Captivating In Love

by Bella Andre

Matt gave her a look. “What if this is some sort of romantic getaway? We’d be horning in.”

  Ari smiled at Gideon. “Is it a romantic getaway we’d be horning in on?”

  Every moment with Rosie was romantic, whether they were filling the dishwasher or dancing beneath the fairy lights in her backyard. “It would be great if you came,” he said. Truth was, Gideon was even happier about the thought of a full-on family vacation. Heck, maybe they could convince some of the other Mavericks to come too.

  “Noah will love it,” Ari said. “New York City is so vibrant.”

  “I haven’t booked the plane tickets yet,” Gideon said, “but I can do it for all of us.”

  “Or we could just keep things simple and use my plane,” Matt offered.

  Rosie laughed. “I vote for simple.”

  A year ago, neither Gideon nor Rosie would have thought they’d know someone who had his own plane, let alone that they’d fly in it.

  A year ago, they didn’t have each other either.

  But now they had absolutely everything.

  Jorge had started his art lessons, and Charlie and Sebastian were paving the way for Rosie to enter the art world now that she no longer had a reason to hide. Gideon was unquestionably positive that her career was going to be huge. She wouldn’t be an accountant for much longer—there simply wouldn’t be the time when she was so busy painting.

  What’s more, Jorge’s bio-dad was going into Witness Protection. He’d signed over all his parental rights and agreed never to contact Jorge. At the age of eighteen, Jorge could decide whether or not he wanted to contact Findley.

  Yeah, life with Rosie and Jorge was nothing short of perfect.

  Gideon raised her hand to his lips. He would never get tired of touching her. “Need a margarita, sweetheart?”

  “That would be marvelous, thank you, honey.”

  He loved the endearment. And it was with great difficulty that he managed to let go of her hand so he could retrieve the offered drink.

  Ari was pouring the mixed margaritas into Charlie’s amazing robot fountain.

  “Let me help with that.” He took the second pitcher and poured it in.

  “Thanks. I was hoping you’d come over.”

  As she smiled at him, he realized there was a new ease between them. He’d always been so racked with guilt that he’d never truly let himself go, not even with his sister. It was another thing for which he had Rosie to thank.

  “I’m so happy for you and Rosie,” she said softly. “I’ve waited a long time to see you like this. You deserve happiness, Gideon. You deserve Rosie. You’re both the best thing for each other.”

  He set his pitcher on the table beside the plastic glasses, then picked up his sister’s hand, squeezing it tight. “If you’d told me that a month ago, I would have said you were crazy.”

  “Oh, Gideon.”

  He shushed her with a gentle look. “But falling in love with Rosie and Jorge, and being here with you, I’ve learned something huge. I can finally accept that I did my best. No matter how much I might wish I’d done things differently, or that my best was better, there’s no do-overs. There’s just now and the future. I’m not going to waste another moment making wishes for things that can’t possibly come true. Those years with you that I missed, I can never have back, just as I can never get my team back. But what I can do is cherish every day with Rosie and Jorge, and you and Noah, and this big family you’ve brought me into, from this moment on.”

  She gazed at him with shining eyes, a tear wobbling in the corners. “I love you, Gideon.”

  “Ditto, kiddo.”

  She hugged him fiercely. And he hugged her back with every bit of love in his heart.

  When they pulled apart, she was wiping her eyes.

  * * *

  A few minutes later, when Rosie’s margarita was finally in her hand, the rest of the Mavericks blew out onto the deck. Francine accompanied Sebastian and Charlie. Jeremy raced to the boys because he’d brought a new dump truck he wanted to show them. Right on his heels was Duke. A puppy—and kid—melee ensued on the grass. Soon, Paige and Evan arrived, then Evan’s twin siblings sauntered in, along with their mother. They’d picked up Chi along the away.

  There were hugs and backslaps all around. No one batted an eyelash at Gideon with his arm around Rosie. It was as if they’d known his feelings for her all along. Only Chi hugged Rosie longer than usual, saying something in her ear that made Rosie smile.

