Page 44 of Mr. Irrelevant (Rock City Renegades #1)
Maddox glances at me with a secretive smirk, making my brows furrow in confusion because he hasn’t given me many details beyond his mother making dinner tonight.
“Well, we’re going to see Dylan at his shop tomorrow, but the particulars of that outing are confidential because it’s part of Livvy’s birthday surprise.
” His mom gives him a dubious look, but doesn’t say a word, leaving me to wonder what the hell he has up his sleeve.
I don’t have time to ask for more information before a muffled beeping noise echoes from another room.
“That’s the lasagna,” she says, giving him a subtle lift of her chin.
“Can you grab it out of the oven and set it on the cooling rack for me, please? Then, if you don’t mind, all the salad ingredients are in the fridge.
They just have to be mixed in a bowl.” He nods, walking over and dropping a kiss to the top of my head, doing the same to her, and disappearing into the kitchen.
We both watch adoringly until he’s completely out of sight, and she turns back toward me with a soft smile on her face.
“I know I joke around a lot, but I’ve never seen my son this happy.
” She exhales slowly, hugging her knees to her chest, and I can tell she’s about to show me a part of herself that not many people get to see.
“When his dad left, I did the best I could.
He was young, but I know he saw how volatile our marriage was—even though I tried to protect him from it.
It was a terrible example of a healthy relationship.
“After that, I decided to just focus on the two of us, spending every waking hour either at work or driving him to practices and games. His happiness and success became my number one priority, but I always hoped I didn’t royally fuck him up by staying with a man who treated me poorly for so long.
” Her gaze lifts to mine, unshed tears of vulnerability shining in the firelight.
“My worst fear was that I didn’t show Maddox the right way to love someone else, or that I placed so much importance on football that he wouldn’t even care to try.
But I can clearly see that I was worried for nothing, because he seems to be pretty amazing at it. ”
I reach out, covering her hand with mine.
The backs of my eyes prick with emotion, my expression conveying all the gratitude I can muster.
“I’ve never been cared for so fully—so intensely .
When I first started coaching him, I was positive I could keep things professional.
I’d been burned before, and my walls were pretty much impenetrable.
But Maddox? He didn’t even have to try. All he did was show me what a loving, protective, compassionate man he is, and I just…
fell .” My features soften, a gentle smile blanketing my expression.
“ You did that, Kelly. All by yourself. And I can’t thank you enough for it. ”
Her face twists with emotion as she leans forward, wrapping her arms around me tightly.
I return the gesture, a powerful connection forming between us as she sniffles against my shoulder.
I hope she truly understands the impact she’s had on the people around her with her strength and selflessness, starting with the boy she raised, and the man he’s become—the man who shows me every day that I’m worthy of being loved just as I am.
We stay there, clinging to each other with full hearts for several minutes, until a familiar voice brings us back to reality.
“Okay, put away the embarrassing baby pictures, dinner’s rea—” Maddox stops in his tracks, his brows shooting into his hairline as we break apart.
“What is happening?” He lifts his hands in surrender.
“You know what? Never mind. Ignorance is bliss.” Kelly and I share a knowing look, smirking at one another before standing from the couch and heading toward the kitchen.
But I don’t make it through the doorway as a large hand bands around my wrist, yanking me into a firm wall of muscle.
“Everything alright?” Maddox asks, his fingers burning into the skin of my waist through the thin fabric that covers it.
His grey eyes sparkle, and I swear I fall in love with him even more, although I have no idea how that’s possible.
Even just this small glimpse into where he came from shows me a whole new side of him—one that I’m so lucky to know.
I feel like I understand him in a way that I didn’t before.
His fierce, protective nature. The importance he places on showing the world that he belongs, so that the efforts of those who helped him along the way weren’t in vain.
He’s the most amazing man I’ve ever met, raised by a woman who loves him more than anything.
“Everything is perfect,” I reply, pushing to my toes and puckering my lips in invitation. He dips down, giving me what I want as he presses his mouth to mine in a sweet kiss that ends way too soon, but thankfully, we have a whole weekend for more.
“Good,” he says with a charming grin. “Because I’m about to make this the best birthday ever.”
You already have, Mad Dog. You already have.