Chapter 28 28
Because there — standing under the shade of a tall almond tree — was Lucas Brooks, looking unfairly good in a black T-shirt and joggers, sleeves hugging his arms, hair messy from the breeze.
And right in front of him…
…was Maverick.
Blair ducked behind a tree so fast she almost tripped. She pressed her hand to her chest, trying to quiet her breathing.
Lucas was crouched to Maverick’s height, his voice calm… surprisingly warm.
“Your mom must be worried,” he said gently.
Maverick sniffed, kicking a pebble shyly. “She always cries when she can’t find me.”
Lucas nodded. “Then we should get you back to her, hm?”
Maverick hesitated, eyes lifting. “Mister… can I ask a question?”
Lucas smiled a little — the small, rare one no one at the office ever saw.
“Go ahead.”
Maverick shifted on his feet. “How do you know when… someone is your daddy?”
Blair slapped a hand over her mouth, knees almost giving out.
Lucas’s eyebrows rose. He leaned in closer, softening his voice.
“Well,” he said slowly, “sometimes… you just feel it. Like something pulling here.”
He tapped Maverick’s small chest.
Maverick blinked up at him — innocent, curious, unaware of how dangerously close he was to the truth.
Lucas tilted his head, studying him with those sharp, eyes.
“You look familiar,” he murmured. “Have we met before?”
Maverick giggled. “Nooo. Mommy says strangers are danger.”
Lucas actually laughed — a soft, surprised laugh that made Blair’s throat tighten.
“That’s good advice.”
Maverick looked up at him again. “Mister… you smell like coffee.”
Lucas huffed a breath. “I drink too much of it.”
“And you frown a lot,” Maverick added.
Lucas blinked. “…Do I?”
“Uh-huh.” Maverick nodded like a wise old man. “Mommy says people who frown too much have sad hearts.”
Lucas went very still.
His eyes lowered for a moment… and Blair could see it from where she hid — the tiny flicker of pain on his face, the kind he never let anyone catch.
Then he cleared his throat. “Your mom sounds… smart.”
“She is!” Maverick smiled proudly. “The best in the whole world.”
Lucas’s gaze softened again — as he studied the little boy.
“Come on,” he said quietly. “Let’s find her.”
Blair staggered back behind the tree, hand trembling over her mouth.
“Mommy was talking too much,” he said, hands on his hips.
“So I went to find the ice cream man myself.”
Lucas chuckled — actually chuckled — and Blair almost fainted behind the tree.
He shook his head.
“You shouldn’t run off. She must be worried.”
“Yeah…” Mave mumbled, kicking a rock.
Then he added, quieter but honest:
“I don’t have a daddy to hold my hand so… sometimes I just go.”
Lucas’ face changed.
Just a little — like someone pressed on an old bruise in his chest.
The same way he used to say that when he was small.
The same way he used to sneak off on Saturdays at the park because he didn’t have a father to walk with.
He looked at Maverick again.
Softer this time.
“Hey,” Lucas said gently, tapping Maverick’s little shoulder.
“Doesn’t matter if you don’t have one. You still gotta stay safe, okay?”
Maverick nodded.
“Okay. But mister… can you stay here till Mommy comes? Girls scare me.”
Lucas snorted — actually snorted — and Blair almost rolled out from behind the tree because she was laughing silently like a madwoman.
She pressed herself back behind the tree, sweating.
No no no. Nope. Not happening.
Lucas Brooks CANNOT meet Maverick.
Not today. Not like this. Not with her hair looking like this.
Maverick suddenly pointed in her direction.
“Oh! I think she’s there—”
Blair panicked and dropped to the ground like a lizard.
Lucas raised a brow, watching the movement.
“Is your mom… hiding from you?”
A tall bodyguard approached Lucas.
“Sir, your phone. It’s urgent.”
Lucas stood up, distracted instantly.
He took the phone, eyebrows pulling together.
And that was Blair’s moment.
“Sneak-thief mommy mode activated,” she whispered to herself.
She dashed out, grabbed Maverick by the arm and dragged him away like a stolen bag of pure gold.
Maverick gasped.
“Mommy?!”
“Shh! Don’t turn around! Don’t breathe too loudly!”
The moment Lucas was completely out of sight, Blair stopped.
Her chest rose and fell fast. Her hands trembled as she pulled Maverick into her arms.
And then—
She broke.
She hugged him tight, burying her face into his curls.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, voice shaking. “I’m so, so sorry, baby.”
Tears slipped down her cheeks as she held him like she almost lost half her soul.
Maverick wrapped his small arms around her neck, confused.
“Mommy… don’t cry.”
Blair squeezed him harder.
“I was so scared. You can’t run off like that. You can’t. You’re all I have.”
Her whole body trembled.
And Maverick, sweet little Maverick, hugged her back and kissed her cheek clumsily.
“It’s okay mommy… I found someone nice.”
Blair shut her eyes painfully.
If only he knew.
If only he knew he had just been talking to the one man she’d been hiding him from his whole life.
If only he knew that the “nice man” was his father.
She held him tighter.
She was shaking.
And somewhere behind them, Lucas turned around, frowning at the suddenly empty spot where the little boy once stood.
Blair dusted her hands on her jeans.
“Alright,” she forced a smile, even though her chest still felt tight. “Let’s go get you some ice cream.”
“Yayyy!” Maverick shouted, already bouncing ahead of her.
She jogged to catch up.
They headed down the path toward the ice-cream stand, sunlight warm on their backs.
Neither of them noticed the man lingering behind the thick tree trunk.
He stepped out slowly, adjusting his cap, eyes narrowed with interest as he watched their retreating figures.
“Happy unions,” he muttered under his breath, lips curling. “They don’t last forever.”
He raised a digital camera, aimed it steadily at Blair and Maverick, and clicked—once, then twice.
Each flash silent.
Each photo sharp.
He zoomed in on Maverick… then on Blair’s profile.
“Got you,” he whispered, lowering the camera and backing into the shade again, disappearing the same way he came.