He laughed at the bounce in her step, and as they passed a group of boys, he held back his grin at her little nose that went up in the air. She looked back over her shoulder to see if they were still watching. They were, and her cheeks blushed red.
“Now, Gracie. We need to be concentrating.”
She went to Nash the pig’s stall and called to him. He came prancing over like he was born to follow her every wish.
“You’re gonna blow this whole thing outta the water, little darling.”
“Nash is such a smart pig. Thank you for teaching me, Maverick.”
“You’re welcome. Now get out there and show them what you and Nash can do.”
The announcer began the Willow Creek 4-H program introductions, and Maverick and Gracie Faith moved over to the entrance, joining the other young people in their group. Maverick grinned like any father would, watching Gracie do all of the required tasks with exactness. When it was her turn to walk Nash in front of the judges, she was careful to nod and smile at them like he told her to. She paused longer than the others before her turns, and she was in all respects the absolute best kid out there.
The crowd went crazy when they were done, and the announcer explained what the 4-H program was and what these kids did. “And now the judges are tallying their scores. We will announce the winners in just a moment…we have it, folks. We have our winners.” Grace held his hand, the tightness of her grip telling Maverick just how much she wanted to win.
He couldn’t blame her.
He held his breath as third place and second place were announced.
“And now, for the winner of the gold medal. Gracie Faith Hempstead from Dawson Ranch!”
The crowd went crazy. He could hear his brothers and Bailey in the stands. Gracie jumped up and down and squeezed him around the leg. “I can’t believe it!”
“The contestants can come get their prize ribbons at the ribbon desk. For the first-place winners, we’ll have a ribbon ceremony at the end of the show.”
Their group went crazy again at that announcement. And Gracie and Maverick high-fived each other. Then he said, “That’s a lot of love you got up there.”
“And down here too.” She put her small hand in his, and he suddenly knew what it meant to feel like a king. He stood taller and led her back to their seats.
She received a rousing welcome back in their box. And then the show continued with one event after another. Dylan went out and roped calves, but then Decker beat him. The audience loved that. Then the barrel racers were up.
“Why aren’t you out there?” Maverick jerked his thumb toward the women flying across the arena, circling barrels and then running back the other direction. “You literally slay at this.”
She laughed. “I didn’t have time to get ready. When I added up all the people, we had enough. So I stepped out of this one.”
“Wait, have you been planning this event?” Maverick looked from her to his mama and back.
“Of course, she has. And doing all the other stuff too, mind you.” Mama jabbed him in the arm.
“What other stuff?” He turned to Bailey.
“Oh, you know, you left your ledgers and task lists, so I’ve just been going down the items, making sure the important stuff gets finished.”
Maverick was astounded. “You have?”
“Sure. I told you I’d help out with what needed to be done.”
“That you did. Well, now I need to be thanking you for that.”
Mama humphed. “You certainly do. This pretty lady might very well save our ranch.”
The whole time he thought she was ignoring him, she’d been holding things together for him while he was gone.
Bailey held up a finger. “Before you get grumpy at your brothers, just know I told them what to do and not do, and so they were just following orders.”
“She’s worse than you.” Nash groaned. “In a good way.”
The announcer asked for a drumroll. “I think this might be our cue.” He winked at Bailey.
She stood up. “Oh! Oh, you’re right.”
They raced down to the lower levels. Their horses pranced and whinnied when they saw them as if they knew they were up.
Maverick walked beside Bailey, and suddenly, again, all seemed right in the world. “Let’s shock and amaze.”
“You know it.”
They swung up onto their horses and rode out together through the opening and into the middle of the arena.
The crowd went crazy when they announced the reigning world champion. And they even went crazy when the announcer shouted Bailey’s name. The two stopped in the center, and then their music started. And they forgot everything but each other.
Once they finished their number, and then Maverick went out on his bull and beat his world record time by a quarter second, they closed out the show, and everyone made their way to their next activities. But the Dawson family stayed put.
When they were finally more or less alone, Mama patted Maverick’s arm. “Now, you looked good riding the bull. Real good.”
“Thank you, Mama.”
“But not nearly as good as when you rode with Bailey. You two are meant to be together. Can y’all just figure that out?”
“Amen.” Nash shook his head. “It’s obvious to everyone but you. Apparently.”
Maverick just grinned. “Oh, believe me. It’s obvious to us too.” He reached for Bailey’s hand. “And did anyone see this little angel, Gracie, on the winner’s blocks?”
“Oh, we certainly did,” Mama said. “Your second win, but your first blue ribbon, child. What are you gonna do with it?”
She tapped her chin. “I think I’ll hang it on my bed.”
Maverick whooped. “Now, did you know that’s just what your mom used to do with hers?”
“And just how are you knowing what she put on her bed, young man?”
“Seriously, Mama? They’ve been friends since before beds were a big deal.” Nash shook his head.
Bailey just grinned, and so Maverick went with it. He tapped his watch. “We best be moving over to the big stage.”
