Teaching My Bookworm Stepsister

~Three Weeks Later ~

*****************

Okay, so it's been a few more weeks now. I've been spending more time with Liam and the twins. Thankfully, Maverick has been avoiding us all. Stupid jerk can stay far, far away from me.

Turns out Liam isn't that bad. He's actually a very nice man with morals and everything. I was shocked as hell. I didn't expect such a rich man, who owns over half the town, to be so.. kind. Liam gave me a tour of his house, which is actually a mansion. A few days after that, he had the twins show me what room would be mine. Then Liam told me to tell him anything that I would need and he would get it for me. It was a sweet gesture, but.. I don't want anything new. I have everything already.

Still, Liam didn't miss a single moment to spoil Mom and me. With the way the twins acted, I feel like this might be normal for him. It's kind of sweet of him as a father to dote on his children like that. I'm glad that Mom can benefit from it.

I'm trying my best to be positive for her. Mom really does love Liam. I can see it in her eyes. In the way that they look at each other. Of all the men Mom has brought home, I've never seen any of them make her laugh the way Liam does. And Liam is so infatuated with Mom. It's so much different than anything I've seen in her relationships before.

Maybe it's because they have history? Maybe they're just meant to be? Maybe Liam is just a really good man, and I was too quick to judge him.

Still, marriage this soon is a bit strange. Maybe not for people with money, but for us normies it is. I wonder if Mom just got swept away with all of this and that's why she was so quick to say yes. Maybe I should stop thinking so hard about it. After all, this is Mom's life. As much as I hate to admit it, Maverick was right. Our parents are adults, and they're happy. That's all that matters.

Plus, the twins are growing on me. Jasmyn is very particular and likes things a certain way. I think that she has OCD. Which is wild for a ten-year-old.

Not because of her age, but because she's extra crazy about it. Also, coming from money, Jasmyn has a hard time understanding that things can't always be how she wants. I've been trying to pull her out of her shell these last few weeks though.

Yesterday, I took the both of them to the park when no one was there, and we had some scream therapy. Jesse was all gunhoe about it. Kid's got some lungs. Jasmyn took a bit more convincing though. She was thoroughly embarrassed, and wouldn't join in until I threatened to never stop.

All in all, I think things turned out great. Jasmyn ended up having a lot of fun. The two were relaxed and carefree, as ten-year-olds should be. They played together at the park for a little while before I took them back home. That was the first night I stayed the night at Liam's mansion.

It was extremely unfortunate for me that Maverick came home that night.

***********

Is it morning already? I feel like I just fell asleep. Why is it so warm?

"What the hell are you doing in my bed nerd?"

My eyes flew open at the sound of Maverick's voice. I tried to get up, but Maverick had his arm wrapped around me. He held me tightly to his chest. Now I know why I was so warm. "Don't move. You crawled into my bed after all. You can just keep me warm." He said teasingly.

"I didn't know you would be home tonight, or I would have slept on the floor in the twin's room." I grumbled.

"You'd rather sleep there than with me, huh?" He asked.

Is that alcohol I smell coming off of him?

"I'd rather sleep in the dog's house than with you," I sneered.

Maverick chuckled. Which surprised me. Then he started to slowly rub his thumb up and down the skin of my stomach under my shirt. My face heated. Thank god it's dark in here. "You're always saying silly things. Ever since we were kids," he said.

I didn't even think Maverick remembered anything from when we were kids.

"You were such a nerd back then too. Always had your nose stuffed in a book. Ones that were way beyond our age," he said.

I rolled my eyes.

"Did you have to get under the covers? Or in bed at all? You could have just woken me up." I complained.

Maverick pulled me flush against him. Is he shirtless? Why the hell would he crawl into bed with me shirtless? Or at all!?

"Then I wouldn't have gotten this precious moment," Maverick teased.

Precious my a.ss. I've never been so annoyed in my life. Although, he is really warm..

"Do you remember when we were kids and you gave me that book?" Maverick asked. "Gosh, we were like, what? Eight maybe?" He teased.

