As they rolled into July, Everleigh started her day like any other day. Grabbing something from the pantry that Maverick stocked—Everleigh was always coming home from school when the pantry magically became stocked, every single nutrition label mysteriously scribbled on or missing entirely from the packaging.

Some of it needed replenished, and Everleigh was going to do her best to go with Maverick. He was already at the door, typing away madly on his phone with Navi's papoose in his hand. Everleigh pulled his hoodie on quickly, sliding into a pair of checkered shoes.

"Ready?"

Everleigh eyed the papoose with a raised eyebrow. "I'm not carrying you."

"Roman wants to do something with Florence and asked if we could babysit."

"Groceries are hard enough with just me."

"I'll carry her. It's fine." Maverick waved her off. Oh, to be mentally stable in a Tesco.

"You're sure?"

"It's fine. Yeah."

"You met Navster when she was asleep, though."

"Pretty sure I can take care of a baby."

"If you're bringing the baby back here after Tesco, I'm going back to bed."

"That's fine. We'll watch Peppa Pig or something," Maverick said. "Do you have Peppa Pig here?"

"Kingston, Peppa is English."

"All I'm hearing is that we're good to go."

"Your funeral."

"Navi can't be that bad."

"She's related to Roman."

"That's just mean, Everleigh."

"Mean doesn't mean untrue."

Maverick chuckled and opened the door for her, motioning to her to step out.

She stepped out of the door and waited for him to follow so she could lock it. (She needed to get a key cut for Maverick.) (Maybe she'd just steal the one Roman and Florence had.)

"I see we're doing okay." Everleigh needed to move out of the complex where her neighbours did laundry at all hours. "Take it his sitting outside helped."

"Um. Yes?" Everleigh didn't even look up from the lock on the door.

"First time I've seen you dating someone—"

"Okay, goodbye." Everleigh grabbed Maverick's hand and walked past them.

Crikey, they knew too much of her dirty laundry. While holding dirty laundry.

"Goodbye!"

Maverick laughed softly as he walked behind her; not the usual reaction to being dragged, but it clearly worked for him. He wasn't the usual anyway.

Everleigh got in the driver's seat because she knew where Florence and Roman lived, though she couldn't be certain Maverick didn't. He had gone to lunch with them when she was in Vancouver, after all. (If she'd known, she would've asked Esmé to lunch.) The problem with Everleigh driving was that Maverick had full reign over her stereo. Which meant that the AUX cord he'd bought—Everleigh didn't even know her car could use an AUX cord—was plugged into his phone and playing the greatest hits of the artist Everleigh never would've thought Maverick would enjoy.

"Is this Taylor Swift?"

"Don't tell me you don't know this song."

"I don't really know the lyrics," Everleigh said, "but I've heard i—"

"Trouble, trouble, trouble—OH!"

Everleigh was going to kick him out of the car. "Tell me you're not playing Taylor Swift all the way to their house."

"Well, now I am."

"Kingston."

"Best songwriter on the fucking planet," Maverick said, turning the volume up on his phone, and further, the car. "Show her some respect. I can't believe you don't know the words to this. You can have fun things up in your brilliant brain too."

"I can tell you that, on average, your nose produces about a cup of nasal mucus every day."

Maverick made a face at her that was loud enough, she could see it in her peripheral.

"What?" Everleigh asked. "It's true."

"I could've gone my entire life—"

"It's natural."

"That's disgusting."

"It's a fact."

"That's the worst thing I think I've ever heard you say and I've seen you mad at me."

"I—"

"Nope." Maverick turned the dial up on the car's stereo. "I adore you but never tell me anything like that ever again, please. Keep those fun facts to yourself."

"Remember that when you inevitably get sick during your time here and need tissues."

Maverick gagged silently. "Everleigh."

Everleigh smirked and kept driving. "Also remember it when you're wiping Navi's nose because you've decided to be fun Uncle Mav."

