Page 57 of Wicked Little Secret

“I do. I just didn’t think that included feeding them and changing diapers.”

“That’s true,” she conceded. “But it happens more than you think.”

They ate in silence for a few minutes before she said softly, “You’re pretty great with him, too.” Then a grin escaped her lips. “Diaper changing and bottle feeding aside, he’s calm when he’s around you—that says something.”

“Oh? Like what?”

“That he inherently knows he can trust you to keep him safe.”

He made sure to look her in the eye when he replied, “I’ll keep you both safe.”

****

Olivia

She was a strong, independent woman. That statement should not make her toes curl.

But it did.

Partly because she didn’t doubt it for a second.

Pete was inherently a good man. If she needed more proof than the fact that he was marrying her so he could be with his son, in their week of living together, not only had he taken care of her and Sawyer, but he’d made sure his other sons were doing okay. He’d been especially worried about how Nash was taking the news of being an older brother and had reached out to his ex-wife to ask her to check on him.

Even her traitorous cats seemed to like him better. Oscar could often be found lounging in Maverick’s office with him. The feline spent so much time in there that Maverick moved the cat tree into the corner next to the window. Now both Honey and Oscar spent their days watching out the window and following Maverick around the house like he’d invented salmon cat treats.

Maverick seemed to be the guy everyone counted on. His phone rang constantly throughout the day. She lost count of how many fires he put out without ever breaking a sweat. He always kept his calm demeanor that seemed to be comforting to everyone around him.

Even his sweetabuelahousekeeper, Juanita relied on him.

She’d come into the house the day before with pink cheeks and shaky hands, and immediately sought him out. They’d been in his office, Maverick working at his computer while Sawyer slept in his baby bouncer on the floor next to his desk, and Olivia read her Kindle in a chair by the fire.

“Mr. Maverick,” she’d said urgently, her Mexican accent heavier than when Olivia had met her a few days before. She was obviously upset about something. She glanced at Olivia and offered, “Buenos días, Miss Olivia,” without waiting for a reply before continuing. “There’s something wrong with my car. I couldn’t stop, and I hit your bushes.”

He jumped up and went around his desk to examine the older woman. “Are you okay?”

“Si, but your bushes are not.”

Maverick waved his hand dismissively. “I don’t like those damn things, anyway.”

He then spent the afternoon in his car garage replacing her brakes. And of course, refused to accept a dime.

“I’ll make you a cheesecake,” Juanita said when he wouldn’t even entertain letting her buy the parts.

“And enchiladas?” he asked hopefully.

She beamed proudly. “Of course.”

At dinner, Olivia understood why he’d requested her enchiladas. They were the best she’d ever had. And the woman’s cheesecake was to die for.

“How often does she come?” she asked.

“Right now, twice a week—mostly just to cook and do laundry for me, but with the cat hair and the extra laundry, I think I’ll ask if she can come three, maybe four times a week.”

Olivia thought about arguing, saying it wasn’t necessary—she could do the extra work, but the truth was, not having to worry about cooking and cleaning was appealing enough to make her pride shut the hell up and accept the help.

Especially since Maverick wasn’t technically the one doing it. Just the one paying for it. A technicality, but a loophole for her ego nonetheless.

Chapter Twenty-One

---