Page 14 of Maverick

I run a hand through my hair, feeling like I'm sitting under a spotlight. "I don't know her. But yeah, I'm attracted to her."

"And she's involved in the rescue?"

"She started it. She runs it. It's all her, and a bunch of volunteers when she can get them."

"She's driven," Ransom murmurs, nodding approvingly.

"So why don't you go down there with Nick tonight?" Zach suggests. "Spend some time with her. Get to know her."

God. They find themselves women, and now they want everyone else to have one too. "I can't do that."

"Why not?" Colton asks.

"Because I'm her boss. It's not ethical."

Kade snorts. "Since when do we care about ethics when it comes to dating?"

Again. He's not wrong. But I can't go there. "Since always, when it comes to shit like this. I'm not going to put her in an awkward position. And besides, even if I did go down there, I can tell she's not interested anymore."

"How do you know if you don't try?" Nick asks.

"Because I saw the way she looked at me when she realized I owned the club. She shut down faster than Colton's sex life after he got married."

"Hey!" Colton protests, but he's grinning. "I'm going to tell Evie you said that. Plus…we are banging all over the place. All the time. Multiple times a day."

"Don't you dare." I try to make it sound threatening, but I fail. Evie's a little scary. She puts that tough, no-nonsense mom and nurse energy into everything she does, and I admire it as much as I fear her.

"Look, I appreciate you guys trying to help. But this isn't going to happen. She's not interested, and even if she was, I'm not going there. End of story."

Ransom studies me for a long moment, then nods. "Okay. We'll drop it."

"Thank you."

"For now," he adds, and I groan.

"Interfering assholes."

"We just want you to be happy," Jonas says earnestly.

"I am happy."

"You'd be happier with a woman in your life," Zach says.

I flip him off, and he laughs.

The conversation moves on, but I can't quite shake the feeling that this isn't over. My brothers are nothing if not persistent. And when they get an idea in their heads, they don't let go easily.

I just hope they'll let this one go. Because as much as I might want Cadence, I know it's not going to happen. And I'm going to need more than a few weeks to get over the disappointment.

4

CADENCE

Iwake up to the familiar beeping of the microwave, signaling that Nan's already started on breakfast. The scent of instant oatmeal wafts through our cramped living quarters at the back of the rescue. I stretch, feeling the kinks in my back from another night on the camping mat. I keep thinking I'll get used to it. That one morning I'll spring out of bed, completely free of aches and pains, but so far, I'm shit out of luck.

With a groan I push to my feet and wander out toward the kennels, straight for the little kitchen nook. Or what we've created as our kitchen.

"Morning, Bunny," Nan greets me, her eyes crinkling with a smile as she sets down two steaming bowls on our makeshift dining table - a folding card table wedged between towers of dog food bags. "Eat up." Ignoring the oatmeal, I pull her into my arms for a hug and kiss. I know she won't be with me forever, but she's here now, and healthy, so I'm getting in all the love I can.

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