Page 7 of Maverick

“Please, make yourself comfortable.” She gestured toward the sofa and set the drink tray on the coffee table.

He placed the bag down. “Mind if I wash up?”

“Of course not. Down the hall, the door is straight ahead.”

“I’ll just be a minute.” He headed toward the bathroom, then turned back to face Parker. “And don’t even think about touching my burger and onion rings.”

Parker laughed. “You’d better hurry then.”

As soon as he disappeared down the hallway, she sat down on the sofa and removed her meal and set it on the table, then unwrapped it. The smell of juicy burgers and crispy onion rings made her stomach growl in anticipation.

When Maverick returned, he joined her on the sofa and eagerly unwrapped his meal. As soon as he took a bite of his burger, he let out a satisfied groan.

“They’re so good, aren’t they?” Parker said after taking a bite of her own.

“The best,” Maverick agreed.

“So, how long have you been working at the Triple C?”

“Twenty-four years,” he replied.

“That’s impressive. You must be over forty then?” Parker bit back a grin.

“Yep, I’m forty-two.”

“I’m thirty-eight,” Parker said.

“Well, you certainly don’t look it. You could pass for being in your late twenties.”

Parker laughed. “Well, thank you. So, were you born and raised in Clifton?”

Maverick took a bite of an onion ring before answering. “No, actually I was born and raised in Cheyenne, Wyoming. But I ended up here by chance and fell in love with the town and the people. Now, I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

“I can understand that. It’s a wonderful community,” Parker said sincerely. “Are you supposed to be at work?”

“I’m off on weekends unless there’s a lot to do.”

They continued chatting about their jobs when Maverick suddenly asked, “And what about you? Are you from Clifton originally?”

Parker frowned for a moment before she answered quietly. “No, I’m originally from Oregon but lived in Oklahoma for a couple of years. But I had to... get away from there.”

“I see,” Maverick said. “Why aren’t you married?”

Parker shook her head slightly. “I was married once.”

“Divorced?” Maverick guessed.

Parker hesitated for a moment before shaking her head again. “No, my husband, along with my eight-year-old son, were killed in a car accident.”

Maverick’s face fell. “Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.”

“It’s alright. It happened five years ago,” Parker reassured him.

“How long were you two married for?”

“We were together for ten years,” she replied, taking a bite of her burger. “And what about you? Are you married?”

“No, ma’am,” he answered.

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