Page 59 of Maverick

Parker arrived at the shop early on Tuesday morning, unlocked the door, and stepped inside. She made sure to lock up behind her before heading to the back office where she securely placed her purse in the safe. After that, she went back to the front of the shop to dust off the shelves and tidy up.

Although she was happy to be back at work, Parker couldn’t stop thinking about the amazing weekend she had spent with Maverick and his family. She was excited for him to meet her own family, but what did it all mean? Wasn’t introducing each other to their families a big step in a relationship? Parker wished she knew how Maverick felt. After two months of being together, he still hadn’t talked about their future. Parker was deeply in love with him, but she couldn’t shake off her fear that he didn’t feel the same way.

“Good morning!” Shay greeted her as she walked into the store.

“Hey, how was your weekend?”

“It was great! But more importantly, how about yours?”

Parker couldn’t help but smile. “It was wonderful. Maverick’s parents are amazing.”

“I’m so glad you went.”

“Me too. Maureen loved the paperweights.”

“That’s awesome. I need some coffee though; Connor kept me up all night.”

“Is he okay?”

“He’s teething. Wes put whiskey on his gums, and it helped.” Shay chuckled. “I told him not to get him drunk.”

“I’m sure he only used a small amount.” Parker joined in on Shay’s laughter.

“Yeah, just a little on his finger, and then he rubbed it on Connor’s gums. He made a funny face, but it seemed to help.”

As the day went on, Parker noticed that business at the shop had slowed down since the Bur Oak ranch closed last month. She predicted that in another month, it would probably slow down even more. After such a scorching summer, she was looking forward to cooler weather.

During her lunch break, she walked to the Clifton Animal Hospital to pick up her kitten, Pumpkin. Upon entering the hospital, she smiled at Jodi who was working behind the counter.

“Hey, Jodi. I’m here to pick up Pumpkin,” Parker said with a smile.

Jodi returned the smile and replied, “I’ll let them know you’re here.”

Parker found a seat in the waiting room while she waited for Pumpkin’s crate to be brought out. Once it was, she paid the boarding fees and headed back to her apartment. As she climbed the stairs, she noticed some packages sitting on her stoop.

“It looks like your things have arrived, Pumpkin.” She placed the crate down and unlocked the door before bringing Pumpkin inside. Then, she retrieved the other packages from outside and excitedly opened them. Inside were toys and a self-cleaning litter box that she had ordered. After setting everything up and showing Pumpkin where everything was, Parker fed her. She had gotten food and bowls from the Feed Store right after finding the kitten.

With only a few minutes left of her lunch break, Parker rushed back to work at the shop. The rest of the day was busy, but Parker couldn’t stop thinking about Maverick. She was deep into their relationship but still had no idea what his true feelings were. Was it just physical attraction? Would he eventually lose interest in her?

“What are you thinking? You look worried,” Shay asked.

“I’m in love with Maverick, but he’s never told me how he feels,” Parker confessed.

“Well then, tell him first,” Shay suggested.

“No way! I can’t be the one to say it first.”

“Why not? Why does it always have to be the man?”

Parker shrugged. “I don’t know, but I don’t want to risk being rejected.”

“Oh please, that man is crazy about you. Didn’t he tell you that already?”

“Being crazy about someone and actually loving them are two different things... right?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Shay admitted with a frown.

“It sucks that I can’t see him tonight,” Parker sighed.

---