Maverick
Page 22
He took Charlie to bed. He worshipped her body. And when she fell asleep in his arms, it felt as if he’d never left.
In fact, he felt as if he’d just come home.
Six Weeks Later
Charlie was in a hurry. Of course she was. Why else would Daniel McBride decide that it was okay to take his tractor out for a spin? Good Lord the promise of spring did some crazy things to folks around here.
“Come on, move,” she muttered, trying to see around him. It was nearly noon and she’d told Rick that she would only be at the shop for about a half an hour. Davis had needed her help on a particular engine and she’d been more than happy to oblige. She missed getting her hands dirty. That was four hours ago.
She honked her horn and made a face when Daniel turned around. She couldn’t pass him because there was a stead flow of traffic coming the other way. Why wouldn’t there be? After all in downtown Fisherman’s Landing.
Oh. And she was in a hurry.
Daniel pulled his tractor over to the side and she flew past him, resisting the urge to flip him the bird. Barely. She got the red at the only set of traffic lights in town and waited impatiently for them to change. She even managed not to chew on her fingernails. Just. She glanced at them and grimaced. Why had she bothered with a manicure?
She cruised down the road, smiling at the sight of the ocean. She was happy to see the sun and excited that spring was just around the corner.
She turned on to her street and swore when she saw the expensive looking Mercedes in her driveway. Pulling up behind the black vehicle, she slipped from her truck and decided to sneak into the house through the back. That way she could head upstairs and clean up before she met Donovan James. The country superstar had just arrived with her new baby and husband in tow.
She winced as the door squeaked and paused, relieved that the swell of voices coming from the front room didn’t stop. She could hear Connor talking excitedly about the Bruins and his keyboards. With a grin, Charlie hopped over the squeaky bottom step and crept upstairs.
She strode into her bedroom hands tangled up in her shirt, and tossed it onto her bed. No. That would be a lie. Charlie stood in the middle of her bedroom, dressed in dirty jeans, her work boots, and a bra. And she gazed in horror at her grease stained T-shirt as it lay beside none other than Donovan James.
Donovan James who was breastfeeding her baby.
Donovan James whose smile was as startling as her face.
“Shit,” Charlie said softly. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Donovan said with a wink. “Unless you’re someone other than Charlie.”
“No one but me would whip a dirty shirt at a new mother.” Charlie crossed the room and scooped the T-shirt up, this time aiming for the laundry hamper next to her closet.
“I’m just going to grab some clean clothes and…” She pointed to the bathroom.
“Do whatever you want sugar. I’m almost done here.”
Charlie rummaged through her dresser and found a clean pair of jeans, along with a simple black T-shirt. She washed her hands and quickly got dressed. She brushed her teeth and tried not to think about the fact that Rick’s family was here.
She loosened her knot of hair and brushed it out quickly and after sliding her feet into a pair of flats, walked back out into her bedroom.
“Honey, can you take her for me?”
“Oh,” Charlie replied a little uncertain. “Sure.”
She took the baby, marveling at how small and delicate she was. “She’s got a lot of hair,” Charlie murmured, smoothing the unruly strands from the baby’s forehead.
“I know right? It’s the reason I had so much heartburn. Or so I’m told.”
Donovan got her clothes put back together and smiled at Charlie. “I’m so happy to finally meet you. I swear these past few weeks have just whipped by and I hope you don’t think we’re rude because it took so long to come out and visit.”
“No. Not at all.”
Charlie held the baby and rocked her gently, loving the way the little girl’s eyes were so expressive. A feeling of such longing rushed through her, that it brought tears to her eyes.
“That’s a good look on you.”
Her head whipped up and she spied Rick standing just inside the door, with a handsome man, a few paces behind. As always, when she saw Rick Simon her heart turned over.
“Are you guys keeping something from us?” his cousin Jack asked with a grin as he moved into the room.
“No,” Charlie answered, more than a little rattled.
“Not yet, anyway,” Rick murmured, coming up alongside her and staring down at little Lily. “I’m going to make an honest woman out of her but she wants to finish school first.”
“Maverick told me you’re heading back to MIT?” Jack asked.
Charlie nodded. “Yes. My friend Davis is taking over the garage and I’m going to get my degree and Rick’s going to…”
“Stay right here,” he said softly, dropping a kiss onto the edge of her nose.
She swallowed hard when he took the baby from her. What was it about the sight of a big, strong man holding a small child that made her weak in the knees?
“Why is everyone in here?” Connor asked brightly, poking his head in from the hallway.
“We’re heading down bud,” Rick replied. “Donovan wants to hear that song you wrote.”
“Okay. Come on.”
Jack and Donovan followed her brother out but Rick stopped her just as she was about to do the same.
“Hey,” he said gruffly. “I love you.”
She squeezed his hand. “I know.
“What do you think about this?” He nodded at the baby in his arms.
Charlie smiled. “I think it’s a good look on you.” She paused, suddenly afraid and not really sure why. “Maybe we shouldn’t wait.”
Rick held the baby in one arm, and reached for her with the other. “I’m not going anywhere, Charlie. We’ve got this. You and I.”
She blew out a long shuddering breath. She loved this man with all her heart and she knew without a doubt that he would never let her down. He was never leaving her.
She followed Rick out of their room and couldn’t shake the silly ass grin on her face. Her heart was full and her future had never looked brighter.
“We’ve got this,” she repeated.
And they did.
Author’s note
I hope you enjoyed reading Maverick and Charlie’s story. I can’t lie. This book was hard for me. Sometimes life throws us all those curveballs that Charlie was speaking about it and things get tough. I’m grateful for all my friends and family and so very humbled by the readers who take the time to read my stories and then reach out to me! Don’t ever stop! I appreciate each and every note! Life is short, so please be kind, treat others with respect and don’t put of something that you want to do. Do it! Enjoy it! And cherish the moment.
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The Barker Triplets Trilogy
OFFSIDE
COLLIDE
CONCEAL
The Family Simon
TUCKER
JACK
MAVERICK
And coming summer of 2015, TEAGUE
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