  “Grandma, look at the cool dump truck Jeremy brought.” Noah held it up with pride, then grabbed Susan’s hand, while Jorge grabbed Bob’s. They dragged them off to Noah’s huge sandbox—vastly different from the sandbox from which Gideon had made it back—followed by puppies, and Jeremy gamboling along beside them like another big, happy puppy. Francine rambled after them with her walker, wanting to get in on the kid action too, probably because she was surrounded by old folks most of the time at the retirement home.

  “Maybe you should go rescue your parents,” Ari said, to no Maverick in particular, as she filled margarita glasses and passed them out. Charlie was beaming because her fountain was getting use beyond the wedding.

  “They’re fine,” Daniel said. “They love it. They’re waiting for more grandchildren.” Which he also said to no Maverick in particular. Or maybe to all of them.

  But Gideon looked at Rosie. She smiled back. And he thought of all the fun they were having—and would continue to have—making hay on the baby front.

  “In fact, since they’re busy,” Daniel rubbed his hands together like an evil mastermind, “this is a good time for us to plan.”

  Everyone gathered closer. Lyssa sat on the edge of the deck to catch the sun, her arms wrapped around her legs, Kelsey and Chi beside her.

  “What’s up?” Will asked.

  “Dad told me the house next to theirs is up for sale,” Daniel said.

  The Spencers lived in Chicago. When the Mavericks had all started making money, they’d moved Bob and Susan into a big house in a really great neighborhood.

  “And since our family is growing all the time—” He tugged Tasha closer. “I thought we should look into buying it.”

  Gideon noted that Tasha’s brother Drew hadn’t come today. He was a bit of an outcast, mostly of his own doing. But then Gideon had been an outcast, all his own doing, for a long time too. And he’d made it back into the fold, to the brotherhood, to family.

  “No question,” Sebastian agreed. “We should buy it.”

  “It’s perfectly situated,” Daniel told everyone once they’d all nodded their agreement, “with the two garages on opposite ends of the properties. I figure we can knock down the fence and build a sunroom connecting the two houses.”

  “We could do the work ourselves,” Will said.

  Bob Spencer had made sure his boys were handy with a tool belt, that was for sure. “I can help,” Gideon offered, knowing his way around a hammer and saw just as well as the rest of them.

  “I’m in too, if you need some welding,” Charlie offered.

  “When do you think the new place will be ready?” Paige asked. While everyone else was downing margaritas, she was sipping lemonade.

  “We wouldn’t be able to start until late spring,” Daniel said.

  “Late spring will be good,” she said, smiling.

  “Why late spring?” Will asked.

  Harper was grinning as she elbowed him. “You’d better call your mother over here. I think there’s an announcement coming.”

  Noah and Jorge got there first, then Jeremy. Bob and Susan came with Francine, who rolled her walker up the ramp Matt had installed for her, and Charlie helped her into a comfortable, cushioned chair at the table.

  “So what were you all plotting?” Susan asked.

  Daniel gave her a who, us? look.

  “It was so obvious, honey.” She grinned fondly at them all. “It always is.”

  “Okay, since you have eyes on all sides of your head,” he joked, “we mig
ht as well fess up that we’d like to buy the house next door to you guys and turn it into a guest house for all of us. We’re starting to need a lot more room for our family get-togethers.”

  “This family is certainly multiplying.” Susan looked at Gideon, then Rosie and Jorge, who had climbed onto Rosie’s lap. Susan’s smile was loving, welcoming, totally inclusive. “The bigger the better.”

  It was the perfect moment for Evan to pull Paige back against him and lay his hand over her belly. “We definitely agree.”

  Susan covered her mouth. “Oh my goodness. Are you—”

  Paige nodded. “We are!”

  Susan jumped up to hug Paige close, tears in their eyes.

  “What’s going on?” Jeremy asked in a big outdoor voice.

  “Paige is going to have a baby,” Harper told him.

