Page 12 of The Cupcake Cottage

“Remember when your waist was just itty-bitty?” She grabbed Maverick’s arm. “Maverick, tell her.”

“She looks pretty darn gorgeous to me,” he said, dropping his voice low so it took on a hint of something that could be catalogued as longing.

Mrs. Ray harrumphed. “Well, you’ve proven you’re not discerning.”

“Mom!”

“I’ve been watchin’ the TV. Now, Maverick hon, be a good boy and tell her what kind of fancy man she’ll be missing out on with this new job if she doesn’t put the effort in.”

“They’re all no-good men like me, Mrs. Ray.”

That set her back for approximately three seconds. “But they’re rich. And Daisy-Mae is in her thirties. She can’t afford to be choosy.”

“Mom.”

“Find someone nice enough”—her mother adjusted Daisy-Mae’s long hair—“and accidentally forget to take your birth control. Then you’ll be set for life.”

Daisy-Mae visibly cringed. “That’s called entrapment.”

Maverick had never seen her look so humiliated and embarrassed. Not even the time her dress snagged while going down some stairs in a pageant and she took a huge tumble that cost her the crown.

He’d raced up on stage, Myles hot on his heels. It was only when he’d scooped her into his arms that he’d realized his error. She wasn’t his girlfriend, and he’d just destroyed her chance at a crown-saving recovery.

“Henry Wylder,” his mother’s voice sounded out, catching his attention. “You need to find some woman to love you and melt that nasty, judgmental heart of yours! I do not care what you think and we aredonetalking.” His mother marched off, Henry’s mouth opening and closing as he hurried after her, finger wagging.

She whirled, glaring at the old man. “I won’t say it again, Henry. So back off.”

She glared at him for a moment longer, then stalked away, shoulders back.

Daisy-Mae’s wide eyes met Maverick’s and she gave a huff of surprised laughter. “Wow.”

Maverick nodded. Henry had just bought himself a one-way ticket to his mother’s doghouse.

“Daisy-Mae’s got to take whatever’s offered,” Mrs. Ray continued as though the disruption hadn’t occurred, “or she’ll be alone forever. And this new job will be just like all the others. It won’t last and she’ll be home livin’ with me, and I like to keep the remote all to myself when her daddy’s out on the road. Beauty queens can’t succeed in business. They’ve got to take the takin’while the takin’ is good. There might not be another opportunity like this.”

“Daisy-Mae’s just selective, Mrs. Ray,” Maverick said, doing his best not to growl. “She’ll find a great man and settle down soon.”

“That’s just a nice way of saying nobody’ll take her.”

“I’d take her.” He winked at Daisy-Mae, wishing she knew how true that was. Especially now that Myles seemed to have waved the checkered flag, possibly removing the Bro Code clause that had kept him from asking her out.

CHAPTER 3

Maverick dropped an article on Louis’s desk in the small office just off the locker room. “What’s going on?”

Maverick’s hands were shaking, and the feeling of betrayal stung deep.

Louis barely even glanced at the printout. He leaned back in his chair, watching Maverick.

“Wait…” Maverick said slowly. Louis knew about the photos of Maverick with Daisy-Mae and wasn’t upset. The photographer had been hired by the team… So that meant…

Maverick placed the heels of his hands against his temples and pushed. This was bad. Really bad. He folded his two-hundred-and-ten-pound build into the chair across from Louis. In hockey, he was considered big. But in this office that smelled faintly of locker room, sitting in this stupid trendy leather chair, he felt even bigger, like nothing fit right. He bent over, trying to quiet his racing mind.

“Tell me you didn’t authorize this.” He peered upward long enough to see Louis swallow, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He looked like that man Maverick had cornered in a bar for harassing the waitress.

“I approved the photos, yes.”

Maverick slumped. He hadn’t expected this. Not from Louis.

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