Maverick only just barely managed to hold back a groan. After Ella, Roni was thelastperson he wanted to see.
“I wasn’t sure you saw my text,” Roni said, bending down to give Maverick a kiss on the cheek. He didn’t miss Theo’s eye roll. He and Roni had made quite an impression on the dance floor at Levi’s reception, so none of his brothers had missed it when they’d left the event barn together. Like Grayson, every single brother had pulled him aside to express concern about him and Roni. He’d reassured them all—just as he had Grayson—they’d only made out, nothing more.
Roni was typically as subtle as a sledgehammer, so Maverick had to give her props for her behavior since their almost-night together. He’d always had her pegged as a stage-five clinger, one of the main reasons he steered clear, so he was surprised when she didn’t start blowing up his phone.
Instead, Roni was playing things much cooler, being friendly and undemanding whenever they ran into each other, and only texting him occasionally.
“Text?” Maverick hadn’t looked at his phone since he’d arrived. And even if he had, he would have ignored a text from Roni.
“You haven’t been out much lately,” she replied. “I texted to see if you wanted to join me and the gang tonight.” She pointed to a table near the entrance. They hadn’t been there when Maverick arrived with his brothers, and given the large crowd, he wasn’t surprised Roni had just spotted him. Wednesday nights were always hopping at Whiskey Abbey, busier than even the weekends.
Roni’s gang consisted of the same people she’d hung out with in high school. Even her ex, Jeff, was sitting there. Jeff and Roni had broken up right after junior prom, and he’d immediately started dating Brenda Hyatt, the two getting married approximately five minutes after graduation. When Brenda had a son five months later, everyone understood the hasty wedding.
Jeff and Brenda had split a year ago, their divorce one of the nastiest Gracemont had ever seen. Turned out, Jeff had been having an affair with Brenda’s cousin, Ivy, and Brenda had become the poster child for a woman scorned, determined to rake Jeff’s reputation through the mud while she grabbed everything she could—the house, the kids, and a hefty share of Jeff’s autobody business.
“Jeff’s depressed because Ivy dumped him. So we thought we’d take him out to cheer him up.”
Given the way Jeff was leering at Jessica Dixon’s tits in her low-cut shirt, the gang wouldn’t need to do much work.
“I didn’t see your text,” Maverick said, aware Ella was watching his and Roni’s exchange. “We got here about an hour ago.” He was sorry he said “we,” because Roni turned her attention from him to the others sitting there. He saw the moment she caught sight of Ella, frowning as she tried to remember her.
“Ella Decker,” Roni said, when the pieces clicked into place.
“Hi, Roni,” Ella said with a distinct lack of friendliness in her tone.
“What are you doing back in town?” Roni asked.
“Just here for a visit,” she replied, offering no details, which made sense. Roni had been a snooty bitch to Ella back in school.
Roni’s eyes narrowed enough that it was clear she was starting to view Ella as a threat. “With the Storms?”
Ella shook her head. “I’m staying at the Millholland House.”
“Oh.” Roni sounded only slightly relieved. Then, true to character, decided to stake her claim. She bent down until her lips were right by Maverick’s ear. “You never picked your tie up from my place,” she said, loud enough that everyone at the table could hear.
“Don’t wear ties very often,” he grumbled.
“Come say hi to the gang?” Roni asked, straightening when he shifted away from her.
On any other night and under any other situation, Maverick’s response would have been a resounding “no” because he hadn’t cared for Roni’s gang back in school, and the passing of time hadn’t made them any more interesting.
But tonight, Roni’s request was a welcome one, providing Maverick with the escape he needed.
“Sure.” He caught the surprised looks on all three of his brothers’ faces—and Roni’s as well—when he rose and followed her back to her table.
He said hello to everyone but made no move to pull a chair over and join them at their table, even though it was clear that was what Roni wanted. Luckily, there were no empty chairs close by.
“Hey, Mav,” Jessica said, leaving her seat to circle the table to hug him.
“Hey, Jess.”
Jessica was one of the exceptions when it came to Roni’s clique of annoying friends. The two of them had been good friends since second grade, neither of them interested in being more than that. Probably because Maverick was fairly certain Jessica played for the other team, even though she’d never come right out and said so.
“Rescue me,” she whispered in his ear, subtly tilting her head toward Jeff, who looked annoyed that his eye candy had walked away.
He winked. “Come dance with me.”
Unbeknownst to Jessica, she was saving him as well. Because now, he didn’t have to make small talk with this group and he didn’t have to return to his table…and Ella.