grab a few things Sophie and I will need for a few days, and slowly migrate our stuff over since I have a couple weeks left on the lease. Then I'm going to buy some food," she said as she looked in the fridge and inside the cabinets. "Mrs. P needs food today as well, so I'll be gone about an hour, and when I get back, I'll make lunch."

"Since we need to get to know each other," Mabel began with a smile, "I'm happy to look after Sophie to make running your errands quicker."

Ruby hesitated, nibbling her bottom lip as she weighed her options. Thoughts swirled in her head so clearly, I could practically hear them. "Yeah. Yes. Okay, sounds good. Thank you, Mabel."

"No thanks necessary," she said, and motioned for Sophie to come to her. "Sophie and I will get to know each other, won't we?"

The little girl nodded and snuggled in close. "You smell like mint."

"Sophie," Ruby chided, and her cheeks turned pink.

Mabel laughed. "That mint keeps my muscles and joints from squeaking."

"Can I have some so my muscles don't squeak?"

Ruby and Mabel both laughed, and I kept an amused smile on my face, not just happy but proud of how well this idea was working out. Sophie was just what Mabel needed in her life.

Whether or not that was true about Ruby, I had no fucking clue.

But in time, I would.