Maverick pointed a finger at her after turning the music back down. A little louder than Everleigh might've put it, but she stayed quiet on that matter. "No amount of disgusting snot facts are going to make me ignore that you just called me Uncle Mav."

"Want her to call you Uncle Kingston?"

"Is that something you think about?"

"What?"

"What your niece is going to call me? When she can talk?"

Oh, God. "Sometimes."

"Really?"

"I mean, sure. Do you think about it?"

"In a general sense. But not a lot," Maverick admitted. "I didn't... Es doesn't want kids. She's ace. It's never really... I never thought about it."

"Well," Everleigh started. "Navi... would be your niece. Potentially."

"Guess we're a month on our way to common law, huh?" Maverick asked.

"I don't think we have common law here," Everleigh said. "Just... partnerships."

Maverick hummed. "Nice."

"Mhmm."

"Cool."

"Cool."

"Think I'd prefer Uncle Mav," Maverick said. After a moment. Almost like he wasn't aware he was saying it out loud. "Leave Kingston for you."

Everleigh fought a small smile. Hid it behind a finger she ran along the bridge of her wrinkled nose.

Maverick continued singing Taylor Swift the entire time they were in the car. Something about rings made of paper here, another thing about shaking there. Romeo and Juliet, Camden Market, skirts and shirts. Maverick sang a little too pointedly at Everleigh about knowing how to push buttons and getting the girl. He poked her in the shoulder every time he sang louder; a challenge to sing along. She knew a couple of them, but that was never going to be admitted to him. No way, no how.

And especially not when he next song that came on, highly unanticipated nor sought after, was very un-Taylor Swift. She would've taken an entire discography if it meant lacking the knowledge that Maverick knew every word to the next song.

"You cannot actually know this."

"If I'm a man, that makes me a muppet of a man..."

Everleigh didn't even want to tell him how good he sounded. Forget spoon. Kingston Maverick was a fucking doorknob. No one should sound good singing a song from a Muppets movie. He was a muppet.

Pulling into Roman's driveway—to the albeit stunning but also entirely too annoying sound of Maverick singing along with One Direction talking about how they were going to stay awake until the morning—Everleigh was about ready to tell Roman that he was now in charge of taking care of Navi and babysitting Maverick and leaving her boyfriend there. Sweet Jesus.

"Hiya!" Florence waved as Everleigh and Maverick got out of the car.

Everleigh wanted to roll her eyes at Roman making Navi wave to them. But she didn't. On her walk to their front door, Everleigh noted that Roman and Florence were still in their pyjamas.

"Navster, say thank you, Auntie Leigh—"

"Say thank you, Uncle Mav." Everleigh crossed her arms. "This was not me."

"Don't be like that," Florence said.

"No, we already agreed," Maverick said, gently taking Navi from Roman's arms. A hand immediately on the back of Navi's head to support her neck. His voice was soft. Growing higher. Everleigh would not survive Maverick baby talk. "Totally my fault."

"Well," Roman said. "Thank you, Mav."

"Anytime." Maverick grinned as Navi held his finger with her fist.

"Don't let her deceive you," Everleigh said, "she's still their crotch goblin—"

"Everleigh Jane," Florence said, whacking her in the thigh with Navi's carseat.

"Whoa," Roman said. "Let's not."

"Where are you two headed? You never do anything fun." Everleigh looked between Florence and Roman. "And why did you text him and not me?"

Roman snorted. "Because you would've said no."

Maverick tugged on the sleeve of Everleigh's hoodie. "Come on, Meadowlark. We have shopping to do."

"Have fun, kids," Roman said.

"You too," Maverick said.

"Where are you going?" Everleigh asked, taking the car seat from Florence.

"Oh," Roman said, "He knows. It's fine."

Everleigh looked at Maverick and raised an eyebrow.

"Bye," Maverick said, holding Navi with one arm and dragging Everleigh with the other. "See you later."

