‘Okay. Look forward for me.’ As soon as she complied, Nina began brushing out Poppy’s hair, but because Markus hadn’t stopped staring at her, she explained, ‘Maverick only knows how to do a normal braid.’
‘The American one,’ Poppy chirped over her shoulder.
Markus held a hand to his heart and rolled his eyes dramatically, clearing as enamoured by Poppy as Nina was. And when he spoke, he said something she hadn’t expected. He said, ‘Okay. I get it now.’
Nina only nodded. Becausewantingandneedingcould be two separate matters entirely. She wanted to test the waters with Maverick. But want was simple. Nina was terrified that her want might turn into need, and she couldn’t start needing someone else. Sheneededto get back onto her feet. Sheneededto be independent again, strong without Markus and Maverick’s strength holding her up.
And Maverick had needs too, she reminded herself. He mightwantNina, but heneededsomeone who could eventually make a commitment, to him and to Poppy. He needed someone who wouldn’t choose her career over them like Shannon had, and – if she still had a career to go back to – like Nina would.
For the last fifteen years her career had been everything to her. In fact, on most days, it was all she had.
So, want was simple. But they would both have to think through what theyneededbefore they acted on that want. In Nina’s mind, that was just the reality of two adults who were attracted to each other but lived complicated lives.
Poppy came down the stairs at a full-blown run. ‘Daddy! Daddy, look at my hair!’ She skidded to a halt right in front of him and then spun in a circle, showing him her fancy braid, which formed a tiara around her head before spilling down her back.
‘That is seriously cool,’ he said. But internally, he panicked just a little because he hadn’t even managed to get the French braid yet. Despite Nina’s patient instruction, he had only managed to irritate three horses that morning with his fumbling attempts to French braid their tails.
‘Nina did it!’
‘She did a good job.’ Maverick looked up the stairs. ‘Did you ask them if they’re coming to the barbecue?’
‘Yeah. They’re coming. Her friend—’
‘Markus.’
‘Markus said he had to glam up.’
Behind him, Sierra, who had caught the last snippet of the conversation, said, ‘If you need to get down there, I’ll bring them when they’re ready.’
Maverick looked down at his watch. ‘Yeah. That would be helpful.’ He looked at Poppy, all dressed up and ready to go. ‘Do you want to ride with me?’
‘No, I want to wait for Nina.’
Maverick hesitated to leave her, and not because there wasn’t space, but because he wanted to be cautious. ‘Poppy, Nina’s on vacation,’ he said gently. ‘She’s only here for a short while, so you have to give her a little space to relax, okay?’
Poppy’s big eyes turned sad. She looked so downhearted, and it crushed him. But she whispered, ‘Yes, Daddy.’
His gentle redirecting ended up turning to dust anyway. The moment Nina appeared at the top of the stairs, she asked, ‘Are you guys leaving?’
‘Poppy and I figured we’d head out, let Sierra bring you and Markus,’ Mav replied.
Nina started down the stairs, dressed almost identically to Poppy in a white dress, her working cowgirl boots, covered in dust, and the same fancy tiara braid in her long, black hair. ‘Are you sure you don’t mind waiting for Markus, Sierra? He takes a while to get ready,’ she warned.
‘Not at all. I could really use a glass of wine before heading back to work anyway. You three go.’
‘Nina, you look like me!’ Poppy exclaimed.
‘I know!’ Nina twirled, making her long, black hair fan out around her with the skirt of her dress. ‘I thought we could twin.’
‘Daddy,’ Poppy turned those big eyes on him. ‘Pleasecan Nina come with us?’
‘Sure, kiddo,’ Mav said. Relenting was easy. But it didn’t stop the worry.
The closer the girls got to one another, the more he worried that Poppy would get hurt when Nina left. Because while Maverick was a grown man who understood what he was getting into and had his eyes wide open, Poppy was only five. When she loved, she loved instantly and with her whole heart. And it was his job to protect her from pain until she could learn to do it herself.
Nina clearly sensed his hesitance. She cocked her head slightly, asked, ‘Everything okay?’
By way of answer, Maverick said, ‘Not at all.’ And when she only raised both brows, he added, ‘You ladies don’t have your hats.’
