Coming Home to Maverick Read online

  Bailey’s breath sounded ragged to her own ears. “I don’t know what I want right now.” She started walking again. “Except for bed. We both want to lie down on our pillows and go to bed, right, sugarplum?”

  “Yes, Mommy. I’m so tired.”

  “Let’s talk about this tomorrow.”

  “Good night.”

  She read as many books to Gracie as she could before falling asleep. She nudged herself awake again. Then she changed, brushed her teeth, and took a good look in the mirror. “You don’t need that man back in your life.”

  Her reflection completely agreed with her. But her mind was conflicted. Could she really keep a father from his child if he wanted to be in her life?

  But what about Maverick? She shook her head. What about him? He wasn’t ready to make any commitments. She could tell. His trust level was still low. And she didn’t blame him. She wasn’t sure they could make it work, given what they’d been through. What if Daniel wanted in? What if he wanted to be a real dad? Wouldn’t that be better than a family full of uncles—even if one of them was Maverick Dawson?

  Her heart said no. Her heart wanted Maverick, wanted what she had with the Dawsons. Daniel had hurt her, had thrown her out when he found out she was pregnant. It was Daniel’s fault she had spent years trying to make something of herself all alone; it was Daniel whose promises had gotten her to leave Willow Creek in the first place.

  She sat back against the wall at the head of her bed and remembered the day he’d called.

  Her wedding dress had been hanging up on her doorframe when her phone rang.

  Thinking it was Maverick, she answered, “Do you wanna see the dress before you help me take it off?” She loved to shock him and couldn’t wait to hear his laugh in response.

  But then a man’s voice she had never heard before answered, “That depends on who’s asking.”

  “Wait. Who is this?”

  He laughed. “I’m sorry I’m not who you were expecting. If I were to guess, I’d say he is a very lucky man.”

  Daniel had charmed her and made promises. “I saw your YouTube channel. I watched every video on there, and I hope someone else hasn’t snatched you up already. You’ve got talent.”

  She’d been astounded to hear his praise of her music.

  “You write your own songs?”

  “Yes, I do.” She’d told him about the next lineup she had on paper and that she was set to sing at the next county fair. She scoffed now, knowing how naïve she’d sounded. She fell right into his greedy trap.

  But to give him credit, he had tried to promote her. He’d thought she could make it. He just hadn’t had anything lined up like he’d claimed. He had been starting as fresh as she was, a new talent agent scooping up Nashville talent to shop around. Only, first he had had to get her to Nashville.

  They’d talked for an hour before he’d asked her to come do an audition.

  “Oh, I can’t do anything like that until after the wedding.”

  The quiet on the line lasted so long Bailey thought he’d hung up. “Hello?”

  “I thought you understood. This window is only open right now. That’s fine if you want to pass, but you’ll just have to wait and see if anything like this ever opens up again. It’s not every day I find such a perfect fit between producer and talent.”

  She held her breath and fell into the nearest chair. This was her one big chance flying out the window. “Well, then I’m sorry to say I’ll just have to turn you down.”

  He’d left his number with her in case she changed her mind. And she’d thought it was over. But his offer had festered and nagged at her. It stole her happiness even at the county fair when she sang for a few thousand people, thinking that if she’d gone to Nashville, it could have been twenty or thirty thousand. She hadn’t known anything at all about the music industry or how it worked, but somehow, after one tiny offer from a wannabe talent scout, nothing else satisfied.

  Except for Maverick. He was everything to her. The sun and the moon and everything in between. He really was. She’d have done whatever he wanted for the rest of her days. And so she told herself she was happy every day.

  Until the night before her big day, when Daniel called her again. This time, there was an incredible offer. The producers had been to the county fair and heard her sing. They wanted her. But she had to be in Nashville in five days. Could she come right after getting married?

  She wanted to say yes. But she called Maverick first. Before she could say anything about Nashville, he told her he’d been offered a spot on a world championship rodeo team. He was full of energy about how exciting it would be for the two of them to travel. And how’d it feel to be the wife of the world champion?

  She hung up the phone that night, promising to meet him at the church the next day.

  Only she never did.

  She headed to Nashville, and Daniel took her to that producer who he claimed was so interested. Except it turned out to be a cold call. They’d never heard of her before. And neither had any other person he’d tried to set up meetings with.

  And by then, she was living with him, and they were a full couple in every way. She was so ashamed, so sorry, and so caught up in his promises of the next big gig, the next opportunity, the next audition, that she kept on. Because if she were successful, then it might justify what she’d done. She’d have something to show for herself. Everyone back home would see she hadn’t been running away but chasing her dreams.

  And she couldn’t face Maverick. The thought of seeing him again after what she did, after living with this other man, after not even telling him she was leaving. It terrified her.

  Reliving that awful time of her life felt raw and scary. Some of her old insecurities returned. Daniel was dynamic and charming, and she’d always felt naïve and awkward when he was around.

  And now he was calling her parents’ house. Of course, he could find the number, but a part of her had hoped he’d forgotten about her or that he wouldn’t know where she’d gone. She really hadn’t thought he’d ever try to contact her again.

