Page 10 of Just One Look

Maverick

“Okay. Show of hands. Who here would rather be forced to eat—holy shit.”

Pip stops mid-sentence.

“Who would want to eat holy shit?”

a guy at the table asks, confused. He has his back to me, so he hasn’t seen Jackson and me enter like Pip has.

“Maverick.”

Pip leaps to his feet.

“What are you doing here?”

“Just dropping off some chicken soup for Clancy and Jackson,” I say.

The two women at the table exchange a smile.

“These are my sisters.”

Jackson gestures to them in turn.

“Verity and Sibella.”

“Nice to meet you both.”

For some reason, I pictured his sisters having the same jet-black hair he does. They don’t. Verity has beautiful, glossy copper-red hair tumbling down her back, while Sibella’s soft chestnut curls frame her heart-shaped face. She’s glowing with radiant skin and, not that I normally notice these things about a woman, has very ample cleavage.

“That’s Tim, Sibella’s husband and proud dad-to-be.”

Ah, cleavage explained.

“Hey, man,”

he says with a friendly smile.

“And that’s Chris, Verity’s partner. And you know Pip, of course.”

He’s now at the grill, piling food onto a plate, which he brings over to me.

“Here you go. There’s a free spot next to Jackson. Enjoy.”

My eyes dart between him and Jackson, reigniting that ember of jealousy in my chest. Which is totally dumb. Ollie and I are more like brothers than best friends, and there’s never been anything more than platonic love between us. If Jackson says they’re just friends, they’re just friends.

Not that it’s any of my business anyway.

“Thanks.”

I take a seat.

“Are you a Dodgers or Giants man?”

Chris asks, and as I make bro-talk with him, I’m hyperaware of Jackson just to my right.

He’s not exactly seething, but it was obvious he balked at Clancy’s invitation for me to stay with the way he started snorting like an angry bull. But how was I meant to say no to Clancy without being rude? Wagner, Sammy, and I have plans to watch the fireworks together tonight, but my day is wide open. I didn’t want to lie to the old guy and make up an excuse, so I’ll have some food, stay for an acceptable but not too long length of time, then leave.

“How has your first month at the sanctuary been?”

Sibella asks me.

“I heard some of the staff there can be a real handful.”

I turn to catch the tail end of Jackson glaring as he mouths something to his sister across the table. Something loving and supportive, I’m sure.

“Oh, they are. But it’s nothing I can’t handle,”

I reply, lifting an amused brow at Jackson.

He’s doing that angry-bull breathing thing again, and I grin. Being around family always reveals different sides of a person. I wouldn’t say what I’m seeing is Jackson’s softer side. From what I know of him so far, I’m not entirely convinced he has a softer side. But in the few minutes I’ve spent with them, and despite the teasing, it’s clear his is a close-knit, loving family. Something someone who doesn’t have one is able to spot so easily.

The conversation turns to the fireworks tonight. I remember it fondly from when I was a kid. The county spares no expense, putting on one hell of a show. I’m looking forward to Sammy’s reaction when he experiences it for the first time.

“You survivin’?”

Jackson whispers, lifting his uneaten hot dog to cover his mouth.

I bring a napkin to mine.

“I am. Your family is delightful.”

“Don’t speak too soon. They’re holding back.”

“I’m sure you’re exaggerating.”

Jackson scoffs, and I turn my attention to Sibella, who’s speaking.

“So, anyway, I knew my vagina would stretch, but we had no idea about the perineal stretching and pelvic bone adjustment.”

Jackson drops the dog. “See?”

He hisses out a breath through his teeth before turning his ire to his sister.

“Can we please talk about something else while we eat?”

“Why?”

Tim asks, smiling adoringly at his wife. He’s been sitting dutifully by her side, doting on her the entire time I’ve been here. The woman can’t even reach for ketchup without him getting in first and handing it to her.

“Childbirth is perfectly natural.”

“And beautiful,”

Verity agrees with a Cheshire grin aimed squarely at her younger brother.

