Page 18 of Coming Home to Maverick

Nash and Decker stood. “We need to go get set up backstage.” Nash high-fived Gracie. “I’ll see you later, princess.”

Bailey smiled. Gracie wouldn’t know what her real name was anymore with all the pet names she had acquired.

The clowns came out, and Gracie waved and squealed and jumped up and down. When they gave her a carnation, she thought her life was made. Then Maverick stepped back up to the microphone. “We will now announce the mutton bustin’ contestants. As you know, seven lucky children from the audience will get to compete tonight, riding on the back of the sheep of their choice. The mutton buster who stays on longest wins a trophy and a new pair of Black Paw cowboy or cowgirl boots.”

Everyone cheered, and Gracie asked, ‘What’s this?”

“It’s fun! The kids get to ride a sheep.”

“I wanna do it.”

“Next time. We have to enter your name before the event.”

Maverick read off the names: Tommy Rose, Julie Cadwell, Sally Jo Finway. Then he paused and looked right at Bailey. “Gracie Hempstead.”

“What! Did he say my name, Mama?”

“Yes, he did, darling. That means you get to ride a sheep if you want to.” Had Maverick added her name at the last minute?

“I want to!” She jumped up, and Bailey joined her.

“Could all the children please meet down by the mutton bustin’ chutes near the Black Paw Boots sign.”

Gracie skipped forward, pulling on her hand, and Bailey had to follow her. When they arrived at the sign, the arena staff gave each child a helmet and vest and then went over how things were going to go. Bailey hardly heard a word. Gracie jumped up and down with excitement until the first child was lowered down into a tall wooden slip and onto the back of a sheep.

Gracie’s worried voice tugged at Bailey’s awareness. “I don’t want to, Mommy.”

“Oh, what? Well, honey, that’s okay.”

Maverick approached. “What did I hear? Is our Gracie about to be a star?”

“A star?”

“Sure! Did you know that all the contestants are gonna be on TV today?”

“Really? Like, will Grandma see me?”

“She sure will. Come here, let me show you how this works. I’ve got some tips on how to win this thing.” He winked at Bailey and brought her daughter over to the chute. They peeked down while the second contestant was lowered onto the next sheep.

As Bailey watched, her love for Maverick grew. The familiarity and love from her younger years expanded. Such a good man did not deserve someone like her, and he sure didn’t deserve what she’d done to him. Why hadn’t younger Bailey seen what was so obvious to her now?

On the day of their wedding, she had stared and stared at his picture in her bridal room. She willed him to be enough, prayed he’d be enough, wished, cried, and hoped she could find satisfaction in this life, in a small-town home with Maverick. But something inside had turned away and grabbed the selfish path, had reached for her dream. Wasn’t that what people said to do? Go after your dream, or you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.

So she had, and what did she regret? She looked down. She regretted ever leaving in the first place. But as she watched her daughter, she realized she couldn’t regret everything.

And then it was time for Gracie to sit on the sheep. When Gracie shook her head no, Bailey was about to rescue her from Maverick’s encouragement, but he held up a finger, so she waited. And then a moment later, Gracie nodded, gave Maverick a fist bump, and allowed the staff to lower her down onto the back of a sheep.

Bailey ran forward. “You got this, honey. You can do this. Just listen to Uncle Maverick.”

Her little girl grabbed onto the sheep’s fleece, closed her eyes, and buried her head into the side of the animal.

Bailey’s fists clenched as the gate opened and the sheep tore out into the arena. The announcer called out, “Gracie Hempstead on the back of sheep number five.”

Huge cheers tore out from the Dawson brothers backstage, and Bailey watched the clock. “What does she have to beat?”

“Six seconds.”

“That’s it?”

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