"Thank you again!"

"Kingston," Everleigh said as they walked back toward the car. "Where's he taking my sister?"

"Um. Nowhere."

"They're still in their jams."

Maverick looked at Everleigh, tilting his head a little. Eyes a little wider. A telltale sign that Everleigh needed to connect the dots. "They're parents now, Everleigh. Not a lot of time to..."

Oh.

Oh.

"Oh my God—"

"I'm a good wingman, what can I say?" Maverick said. "We need to go."

Everleigh would not turn and look at Roman and Florence. "You're driving this time. No more Muppets."

"Fine."

Everleigh tossed the keys at him over the car without really thinking about it. Maverick did manage to catch them without dropping Navi—a factor Everleigh hadn't considered—before shooting her a look.

"Sorry." Everleigh gave him a weak smile.

Maverick shook his head teasingly at her. "Uh huh."

After quickly getting Navi settled in her car seat, Maverick hopped into the driver's seat. His phone was different than hers, so Everleigh had to compromise in that she got to pick music from his phone for the ride.

"I could just—"

"Do not suggest putting your phone in the cupholder as a speaker again," Maverick said, putting his arm around the back of her seat as he backed out of the driveway. "I'll buy you a new phone before I let you do that."

"I think that phones are for contact," Everleigh said. "And music should be played wherever. As a musician, you should know that."

"You—" Maverick shook his head. "Fine, Meadowlark. Got me. No new phone."

"Thank you." Everleigh still scrolled through his phone. Seeing what Maverick thought was worthy of storage space was an interesting time, to say the least. "Can I ask—"

"Here we go."

"Gnomeo and Juliet?"

"Elton John and Bernie Taupin wrote the soundtrack, man," Maverick said. "Hello, Hello is the perfect song for a movie. I want to write a soundtrack that good one day."

"I'm sure you will."

"Did you know the only Oscar Elton's ever lost has been to himself?" Maverick asked. "Like, think about that. Nominated three times in the same category and beating yourself. Winning once and losing twice."

"What movie was he nominated three times for?"

"Lion King. Tim Rice wrote the lyrics."

"Did he get nominated for Gnomeo and Juliet?"

Maverick frowned. "No. Rocketman won, though."

"Rocketman was good."

"Can we listen to it?" Maverick asked. "Hello, Hello, I mean."

Everleigh smiled softly and pressed the song. Anything for Kingston Maverick, evidently. Christ almighty.

"Feel a feeling light / Headed out to see the sights / Ain't life a many splendored thing?" The way Maverick tapped his fingers against the steering wheel somehow turned into one of the greatest things that Everleigh had ever seen.

"How do you know the words to all of these?" Everleigh asked as she scrolled.

"Take your pick for eidetic memory or the lyrics being great," Maverick said. "I think they both work."

"What the hell is Edgar's Prayer?"

"If you don't know, you have to watch the movie. I can't tell you. It's something you've got to experience in context."

"30/90?"

"Everleigh Meadowlark, I will turn this car around if you're telling me you haven't seen tick, tick... BOOM!"

"I've..." Everleigh winced. "Heard of it."

"We're watching it when we get home," Maverick said. "It's a masterpiece."

"I've been meaning to watch it."

"Not good enough," Maverick said. "I've never cried harder."

"Would you cry harder for your Oscar?"

"If I got nominated for anything," Maverick said, though not a note of bitterness tickled his tongue, "I don't think I'd stop weeping."

"Weeping?"

"Past sobbing, way past crying," Maverick said. "I'd be weeping. Full stop."

"I'll hold you to it," Everleigh said.

"I don't think you need to," Maverick said. "I'm kind of enjoying the EP life. Music Academy doesn't think about those as much. Though, you know, Mick & Moxie are probably getting nominated. And they should."

"You don't think you should?"

Maverick shrugged. "I think I can do better, to be honest. Maybe that's the asshole professional in me. Maybe it's the imposter syndrome. I don't know."