I try to bite back my smile, enjoying this way too much. Jackson’s family truly are delightful.

“Please excuse Jackson,”

Sibella tells me.

“He’s a total prude.”

“I am not,”

he huffs adorably.

“Then why did you leave our WhatsApp group chat?”

“Because it was filled with…”

He pauses, struggling to find the word he’s looking for.

“Birth stuff.”

“See? Prude. You can’t even say the word ‘vagina.’”

“I. Am. Not. A. Prude. I just don’t want to be bombarded with graphic female anatomy stuff every time I open my phone. That doesn’t mean I don’t love you. Or that I won’t be in the delivery room like you requested all of us to be. It just means I don’t want to hear about that stuff all the freaking time.”

“Say it.”

Sibella tries to fold her arms across her chest, realizes it probably won’t happen, then leans back in her seat.

Jackson tilts his head.

“Say what?”

“The word ‘vagina.’”

“What? No. Sib, we have a guest.”

“You’re absolutely right, Jaxi. We do.”

She pins her piercing green eyes on me, eyes that are the exact same shade as her brother’s.

“Can you say the word ‘vagina,’ Maverick?”

“Uhhh…”

If I say it, I’ll be betraying Jackson, which I don’t want to do. But if I don’t, I’ll appear weak in front of his formidable sister and his entire family.

“Vagina! Vagina! Vagina!”

Jackson roars out.

“There, I said it. Happy now?”

“Yes, I am,”

Sibella replies with a self-satisfied nod as Verity lowers her phone. Oh, man, she got the whole thing on camera. I am so hitting her up for that footage later.

“Let’s change the subject, shall we?”

Clancy suggests.

Jackson lets out a huge sigh of relief.

“Yes. Please. Let’s talk about literally anything else in the world.”

“Glad you said that.”

Clancy winks at me.

“Why don’t you tell everyone about that theory you told me about the other day? You know, the one about how the type of car a person drives reflects the size of their genitals. I’m curious, does that apply to women, too? Would a big car indicate a roomy vagina?”

“Oh. My. God!”

Jackson stares at the ceiling, a rash of red springing up along the column of his neck.

“You guys are the worst. We have company.”

“Oh, don’t mind me,”

I chime in when everyone turns my way.

“I’m loving every single moment.”

“As you should,”

Sibella says, basking in her mini-victory over Jackson.

“There is nothing wrong with talking openly and honestly about the human body.”

“And all of its glorious capabilities,”

Tim adds entirely earnestly, lifting Sibella’s hand and bringing his lips to the top of her palm.

Jackson flicks his gaze to mine with an are you seeing this? expression written all over his face. It’s too early for me to tell if Tim is simply a sweet guy or giving cuck energy, so I shrug, flash a neutral smile, and ask Jackson to hand over some more potato salad.

The conversation moves on to non-human body topics after that.

Verity tells everyone about a swift water rescue she undertook earlier in the week after a tubing enthusiast lost control of her raft in the swollen creek. She heads up the local search and rescue when she’s not running the local fire department. I have a feeling she and Ollie would get along like a…house on fire.

Tim boasts about his organization’s paternal leave policy, which he goes to great lengths to point out he playe.

“an instrumental role”

in extending from two weeks to six, while Clancy and Pip break off into a side conversation about Clancy’s apricot crop.

It’s all so normal and typical of what a family lunch could be like. And as I’m sitting here, surrounded by such warm, loving people, a heavy longing reverberates through my chest. I never had anything remotely like this growing up.

Mom was always working, even on birthdays and holidays, and Dad was always off doing something. We didn’t know what then, but now that it’s all come out, I don’t even want to think about it.

Our trips abroad were actually Mom’s business trips, with a few days of family vacation added to the tail end.

Worst of all, they simply didn’t care.

I can see how involved Jackson’s family are in each other’s lives, and while I’m sure there’s a downside to that, there’s also one almighty big upside. A person feels loved. Safe. Connected.

