Page 202 of Lovers Like Us

Maximoff contemplates this. “What is that, a year jail timemaximum?”

“Or even less. He could just be fined a grand.” I place the mirror aside. “But either way, he’ll be slapped with a restrainingorder.”

Security can now legally detain this fucker if he comes within distance of Maximoff. Even if Nate isn’t behind bars for long or at all, we still obtained the ability to protect Maximoff in a greaterway.

This is a victory, any way I turnit.

Maximoff must sense this because his shoulders lower. I put a hand on his knee, and he leans forward a fraction. He licks his lips, something biting at him, and he just lets it out, “What does this mean about yourfather?”

I was wrong about him, but I can’t budge off one point. “He’s still the same pretentious asshole that quit on you,” I tell him. “Nothing’schanged.”

Maximoff thinks for a second and then shakes his head. “He’s not the one who harassed me. So something’schanged.”

His words catapult me back to a memory, the one with his dad at a café. Where he watched his children and spokehonestly.

“Parenting never gets easier. Not when you love them, and you need to be hard on them, but you’re afraid to break them. And you think you’re doing everything right as a parent because you know what’s wrong, but still, it’s inevitable. We’ll fail. We alwaysdo.”

Back then, Lo had no reason to share that with me. He hadn’t made any mistakes with his children yet, as far as I was aware. But my father had made one withme.

And Lo knew I was fighting with him. I wonder if all that time he was speaking to me aboutmy father. Reminding me that he loves me. He’s never been abusive or malicious. He’s just doing what he feels is right, even if it’swrong.

I shouldn’t villainize him or think he’s willing to fuck me over. Hell, I believed he was capable of murderingMaximoff.

I shake my head repeatedly, and I almostlaugh.

“What?” Maximoffasks.

“Words of wisdom from an unwise man,” I tell him. “Yourdad.”

Maximoff smiles. “He’s pretty wise for all the hell he’s beenthrough.”

I smile just seeing his. “You’re not too bad yourself, HarvardDropout.”

He gives me a look. “Christ, call the fucking Coast Guard. Farrow Keene just complimented myintelligence.”

I suck in a breath. “Well now I’m questioning everything because there’s no reason to call the Coast Guard, wolf scout. We’re onland.”

Maximoff feigns confusion. “You sure I haven’t drowned youyet?”

I laugh, and our eyes dance over each other as I whisper, “Trust me, I’m very much alive withyou.”

47

MAXIMOFF HALE

The silver liningto losing my job and cancelling the tour early comes in lavender floral bouquets, tuxes, a hundred closest friends, family, and a garden gazebotoday.

Spring flowers bloom, and I sit in the front row next to my siblings. Beneath the gazebo, my mom looks effervescent in a lilac dress, beaming at my dad, who wears a black-on-red tux. Both radiate with pure, blissfulhappiness.

I was at their wedding. Just a little kid, and unlike Farrow, my memories have faded and fogged over time. But this, right here, Iimmortalize.

My mom and dad renew their vows in front of all of us, and sure, press and cameramen are here too. But the world seems tostill.

I swear to everything in this fucking universe—you can actuallyfeeltheir love. It’s in the air and the silence between theirwords.

The first thing I think is…I lovethem.

The second thing pauses mecold.