Everleigh looked at Maverick and frowned. "You don't think you're deserving of awards or nominations in general, do you?"

Maverick swallowed hard. "You know when I told you that Back to Life was my favourite from Revive?"

"Yes."

"It's moments like that..." Maverick trailed off. "I guess what I think is my best work, other people don't. And I stand by that that's fine. But it also feels like I don't know what people want."

"You don't have to know what people want."

"We don't have to talk about this." Maverick recoiled. "I'm successful and I'm happy."

"We can talk about this. It's okay."

"I..." Maverick scoffed at himself. "I shouldn't even ask you this because I know the answer."

"Go ahead."

"Do you ever feel like you'll never be good enough?" Maverick asked. Blurted. Like the words were a runaway train that lost their grip on the tracks. "Like, you're sitting in class and you're ready to be valedictorian because you're Everleigh Meadowlark and you're a genius. And you just think to yourself that you're so happy in life right now. But you could also stop existing and you wouldn't be that choked up about it? And I'm not talking about in the sense that... that I want to die. I'm talking about, like, if I could not be Maverick for a day. Or... I mean, I want to be myself. I like being myself. But sometimes I miss being that kid who sat in his stupid little bedroom and wrote songs because he was in love with his girlfriend who he proposed to way too early in life. Now I feel like I'm trying to please people who I don't know. I miss dreaming about people enjoying my songs rather than knowing some people hate them? Does that make sense?"

"It makes a little too much sense," Everleigh said.

"I'm not trying to sound ungrateful."

"You don't sound ungrateful."

He sounded all too human, in fact. Sometimes Everleigh looked at Maverick and her entire world lit up. Like he was a beacon meant to lead her out of the dark she'd been surrounded by for so long. Kingston Maverick barrelled into her life and demanded she pay attention to him because he was important. She should've noticed when the beacon's light dimmed. That sometimes Maverick was a man. Just a man. Sometimes he did so much for the world around him that he forgot to recognize that.

Maverick existed in life like Hades existed in seasons. Highs and lows, springs and winters. He sat as he waited for winter; waited for the big thing to lighten up his life. Whether that was The L, or any of his albums. Whether that was his friends or his family. Or, God forbid, his Everleigh. Hades spent too much time waiting for spring to pass and winter to fall; for Persephone to come back to him. Maverick spent too much time wishing for his winter that he forgot to enjoy spring.

"I recognize that not everyone will get the opportunity I have."

"Why are you talking about your career in past tense?"

Maverick snuck a look at Everleigh and nearly ran the red light. Slammed on the brakes. Everleigh peeked to Navi in the backseat, making sure she was okay, before her glance darted back to Maverick.

"I know that one day, I'm going to have to admit to myself I can't do this anymore," Maverick said. "And I'm trying to be realistic that it's sooner rather than later. Optimism never helped anyone."

"Optimism helps a little."

"Says the most pessimistic person I know."

"Kingston, your music means something. To a lot of people."

"I know that awards aren't everything," Maverick said. "And that I shouldn't base my career's success on them..."

"But it's nice to be recognized?"

Maverick nodded. "It's nice to be recognized. I don't know. I got, like, high school awards. But they're different. Not in a bad way. Just different. And I think that too much was changing in my life too quickly for me to really cherish those for what they were."

"That... I'm sorry."

"Please don't play pity party with me, Meadowlark," Maverick said. "I'm the one who was stupid enough to ask someone to marry me at 19 and then postponed it for six years because I started being someone when I never thought that would actually happen."

Everleigh swallowed hard. "Sometimes shitting on your past feels better than acknowledging that you were a kid and you were allowed to make those mistakes and not appreciate things. Kids aren't supposed to realize things are exciting, they're supposed to think things like that are stupid."

"I fuckin' love this song." Maverick slowly turned the volume up as he accelerated again.

