“It’s not one of my favorite things to eat,” I tell him, giving Maggie’s inner thigh a squeeze, and her legs trap my hand.
“I miss bacon,” he admits, and Maggie’s mom glares at him. “What? It’s true,” he grumbles.
“I didn’t even know you’ve tried bacon,” Maggie says quietly, looking at him like she’s never seen him before.
“I wasn’t always a vegetarian. Neither was your mom.”
“Really?” Morgan asks as she takes a seat between her parents on a chair that doesn’t match the rest around the table.
“Really,” their mom answers, kissing Morgan’s cheek.
“Did you sleep okay, Sven?” Maisy asks as Maggie piles pancakes and fruit on my plate.
“Slept great. It’s so quiet here.”
“Yeah, one of my favorite things about living out here is the silence,” Monroe says, and then his eyes move between his girls at the table. “But I do miss the house being noisy, like when you girls were home.”
Looking across the table, I see Maisy’s eyes fill with tears then look at Morgan, and notice hers are the same. I feel Maggie’s hand move to mine on her lap and squeeze.
“I miss you, too, Dad. I miss you and Mom both,” Maggie whispers, and her dad reaches over, giving her shoulder a soft squeeze, then his eyes move to me.
“Promise you’ll bring my girl around more?”
“I’ll do that,” I agree softly, and Maggie’s hand spasms in mine. I’m not sure what happened with them, but I can see they all want to be a family; they just got off track at some point.
“Next time you come, I’ll teach you guys some of the Kama Sutra,” Maisy says happily, and my head swings her way. I’m not someone who gets surprised easily, but that comment definitely threw me.
“Mom!” Maggie cries turning red.
“What, MoonPie? A healthy sexual relationship is good for the soul,” Maisy says seriously, and Maggie’s face turns a darker shade of crimson before she covers it with her hands.
Hearing Monroe laugh, I look at him as he mutters, “Welcome to the family,”
Jesus.
Thankfully, the rest of breakfast is somewhat normal, with Maggie and Morgan catching up with their parents. When we’re finished eating, we have a little over two hours to get Morgan to the facility for check-in at twelve, leaving us just enough time to stop on the way there to pick her up some clothes and necessities before getting back on the road.
When we arrive at Guiding Light, the rehab facility, I’m surprised to find a beautiful three-story, adobe-style home, instead of a stale hospital. The house is set on the side of a rocky cliff, with open balconies off all three floors in the back of the house. The landscape is open and done in a way that reminds me of a spa or retreat.
Looking around, I don’t doubt this place costs some serious dough, and I know there is no way in hell Morgan can afford something like this, and I don’t think Maggie’s parents can either, meaning this is all coming out of Maggie’s pocket, showing just how much faith she has in her sister’s recovery.
“I’m gonna help Morgan get checked in. Do you want to come?” Maggie asks softly from my side as I put the SUV in park. Turning, I look over at her and shake my head. Morgan doesn’t need me in there; she needs her family.
“No, baby, I’ve got my cell on me. Call if you need me,” I tell her gently, giving her hand a squeeze.
“I won’t be long.” She leans over, kissing my cheek, then opens her door and gets out, followed by her mom, dad, and Morgan from the backseat.
“Morgan,” I call before she shuts the door. Her eyes come to me, but I can tell she’s still got her guard up.
“You got this,” I tell her, and her eyes go soft and she chews on the inside of her cheek before nodding and slamming the door closed.
AN HOUR LATER, I spot Maggie and her parents pushing through the door, and I get out of the SUV and lean back against it, noticing each of them have varying looks of sadness and hope etched into their features. I know this isn’t going to be easy for Morgan, but this is also going to take a toll on their family. Watching Maggie, she takes her mom’s hand and says something to her dad, who nods before Maggie leads her mom to one of the benches along the path that leads to the front door.
“Everything okay?” I ask Monroe when he’s within earshot.
“It will be. The place is nice, and the doctors inside seem to know what they’re talking about.”
“That’s good,” I say quietly then look back toward Maggie and her mom, who are now hugging.
“She loves you.” Titling my head toward him, I feel my throat get tight. No matter how many times Maggie says those words to me, I don’t feel worthy of them, and don’t know if I ever will.
“I know,” I agree after a moment.
“Are you gonna marry her?”
“Definitely.”
“I want to walk her down the aisle, so don’t go dragging her to some chapel on the strip.”
“I’ll try not to, but I’m not making any promises,” I mutter honestly, and his eyes crinkle.
“I just gave you an idea, didn’t I?” he asks, and I laugh, ‘cause fuck yes, he did.
“Never thought I’d be happy seeing one of my girls with a man like you, but I have to say I’m pretty darn thrilled.”
Staring at him, I do it for a long time. I never believed myself to be a good man, or even a good person, but having Maggie’s father’s approval means something more than he will ever know. “Thanks,” I mutter and he shakes his head, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Is everything okay?” Maggie asks, walking up to us, hand-in-hand with her mom.
“Everything’s fine. You okay, Maisy?” Monroe asks his wife, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
“It will be,” she whispers, repeating his earlier statement while leaning into his side.
Looking down at Maggie, I place my hand against the side of her neck, pulling her closer to me, and ask, “Are you ready to go home?”
Her face goes soft and she nods then looks at her parents. “Thank you for coming with me today,” she tells her mom and dad, wrapping her arm around the back of my waist, dropping her temple to my chest.
“We love you and your sister, MoonPie,” Maisy says softly, taking Maggie’s hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. “We’re just sorry we weren’t here for you two before now,” she says and I can see the regret in her eyes.
“We’ll be here from now on,” Monroe, states pulling in a deep breath. Watching him with his eyes soft on Maggie I vow to hold him to that declaration.
Chapter 9
Maggie
Bullets don’t stop bossy
SHOUTING, “ARE YOU almost ready?” toward the bathroom, I walk across the bedroom to the closet while zipping up the back of my tight black pencil skirt.
“I still think you should stay home.”
My hand pauses on my top hanging on a hook near the closet, and I look over my shoulder at Sven, who is leaning against the doorjamb with his arms crossed over his bare chest.
“I’m not staying home. I’ve been gone for two days, and yesterday we took care of my family stuff, which means for two days, I haven’t been to the club. And although you keep things organized, you don’t always make sure everything that needs to be ordered is ordered,” I tell him, watching his eyes narrow in a way that proves I’m right, even if he’ll never admit it.