Maximus:
Silence.
Heavy and suffocating silence is what stretches for a full minute after Avery drops her little bombshell.
I’m stuck.
Paralyzed.
Ashamed. Embarrassed. Furious.
It’s all rising inside me at once, and I don’t know which emotion to reach for first.
Then Selene speaks. Her voice is soft, almost too soft.
“Maximus,” she says. “I hope you take better care of Kylie. Spend more time with her. That’s all we needed to say.”
She steps forward, closes the distance between us, and gently pinches Kylie’s cheeks like she just didn’t just break my heart.
“Kylie, baby, I had such a lovely time. We’ll hang out again soon, okay?”
Kylie nods fast. Bright-eyed.
“Yes, Aunty Pretty!”
Selene gives her a warm smile—one of those heart-melting smiles before turning to Avery. “Avery, le
