Page 80 of My Three Rivals

“Juan.”

My shoulders relaxed, and my smile was genuine as I thought of the employee who had worked at the vineyard for years. He was a good man, and I had no objections to this match.

“Where are you going?” I asked, but that was as much as I was getting out of Sabrina. She gritted her teeth, now fully perfect after years of dental work.

“Tegan…”

I threw up my floured hands, spraying white everywhere in the process. “Okay, okay, have fun!” I cried in mock surrender. I cast her a sly side-eye. “But be back in your apartment by midnight.”

“Tegan!”

I burst out laughing to show her I was joking and gave her a wink. “Have a good time. Call me if you need anything at all.”

Her body relaxed when she realized that I wasn’t going to hassle her anymore about her impending date, and she returned my smile. “Thanks.”

Sabrina turned toward the back door again and stopped, peering at me with veiled blue eyes.

“Tegan?”

I looked up from my bowl and stared at her.

“Hm?”

“Thanks for everything you’ve done.”

The unexpected gratitude embarrassed me, and I started to shrug it off, but Sabrina wouldn’t allow it.

“No, seriously. If you hadn’t come along when you did…”

“Sabby, we’ve all agreed to leave the past where it belongs unless it can help us to move forward, right? You don’t need to thank me. You’re my family, and we will stick together always.”

“The good Picketts, anyway,” Sabrina muttered, reaching for the handle to see herself out.

The good Picketts. We do exist.

I retreated to my breadmaking, my mind lost for several moments, until the front door opened and heavier footsteps came up the entrance steps, and I shoved the creeping dark thoughts out of my mind, where they belonged.

“Princess? You here?”

Instantly, my mood brightened as I remembered what this night was about.

“I’m up here, Mav,” I called. “You just missed Sabrina. She has a date.”

Maverick appeared, his teal eyes shadowed with the prospect, but he kissed my cheek and set down his briefcase on one of the island stools. “Is that a good idea?”

“She’s a grown-ass woman,” I replied firmly. “She’s been clean for years, and she’s an integral part of Five Penny and the Houses. I’d say she’s earned a good fuck.”

Maverick snickered, reaching for me. He nuzzled his freshly grown beard into my neck, making me giggle, and whirled me around, picking me up to sit on the counter. A burst of heat rushed through me, my breasts straining eagerly against the buttons of my blouse.

“Well, Princess, between Five Penny, Suncrop, and keeping the sexiest woman in the world happy, what have I earned?” he purred, rubbing his mouth against my neck and sending a fission of energy through me.

I wrapped my arms around him and kissed his head as he drew back and stared into my eyes.

“You are a man of many talents,” I agreed. “You should be rewarded.” He laughed, untangling himself from me to open the smart fridge and find himself a beer.

He offered me one, but I declined, wrinkling my nose. Maverick didn’t seem to notice my disdain.

“Where are the boys?” I asked casually, not wanting to sound too interested. “Didn’t you all drive in together today?”

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