  The last night they were together, she had cooked him a really good meal, had dressed as carefully as she could, taking extra time with her hair and makeup. But he’d been distracted. He’d already been coming home smelling like someone else’s perfume, so she knew something was going on, but she thought maybe her news would change all that.

  “I’m pregnant.”

  His fork had stopped in midair, and it wasn’t out of joy. She remembered his final words before asking her to find somewhere else to live. “I say we terminate the pregnancy. If you want to go through with it, then you’re doing it without my help.”

  And so she’d left.

  In that moment, she thought he’d given up all rights to ever being a part of Gracie’s life. But what if he wanted to do right by her as a father?

  She pulled her covers up to her chin, rolled over, and tried to block out all other memories, but they flooded through her anyway.

  The day she moved out, he hadn’t come home from work. So she packed up everything by herself and loaded it into the waiting taxicab. She’d moved to a cheap motel. The first night, she’d curled up in a ball on her bed while the tears drenched her pillow, and she told herself to go home.

  She decided she would leave in the morning. It was the only thought that comforted her enough to get her to sleep.

  But then morning had come, and she found a new drive to make it on her own. She was gonna prove to Daniel that she didn’t need him. She was a talent. And she would find work without him.

  Five years later, she found herself back on her parents’ front porch with Gracie at her side.

  And it was the best decision she’d made since she left.

  What did Daniel want? He always wanted something. She tossed and stressed and hated everything about that night, the night when she should have been reliving Maverick’s kiss.

  Maverick.

  She was done with worrying. Sh
e pulled out her phone and texted Daniel, What do you want?

  You still up?

  Yes.

  I told you. I want to meet our little girl.

  She stared at that message until her phone’s screen switched off. Then she pressed the button and stared at it again. For most of the night, she studied his response. I want to meet our little girl.

  But she didn’t answer him. Instead she pulled her old Bible off the bookshelf, opened the word pages and started to read.

  She didn’t tell anyone about Daniel. Not for two more days.

  On the day she and Gracie went over to visit the new baby pigs, it was still heavy on her mind. Maverick answered the door almost before she knocked.

  “Hey.” His smile was warm and genuine, and she fell in love with it all over again.

  “Hey.”

  He grabbed his coat.

  “Now, wait a minute, Maverick. I want to see my girls too, you know.” His mama came around the corner, her happiness larger than her diminutive frame.

  Gracie ran to her, and Bailey smiled to see her daughter enveloped in the warmth of a hug from Mama Dawson. “I’m gonna meet my new baby pig!”

  “Oh, I bet that baby is gonna love you.”

  She giggled.

  “When you come back, I’ll have warm food and some goodies to take home.”

  “Thanks!”

  Maverick held open the door. “We ready?”

  Gracie ran out into the front yard. And Bailey’s heart felt a little lighter. Maverick stopped her as she passed by. “And good morning to you.”

  She looked up into his face, drawn in as always. His lips hovered close to hers for a moment.

  “You look delicious in the morning.” His deep voice rumbled through her, his sexy morning scruff making him look almost irresistible. She lifted her chin, and when their lips met, everything felt right again. It was quick, and when he backed away, only a portion of her anxiety returned. Then he winked, and they followed Gracie out toward the barn. His fingers linked with hers, and they swung their arms as they walked.

  “So, yesterday was a long day.” Maverick grinned and squeezed her hand. “Without you in it.”

  “I know. I kept looking at my watch, wondering if it was today yet.” She laughed. “But I did get a lot of prep work done for my first day at work.”

  “Those kids are gonna love you.”

  “I hope so. ’Cause I’m gonna make them work.” She couldn’t wait to get going next week.

  “That’s what I like to hear. Work is the Dawson way.”

  “Your parents sure raised some amazing sons.”

  He looked out over the rolling hills all around them. “They really did. Even as adults, we all know it means something to be a Dawson. We all know what’s expected.”

  “You gentlemen are a dying breed.”

  He stood taller. “Mama raised us right.”

  Bailey laughed. “She certainly did.”

  They walked through the barn doors, and Gracie was already kneeling down in front of Lulu watching the babies eat. She held her finger to her lips. “I know it looks like they’re eating her, but they’re just getting their milk.”

  “That’s incredible.” Bailey shook her head. This whole scene was surreal and brought her back to the day she’d met her first piglet.

  Maverick leaned back against the wall next to the stall. “Now, are you gonna tell me what’s bothering you?”

  “What?” She stood in front of him. “You still think you can read me?”

  He looked away. “Well, obviously not well enough.”

  She reached for his arm and waited until he looked into her eyes again. “I’m sorry.”

  He shrugged. “Are you going to tell me?”

  She glanced at Gracie, who was still mesmerized by the piglets. “The quick version is…” She took a deep breath. “Daniel, the man who…” She waved at Gracie.

  “Yes, I understand.”

  “He has reached out to me a few times this week. Said he wants to be a part of her life.”

  He took a step back. “Oh.”

  “Yeah.”

  “What did you tell him? What do you want?”