Everleigh looked down at Maverick's phone. "More tick, tick... BOOM!?"

"It's a masterpiece. And we're watching it when we get home," Maverick said. "Because Andrew Garfield is hot and talented."

Everleigh held her hands up in surrender.

"Deep dark velvet hugs your silhouette / Black silk stockings, you're my Juliet," Maverick sang. "Soft, long hair, baby, beautiful eyes / Cool me down before I jump into your thighs..."

Everleigh was going to have to cool down if Maverick walked his fingers up her thigh while singing one more time. "There's a child in the car."

"I'd like to see you in a green, green dress."

"Kingston John—"

"I'm not taking that statement back."

"This is such a horny song. And my niece is in the car."

"Our niece?"

Everleigh rolled her eyes. "You're a shit."

"Do you have a green dres—"

"You get nominated for your Elton John-esque Oscar, I'll buy a green dress for you."

Maverick grinned a little too wide. "That's a deal, Meadowlark."

Maverick continued singing a little too loud and a little too pointed at Everleigh. Little too handsy while he was driving; if they'd been at the flat, it might've been different.

Maybe Everleigh was a little too distracted by him to notice that the song had changed.

"—Close my eyes, and leap..."

"Is this Wicked?"

"If you diss Wicked, I'm kicking you out of the car. I don't care if it's yours."

"It's my car indeed," Everleigh said. "I saw it with Flo. Why is it so long?"

"Out, Meadowlark."

"I think I fell asleep on her."

"Everleigh Meadowlark, here we were, planning what your niece was gonna call me—"

"Thought she was our niece."

"—And you're dissing Wicked. Right in front of me."

"I'm not saying it's bad, I'm saying it's long."

Maverick shook his head at her. Did not say a word that wasn't lyrics to—Everleigh checked—Defying Gravity. If her memory served, there were high notes at the end. She pulled her phone out and started filming. Maybe someone could share her pain. It wasn't that Maverick sounded bad; it was that Maverick sounded good and he knew it and he was doing it to annoy Everleigh.

"So if you care to find me—" Everleigh didn't know Maverick could sing that high. "—look to the western sky..."

Everleigh's jaw dropped as he kept singing. Surely her wide-eyed reaction was caught on her video, but that didn't matter. Honestly, Everleigh was more impressed than fake-annoyed, but that didn't stop her from sending a teasing help me. text with the video attached to Stevie.

She hadn't expected a reply so quickly, a video in return. Everleigh pressed play on it and should've expected that. Stevie, with no music to back her up, not that she ever needed it, sang the same verse of Defying Gravity that Maverick had been singing. Although she got through most of it, she was cut short by an extremely pointed "Stevie!" that had to have come from Rami.

Maverick laughed. "Bold of you to think Stevie wouldn't be the best Elphaba to grace the earth."

"I need more STEM friends."

"I think Rami was on your side," Maverick said, pulling into the parking stall. "For what that's worth."

Everleigh laughed and rolled her eyes. "At least someone's talking sense."

"She may be in love with you," Maverick said, laughing, "but she's my best friend."

*

Walking through a Tesco with Kingston Maverick wearing a papoose was like an out of body experience. The baby talk being babbled beside her was a little too much information for a newborn to even try to respond to—Maverick held Navi's wrists with his fingers, waving her arms around and said in the world's highest voice, "Auntie Ev has food issues, Navster. Know what that means? Anything she puts in the cart, we cheer! Whoo!" Navi's arms were waved above her head to which she responded with a toothless grin.

If Everleigh wanted kids, the whole production may have been a little more than she could handle.

Fact of the matter was, somehow Maverick simply existing made her heart flutter in her chest a little more than normally.

"Please don't cheer if I put anything in this trolley," Everleigh said. "We don't need to cheer in the menstrual aisle."

"That's a great place to cheer," Maverick said. "No pregnancies."

"Okay, you're staying here," Everleigh said. "I'm grabbing a cup and I'll be back."

