Page 26 of Coming Home to Maverick

But she couldn’t understand. She had no way of knowing that he was gonna sit up all night wondering what would have happened if he’d known what Bailey was going through. He was gonna replay all the moments he should have encouraged her to chase her dream. She’d wanted her own success. Why hadn’t he seen that at the time? Why hadn’t she just told him? He was gonna relive that hour he’d waited at the head of the church with everyone in town looking at him. At first, the looks had been amused, then sympathetic, and then outright pitying.

He’d think about his dad dying and how she hadn’t been there, how he’d had to ignore his grief and push forward for the family. He was gonna wish she hadn’t been with another man. Wish that Gracie was actually his child, their daughter. He was gonna go through all the garbage that these last five years had brought him, and then he was gonna let it go. He’d pray for help and then throw it away.

He had to.

Chapter 9

Days had gone by. A full week. Bailey tried to move forward with the same hope she’d felt when she arrived at her parents’ house. But Maverick hadn’t reached out since their talk, and she found it hard to think about anything else. The hurt in his face had nearly destroyed her. And then his final words to her…she closed her eyes. “Let God do His part.” She shook her head. Did God have a part in her life even after all she’d done?

Bailey waited in her car, waited for the courage to go to something so simple as a job interview. A position opened up at the middle school, so she called and set up an interview for this morning. And now she had to get out of the car, walk across the parking lot, enter the school building, and try to convince them she’d make a good teacher. She was early, so she had some time, but she couldn’t make herself get out of her car. She sat, staring at her steering wheel.

They were looking for a choir director, and Bailey would love to take that job. She could sing, help her students develop their talents, choose their music, maybe even write songs for them. But how could she present herself in a way that would make them want to hire her? She was a mess. She was unreliable. She’d failed at everything she’d tried and had no references or anyone who could vouch for her.

The entire town knew what she’d done to Maverick. That alone negated most job skills that would be of value. She didn’t really think they would hire her, but when they asked her for an interview, she’d been hopeful.

Her phone beeped; a video call was coming in. Gracie’s face filled her screen. “Hi, Mommy.”

“Hey there, sugarplum. How’s it going?” Just seeing her daughter’s face ignited a spark of hope inside of her.

“I’m good. Grandpa said I can ride the pony today.”

“You’re gonna love it. Isn’t Grandpa good?”

“Yeah.” Her small pout came out.

“What’s wrong, honey?”

“He’s good, but I miss you. Nobody’s as good as you, Mom.”

Her throat tightened, and her eyes welled up. “Thank you, Gracie.”

She made a heart with her two hands, and Bailey rested the phone on her dash so she could do the same. “Now, I gotta go in there and get us a job. What do you think I should tell them so they’ll hire me?”

“Tell them you’re just what they need.”

“I like that. I think you’re absolutely right. And, Gracie?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re just what I need.” She kissed the screen and hung up.

For a moment, Bailey thought that maybe shewasgood enough, and she was thankful all over again for such a precious daughter. Gracie deserved so much more than Bailey had given her.

Filled with a new determination, she opened the door, straightened her back, stood as tall as she could, and walked with purpose through the front door of the middle school.

They offered her the job on the spot. She smiled. The goodness of the people of this town was evident all around her. Someone had called ahead to recommend her. They wouldn’t say who, but whoever it was had cleared an easy path for her to be hired.

They’d heard about her at the rodeo, knew she could sing, and with her degree, she was a good candidate, anyway. Now, as she drove back to her parents’ house, she could only smile. Perhaps she could make a life for herself after all. As she walked out the door, she whispered, “Thank you God.” It was a start.

Her phone dinged. When she stopped at a traffic light, she glanced down. Alarm flitted through her.Daniel. She pulled over to the side of the road and, with shaking hands, opened her texts.

Hey, babe. I saw your daughter on television last night. Did she win a rodeo event? That’s incredible. Call me. I’d love to hear about her.

No. Oh no, no, no. Bailey’s first reaction was to block his number. He could not weasel his way into their lives. He didn’t deserve to be there. But then she closed her eyes and breathed four times, trying to calm her beating heart. HewasGracie’s father. And she deserved to have her father in her life. It would be good for her. Wasn’t that what all the studies said? Could she deny her child a father who was showing signs that he wanted to be a part of her life?

Could she actually welcome him in, though? She shook her head. She didn’t think so. That man had ruined her life. No, she’d ruined her own life, throwing away everything that was good, everything she loved for his false promises. He’d used her and then thrown her out.

Of all the things she’d done for Gracie—coming home, facing her town, facing Maverick—she couldn’t be expected to do one more hard thing. Could she? Was she supposed to involve Daniel in their lives?

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