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“Maya’s amazing. But Liv deserves to have someone who’d put her first.” I could tell he meant it, could see the earnestness in his eyes. But he couldn’t have been more wrong.

“Your parents had four kids.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“You think they put Gage first? Tyler? Liv? You?”

Rhett frowned.

“They did a good fucking job with you, because that’s what parents do. They love their kids; they give them what they need. Sometimes they fucked up, like they did with Gage, but then they made it better. You don’t have just one kid because you’re worried you’ll love one more than the other. Your love grows and you show up becausethat’s what you do. It’s not MayaorLiv. It’s MayaandLiv. For the rest of my life it will beandnotor.”

Rhett took a deep breath and stood up from the chair. “Here’s the deal. You promise to treat Liv like a goddamn queen, and I’ll back off. But if you ever mess up, I swear to god I’ll castrate you, and you know I don’t have to be a doctor to know how.”

We both knew he meant it. “I promise,” I said, making each word carry meaning. “Whether Liv and I are apart or together, I’ll only treat her with the respect she deserves.”

“Good.” He was quiet for a moment, rolling his ballcap in his hands before putting it back on his head. “And I’m sorry for what I said about Maya. I really think she’s a great kid.”

I smiled. “I know.”

He nodded, walking toward the door.

“Rhett?” I said.

“Yeah?”

“I think there’s a favor you can do to make it up to Maya and me...”

“I’m all ears.”

45

Liv

Last night, Rhett called to apologize for his initial reaction, giving me his blessing to date Fletcher. Regina called to wish Maya good luck for her first day at school.

And this morning, Fletcher, Maya, and I stood at the end of the driveway, watching the big yellow school bus blaze a path down the dirt road. Maya wore a pair of flared denim jeans, a cow print shirt, and white sneakers. I’d done her hair in a couple fishtail braids, and she even asked to wear a little lip gloss, a request I happily obliged.

But by the tense set of her shoulders and the tight way she held on to Graham’s leash, I could tell she was nervous watching the bus approach. I was too. It was like a piece of my heart was going out on its own, unprotected.

I knelt beside her and looked in her eyes. “Maya, you are going to do amazing at school today. You have a big heart, a bright mind, and a creative soul. If people can’t see and appreciate that, it’s a them problem, not a you problem, okay?”

She nodded, giving me a hug.

Then her dad picked her up, backpack and all, hugging her tight. “You’ve got this, Maya. Find one of your friends from swim lessons and have the time of your life.”

The bus slowed to a stop in front of us, its flashing stop sign swinging out to the side. The doors opened, and the driver, an older woman named Jeanie, smiled at us. “Good morning, dears.”

“Morning,” I said with a wave.

Fletcher gave his daughter a pat on the back and said, “Take care of my little girl.”

Maya grunted. “I’m not little.”

“My big girl,” Fletcher corrected.

“I will,” Jeanie promised with a wink.

Maya passed me Graham’s leash and knelt in front of him. “I’ll be home so soon you won’t even know I’m gone.”