Page 115 of Talk About… Rivalry

Mama Whitaker’s eyes brimmed with tears and she huffed. “Don’t you make me cry, girl.”

“Sorry,” I laughed. “But I’ve done enough of it, I thought I should share the tears.”

Mama Whitaker rolled her eyes and dabbed a tissue at the corners. “I have, too. But just think, in a few hours we’ll have three babies to spoil. Charlie already bought out half the gift shop.”

I had wondered about the pile of gift bags in Avery’s room. Warmth filled me at the gesture. Charlie had swept in and taken an important role in this family. He’d stepped up for Avery and Mama Whitaker both, the brothers reluctant at first but now treated him with respect.

Again, I was struck at how one meeting, one moment, could change lives. It seemed that in this waiting room I was finding my answer to my earlier question.

Now that I had let them in and stopped running, my pack simply… fit.

Sidney

We were ten hours into the labor. Reports the nurses gave us were that she was nearly dilated and being monitored.

We had all napped on and off but the excitement and hospital cafeteria coffee were keeping us going.

Until now. Charlie and Mama Whitaker were passed out in one of the recliners, the omega settled on her alpha’s chest.

Nash and Cameron had stretched out and tucked their hats over their eyes, and hadn’t moved for an hour.

Leo had snuck into a storage room and grabbed some blankets, making a pallet on the floor where he and Taylor were snuggled in shamelessly. I loved their easy friendship.

Bennett was off in search of snacks and Maverick and I had been working quietly. He was doing some paperwork, for the bar or the fair I wasn’t sure which.

I had been sketching out some artwork ideas. After my talk with Leo the ideas hadn’t stopped flowing and I had half my book full of ideas for canvases the moment I could get myself to a craft store.

Maverick let out a low sigh. I glanced up to see his eyebrows creased as he stared at his screen. I don’t think he even realized he’d made a sound.

Setting my own work aside, I focused on my alpha. I gently pulled the laptop from his hands and placed it carefully on the seat beside him. He blinked up at me, trying to figure out what I was doing.

I simply straddled his lap and wrapped my arms around his middle before resting my cheek against his cheek. His entire body relaxed around me and he breathed deeply the same way I did to him.

His rugged scent tickled my nose, easing my own exhaustion a little. Vanilla, amber, sandalwood, and a hint of sharp citrus to round it out.

“What has you sighing like that?” I finally asked once I’d soaked in the affection of his embrace.

“This Artisan Fair,” he admitted, voice laced in exhaustion that wasn’t from my heat.

“What about it?”

He buried his nose into my neck, taking another breath before he answered my question.

“I’ve got a lot of vendors, but I need to vet them first. I don’t want someone there selling something they bought online, it’s meant to be hand-crafted and I’m drowning in the emails.

“Make a form,” I said. “You can make an online form that they submit with all those questions already on it. There’s a way to lock in necessary questions so they can’t submit without an answer.”

He was quiet, then he chuckled.

“See, this is why I need you. I didn’t even know those existed,” he said with a gentleness most wouldn’t expect from Maverick.

“I’ve used those quite a few times, I can make one up if you’d like,” Leo offered. His voice was rough with sleep as he came over and gently lifted Maverick’s laptop and took that seat.

“That would be amazing,” Maverick admitted.

“Alright, next problem,” I said. “You’ve got to rely on us just like you expect me to rely on you guys.”

Maverick was quiet for a moment but I didn’t bother to move to read him, he’d finish talking when he was ready.

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