“You’re right.” Bailey stood. “Can you hang on to Gracie for me?”
He lifted Gracie’s hand wrapped in his own. “You got it.”
Bailey hopped on her toes. “I’m suddenly so nervous.”
“Don’t you worry about a thing. Just pretend you’re sitting with us around the fire.”
“Yeah, or singing to me in the bath.” Gracie nodded. “You’re gonna do great, Mom.”
She took two deep breaths before she left them, running toward the backstage doors.
Maverick put Gracie up on his shoulders. The whole family grabbed their sponsorship seats up near the front. Maverick moved with anxious energy. He wanted her to love performing. He wanted the crowd to love her. But when Bailey walked out onto the stage, wearing a long, sparkly dress, Maverick’s mouth went dry. She was outstanding. In his mind, she looked better than any star he’d ever seen on any stage. The whistles around him started up, and every man in the place called out to her. It made him want to start throwing punches.
“Unclamp your mouth, brother. They’re just appreciating your woman.” Nash rested a hand on his shoulder.
“I think they best appreciate her in another way.” Maverick wanted to join her onstage and stare down any man who thought she was anything other than a beautiful singer.
The music started, and the guitar and drums were loud enough that everyone quieted down. The crowd started dancing and jumping in their seats, and then Bailey began to sing.
Maverick was mesmerized.
“Whooo!” Decker called out. “She’s amazing.”
Maverick nodded, his eyes glued to the stage. He held Gracie in his arms, and the two of them watched her and no one else.
The music slowed down, and Bailey swayed and belted out a ballad that brought people to tears. Then she had them rocking out again to a faster number. She was incredible in every way.
By the time she was finished and the headliner was about to get ready, the lead singer came out and joined her at the microphone. “You’re really something. Why don’t you stay and join us?”
“What do you say, Texas? Should I join these guys?”
The crowd responded with deafening cheers. And so she joined them. She filled in on harmony and danced and sang backup for the rest of the night.
When at last the show was over, and Gracie was asleep against his shoulder, his brothers and Mama went back to their campsite while Maverick waited for what seemed like a long time backstage.
Just when he was about to ask someone if she’d gone out a different door, she came walking by with three men, one of them Daniel.
Fear shuddered through him. Here it was. The moment she decided to leave. Again.
As they approached, he heard Daniel say, “Excellent. We’ll draw up the paperwork and get this going. Thank you, gentlemen.” He shook each of their hands. “We couldn’t be more excited to get going.” He draped an arm around Bailey’s shoulders.
Then Bailey shook their hands, and the small group walked around a corner. No one had even seen Maverick leaning up against the far wall.
Chapter 22
Bailey hoped someone would still be awake when she finally made it back to their campsite. The main manager at Glowstone, Theo, had driven her back himself. They’d finally gotten rid of Daniel, and she was able to tell the manager a bit of their history. “He’s not my agent.” She hoped Theo would still want to work with her.
“Oh good. I’d much rather work with someone we know.” He’d given her a list of agents.
As she hopped out of Theo’s car and thanked him again for his interest, she thought she might fall over on the spot. Her body was exhausted, but her mind was going a hundred miles an hour.
Had she just been offered the dream she’d chased for all those years? Right here in Texas? The irony of her life never ceased to amaze her. She fingered Theo’s business card and then stuck it in her back pocket. No one need know anything about the offer just yet.
She was looking forward to unwinding in front of the fire with the gang and talking through their amazing day. She wanted to see Maverick, maybe sit on his lap and feel his arms wrap around her in a solid and comforting way. But when she walked up, everyone had already gone to bed. Even the fire had gone cold.
“I must be really late.”
She headed to her trailer. As she lifted the handle and quietly opened the door, she imagined how it would be to finally come home to a warm bed with Maverick in it. How she could wake up in his arms and they might raise more children together. After so many long years of loneliness, she longed to marry Maverick like she never had before. He hadn’t mentioned it yet, not really. Would he ever ask her again? Rebuilding trust took time, she knew.
The door shut behind her, louder than she meant it to, but Gracie didn’t even move. Poor kid had to be super exhausted. She smiled, thinking of her on Maverick’s shoulders at the concert. Nothing could have made her any happier than to see Maverick out there cheering and her little girl shouting with just as much energy from on top of his shoulders.
She took off her bracelet and noticed an envelope on the table. Her name was written on the front in Maverick’s handwriting. Her heart clenched, and she knew she was about to read bad news.
She tore it open and scanned the page, her hands shaking.
Dear Bailey,
Congratulations on your new record deal. I feel lucky I saw your group right after the deal went down. (I think that’s what was going on anyway.) You looked so happy. Daniel seemed in a good position to step in as your agent, finally. I wish you the very best while you go out and grab this dream. It’s been a stubborn one, but now’s your moment. I guess we both get to live our dreams.
I noticed today a couple areas where I’m weak, so I’m on my way to Mesquite to continue training. Let’s talk more this time while we’re apart. Might make it easier…though I don’t think anything can ease the empty hole I feel when we aren’t together.
