Bitter Sweet Heart (Lies, Hearts & Truths #2)(125)

We’ve hired an entire team of counselors, including Sophia, and part of the program includes self-defense classes. In addition, we’ve managed to grow the volunteer program of both professional and non-professional athletes who escort these women to court dates and help them retrieve their personal effects from their homes while we transition them into new housing.

None of it would have been possible without the help of Mav’s parents. And part of our staff includes Queenie Kingston. Her husband, Ryan, was the team’s goalie when Maverick’s dad was the coach in Seattle. They’ve been friends with his parents for a long time, and their family moved out this way a couple of years ago. She developed an art therapy program for children coming out of abusive homes, and I run their literacy program.

Every day I get to see Maverick shine his light on people who are struggling to find their way out of the dark. He’s a beautiful soul, and I’m lucky to have fallen in love with him.

We eat dinner, laugh, joke, and talk about our plans for the Chrismukkah celebration at Lavender House. We’ve been able to secure donations from local businesses, so all the kids will have presents, as well as their mothers, and we have a huge dinner planned with a movie night for the kids. Violet is a tremendous support, as are all the other women in their hockey family.

Being part of Maverick’s world and his family has opened my eyes to exactly how supportive they all are of each other. And I love that my parents have been folded right in. My brother and his girlfriend couldn’t make it this time, but they came and spent a week with us this summer, and they’re coming out this way again for Thanksgiving. And I see now, in a way that I couldn’t before, exactly why hockey has been such an important part of Mav’s life and why choosing a different path was such a challenge for him.

Maverick opens his gifts after dinner. It’s almost a surprise when his mother doesn’t give him something embarrassing. Instead, she gives him the Onyx Scrabble edition, which he gets irrationally excited about. She seems pleased, and she doesn’t need to know that his excitement is more about the fact that we play by a very different set of rules.

“You have to come outside to see your gift from me,” I tell him.

“Did you buy me a star?”

I shake my head. “You’ll never guess. Come on.” We all put on our shoes and head out to the small garage. Over the past few months, I’ve been working on a project with some help from his family.

“Did you get me a riding lawn mower?”

“We already have one.”

“A tractor? We have two acres. We should definitely have a tractor.”

“No. It’s not a tractor.” I hit the button, and the door whirrs as it opens. I thread my arm through his and watch as his expression turns from questioning to surprise. “It’s a home office. I know how important it is for you to have space carved out for working, and the cabin isn’t really set up for it, so on the days you’re not in the office or on the ice, you’ll have this.”

“Holy crap, Clover. How the hell did you manage to do this without me knowing?”

“Careful planning and a lot of help.” I look over my shoulder, smiling at his family and mine, who seem just as excited as me for this unveiling.

He takes a few steps forward, pulling me along with him. “Holy shit, is that . . . are those my cranes?” He reaches up and touches one. They’re hanging from the ceiling in a spiral design. They’re every color of the rainbow, and some of them sport inappropriate and hilarious designs, which I found out from Violet was old wrapping paper from Christmas and other holidays over the years. She always held on to them.

In the very center of the spiral is the first crane he ever gave me. The one he left on my nightstand. It wasn’t until we moved in together that I realized there was a note inside that read:

Clover,

I wanted to leave my number, but I don’t think I could handle the disappointment if you didn’t call. 1000 cranes equal a single wish.

Mine is that the universe brings you back to me.

Only 999 to go.

~x Maverick





I put it in a special box and kept it safe, until now.

“Your mom brought a few boxes over from the house, and we spent a couple of days putting them up. There are a thousand. Exactly enough for a wish.”

He takes my face between his hands. “You are everything I never knew I needed.” He presses his lips to mine and wraps me in a hug I feel all the way to my soul. “Thank you for this,” he adds. “I can’t tell you how much it means that I have all of you backing me.” His voice cracks at the end, and he releases me to hug the rest of his family, all of whom helped make this happen, not just for him, but for us.

“I have something for you.” Maverick reaches into the pocket of his hoodie.

“For me? It’s your birthday. The presents are supposed to be for you.”

“It is for me.” He takes one of my hands in his and drops to his knee.

“Maverick?” I glance over at our families, who are all standing there like they knew this was going to happen. His mother smiles and then gives me her cringey face. It looks like she’s going to cry—but happy tears. I turn my attention back to him.

“Thank you for being my light in the dark, for opening my eyes and for taking a chance on us. For saving me from myself. The only thing I want for this birthday, and every single one yet to come, is to know I get to celebrate with you. You’re already my partner in every way that matters. Marry me, Clover. You have my heart, I want you to have my soul too.”