Page 76 of Coming Home to Maverick

Had she just been offered the dream she’d chased for all those years? Right here in Texas? The irony of her life never ceased to amaze her. She fingered Theo’s business card and then stuck it in her back pocket. No one need know anything about the offer just yet.

She was looking forward to unwinding in front of the fire with the gang and talking through their amazing day. She wanted to see Maverick, maybe sit on his lap and feel his arms wrap around her in a solid and comforting way. But when she walked up, everyone had already gone to bed. Even the fire had gone cold.

“I must be really late.”

She headed to her trailer. As she lifted the handle and quietly opened the door, she imagined how it would be to finally come home to a warm bed with Maverick in it. How she could wake up in his arms and they might raise more children together. After so many long years of loneliness, she longed to marry Maverick like she never had before. He hadn’t mentioned it yet, not really. Would he ever ask her again? Rebuilding trust took time, she knew.

The door shut behind her, louder than she meant it to, but Gracie didn’t even move. Poor kid had to be super exhausted. She smiled, thinking of her on Maverick’s shoulders at the concert. Nothing could have made her any happier than to see Maverick out there cheering and her little girl shouting with just as much energy from on top of his shoulders.

She took off her bracelet and noticed an envelope on the table. Her name was written on the front in Maverick’s handwriting. Her heart clenched, and she knew she was about to read bad news.

She tore it open and scanned the page, her hands shaking.

Dear Bailey,

Congratulations on your new record deal. I feel lucky I saw your group right after the deal went down. (I think that’s what was going on anyway.) You looked so happy. Daniel seemed in a good position to step in as your agent, finally. I wish you the very best while you go out and grab this dream. It’s been a stubborn one, but now’s your moment. I guess we both get to live our dreams.

I noticed today a couple areas where I’m weak, so I’m on my way to Mesquite to continue training. Let’s talk more this time while we’re apart. Might make it easier…though I don’t think anything can ease the empty hole I feel when we aren’t together.

All the same, I love you! Go get your dream. You are incredible. I would never want to take this from you.

Maverick

She held the letter to her chest. He was the best of men, the very best.

The chair scooped her up as she fell into it. What was she to do? Maverick was off living his dream and wouldn’t be home for the next nine months. Did she head out to California to start recording?

* * *

Maverick wonin all of his events during his first rodeo back on the circuit. He swept the winner’s blocks. Everyone chanted his name. The next rodeo, the same thing happened. And the next.

He was back in Texas, doing the Fort Worth Stampede, hoping that this would finally be the night where he beat his record at an official event. The rodeo was televised. He wanted everyone back home to see it. He knew his brothers were busy with ranch stuff, and he hadn’t heard from Bailey in a few days. So he didn’t know if anyone would be in the stands. He doubted they would be, with the local fair going strong and the cattle needing to be bought at auction.

Bailey still hadn’t given him the details for her contract or when she would head out to California. And since a part of him didn’t want to know, he hadn’t asked much.

This rodeo moved in much the same way as all the others. Maverick told himself he wanted this life, told himself he wanted to ride. But the more he did it, the more he realized he was bored. He’d told Bailey before—none of this meant anything to him without her in it.

But being here was helping the ranch. And he did want that record. His competitive spirit was burning as bright as ever. Even though he was competing with his own record, he wanted to beat it. Wanted an excuse for being gone. He paused. Bailey had said almost the same thing about her situation when she’d been in Nashville. She hadn’t wanted to come home until she proved to herself it had all been worth it. And now he finally understood.

But he also remembered what he’d thought from an outside perspective. If he wasn’t happy chasing this dream anymore, couldn’t he just call it quits and go home?

His bull riding event was up next. He climbed up on the fencing around the chute. Then he lowered himself onto his bull. Hopefully this guy would get good and bothered and want to tear a hole in him so he could win those points.

A voice called, “You got this, Maverick!”

Bailey! He lifted his head, searching the crowd for her face. She waved, and he smiled. Exhilaration filled him. She was there to see his ride. When he was done, he could pull her close, kiss her senseless, and then do it again.

And now he had a record to win with his woman watching.

With hands gripping the loops, he nodded to his team. He nodded to his team. The chute opened, and his bull tore out into the arena, as mad as he’d ever seen a bull. He kicked, and dug, and twisted in the air, trying to get Maverick off his back. But the seconds passed, and Maverick stuck to him. At the buzzer, he slipped down and ran for the opposite side, toward the chute—toward Bailey.

Normally he’d have run to the side, climbed the wall, and sat up out of the bull’s reach while he waited for his scores. But Maverick suspected he’d done something big just now, and he wanted to experience it with Bailey.

The shouts from behind came a second before he felt a powerful impact at his back. He was flung forward into the dirt, and the world went black.

* * *

Maverick’s eyes opened,but they felt heavy and full of sand. He reached his hands up to rub them when he heard someone gasp.

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