  “Oh wow.” His eyes grew as big as dinner plates. “That’s awesome.”

  Gideon reached out to take Rosie’s hand in his, raising it to brush his lips over her knuckles.

  They were a family already, him and Rosie and Jorge.

  But they were also Mavericks.

  And it could never hurt to add a few more.

  * * *

  Lyssa was thrilled for Paige and Evan. It had taken them so long to find each other and admit how much they loved one another, even though they’d first met in college. They deserved all the happiness in the world.

  It was amazing to think that two years ago, there’d only been her, her brothers, and her parents. Now they were about to have the first Maverick baby since Noah was born six and a half years ago. She’d actually thought Ari would be the first. But nope, it was Paige.

  The baby news made Lyssa ache to move closer to everyone. She loved being near her parents in Chicago. But the guys were all out here. And her extended family was all here too.

  Rather than buy another Chicago house and extend it, she thought they should move Mom and Dad to California and out of the snow. Last winter had been grueling, cold and long, even if it had given Will and Harper a white wedding.

  And if her parents were out here, there would be no reason for Lyssa to stay in Chicago. Especially not in a job she didn’t like. She’d given it a year. Wasn’t that long enough?

  “We’ve got more good news,” Evan said with an away-we-go flourish of his hand in Gideon’s direction.

  Gideon Jones. He’d been an enigma from the moment he’d shown up on the scene. Still, Lyssa had seen the writing on the wall the moment Rosie laid eyes on him—and he’d laid eyes on her. She’d known Gideon was in love with Rosie long before Rosie seemed to know it herself. Where his face used to be frozen into a perpetual scowl, now he was always smiling. And when he looked at Rosie, he got positively gooey-eyed.

  Lyssa felt just the slightest flicker of something, not jealousy or envy, something more like…wistfulness.

  Even though she didn’t need a man right now. Not when she had her career to think about first.

  Gideon was smiling as he told everyone, “With the help of Karmen’s mom, Ernestina Sanchez, who found a wealth of old documents and letters in her family archives, we traced some of the painting’s history. And because of the added historical value of those letters, we were able to sell the painting for…” Gideon paused for a virtual drum roll. “A whopping sixty million dollars, which was ten million more than even the auctioneers expected.”

  Lyssa’s dad stepped forward to shake Gideon’s hand, then folded him into one of his big bear hugs. “We’re so proud of you, son. Not many people would use all that money for a good cause the way you are.”

  “That means a lot to me, Bob,” Gideon said. And then to everyone, “We’re going to call our new foundation Lean on Us, dedicated in Karmen Sanchez’s name. And our slogan will be—” He looked at Rosie with another of those gooey-eyed, bone-melting looks. “Let us be your team.”

  Everyone clapped.

  “We’re still looking for a good candidate to run the foundation,” Rosie put in. “Any and all suggestions are welcome.”

  “What about Cal Danniger?” Will suggested.

  Lyssa’s heart fluttered, and she actually felt a rush of heat to her cheeks.

  “He’d be a good choice, since he manages our joint ventures,” Sebastian agreed. “He’s a smart guy. Capable.”

  All her Maverick brothers were nodding agreement.

  “I don’t want to steal him away from you guys,” Gideon said.

  “I’m sure he can handle both,” Matt said.

  As they fell into a discussion of Cal Danniger’s skills, Lyssa turned away slightly from her friends. Just in case Kelsey or Chi saw her blush and started asking questions.

  Lyssa was already thinking about all the possibilities. One person wouldn’t be able to handle the whole foundation. If Cal took it on, he’d need help, especially if he was still managing her brothers’ ventures as well. That was a heck of a lot of money, and he’d definitely need a good accountant.

  She was a very good accountant. Even if her boss didn’t think she could handle more than collections calls. The job had fallen far short of her expectations.