"I doubt you have ever read it," I said.

"One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving." He quoted.

Holy sh.it.. Maverick really read that book? Did he like it? He must have to quote it all these years later.

I wonder if that book kept Maverick company while he visited his mom at the hospital. If I would have known, I would have given him more books. I probably would have even kept him company myself if I had known.

What am I even thinking? Maverick probably read that book once and threw it away. It's probably just pure coincidence that he remembered that quote. It was only two sentences. Short ones at that.

"I only half agree with that quote," Maverick said.

"Which half?" I asked.

"The first part. It's not so simple. Yet I agree that there is no reason to love someone," he said.

"That doesn't even make sense," I said.

Maverick chuckled, the sound rumbling from him to me.

"Maybe I just have a hard time believing someone could love me so easily." He said as he buried his nose in my hair.

Did he just sniff me? Drunk Maverick is less annoying and more confusing. I'm not sure if I like him better than sober Maverick or not.

"Maybe you just think you can't fall in love with anyone," I countered.

Maverick snuggled into me more.

"You're wrong about that, my little geek," he said.

I rolled my eyes.

"Just another thing you taught me." He mumbled.

Huh?

"I don't do it right though. I just mess everything up. So I stay away," he continued.

"What are you rambling about, Maverick?" I asked, annoyed.

"That stupid book of yours was right about one thing. Stupid Paulo Coelho." Maverick slurred.

I couldn't help but chuckle at him.

"And what was Paulo right about?" I asked.

"Every blessing ignored becomes a curse."

********

I haven't been able to stop thinking about that night since. Stupid Maverick consumes my brain. I blame Mom really. For instilling such compassion in me. If I was a sh.itter person, I probably wouldn't care at all about what Maverick said.

I wouldn't be wondering if he was talking about his mom, or if maybe there was a time he was in love. I wouldn't be so worried about how Maverick really is doing under his rough fuckboy exterior. I definitely wouldn't be wondering what he meant by another thing I taught him. Ugh, this is all confusing.

I guess Maverick and I are about to become family. Maybe I should try to dabble in his life a bit more. Ya know, make sure he's really doing okay. Mentally. Emotionally. We all know he's physically fine. Whatever. I shouldn't even care. Maverick has been a bully to me since we were preteens. He's probably fine anyway.

There is another thing that I can't stop thinking about. Maverick quoted The Alchemist twice that night. Twice. I can't say that he didn't read the book at this point, but.. Does he just have a good memory?

I mean, why else would he remember so much?

Maverick seemed to really relate with Paulo Coelho. Sort of. He really seemed to pick up on a few things, but I didn't understand a lot of what Maverick was trying to say.

I should just chalk our conversation up to Maverick's drunk ramblings, and leave it at that. I'm looking way too much into this. And I most certainly am not going to talk about how I slept in Maverick's arms all night. To anyone. Ever.

No matter how nice it was.

Maybe I just like sleeping next to someone. Maverick was really warm, and that was nice. You'd think someone with that much muscle would be uncomfortable, but no. I slept like a damn baby with his big arms wrapped around me. And when I woke up I was sprawled out across Maverick like he was the most comfortable bed in the world. It was disgusting. I bolted before Maverick even woke up. Thankfully.

Maverick would never have let hear the end of it if he caught me wrapped around him, and lying on top of him. I did the right thing getting out there. Yeah, it was the right thing. Maverick shouldn't have even got into his bed with me anyway. This is all that jerks fault.

"Are you listening to me, Kapri?" Mom asked.

I shook my head and turned to her.

"Yeah, yeah." I said. "What?"

Mom shook her head at me and Jasmyn giggled.

"I asked if you think we should do purple or orange for the bridesmaid dresses. I really like this lilac color, but I really love this burnt orangy color too. I can't decide." Mom said, biting her lip.

"I think Kapri would look good in this color." Jasmyn said, pointing to a picture.

Mom and I both looked at it. Then Mom smiled up at me. I shrugged in approval. "Deep red it is."