“She made you cover them up, didn’t she?” I asked, settling myself closer as I laid on my side and faced him, all the while making sure to continue stroking his scars.
He heaved a deep, shaky sigh. “Not exactly,” he murmured, his fingers finding the side of my belly and drawing lazy patterns on my skin. “I was already self-conscious of them before her, but…well, I think they scared her.”
I fought back an eye roll. She’d never deserved him.Dumb bitch.
“I want you to promise me somethin’.”
He nodded, a silent request to go on.
“I never want you to hide them from me. Ever.”
Another nod.
“I mean it, Maverick. The strength you showed today barin’ your scars for us all…” Tears stung in my eyes. I pressed a kiss to his lips, pulling back enough to look him in the eyes and whisper, “I am so fuckin’ proud of you.”
His lips pulled up into the faintest ghost of a smile. “I promise.”
The next few monthspassed by in a complete blur—along with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Everything changing so swiftly I hardly had a chance to get used to anything. Pregnancy was weird in that way. It felt both so short and so long at the same time. I was closing in on thirty-four weeks. Thirty-four weeks pregnant. And they’d flown for me. Granted, I didn’t know for ten of those weeks that I was in fact pregnant. But still…
What was even crazier was for the most part, it had been easy. Like surprisingly easy. Which was completely opposite of poor Charlie.
That was another weird thing about pregnancy. How different it was for each person. Charlie was only a couple weeks behind me, but the morning sickness never left. In fact, it only seemed to get worse. She was tired all the time, constantly getting headaches or feeling nauseous. Then here I was, riding horses, breaking babies, and going about my day like it was just any other Thursday.
But through all the sickness and lethargy, she smiled and laughed like it was no big deal. I doubted I’d be quite as optimistic if I were in her position. And to be honest, I’d probably resent me for having such an easy pregnancy in comparison.
“How could I hate you?” Charlie asked, grabbing a fresh baked sweet roll off the baking sheet. They were one of the only things that didn’t make her sick, and it gave Maverick the excuse of working on his bread making skills.
I swear…I’d never met a man who enjoyed learning and trying new things as much as Maverick. He was always—I mean, always—doing something. Working on the truck, cleaning or messing around with tack and bits and bridles, learning how to shoe horses, fixing repairs around the barn, working on the nursery, learning new recipes to cook and bake. The list was endless. All the while, ensuring he paid attention to me, to Cash, as well as practicing for rodeos and jackpots, and giving Cason lessons, and helping Charlie whenever Ryder was gone.
It was insane.
He truly was a jack of all trades. Always giving and giving and giving. He was my safe space, my soft place to land when the weight of the world got too heavy, the haven from the worries of life and pregnancy, and I was so grateful for him.
I reluctantly dragged my gaze from Maverick who hovered over the stove making something that smelled absolutely delicious, and plucked a hot roll off the baking sheet as well. “I don’t know,because it’s been so hard for you and so opposite for me,” I replied with a shrug.
Charlie laughed, not a single hint of bitterness or annoyance lingering there. “So? That isn’t your fault. I’m just glad one of us is having an easy time.”
Cason appeared from out of nowhere—I swear, the kid had the sneaking skills of a ghost—and snatched a roll off the plate. By the time Charlie noticed, he was already darting back toward the front door where Dutch and Brandy waited patiently for him. “Hey, only one. Save room for dinner!”
He waved her off, disappearing outside as quickly as he came.
I offered her a sympathetic smile. She was always so positive through this whole thing, so flexible and fluid. When life gave her lemons, she made lemonade. “So,” I asked, changing the subject, “any more headway on baby names?”
Charlie tried and failed to bite back a smile, tucking her long bangs behind an ear. “Wemayhave come up with one.”
Maverick’s voice nearly startled me out of my seat. “Ryder didn’t mention anythin’ about y’all settlin on one.”
“We’ve been goin back and forth on whether to keep it a secret ‘til he’s born or not.”
“How come?” I asked.
She took a bite full of roll before chewing and swallowing. With an eyeroll, she answered, “Mostly because of my mom. She’s been so fucking fussy this whole pregnancy, and I just know that if we tell her the name we’re intending she’ll throw a fit.”
“So, y’all are keepin’ up with the Wright family tradition then?” Maverick asked, a hint of a smirk curving his lips upward.
Charlie’s smile held the same mischief that danced in her eyes. “How could we break that?”
I grinned. “Ah, come on! I wanna know what name y’all chose! Please, tell us.”
