Page 96 of Wicked Little Secret

Olivia

After preparing her mother’s green bean casserole recipe and popping it in the oven, she marinated the New York strips, peeled the potatoes and put them on the stove to boil, and prepped the salad. She even had handmade rolls ready to bake. All she had left to do was mash the potatoes, put the meat on the grill, and marinate the mushrooms to top the steaks.

After proudly surveying her work, she turned to Sawyer, who’d been keeping her company from his car seat on the kitchen island. “Your mommy would’ve made an awesome chef. Your daddy better be impressed.”

“If it tastes as good as it smells, you have nothing to worry about,” came his deep voice from the laundry room doorway.

She let out a squeak as she jumped.

“Oh my god, you scared me! You can’t sneak up on people like that!”

His brows knitted, and he glanced behind him. “I came in through the garage…”

“Well, you need a noisier garage door, then!”

He chuckled as walked in and planted a kiss on her forehead, then greeted their son with a “Hello!” and an animated smile that their happy boy quickly returned.

Maverick set the leather messenger bag he used to carry his laptop and other work documents on the ground and pulled Sawyer from the seat.

“How’s my little guy today? Did you help your mama cook dinner?”

Sawyer intently watched Maverick’s mouth move, then tried to grab his nose, but wasn’t quite coordinated enough yet. Maverick grabbed the baby’s hand and pretended to eat it, to the child’s delight.

The sound of baby laughter filled the room, and Olivia paused to appreciate it. At the same time, a sense of sadness washed over her. Would she ever have this again? With someone who loved her, not just liked her a lot because they shared a son?

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Maverick

“What can I do to help?” he asked as he watched her scurry around the kitchen, careful to stay out of her way.

“Nothing. This isyourpresent, remember?”

That made him want to wrap his arms around her and tell her she was silly, that he didn’t need a present. But the way she bustled around, it was obvious she was a woman on a mission, and asking her to pause would be an unwelcome intrusion.

He decided to take another tack instead.

“Do you want me to grill the steaks?”

She paused mid-flitter and looked at him. “Are you asking because you think only men can work a grill or to be helpful?”

That answer was obvious.

“To be helpful, of course. You deliver babies for a living, I have no doubt you can operate a grill. Girl power!”

She pressed her lips together like she was trying to fight her smile. “I like mine medium.”

It was frickin’ freezing out, and for a second he wondered if she’d tricked him, then he remembered he was the one who offered in the first place.

He looked at his watch and dashed back inside to wait until he needed to flip the steaks.

“Brrrr!” he said as he stamped his feet on the mat.

“I thought we’d eat in the dining room, if that’s okay.”

“Of course. This is your house, too, Olivia. You don’t need my permission to do anything.”

The unspokenfor another monthhung in the air but neither voiced it.

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