"Don't you already have a cup?"

"You have to replace them, Kingston."

"Huh. Learn something new everyday." Maverick looked to Navi again. "Don't we?"

"If you spend the entire trip talking to her like that, I'm going to walk into traffic."

Maverick pouted. "But she's adorable."

"I don't want to reiterate that she came from Roman."

"Go get your cup, Meadowlark." Maverick laughed. "I'll wait here."

"Can't believe Navi's your favourite Meadowlark."

"She doesn't talk back."

Everleigh gently took Navi's hand in hers, bending down all her fingers except the middle one.

Maverick gasped a little overdramatically. "How dare you."

"She is my niece."

"Navi Middle Name Sahota-Meadowlark would never actually flip me off. We're besties."

"Her middle name is Ellis."

Maverick stared at her with wide eyes. "Like, Bash?"

"Sit with that while I go grab a new cup."

Everleigh didn't take long to walk to the menstrual aisle. Her phone buzzed in her pocket as she dropped a package into the trolley. Pulling it out, Everleigh saw a text from Esmé, who's number Everleigh was sure Maverick had added to her phone when he was in possession of it.

Hi, beautiful! (Mav, if you're reading this over your girlfriend's shoulder, stop.) (I mean it.) (She's taller than you anyway.) I gotta know what your plans are for the second week of August! Do you have any exams? Mav's coming home for a bit—WHICH I HOPE HE TOLD YOU CAUSE HE'S A DWEEB IF HE DIDN'T—and we're throwing him a small birthday party. Just family. I promise we don't have any weird uncles. Let me know! <3

what day is the 14th?

Sunday! And I've already bought Mav's ticket back to London as his gift. Because as much as he claims he wants to spend time with us: he's happier there with you. And that's cool. But seeing you in person would be amazing! Mom really wants to meet you. Yes, that's an ulterior motive to throwing my annoying brother a party. I guess we like him too or whatever.

i'll be there <3 It was embarrassing how much Everleigh had to restrain herself from buying a ticket then and there. The idea of meeting Maverick's family was terrifying, but to be there with him would be nice. Hopefully the drive with Esmé wasn't as terrifying as she thought it might've been.

Expect a terrible hug from mom. In the best way. Love you! Talk to you soon? I'll pick you up from the airport, sweets! Thank you!

Everleigh sent a couple hearts to Esmé before heading back to where she'd left Maverick and Navi. A phone pressed to his ear, Maverick waved his hand at Everleigh. He reached out, taking her hand and squeezing it. A little too hard. He looked about ready to throw up or cry; or both.

You okay? Everleigh signed to him.

Maverick squeezed her hand again and nodded.

"I—yes. Thank you. So much," Maverick said. Like he was remembering he was on the phone and existing on earth. Maverick bit his lip, his chin trembling. He gently moved his head as Navi reached up to his jaw. "Keira, you're amazing. I love you. Thank you."

Maverick ended the call on his phone and pressed it to his lips.

Everleigh raised an eyebrow. "Don't leave us waiting."

"Oh my God."

"Kingston. Are you oka—"

"Keira wants me to write the soundtrack for her new movie. About a 90s girl band. She was thinking all mythology-themed. Holy shit, Everleigh."

Everleigh nearly squished Navi with how quickly she pulled him into a kiss.

"Careful, careful," Maverick said after he'd pulled away. His smile was infectious. "My niece is right there."

Everleigh laughed. "Congratulations."

Maverick quirked an eyebrow. "One step closer to that green, green dress—"

"Shut up." Everleigh wrinkled her nose at him.

"We need to go to a record shop," Maverick said. "I need to research. I need Gwen Stefani."

"You realize I don't have a record player at the flat either, right?"

Maverick shrugged. "I'll buy one of those, too. Besides. I need new records. Stevie's probably stolen all of mine by now."

"Stolen?"

Maverick waved Everleigh off. "Point is, we're buying records. Other details are moot."

