Page 86 of Talk About… Rivalry

“Work with me,” he said as if it was that simple. “I’m losing my mind trying to coordinate this Artisan Fair and you know this town as well as I do. If we want to make this a full-time thing I’m going to need the help.”

“That’s not really a paying job, Maverick. I’m willing to help you, obviously, but I need an income, too.”

He looked at me, hazel eyes full of understanding. Maverick was likely biting back an offer to take care of me and I appreciated that.

I needed a backup plan still.

“You have savings, right?”

I nodded. We both knew I barely spent any of the money that I had been paid over the years. I wasn’t into high fashion, fast cars, or anything that would take much of it.

“Then help me while you figure it out. You don’t have to know your whole life right now. Let us help you find yourself.”

I think this was the most that Maverick had ever spoken to me in the entire time I’ve known him. As I stared up into those hazel eyes, they were familiar but a little warmer than they usually were. I couldn’t help but buy into the picture that he was painting.

Could it be that easy? I let them in then the pieces would fall into place?

I swallowed hard and reached out, putting my palm in his larger hand. He wrapped his fingers around mine and brought my knuckles to his lips, brushing a kiss over them.

“No looking back.”

“I’ll try,” I agreed.

Maybe having someone in my corner, someone that truly cared about me and wasn’t going to just walk away, would help me realize that it was okay to find myself. That I didn’t have to be guarded at every turn.

He pulled me into his side, placing a kiss on top of my head as we watched the horse tug at some grass and eyeball us.

I breathed in the moment, soaking in his presence before I felt strong enough to be able to go pack up my life.

It wasn’t like I was going to take the furniture here. It was all there when I moved in, none of it was truly mine.

The moment I pushed open the door my gray tabby was streaking inside ahead of us, nearly tripping us both. Maverick steadied himself against the door frame with one hand, the other holding me steady.

“What the hell was that?”

“Sully,” I answered with a laugh. “He was a barn cat that decided to adopt me. He stays in here almost as much as he is outside.”

“Are you bringing him with you?” Maverick asked. My gaze shifted to Sully and I frowned.

“I don’t think so. This ranch is his home,” I admitted, hating that pang of sadness that hit me.

“I didn’t even know you had a cat, Sidney,” he said, his voice so low that I had to strain to take in every word. I stepped closer to rest my hand on his cheek.

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Everything,” he admitted. “I wasted so much fucking time thinking I knew you and I’m realizing there’s all these things that I don’t know. You have a cat. I’ve always had you figured out in my head that you’ve been this strong outgoing woman, and now I realize that you are just as much an introvert as I am at times.”

“These are little things,” I told him, reassuring him now instead of the other way around. “We’ll keep getting to know each other, Maverick. It would be boring if we knew everything, wouldn’t it?”

That seemed to relax him and he nodded, pulling me in for another kiss.

It seemed now that he had a taste, he wasn’t going to hold himself back. I could get used to this. He made me feel cherished.

It was weird, but good, and it made me feel less like running.

When he released me he started looking around my place.

“Sidney, you really don’t have a lot,” he pointed out. “I figured we’d have to take a few loads and get more boxes, but we might have enough in the back of the truck.”

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