Page 24 of Brandt's Rule

Valerie stopped in her tracks and lowered the baskets enough to see over the top. She looked at Tempest, didn’t seem to register any kind of recognition, then after smiling at Tempest, focused on Maverik. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen her, Mav. So it’s going to be kind of hard to guess who she is.” Valerie glanced toward Tempest and smiled kindly again. “No offense meant.”

“None at all taken,” Tempest said.

“Come on, darlin’, look at her. Look closely. Think about some of the stories I still talk about from all them years before I found my way here.”

Valerie, completely accustomed to and at ease with her mate’s antics, took a minute to really look at the young woman. She was a beautiful young woman with bright green eyes and striking silver hair. Very unusual looks, but beautiful nonetheless. Then Valerie canted her head to the side slightly as she took notice of the silver hair once again. “No, really? Is this the little girl you met?”

“The very same!” Maverik crowed proudly. “And just look at her! Just every bit as special as I remember her being. And she came looking for me, baby. Looking for me! Can you believe it? You could have knocked me over with a feather!”

“You’re sure?” Valerie asked Maverik.

Maverik smiled at Valerie and the love he felt for the woman permeated his very being.

Tempest smiled to herself at the truth and commitment between the two.

“I’m absolutely sure, baby,” Maverik said. “This is Tempest. Tempest, this is my Valerie. She’s my everything.”

Valerie smiled as she set the laundry down. She had ultimate faith in Maverik and she knew there was no way he’d bring anyone into his home and expose her or their family to them without knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt who he was bringing home and that they posed no threat. She stepped around the laundry baskets and extended her hand to Tempest. “I’m so glad to finally meet the little girl, or I guess I should say young woman who has filled so many conversations between my mate and me. He’s wondered about you and hoped you were well and happy for years. Welcome to our home.”

Tempest was touched deeply. She took Valerie’s hand in her own and was unexpectedly pulled into Valerie’s arms for a hug. “Oh!” Tempest rushed out, surprised.

“If you matter to Maverik, you matter to me. Might as well get used to it now,” Valerie said.

“Thank you so much for welcoming me.”

“You’re welcome. Come on in and take a seat. I was about to start dinner after I get this laundry done. I hate laundry. It just never stops! I swear the damn dirty clothes reproduce and multiply when I turn the lights off at night!”

Tempest smiled and allowed Valerie to lead her by the hand into the kitchen to sit at the bar between the kitchen and the dining area so they could visit while Valerie cooked.

“You want some tea? I have sweetened and unsweetened, or some water? We have really good water. The place sits on top of an artesian spring so the water is always so fresh and cold — freezing cold actually.”

“I’d love some, thank you.”

Valerie poured her a glass of freezing cold water and placed it in front of her, assuming that’s what she meant she wanted.

Maverik grinned like a loon and watched them getting acquainted, and took a seat beside Tempest.

Valerie opened the fridge and took out a family sized package of thick cut pork chops and set them on the counter, then walked over to her pantry, reached into the vegetable bin and took out enough red potatoes to make mashed potatoes for dinner. “You eat pork chops and mashed potatoes? It’s Maverik’s favorite and I promised him I’d make it for dinner. If you don’t like it, I’ll make something else.”

“No, no, please don’t go to any trouble for me. It sounds wonderful. Can I help?” Tempest asked.

“No, indeed you cannot. Just sit there and tell me about you. How did you find Maverik after all these years?” Valerie asked as she cracked eggs and seasoned flour to dredge the pork chops through before frying.

“Let me help some, Valerie. I know I sprung Tempest on you,” Maverik said.

“I got it, but if you want to help, I wouldn’t say no to that laundry being started,” Valerie said.

“Consider it done.”

“Maverik, that needs to be three or four separate loads, not one giant one that’s going to break the washer,” Valerie said.

“Got it! I wouldn’t do that anyway, I know better,” Maverik said, grabbing the laundry baskets and whisking them away to the opposite side of the house, which made Tempest think that the laundry room must have been in that direction.

Valerie turned to look at Tempest. “No, he doesn’t. Well, let me rephrase that. He does know better, but he doesn’t care. He’d still try to get it all done in one load.”

“I heard that!” Maverik shouted from the laundry room.

“I figured you would,” Valerie answered. She smiled warmly at Tempest. “I love that male more than life itself, but Lord knows he rarely does things the easy way.”

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