Page 48 of Waiting for the Rancher
“Even if you’d been at fault,” Sterling said quietly, “I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did.”
“I understand. I shouldn’t have kissed her back.”
“That’s just it.” Sterling’s voice wavered with emotion. “You’re the kind of friend who’s willing to take the blame for something you didn’t do in order to spare my feelings.”
Had Hazel told Sterling what really happened the morning of the wedding?
She wouldn’t meet his gaze and instead fidgeted with tucking the blanket into the end of the mattress more securely.
“You’ve always been a good friend and a good man, Maverick.” Again Sterling’s words were tinged with heavy emotion. “I couldn’t ask for a better friend.”
A lump pushed up into Maverick’s throat.
“I just hope you can forgive me for throwing our friendship aside instead of working things out man to man.”
Maverick swallowed hard. “Course I forgive you. Hope you can forgive me too.”
“Nothin’ to forgive.”
That wasn’t exactly true. Guilt pricked at Maverick sharply. He’d betrayed Sterling by letting his feelings for Hazel run out of control. Even if Sterling had told him to stay away from Hazel partly out of his frustration and anger, Maverick had agreed to it. And instead of being a man of his word, he’d let his attraction to Hazel get the best of him. He’d even told her he loved her. That’s what had sent him running from her out by the river and caused his accident to begin with.
To make matters worse, he’d just kissed her right in this room in Sterling’s bed. If that wasn’t disloyalty to his friend, he didn’t know what was.
An apology swelled within Maverick. He needed to confess what he’d done. Yet how could he? Now that he’d reached atenuous truce with Sterling, he’d only make his friend angry all over again, and he didn’t want to do that.
Sterling hesitated at his bedside a moment longer before turning and crossing the room. He paused in the door. “Glad you’re here, Mav. Realized mighty fast today that I don’t want to lose you too.”
With that, Sterling ducked out of the room.
Maverick’s chest pinched tighter with more guilt. As Hazel moved back to the side of his bed and gently squeezed his arm, he closed his eyes and fought against his need for her.
Sterling had offered him the hand of friendship. If he went behind Sterling’s back and continued to let his relationship with Hazel grow, then he’d hurt and betray his friend again.
For the time being, he couldn’t do anything that would jeopardize the fragile reconciliation he’d started with Sterling. That meant he’d have to put aside his feelings for Hazel. As much as he loved her and wanted her, he wouldn’t go about getting her the wrong way, sneaking around behind Sterling’s back to see her.
No, when the time came to start courting her, he wanted to do so properly and openly with the support of both their families. For that to happen, he was gonna need to give Sterling more time and allow their friendship to get back on solid ground first.
In the meantime, he’d have to switch back to viewing Hazel as just a friend. Doing so would be nearly impossible. He knew that. But he valued his friendship with Sterling too much to make another mistake. So even if resisting Hazel ended up being the hardest thing he’d ever done, he was gonna do it.
It was the right thing to do.
18
Maverick was a terrible patient. But Hazel loved having him at the house anyway.
She finished arranging the breakfast tray with all his favorite foods—scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits slathered in jam, and a bowl of peaches from the last of the jars she’d helped her mother can last autumn.
As she placed the steaming mug of coffee beside the plate, she paused at the thumping of his cane and uneven steps overhead.
They’d all been relieved—including Dr. Howell when he’d come again yesterday—to learn Maverick hadn’t been paralyzed. The doctor believed Maverick had pinched a nerve, which was causing the numbness and lack of mobility.
The doctor had indicated that it would take time for Maverick to heal and regain full function of his legs. He’d insisted Maverick rest and remain motionless for several more days in order for his back to heal properly.
But Maverick was disobeying the doctor’s orders. Again.
Hazel pursed her lips, picked up the tray, and headed out of the kitchen.
Morning sunlight slanted through the hallway window and promised another beautiful spring day. The house was quiet and mostly deserted. Sterling was already out with his men doing chores. Mother and Scarlet were in the large vegetable garden behind the house, planting the crops that could withstand thecold and more snowfall that could still come at any time over the next month.
