Page 64 of A Marriage Pact for the Cowboy

What did Maxwell say repeatedly? How his word was his bond. That if he said he’d do something, consider it done.

Did he remember the promise he’d made to Amelia 15 years ago? Sure, it was no longer valid, since Amelia was dead, but would she have beckoned him with her pinky and reminded him of their marriage pact? Would Mr. Keeps-His-Promises have made good on it? Could Maxwell Sullivan have become Amelia’s husband? Eryn’s brother-in-law?

Eryn couldn’t have this sort of attachment, these feelings, for her brother-in-law. Not that he’d married Amelia or even been in contact most of those years, but the fact that he’d made this sort of promise even as a kid made Eryn’s stomach turn.

What now?

She’d never sleep. There was no point in even trying.

She was 28 years old, still lingering in her dead sister’s shadow. How could she kiss the man who’d made promises to her twin?

Chapter

Twenty-One

Eryn was focused on flipping pancakes the next morning when Maxwell entered the dining hall. She was still busy at the back of the kitchen when he realized he was late to the worksites on Ladybug Lane.

It wasn’t the first time they hadn’t connected at breakfast, though hadn’t she always sent him a shy smile before? Today, of all days, he needed some reassurance that she was okay. That she and her dad had talked, and Keith had realized Maxwell was a good guy who wouldn’t hurt his daughter.

Not on purpose, anyway.

A guy could make all the promises he wanted, but not everything was within his control. In the construction business, Maxwell was accustomed to switching gears on the fly. A truckload of damaged flooring? Find something else. Something better. A window factory burning to the ground? Shift to the other connections he’d made. He was used to making things happen.

Making things happen should be Maxwell’s tagline. He might look into adding it to his business cards.

Eryn stood with her back to the dining hall, talking with Nadine, when Maxwell headed out. He didn’t want to interrupt her at work, so he didn’t call a goodbye.

They’d talk later. Everything would work out, right? Right.

He was smart enough to know that life was full of twists and turns and that, sooner or later, he and Eryn would need to figure out how to navigate those. He hadn’t expected it quite this soon, and he hadn’t thought it would be Keith pushing back the way he had.

What was going on there?

Maxwell scratched his head as he drove up to Ladybug Lane and stopped in front of Cottage Four.

Janessa and Steve stood toe to toe and nose to nose as they yelled at each other.

He didn’t even need to be able to hear to know their personalities were clashing yet again. In a perverse way, he was glad to be greeted by a situation he could take his frustrations out on.

Careful, Sullivan. You need them both. You need them happy.

Did he, though?

He leaped out of his truck and slammed the door. “What’s going on here?” he barked as he strode nearer.

“Boss man, he?—”

“Thank God you’re here, Maxwell. She’s completely whacko.”

Perfect. Maxwell was itching for a fight.

He pointed at Janessa. “You. Come with me and tell me what’s going on. You—” he pointed at Steve “—find something useful to do. I’ll be with you in a few minutes. Got it?”

Janessa’s chin came up as she sent one more dagger glare at Steve. “Yes, sir.”

“Whatever.” Steve’s glower at Janessa remained unabated.

Maxwell stepped in front of Steve. “Excuse me?”

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