Page 75 of Coming Home to Maverick

Maverick whooped. “Now, did you know that’s just what your mom used to do with hers?”

“And just how are you knowing what she put on her bed, young man?”

“Seriously, Mama? They’ve been friends since before beds were a big deal.” Nash shook his head.

Bailey just grinned, and so Maverick went with it. He tapped his watch. “We best be moving over to the big stage.”

“You’re right.” Bailey stood. “Can you hang on to Gracie for me?”

He lifted Gracie’s hand wrapped in his own. “You got it.”

Bailey hopped on her toes. “I’m suddenly so nervous.”

“Don’t you worry about a thing. Just pretend you’re sitting with us around the fire.”

“Yeah, or singing to me in the bath.” Gracie nodded. “You’re gonna do great, Mom.”

She took two deep breaths before she left them, running toward the backstage doors.

Maverick put Gracie up on his shoulders. The whole family grabbed their sponsorship seats up near the front. Maverick moved with anxious energy. He wanted her to love performing. He wanted the crowd to love her. But when Bailey walked out onto the stage, wearing a long, sparkly dress, Maverick’s mouth went dry. She was outstanding. In his mind, she looked better than any star he’d ever seen on any stage. The whistles around him started up, and every man in the place called out to her. It made him want to start throwing punches.

“Unclamp your mouth, brother. They’re just appreciating your woman.” Nash rested a hand on his shoulder.

“I think they best appreciate her in another way.” Maverick wanted to join her onstage and stare down any man who thought she was anything other than a beautiful singer.

The music started, and the guitar and drums were loud enough that everyone quieted down. The crowd started dancing and jumping in their seats, and then Bailey began to sing.

Maverick was mesmerized.

“Whooo!” Decker called out. “She’s amazing.”

Maverick nodded, his eyes glued to the stage. He held Gracie in his arms, and the two of them watched her and no one else.

The music slowed down, and Bailey swayed and belted out a ballad that brought people to tears. Then she had them rocking out again to a faster number. She was incredible in every way.

By the time she was finished and the headliner was about to get ready, the lead singer came out and joined her at the microphone. “You’re really something. Why don’t you stay and join us?”

“What do you say, Texas? Should I join these guys?”

The crowd responded with deafening cheers. And so she joined them. She filled in on harmony and danced and sang backup for the rest of the night.

When at last the show was over, and Gracie was asleep against his shoulder, his brothers and Mama went back to their campsite while Maverick waited for what seemed like a long time backstage.

Just when he was about to ask someone if she’d gone out a different door, she came walking by with three men, one of them Daniel.

Fear shuddered through him. Here it was. The moment she decided to leave. Again.

As they approached, he heard Daniel say, “Excellent. We’ll draw up the paperwork and get this going. Thank you, gentlemen.” He shook each of their hands. “We couldn’t be more excited to get going.” He draped an arm around Bailey’s shoulders.

Then Bailey shook their hands, and the small group walked around a corner. No one had even seen Maverick leaning up against the far wall.

Chapter 22

Bailey hoped someone would still be awake when she finally made it back to their campsite. The main manager at Glowstone, Theo, had driven her back himself. They’d finally gotten rid of Daniel, and she was able to tell the manager a bit of their history. “He’s not my agent.” She hoped Theo would still want to work with her.

“Oh good. I’d much rather work with someone we know.” He’d given her a list of agents.

As she hopped out of Theo’s car and thanked him again for his interest, she thought she might fall over on the spot. Her body was exhausted, but her mind was going a hundred miles an hour.

---