*

Everleigh never thought the first photo she posted of Kingston Maverick on her Instagram would be of him looking through records in a vintage store with a baby strapped to his chest. But there they were. (Stevie's comment that she was "dying" came too quickly.) (So did Brendon's about how his stepdaughter was adorable.) (Stevie also liked Brendon's comment a little too quickly—cute.) Maverick bought a stack of records after an hour of scouring through them. There was Gwen Stefani, Bikini Kill, Spice Girls, the lot. Any female artist from the 90s was in his arms. He bought a fairly expensive turntable that Everleigh had to carry to the car with the excuse that Maverick was holding their niece. Joke was on him, he had to change Navi's diaper on the backseat of the car. Everleigh would've carried a thousand turntables for him over one diaper change.

Maverick still drove, putting the radio onto a 90s station that he sang along to. A quick Instagram story of him bobbing his head. Another text from Esmé came in.

I FORGOT TO SAY THAT YOU CAN'T TELL HIM, IT'S A SURPRISE PARTY. YOU'RE THE SURPRISE GUEST. SORRY AND THANK YOU. <3

no worries. :)

How are things going? Mav's been all over the place in his replies. Not in a bad way, but... you know. In a Maverick way.

Everleigh leaned back a little and took a picture from the side. Looking at her phone, Maverick was already giving her a silent smile. Everleigh rubbed a hand on his shoulder quickly, the smile in Maverick's voice evident as he continued singing along to the song on the radio.

Everleigh texted the photo to Esmé quickly. this uber is 5 stars <3

I literally love you. Thank you for making my dumb brother happy. Tell him to text me back and not be stupid. Thanks! <3

Maverick took a turn Everleigh hadn't expected. Pulling into a Greggs parking lot.

"Hungry?" Everleigh asked.

Maverick took her hand. "You bought so many groceries today. And dealt with me in a record store. Sparkling raspberry lemonade is the least I can do. You're amazing."

Everleigh smiled.

Maverick stepped out for a moment. Poked his head back in the car. "Everleigh."

"Yes?"

"What's your favourite flower?"

"What?"

"I realized I don't know."

"I—Sunflower. Yours?"

Maverick smiled. "Sunflower's a good choice."

Before Everleigh could respond, Maverick headed into the Greggs. Navi giggled in the backseat, Everleigh turned.

She reached her arm toward Navi, a small fist wrapping around her finger.

"Yeah," Everleigh said. "He's pretty great, huh?"

Navi giggled.

"He's good with Uncle Mav, but you still have to learn Everleigh for me, okay? No excuses, kiddo."

Everleigh's finger was pulled into Navi's mouth. She'd start teething any time.

Everleigh pulled her hand away. "Fair enough. I'll accept Auntie Leigh. Or just Leigh."

Maverick returned shortly after, carrying a small pastry bag and her lemonade in one hand and a medium cup in the other. He ducked his head in after placing his drink on the roof of the car. "Can babies eat gingerbread?"

"Kingston, she hasn't got any teeth yet."

Maverick tossed the bag on Everleigh's lap. "Guess Auntie Everleigh has to eat it for her. Strange how that works."

Everleigh smiled softly. "Thank you."

Maverick handed the bottle of lemonade to her after removing the wrapper and stuffing it in his pocket. "Enjoy."

"What did you get?" Everleigh asked as she cracked open the bottle. A small sip bubbled on her tongue. Perfectly sweet.

"Latte."

Everleigh held the bottle out to him. "Do you want to try it?"

Maverick took the bottle and sipped it. His eyes sparkled. God, Everleigh could've stared at him all day. "This is amazing."

"Here." Everleigh took the latte cup from his hand. "It's yours."

"Wait, no, it's okay—"

Everleigh took a sip of the latte and even managed not to wince at how bitter the espresso was. "Don't worry about it. All yours."

"I'm honoured."

"You should be."