Page 44 of Coming Home to Maverick

“Yes, Mommy. I’m so tired.”

“Let’s talk about this tomorrow.”

“Good night.”

She read as many books to Gracie as she could before falling asleep. She nudged herself awake again. Then she changed, brushed her teeth, and took a good look in the mirror. “You don’t need that man back in your life.”

Her reflection completely agreed with her. But her mind was conflicted. Could she really keep a father from his child if he wanted to be in her life?

But what about Maverick? She shook her head. What about him? He wasn’t ready to make any commitments. She could tell. His trust level was still low. And she didn’t blame him. She wasn’t sure they could make it work, given what they’d been through. What if Daniel wanted in? What if he wanted to be a real dad? Wouldn’t that be better than a family full of uncles—even if one of them was Maverick Dawson?

Her heart said no. Her heart wanted Maverick, wanted what she had with the Dawsons. Daniel had hurt her, had thrown her out when he found out she was pregnant. It was Daniel’s fault she had spent years trying to make something of herself all alone; it was Daniel whose promises had gotten her to leave Willow Creek in the first place.

She sat back against the wall at the head of her bed and remembered the day he’d called.

Her wedding dress had been hanging up on her doorframe when her phone rang.

Thinking it was Maverick, she answered, “Do you wanna see the dress before you help me take it off?” She loved to shock him and couldn’t wait to hear his laugh in response.

But then a man’s voice she had never heard before answered, “That depends on who’s asking.”

“Wait. Who is this?”

He laughed. “I’m sorry I’m not who you were expecting. If I were to guess, I’d say he is a very lucky man.”

Daniel had charmed her and made promises. “I saw your YouTube channel. I watched every video on there, and I hope someone else hasn’t snatched you up already. You’ve got talent.”

She’d been astounded to hear his praise of her music.

“You write your own songs?”

“Yes, I do.” She’d told him about the next lineup she had on paper and that she was set to sing at the next county fair. She scoffed now, knowing how naïve she’d sounded. She fell right into his greedy trap.

But to give him credit, he had tried to promote her. He’d thought she could make it. He just hadn’t had anything lined up like he’d claimed. He had been starting as fresh as she was, a new talent agent scooping up Nashville talent to shop around. Only, first he had had to get her to Nashville.

They’d talked for an hour before he’d asked her to come do an audition.

“Oh, I can’t do anything like that until after the wedding.”

The quiet on the line lasted so long Bailey thought he’d hung up. “Hello?”

“I thought you understood. This window is only open right now. That’s fine if you want to pass, but you’ll just have to wait and see if anything like this ever opens up again. It’s not every day I find such a perfect fit between producer and talent.”

She held her breath and fell into the nearest chair. This was her one big chance flying out the window. “Well, then I’m sorry to say I’ll just have to turn you down.”

He’d left his number with her in case she changed her mind. And she’d thought it was over. But his offer had festered and nagged at her. It stole her happiness even at the county fair when she sang for a few thousand people, thinking that if she’d gone to Nashville, it could have been twenty or thirty thousand. She hadn’t known anything at all about the music industry or how it worked, but somehow, after one tiny offer from a wannabe talent scout, nothing else satisfied.

Except for Maverick. He was everything to her. The sun and the moon and everything in between. He really was. She’d have done whatever he wanted for the rest of her days. And so she told herself she was happy every day.

Until the night before her big day, when Daniel called her again. This time, there was an incredible offer. The producers had been to the county fair and heard her sing. They wanted her. But she had to be in Nashville in five days. Could she come right after getting married?

She wanted to say yes. But she called Maverick first. Before she could say anything about Nashville, he told her he’d been offered a spot on a world championship rodeo team. He was full of energy about how exciting it would be for the two of them to travel. And how’d it feel to be the wife of the world champion?

She hung up the phone that night, promising to meet him at the church the next day.

Only she never did.

She headed to Nashville, and Daniel took her to that producer who he claimed was so interested. Except it turned out to be a cold call. They’d never heard of her before. And neither had any other person he’d tried to set up meetings with.

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