  But the Lean on Us Foundation? She could do so much to help Rosie and Gideon get it off the ground. It wouldn’t be nepotism—she’d never sponged off her brothers. Yes, they’d helped her by paying part of her way through college, but she’d also won scholarships and worked at the same time. Even though they’d all said she didn’t need to.

  Working with the foundation would be a perfect way to pay them all back.

  All she had to do now was convince Cal Danniger that he needed her.

  In more ways than one.

  * * * * *

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  * * *

  Another Maverick is coming soon! Get ready for Lyssa’s story…

  * * *

  Enjoy an excerpt from BREATHLESS IN LOVE, Will’s story…

  Will Franconi has a dark past that he’s kept a closely guarded secret—very few people have ever heard his real story and he plans to keep it that way. After surviving a hellish childhood, he’s now living the dream life where everything he touches turns to gold. But something’s missing. He doesn’t quite know what, until a simple letter from a teenage boy brings Harper Newman into his life—a woman who just might fill up the empty places inside him…if only he could ever be worthy of her love.

  When a man has more money than he could spend in five lifetimes, Harper has to ask herself what Will Franconi could possibly want from a woman like her. She’s learned the hard way that rich men always get what they want no matter the cost. If it were only herself she had to worry about, Harper would manage, but she’s guardian to her younger brother, who depends on her for everything. After he nearly lost his life in a car crash, she’s vowed never to let anyone hurt him ever again.

  Still, sometimes Harper can’t help but long to change her story from that of the always cautious woman to an adventurous tale of a heroine who’s wild and free…especially when Will’s kisses and caresses make her utterly breathless. And as he begins to reveal his story to her, she discovers that he’s so much more than just another wealthy, privileged man. He’s kind and giving, and he fills up all the spaces inside her heart that have been empty for so long. Together, can they rewrite their stories into a happily ever after that neither of them would have believed possible?

  Harper was utterly gorgeous, the sun sparkling in her wind-tossed hair, ecstasy glowing on her face. She didn’t shout or cheer—but she did hold up her arms. And she smiled.

  The most beautiful smile Will had ever seen.

  He wasn’t even near freeway speed, yet the shriek of the motor, the rumble of the pipes, and the open sky above them made it seem as if the car were flying at over a hundre
d miles an hour.

  Just as he’d promised, he took her around only once. He didn’t want to push her limits.

  Not yet, anyway.

  While harnessing her in, it would have been so easy to touch her, to let his fingertips graze her gorgeous skin. His heart had hammered with the desire to put his hands on her. Even now, his fingers sizzled with her heat, and her sweet scent filled his head. But he could tell that she wasn’t like the women he usually spent his time with—women who knew the score and were in it for what they could grab before he moved on.

  Harper Newman was different. And he liked that, liked knowing that wooing her would be unlike anything else he’d ever done in his life. Even if a voice in his head reminded him that he shouldn’t be looking for anything more than a quick roll between the sheets with her.

  Not because she didn’t deserve more, but because she did. So much more than a fundamentally broken man like Will could ever give her.

  He slowed after the last turn, heading back to her brother. Back to sanity for both of them.

  For now.

  She let her arms drop, and her sleeve brushed his arm as she said, “That was fast.”

  She was trying for a noncommittal tone, but he could hear the breathlessness she was trying to hide. She might normally be good at hiding her feelings, but Will was too interested in her to miss one single thing. Especially the thrill of the speed still coursing through her veins.

  “Too fast? Or just right?”

  Her eyes met his and sparks jumped between them again. Sparks that had been there from the very first moment they’d looked at each other.

  Finally, she admitted, “It was good,” her words a little huskier than he imagined she wanted them to be.

  Ahead of them, Jeremy was hopping, skipping toward the car. He looked so happy. Which, Will was glad to see, made Harper very happy, too.

  They rolled to a stop and he said, “Let me give you a hand.”

  But she didn’t wait for his chivalry, simply unbuckled before he could help her and said, “I’m fine, thanks,” then turned to grab the roll bar and hoist herself up.

  Jeremy ran over to them. “Wasn’t it cool, Harper?”