Ella shook her head. “You really don’t have to do that.”
He gave her a wide grin. “Of course I do.” And then, because he knew she was going to ignore him, he leaned closer. “I mean it, Ella. Wait for me.” Maverick had never used such a deep, demanding tone before, but it must have resonated with the girl.
She blinked several times, then nodded. “Okay,” she whispered.
Her response pleased him more than he could even begin to understand. Shifting closer, he gave her a quick peck on the cheek, wishing he could give her a real kiss, though they were nowhere near that point.
Maverick had always prided himself on being a patient guy, but none of that was present with Ella.
With her, he wanted everything…yesterday.
“See you in an hour,” he murmured in her ear, loving the way she shivered in response.
“Okay,” she repeated breathlessly, letting him know that she felt whatever this was too.
Somehow, Maverick managed to walk away from her, and while he was a full two minutes late for class, he didn’t give a damn.
Because he’d just fallen head over heels in love with Ella Decker.
Maverick rubbed his eyes wearily.He hadn’t thought of that day in years. No, scratch that. He hadn’t thought of it in well over a decade.
He blamed Levi’s wedding on the unwanted recollection. Watching his brother marry the love of his life brought back thoughts and feelings Maverick had kept locked down since high school. Now, the door had flown open, and he understood something he hadn’t all those years ago.
The Storm legend was real, and Maverick had succumbed to it when he was just seventeen years old.
Because that was when he’d touched Ella Decker’s hand and met his soul mate.
Chapter Two
Ella stood by the baggage claim, watching countless suitcases glide by on the conveyor belt, none of them hers. She didn’t have a clue why her bag was always the last one to ride up the ramp, but damn if it didn’t look like the streak was still alive.
“Should have just packed a carry-on,” she muttered under her breath, as she watched most of the people who’d been on her plane claim their own suitcases before making their way to the exit.
“Ella?”
She turned around, smiling at the familiar face that greeted her. “Mr. Millholland.”
He shook his headandher hand. “None of that Mr. Millholland stuff. That was fine when you were a teenager, but we’re both adults now, so you’re going to call me Manny.”
“That might take some getting used to,” she said genially.
“If that’s true, then you’re in for a whole world of hurt because I know my aunt Edith is going to make the same demand.”
Ella widened her eyes dramatically, aware there was no way she could call Manny’s aunt by her first name. “I’llneverbe able to call her Edith.”
Manny chuckled. “Hate to say it, but my money’s on my aunt.”
Ella wanted to argue the point, but then she realized her money was on Edith Millholland as well. After all, the woman had already done the impossible and gotten Ella to do something she’d never thought she would do.
Return to Gracemont, Virginia.
Not that Ella hadn’t wanted to come back. It was just…
A lot of bad shit had gone down just prior to her dad packing up the family and moving them back to Idaho. It was easier to pretend none of it had ever happened when she was two thousand miles away.
Coming back meant she had to acknowledge what she’d done.
Who she’d hurt.