Page 59 of Falling Stars

“No, feels good.” Maybe too good. As she massages the CBDinto my skin, I think about the crackhead in New York who tried to mug me, so I don’t come in my pants. Finally, I start to relax. “It’s working. That and the ice really help.”

She puts the bottle away and tucks herself next to me again. “I’m so glad. Let me know if you need more.” Bay yawns, and I feel bad that she’s been up half the night catering to me.

“I’m good, sweetheart. Go to sleep. Thank you. I really appreciate everything you’ve done.”

Bay gives me a sleepy grin and closes her eyes. I stare at her beautiful face, wishing I could pull her into my arms.

One thing is sure. There’s no way in hell I’m leaving Wild Heart again without her.

21

MAVERICK

“Thanks for the ride,”I tell my brother. “Glad you’re not sick.”

Beau nods as he takes the turnoff out of town. “Me too. Gabe now has whatever Austin brought home. Paige told me to stay out of the main house for a while. So what are we getting at Target?”

“Ice packs and baby supplies.”

“For Baylee?”

“The ice packs are for me, but yeah, Leo needs a few things. Most of Baylee’s baby shower gifts were destroyed. I’ve ordered her a bunch of stuff, but she needs some bottles and other little things.” Hope she doesn’t mind that I plan to get her everything I can think of.

“Damn. I heard about that. What kind of asshole goes after a single mom?” He grips the steering wheel like he wants to punch the nameless douchebag as much as I do.

“Not sure, but who doesn’t like Baylee? I’m thinking whoever trashed her house also smashed her plate-glass window at her salon.”

He frowns. “I was there the morning it happened. Rhett andI helped her patch it up until she could get it repaired. I didn’t realize it was a targeted attack.”

“I get the impression she didn’t want it getting out.”

He scratches his scruffy face. “Think it was her ex?”

“Why would he do that? He’s the one who broke up with her.”

“But doesn’t he want to share custody?”

“Good point. I’ll ask the sheriff to look into him. Can’t hurt.”

When we get to Target, I grab a cart, and we head to the baby aisle. Since Bay wants to introduce Leo to bottle feeding, that’s a good place to start. Something easy. Except there’s an entire wall of bottles.

I turn to my older brother. “Which one do I buy?”

“Hell if I know.”

“You’re no help at all.”

He chuckles. “I’m just here for moral support.”

I call Paige and after she picks up, I explain my problem. “There are nine thousand different types of bottles. Any idea which one Baylee might want?”

“Why don’t you just ask her?”

“Because she hates accepting help, and I figured it would be better to buy her all the shit I know she needs rather than asking her if I can do this.”

She laughs. “Good point. With bottles, you can get glass or plastic, but glass is heavy and harder to hold. It’s easy for a baby to smack his face with it.”

I’d hate for Leo to get hurt. “Fuck that. Plastic it is.”

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