Page 63 of Maverick

Parker came back to the present and made herself a cup of coffee. She was sure Maverick left before the crack of dawn and she didn’t know how he did it. He got up when it was dark and didn’t finish some days until after dark. Such was the life of a rancher.

She didn’t stay at his house on Wednesday since she had to work the next day, and she had things to do while she was off.

After finishing her coffee, she cleaned the cup, put it away, then left to head back to town.

Finally, the weekend was here, and she could see Maverick once more. But with that excitement also came uncertainty about his feelings for her. She knew she had to have a conversation with him, but she dreaded the possibility of him telling her it wasn’t as important to him as it was to her.

Parker walked into the kitchen to help Maverick make dinner when the doorbell rang. She sighed. She’d been hoping to talk to him about their feelings. He was carrying a plate of hamburgers out to the grill and hesitated, muttering under his breath.

“Damn it,” he said.

“Do you want me to get it?” Parker offered.

“Yes, please. I need to get these burgers on the grill. I have no idea who it could be.”

“No problem, go ahead and start cooking. I’m starving,” she replied.

“Of course, ma’am,” Maverick said with a grin, causing Parker’s heart to race as it always did.

She blew him a kiss before heading to the front door. She opened it to find a beautiful brunette standing there. The woman frowned when she saw Parker.

“Hi, can I help you?” Parker asked politely.

“Who are you?” the woman demanded.

“Actually, I think I should be asking you that. What do you want?”

“Where’s Maverick?”

“And who are you?” Parker asked, growing frustrated.

“I’m a… friend. Get him for me.”

Parker felt her blood starting to boil at the boldness of this woman.

“You know, using please would work so much better,” she snapped back.

“Della? What are you doing here? I thought you left Clifton,” Maverick’s voice came from behind Parker.

“I wanted to talk to you.” Della shrugged.

“About what?” he asked.

Della glanced at Parker before turning back to Maverick. “Can we talk in private, please?”

Ah, so now she knows how to use that word. Parker shook her head in disbelief.

“No, there’s nothing to talk about.”

“Maverick—”

“Why don’t you go talk to her? I’ll keep an eye on the burgers,” Parker interrupted as she turned and walked back into the kitchen.

Della? An old lover of Maverick’s. What was she doing here? Parker snorted to herself. She was up to something. Of that, Parker had no doubt.

****

Maverick’s eyes followed Parker as she made her way into the kitchen, leaving him alone with Della. Though once enamored by her beauty, Maverick now found himself comparing her to Parker and realizing that she couldn’t even come close. Thoughts of Della no longer stirred any emotions within him; his heart belonged solely to Parker now.

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