Richard’s eyes went wide.
Maverick’s did too. “Emmitt’s also good at numbers.”
“I’m juggling about hundred projects right now,” Emmitt said. “Plus, I don’t know anything about tax stuff.”
“I totally do,” Ava said. “And I need something to do here, so I can contribute, you know?”
“That’s a great idea,” Andie said as she turned a look on Trenton. “Didn’t Jepson hint that this would be his last year anyway? Maybe Ava could be our new accountant. It’s perfect.”
Nods picked up across the table. Even Maverick managed to bob his head. Richard could tell the guy’s heart wasn’t in it. And he knew why too. His younger brother must have sensed there was something between Richard and Ava. Even if thatsomethingwas sheer potential, it was there.
Ava turned a questioning glance to Richard, those deep brown eyes making his heart skip two hot beats.
“That works for me.” There, he hadn’t come off sounding overly excited in front of the group. Good thing too. The last thing he needed was to be accused of trying to steal Maverick’s…well, she wasn’t his girlfriend, but the guy had his claim on her just the same.
Memphis and Emmitt picked up on a conversation they’d started earlier.
“So you guys do live music during the weekend parties, huh?” Memphis asked.
Maverick gave Richard’s shoe a kick under the table.
Richard glanced down at his foot before looking at Maverick with a lifted brow.
“The truck we drove out here’s having issues. Will you take a look under the hood with me real quick?”
Richard held Maverick’s gaze for a blink. They were the only two in the family who’d bothered taking shop classes in high school. They’d learned a little, but not much. Not that it mattered; Richard knew better than to think this was about the truck.
“Sure,” he said. “Right now?”
Maverick nodded. “If you don’t mind.”
The two came to a stand at the same time. Richard took a moment to remind himself that, at six foot two, he had one inch on Maverick. And Memphis too, for that matter.
They kept quiet as they made their way to the front of Trenton’s yard where the truck was parked. To Richard’s surprise, Maverick cracked open the driver’s side door, popped the hood, and hurried to the front of the truck.
“What do you think about Ava?” he asked, blindly slipping his fingers into the open gap and feeling for the lever.
Richard glanced down to see exactly where the hidden lever was, then slipped his hand in beside it and gave it a press. “What do you mean what do I think about her?” He grunted while hoisting the hood up and nodded for Maverick to grab the balancing post.
Once the heavy hood was propped wide open, Maverick folded his arms over his chest and leaned on the truck, looking absently at the revealed parts. “She’s amazing, Richard. She is. And I’m telling you, I’ve never been this patient with a chick before. I shouldn’t even call her a chick—she’s more than that. She’s awoman.”
He was right about that. “Is she older than you?”
Maverick’s eyes went wide, making him appear even younger than his twenty-five years. “Just by two years.”
So shewasolder. He liked that. “How many women like dating guys that are younger than them?”
Maverick’s face scrunched up. “Aton.They’re called cougars, dummy.”
“Falling for someone twoyears younger wouldn’t make her a cougar,” Richard countered.
“So why are you acting like it’s even a thing?” Maverick’s voice had risen in sound and pitch. He shot a glance over his shoulder.
Richard hesitated for a blink. “Because if I’m honest, she doesn’t seem that into you.”
“Dude!I can’t believe you just said that.”
“It’s just an observation.”
