Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Maverick cleared his throat. “I better go see if Bradly can give us a ride back to the ranch.”
Mom turned to Maverick. “He’s in on this too?”
“Yes, and if you don’t let us go now, Mom, Kipton is going to use my excuse.”
It was her turn to stomp her foot. “Damn it. I want to go too!”
I started to laugh. “Well, after we leave, say you want to go check on me.”
Her eyes lit up. “Good idea.”
“Maverick, wait! I’m coming.”
Mom reached for my arm. “Hey, you’ll miss opening the presents.”
I leaned in and kissed her. “Not to be a Debbie Downer, Mom, but I’d rather miss presents than play that game.”
She rolled her eyes and chuckled before giving me a kiss. “Go. Get out of here while you can.”
When Maverick announced I wasn’t feeling good, while I leaned against him and tried to look sick, we got dirty looks from every single one of my cousins, and a few of the adults as well. They saw through the bullshit clear as day.
“Bradly, could you give us a ride back to my place?”
“I can!” my father said, as he jumped up.
“Nonsense,” Grams retorted. “You’ll get home and say you’re tired and not come back. Go on and take them home, Bradly—and come straight back.”
Bradly smiled at Grams. “Will do.”
We walked into the hall, and Maverick found my coat and slipped it on before donning his own. Bradly grabbed his jacket as we walked to the door.
“Thanks for taking us back,” Maverick said, clapping Bradly on the back.
“No worries at all. The last thing I wanted to do was play dominoes.”
I giggled as Maverick helped me up into the front passenger side of Bradly’s truck.
Bradly pointed out the front window. “Look, it’s starting to snow.”
“Oh, I love that it’s snowing!”
Maverick laughed. “It’s been snowing for weeks, Lil.”
“I know, but there’s something so romantic about snow falling on Christmas.”
Bradly started up his truck. “If you say so.”
On the way back to the cabin, Bradly and Maverick talked about the PBR, and I couldn’t help but notice that Bradly both looked and sounded tired. He was on a break from touring and wasn’t doing any riding at smaller rodeos. He’d nearly won the championship this past November, and was giving his body a rest from riding before the next year started up.
Listening to them talk, by the time we got to our place, I couldn’t help but wonder if Bradly’s love of the sport was starting to fade. Maverick got out first and held open my door to help me climb down. The snow had started to pick up and was falling heavier.
“Do you want to come in for a bit?” I asked.
Giving me that dimpled, innocent-boy smile, he shook his head. “No. You two enjoy the rest of the evening. I’m going to head on back. By the time I get there, I’m hoping the game is over and they’ve opened presents.”
“Bradly…is everything okay? You don’t seem like yourself today.”
He nodded and took my hand in his. “Everything is great, Lily. I’m just tired and still feeling a bit bruised from this past season.”
“Okay. But if there was something wrong, you know you can talk to us, right?”
He squeezed my hand. “I know. Love you.”
I leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I love you too.”
Maverick reached up and helped me out of the truck and held me as he said, “Thanks again, Bradly. Be careful driving back to your place.”
“I will. Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas!” Maverick and I said together, before Maverick shut the door.
We watched as Bradly turned around and drove back down the driveway. His parents’ ranch was about a thirty-minute drive from our cabin, and I hoped he was safe in the heavy snow.
Wrapping his arm around my waist, Maverick guided me toward the front door. Once inside, we took off our coats and shoes, and I practically fell onto the sofa. “I’m exhausted.”
Smokey, the kitten Maverick had rescued, and Nathan had taken care of for him, jumped up onto my lap and promptly started to purr. She was nearly all white with a few little patches of orange that seemed fitting since she was saved from a fire. She adored Maverick and slept under his chin every night.
“Hey, sweet girl,” I softly said as I scratched her behind her ears. She meowed, then made her way to the other side to clean herself.
Maverick headed into the kitchen and poured us both a glass of water before joining me and Smokey in the living room.
“How did you know I was so thirsty?”
He laughed. “Because I am, so I figured you were.”
I downed the water and set it on the coffee table.
Maverick put his down and sat back as Smokey curled up onto his lap. He stroked her softly down her back and my heart tripped over itself with how tender and sweet he was to her.