  “Nothing, and I don’t know. I mean, I know what I don’t want. I don’t want anything to do with him. I want to run as far and as long as I can so that she doesn’t have to have anything to do with him.”

  “But?”

  “But I don’t know if that’s right. He is her father.”

  Maverick waited.

  “Even though he kicked me out of his life and told me he was disowning her and me.”

  “Well then, seems to me like he lost his chance. I’ll be the first one to tell him what an idiot he was.”

  “So…what do I do?”

  He frowned. “I don’t know. “

  “That’s not helpful.”

  “Well, how could I? It’s not my place to say. All I know about him is that he’s a lying cheat, that he has no honor, that he’s a coward, that he is utterly selfish…” He ran a hand through his hair.

  “But it’s not your place to say?” She lifted an eyebrow then shook her head and stepped closer, leaning against his chest. “Sounds like I should stay as far away as possible.”

  “I think so. But is this me talking for me or for you?” He looked away. “Am I being selfish like he was?”

  “You are everything he is not.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Her eyes closed, and she clung to him. She would do anything to be able to keep things as they were. But to keep a father from his child? A daughter from her father? How could that be the right decision?

  She didn’t know anything for certain. Reading her Bible the other night, she just kept going back to the same verses in Proverbs. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart…”

  Maverick smiled down at her. “We’ll figure this out.”

  A whiff of uncertainty breezed by in her thoughts. Was this really Maverick’s problem to deal with? Didn’t he have enough to handle? A part of her, the old independent part, thought she should try to own up to her issues and handle it herself.

  Chapter 14

  Maverick laughed every time he thought of little Gracie staring at the sow feeding her young. He picked up the phone. As soon as Bailey answered, he grinned. “Hey! So I want to talk to you about something.”

  “Oh yeah, what’s that?”

  “We’re setting up something for the fair.”

  “The county fair?”

  “No, the big ol’ fair. The state fair.”

  “Cool! What do you have going?”

  “You and me, on our horses.”

  Her silence made him smile.

  “And you at the microphone, Gracie with her pig, our big Jersey cow, the guys doing a show. It’ll be a family event.”

  She didn’t answer.

  “Well?”

  “Okay, I think I’m in. For everything except me at the mic…or me on a horse.”

  “That’s all the parts that include you.”

  “Not really, Gracie will be in it.”

  “Doesn’t count for you. She’s her own girl.”

  “Touché.”

  “Come on. We’ll be brilliant.”

  “Us on a horse. What do you mean? Like our old show?”

  “Yes, of course. We’ll work on it, beef it up.”

  “Hmmm. I don’t know, Maverick. All joking aside, I haven’t done anything like this for forever.”

  “Perfect. We’ll have to practice.”

  She laughed. “Okay, I can practice, but just ’cause it means being on a horse with you. But I’m not singing.”

  “Why not?”

  “They bring big names to the show. I won’t fit in.”

  “You’ll be just right.”

  “No. Maverick, I already tried all this. I can’t make it. I choke.”

  “Now, that’s just not true. I’ve probably heard you sing more than anybody, and you’ve never choked,
not even once.”

  She was quiet; the emotion felt thick.

  “Except that one time. On the Cheetos.”

  “Ha. Very funny, Maverick. I just don’t think I can do it.”

  “I’ll let you think about it. The Dawson family is going to be a big sponsor this year, and so we get to pick an opener for one of the bands. I’ll pick you if you’re game.”

  “Wow, I don’t know what to say. If I was brave, I’d jump at this, but I shut the door on that dream a long time ago. I gave up.”

  “Comin’ home doesn’t have to be giving up. I say coming home was winning and the dream is still possible.”

  “Of course, you do.”

  “Let’s talk about it at BJs tonight.”

  “We going to BJs?”

  “If you want to come dancing.”

  “Okay, I’m in.”

  He grinned. “See you at eight.”

  When she hung up, he rested his boots on his desk and leaned back in his chair.

  “Things going that well?” Decker leaned his tall frame up against the doorway.

  “I sure hope so.” He gestured to a chair. “Come on in.”

  “I have the finances for this quarter. And the tax estimates.”

  “Did you pass it along to the accountant?”

  “I will, but I wanted to let you know we had another loss.”

  Maverick clenched inside.

  “Just thought you should know.”

  He lowered his boots back to the floor, his irritation swelling. “What do you think we should do about it?” His tone was flat, even.

  “I don’t know. This ain’t my thing…” His voice dwindled as he searched Maverick’s face. “Look, Maverick…”

  “What, Decker? If this ain’t your thing, then whose thing is it?”

  Decker glanced at the door like he wanted to run, but Maverick had no mercy. “Decker.”

  His brother sat, tossed the paperwork onto Maverick’s desk, and then crossed his arms. “I get it. Everything got thrown at you when you wanted to be doing other things. But I didn’t throw it at you. None of us did.”

  “Well, now I’m asking you to take up some of the slack. You came in here with a problem and no solution.” He lifted the papers and held them out. “Come back when you’ve figured out what to do about it.”