The meal ends, and as much as I’m enjoying myself, I don’t want to overstay my welcome.

“Thank you so much for all of this,”

I say to everyone, but mainly to Clancy.

“I really should get going. Can I help clear any dishes?”

“No. That’s fine. I’ve got it,”

Jackson mutters.

As I get up, Verity says.

“You should come tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“Yeah. We’re watching the fireworks from here. Bring your brother and nephew along if you like.”

Huh. Verity knows about them? Which means Jackson must have been talking to them about me. I peer down at him, and he’s doing that heavy-breathing, murder-face routine he’s got down pat.

“Oh, I don’t know,”

I begin, not wanting to irk Jackson even more.

“We’d love for you to join us,”

Sibella insists in a tone that tells me she normally doesn’t have to ask twice.

“Bring your nephew. We hear he’s adorable.”

“Are you…sure?”

I direct my question at Jackson, who turns to Clancy before looking up at me, his expression unreadable.

“Of course. It’d be great to have you all come over,”

he replies in a polite tone I’ve never heard come out of his mouth before.

“All right. Well, thank you for the invitation. I’ll have to check with my brother, but I’m pretty sure he’ll be cool with it. Now, are you sure I can’t help clear anything up before I go?”

“Actually, you can help me with something,”

Sibella says. Tim immediately jumps into action, assumes the lift heavily pregnant wife stance, and helps her up.

“I ordered Clancy a box of his favorite iced tea. It’s out in my car. Help me bring it in?”

“I can do that, baby,”

Tim offers.

She pats him on the shoulder.

“All good. It’ll give me a chance to speak with Maverick.”

“Sib,”

Jackson growls.

“Start clearing the table, Jaxi. That’s your job.”

She points at me.

“And you, follow me.”

I say goodbye to everyone and thank Clancy for the wonderful meal. He tells me it’s no bother and to come by anytime we like this afternoon, and I follow Sibella to her car. When we reach it, she leans against the side and lets out an almighty sigh.

“Fuck, I want a cigarette.”

“You smoke?”

“If anyone inside that house and especially Tim asks, the answer is no. But yeah. Before I was pregnant, I’d have one or two a day. It’s a bad habit I can’t seem to shake.”

“I know a thing or two about those.”

She runs her intense green eyes up and down me. I summon all my willpower not to squirm beneath her intimidating stare. Eager to move things along, I ask.

“So where’s that box of drinks?”

“There is no box. I lied. It’s being delivered here tomorrow. I just wanted to talk to you.”

“About what?”

She glances back toward the house.

“Jackson. He’s complicated, okay? I know he can be prickly. And difficult. A real handful. But the reason he’s so guarded is because he’s sensitive. Too sensitive, if you ask me. Have you ever seen him with a horse?”

“I have.”

“That’s him. That’s who he really is. Patient. Kind. Intuitive. Open. Loving. Trusting.”

She lets out a long breath, and if she wanted a cigarette before, I’d bet money she’d kill for one now.

“We’ve gone through some fucked-up family shit, and he’s got his own situation to deal with, but there’s one thing you need to know. Jackson does this thing where he takes it all on. Being angry is his way of gaining control in a situation where he feels powerless but wants to do something.”

“I’m not sure I follow.”

She sucks in a breath through her nose.

“It’s not my place to say anything, but if you like him, don’t let him push you away.”

“Okay.”

I’m in shock.

What exactly has Jackson been telling his sisters? Because I was under the impression he’d put up a firm boundary around me. Around the possibility of there being an us. So why is Sibella doing the whole overprotective big sister thing you’d expect if someone were new to dating her brother?

She’s not finished yet.

“And don’t be a pushover either. He doesn’t like that.”

“Has he had many relationships?”

I hedge, hoping to score some much-needed extra information about him.

“One in high school. A few after. Nothing serious or long-term. Nothing recent.”

She pushes off the car and stares straight into my eyes.

“He’s not easy, but I promise you this—he’s worth it.”