All the same, I love you! Go get your dream. You are incredible. I would never want to take this from you.
Maverick
She held the letter to her chest. He was the best of men, the very best.
The chair scooped her up as she fell into it. What was she to do? Maverick was off living his dream and wouldn’t be home for the next nine months. Did she head out to California to start recording?
Maverick won in all of his events during his first rodeo back on the circuit. He swept the winner’s blocks. Everyone chanted his name. The next rodeo, the same thing happened. And the next.
He was back in Texas, doing the Fort Worth Stampede, hoping that this would finally be the night where he beat his record at an official event. The rodeo was televised. He wanted everyone back home to see it. He knew his brothers were busy with ranch stuff, and he hadn’t heard from Bailey in a few days. So he didn’t know if anyone would be in the stands. He doubted they would be, with the local fair going strong and the cattle needing to be bought at auction.
Bailey still hadn’t given him the details for her contract or when she would head out to California. And since a part of him didn’t want to know, he hadn’t asked much.
This rodeo moved in much the same way as all the others. Maverick told himself he wanted this life, told himself he wanted to ride. But the more he did it, the more he realized he was bored. He’d told Bailey before—none of this meant anything to him without her in it.
But being here was helping the ranch. And he did want that record. His competitive spirit was burning as bright as ever. Even though he was competing with his own record, he wanted to beat it. Wanted an excuse for being gone. He paused. Bailey had said almost the same thing about her situation when she’d been in Nashville. She hadn’t wanted to come home until she proved to herself it had all been worth it. And now he finally understood.
But he also remembered what he’d thought from an outside perspective. If he wasn’t happy chasing this dream anymore, couldn’t he just call it quits and go home?
His bull riding event was up next. He climbed up on the fencing around the chute. Then he lowered himself onto his bull. Hopefully this guy would get good and bothered and want to tear a hole in him so he could win those points.
A voice called, “You got this, Maverick!”
Bailey! He lifted his head, searching the crowd for her face. She waved, and he smiled. Exhilaration filled him. She was there to see his ride. When he was done, he could pull her close, kiss her senseless, and then do it again.
And now he had a record to win with his woman watching.
With hands gripping the loops, he nodded to his team. He nodded to his team. The chute opened, and his bull tore out into the arena, as mad as he’d ever seen a bull. He kicked, and dug, and twisted in the air, trying to get Maverick off his back. But the seconds passed, and Maverick stuck to him. At the buzzer, he slipped down and ran for the opposite side, toward the chute—toward Bailey.
Normally he’d have run to the side, climbed the wall, and sat up out of the bull’s reach while he waited for his scores. But Maverick suspected he’d done something big just now, and he wanted to experience it with Bailey.
The shouts from behind came a second before he felt a powerful impact at his back. He was flung forward into the dirt, and the world went black.
Maverick’s eyes opened, but they felt heavy and full of sand. He reached his hands up to rub them when he heard someone gasp.
“Maverick?”
A hand squeezed his. He tried to turn his head, but he couldn’t. He tried to speak, but the words came out in thick monosyllables. His breathing picked up. What was wrong with him?
Then her face came into view, Bailey’s smiling green eyes filled with tears. “Welcome back, cowboy.”
“Have I been gone?” The words he meant to say came out all garbled and foreign to his ears, but she answered.
“You�
��ve been unconscious. But just for a day.”
A throat cleared. It sounded like Nash.
“Okay, maybe two days. But not very long.”
He tried to nod, but his head felt trapped.
“You’re in a brace ’cause they’re worried about your neck.”
And now he wanted to know exactly what had happened. He tried to move, to sit, to turn his head, nothing.
“Hey, hey, settle down. I’ll explain.”
He blinked furiously.
“Oh, that’s good,” Bailey said. “We could communicate this way. Blink twice if you want me to tell you what’s going on.”
He blinked twice and then scowled.
“Hey, he’s still got his sense of humor.”
He grunted.
“Or maybe not.”
If Bailey was smiling and making jokes, it couldn’t be as bad as he feared.
“You are not paralyzed.”
He let out all his air in relief.
“You are simply in a suspension. Your head and neck are held absolutely still, but your legs move. See, try to wiggle your toes.”
He did, and the movement brought him an absurd amount of joy.
“You will be out of this contraption any minute, and then we can see how your neck and head are.”
He blinked ten times.
“Okay, so you came running across the arena, away from the bull, which of course triggered his rage. That guy tore after you like I’ve never seen. He lifted his legs and kicked you straight in the back. It was so fast, no one could stop him, not even with the tranquilizers.” She grimaced. “So you went down and hit your head at a weird angle. They were worried you’d broken your neck when you didn’t stand back up.” Her voice cracked, and Maverick knew that even though she seemed cheerful, this whole experience had had an impact on her.
“So, they pulled you out, and they’ve been taking care of you ever since.”
Nash’s face came into view. “She’s been here ever since, too.”
Bailey blushed. “Of course, I’d be here.”
Coming Home to Maverick Page 17
