Page 39 of Havoc's Fox
“No,” Hellen said, laughing as she pushed him away.
“Then stop butting in when I’m fixing things,” Maverik said.
“Daddy, this can’t get fixed. It’s just, what it is,” Havoc said.
“And that would be?” Maverik asked.
“Shattered,” Havoc said.
“I don’t know,” Hellen said, glancing over at her niece sitting on Analise’s lap as they visited and ate more than their share of dinner rolls.
“What do you mean?” Maverik asked.
“Did you see the look on her face when she saw Havoc sitting with Addie?” Hellen asked.
“With me?!” Addie asked nervously.
“It’s all good, don’t give it a second thought,” Christian said.
“No! She had a look?” Maverik asked, tuning Addie and Christian out.
“She was not happy about it,” Hellen said.
“I knew I wasn’t wrong,” Maverik said.
“About what?” Havoc asked.
“About her still feeling for you. I’ve been seeing it. It’s in her mannerisms, it’s in her voice. It’s in her eyes when she looks at you.”
“She’s still mad as hell,” Havoc said.
“Yep. You’re not still mad years later if you don’t still care.”
“You’re still mad at your first mate,” Havoc pointed out.
“Actually, no, I’m not. I forget from time-to-time that she’s even still breathing. Actually, kind of grateful to her. If she hadn’t betrayed me, I’d still be with her and not have found Valerie and had you kids.”
Havoc sat watching his mate and his daughter bond over bread and butter. “You know, I’ve never hoped you were more right, but I just don’t see it.”
“I’m not saying it will happen any time soon, just that it’s not impossible,” Maverik said.
“I’m thinking it could maybe be sooner,” Hellen said.
Both Havoc and Maverik looked at Hellen questioningly.
She shrugged. “I think you need to face the shit head on. Stop side-stepping it.”
“She doesn’t want to talk to me.”
“So, don’t talk. Start doing. Do everything a mate would do. Like it’s just second nature, not preconceived,” Hellen said. “Show her what it feels like, show her that you’re different.”
“Food’s ready. Y’all can serve yourselves,” Everly called out. “Start in the kitchen and work your way around. Lots of chairs and tables, make yourselves comfortable wherever you want.”
The clan as a whole started shifting toward the kitchen.
Hellen maintained her gaze connected to Havoc’s.
He glanced at Analise quickly, saw that she wasn’t even trying to join the line moving toward the food and jumped to his feet to get ahead of everyone else.