Page 22 of Maverick

Sophie looked up excitedly at my words. “Can I have a taco?”

I smiled. “You can have two,” I assured her. “This is Leo and he’s hanging with me for the day. Leo, this is Sophie and my grandma Mabel.”

“Hi, Sophie. Hi, Grandma Mabel.”

“Oh, aren’t you adorable?” Mabel laughed. “It’s nice to meet you, Leo. And thank you for bringing me tacos.”

“Who brought…oh.” Ruby exited the kitchen with a shocked expression on her face. “Maverick, hi. Who’s your friend?”

“This is Leo. Leo, that’s Ruby and she’s Sophie’s mom.”

“Hi, Ruby.”

“Leo, hey.” She smiled. “Aren’t you a little young to buy three women you don’t know tacos?”

He laughed. “It was Uncle Mav.”

“Well, thank you, Uncle Mav.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Bring the tacos to the kitchen.”

It wasn’t the welcome I was expecting, but she didn’t frown when she saw me, and I took that as a win. “Ruby, how’s it going?”

“Good,” she answered without turning to me. “How are you?”

“Better now that I’ve seen you.”

She snorted and gave me a saucy glance over her shoulder. “Nice line.”

“And the truth, which makes it not a line.” I winked and her cheeks reddened adorably. “Did I mess up your lunch plans?”

“Not when the alternative is tacos.” She turned to me with a stunning smile. “In fact, never when the alternative is tacos.”

“Glad to please. Are you settled in?”

“Yep.” She turned and grabbed plates from the cupboard, and though it was a little odd seeing someone other than Mabel do it, with Ruby it just felt right. “I should thank you again.”

“Nope, I should be thanking you. Now that I know there’s someone looking after Mabel, I don’t have to worry constantly.”

“Guess we have a mutual admiration society going on, huh?”

“Oh, it’s definitely mutual.” I wiggled my eyebrows and she laughed.

“How did you end up on babysitting duty? I thought you didn’t have any siblings.”

I smiled and leaned across the table. “You remembered?”

She laughed. “I did.”

“Leo is my club president’s son, and his woman needed some help and I volunteered. Or maybe she volunteered me with pleading eyes.”

“Sucker,” she teased with a laugh. “Thanks for thinking of Sophie.”

I opened my mouth to deny it, but the look in Ruby’s eyes told me it wouldn’t make a difference. “Yeah, sure.”

“Mom, can we go out back and play?” Sophie’s wide smile punched me in the chest.

“Yeah, sure. Don’t leave the yard, either of you,” she said, and pointed to Leo as well.

“Okay! Come on, Leo!” They darted out of the back door and rushed around the yard as if they’d been locked up for years.

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