Page 62 of The Cupcake Cottage

Daisy-Mae perked up with an idea and turned to the cameras. “Actually, I have a friend, Cassandra McTavish—she’s dating our goalie Landon Jackson—and she might let us hold the wedding at her lodge.” She glanced at Maverick, who nodded. “Her sister also has a horse rescue ranch.” She shrugged. “Maybe we’ll hold it there and honor our Texas roots.”

That should give them enough decoys that they could have their event in peace. And maybe drive even Henry Wylder nuts with an onslaught of reporters around town.

More questions were hollered their way, and Maverick fielded a few. They weren’t sure on a date yet—they’d only been engaged for thirty-five minutes.

Finally, someone asked the question Daisy-Mae had been dreading. “Isn’t it a bit soon to get engaged? You’ve only been dating for a short while.”

Maverick, staring Daisy-Mae straight in the eyes, said, “When you know…”

She finished his sentence. “You know.”

He grinned at her.

“We’ve been friends most of our lives,” he told the reporter. “There wasn’t a lot left that I needed to learn about this amazing woman.” He kissed her temple, his lips warm on her skin. “She understands me. And hockey.” He grinned at the reporters who laughed and, eating it up, crowded closer again.

“Where will you live?”

“I have an addition planned for my house. There’s an office where Daisy-Mae can work from on the days she doesn’t commute. But that will probably become a nursery soon.”

Daisy-Mae blinked. Babies were well beyond any conversation they’d had. Did he realize he’d just started what would become a frenzy of baby-bump speculation? Something like that wouldnothelp his image at this point. Or the team.

They were moving faster than their discussions.

Yes, she wanted to live with him. Yes, she loved he had ideas on how to fit her into his world, but wow.

“Is Daisy-Mae pregnant?” someone called out from the back of the crowd and the people in front of them jostled closer again, pressing in.

“Not yet,” Maverick said. “But I’d like to start a family soon.”

A family. With Maverick.

The room was starting to fade, and Daisy-Mae sagged against Maverick, struggling to stay standing, to stay focused.

Maverick pulled her against him. “Okay, that’s enough for today. Thank you everyone for sharing our excitement.”

Maverick guided her from the group, and she pushed away from him once they were in an empty corridor, sucking in deep breaths.

“You okay?”

“They’re going to think I’m pregnant,” she said, her voice tight with stress. She’d almost fainted. That would have definitely made it look as though they were planning a shotgunwedding and reinforce the idea that he was that bad boy everyone thought he was.

“Don’t you think you should have discussed some of that stuff with me?” She bent over, letting the dizziness wane.

“Sorry, I got swept up in the dream.” He was watching her, smiling, completely oblivious.

“They’re going to swarm me. They’re going to talk about my weight, and if I wear anything baggy, they’ll say you’re marrying me for the baby. And then if I’m skinny the next day, they’ll say I lost the baby due to stress of being engaged to The One-Date Wonder.”

His smile turned to concern.

They were silent for a long moment, and she felt the tension rising between them. She didn’t want to fight. She didn’t want the world stepping in and messing up one of the most beautiful moments she’d ever had.

She straightened, looking at him. “It’s a beautiful dream.” Her eyes filled with tears. It was a dream she’d never allowed herself to believe in because of how deeply it would crush her when it failed to happen.

Maverick opened his arms, and she fell into them with a sob.

“Why are you crying?” he asked, stroking her hair.

“I’m overwhelmed!” She pushed back so she could look at him, but he wouldn’t release her. He looked confused.

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