Page 19 of Falling Stars (Wild at Heart #2)

BAYLEE

My phone buzzes from the counter.

Maverick: I fucked up. I’m sorry.

Sure did, asshole.

Maverick: I never meant to hurt you.

Too late for that.

By the fifth text, I’ve had enough. I set down my brush and tell Daisy Dickson that I need a minute. This is so unprofessional, but I can’t handle this anymore.

Me: Stop bothering me at work. I’ll find someplace else to stay. I’m not your problem anymore.

Before I can get back to work, I get a text from my ex.

Sean: Sorry I bailed last weekend. Something came up. I feel bad.

Me: You should feel bad!

That asshole waited an entire week to apologize. At least Leo doesn’t know Sean’s a shitty father. Not yet, anyway.

Fuming, I pick up my brush and try to get perspective—at least I didn’t get another hang-up call.

Shortly after I’m done with Daisy’s hair and she leaves, Paige ducks into the salon all smiley. “Hey. Wanna grab lunch?” She balances Ella on her hip.

I don’t feel like hanging out, but maybe this is what I need.

“Sure. I have to drop off some food for Maverick, but then we can get something. My next client isn’t until two.

” I grab Ella’s little hand. “Hi, darling. Don’t you look adorable today in that fetching outfit.

” She’s wearing a long-sleeve floral romper with matching booties and a wide pink hair band. Ella grins and babbles back at me.

I grab my purse and thank Rory for holding Leo. “Can I get you a coffee?” It’s the least I can do. She was a huge help with the baby today.

“That would be great. Thank you.”

After I wrap Leo to my chest, we stop off at Blackbird where I grab Maverick another chicken and kale sandwich to punish him. I drop off Rory’s coffee, and then Paige and I head over to the condo.

“Are you okay? You’re awfully quiet,” Paige says as we ride up the elevator.

“I’m rethinking all of my life choices at the moment.

” I barely slept last night as I curled up as far away from Maverick as possible.

All I could do is replay the conversation with him in my head over and over again.

And I couldn’t handle him escorting me to work, so I got up early and left before he woke up.

When Paige and I get to the condo, it’s blessedly empty. I put Mav’s food on the counter and turn around to leave when his voice stops me. “You’re not staying to eat with me?”

I glance back to find him freshly showered again. At least this time, he’s wearing jeans and a t-shirt. I know if I lean closer, I’ll smell that sexy sandalwood scent. No. I won’t be swayed by his hotness. “I’m having lunch with Paige, but I brought your lunch.”

Paige looks back and forth between us, and I shake my head at her. She must understand that I’m begging her not to say anything because I want to get out of here.

Mav’s brow furrows. “Are you coming back here tonight? I know I fucked up, Baylee, but I’d like for you to stay so we can work this out.”

I take a deep breath. “I don’t know, okay? I need time to think about what you said.”

He nods slowly. “Fair enough.” His shoulders droop. “Thanks for the food.”

Ugh, now I feel like the asshole. Damn it. “Fine. We’ll talk later.”

Our eyes meet, and he gives me a hesitant smile. “Thanks. I’d like that.”

When Paige and I reach the elevator, her eyes are saucers. “What was that about?” she whispers.

“I’d been hoping to take this to my grave, but apparently, that’s not an option anymore,” I grumble. “Let’s get to the restaurant, and then I’ll tell you what’s going on.”

We walk a block down the street and duck into the Cactus Bloom Diner.

We settle at a small table in the corner, next to the painting of the bright orange prickly pear cactus, and I unstrap Leo.

He stretches his arms, and I smile. “Are you hungry, bud?” Paige and I both toss blankets over our kiddos and face the wall so we don’t flash our boobs to unsuspecting customers.

After the waitress takes our order and sets down our iced teas, I turn to my best friend and bite back my embarrassment. “Have you ever heard of the ‘kiss your best friend’ challenge?”

Her eyes light up. “I’ve seen a bunch of those online. They’re so cute.”

“They’re adorable. Unless the one doing the kissing gets rejected.”

“Yeah. That would blow. For sure.”

I wait for her to connect the dots. Then she grabs my arm. “Did you do that with Mav?”

“Six years ago.”

“What?” she yells.

Everyone in the restaurant turns to look at us. “We’re fine. Ella just bit her nipple,” I call out.

Paige snorts and smacks me and yells out, “No one bit my nipple.”

We both cackle. Once we’ve gotten the giggles out, I sigh and rehash the story. When I’m done, she’s lost in thought. “That actually explains a lot.”

“Sorry I didn’t tell you. I was mortified. Still am, actually.”

“Don’t apologize. I understand,” she says. I let out a relieved breath. I don’t know why I kept that bottled up so long. It feels good to finally unearth my secret. “Did that have something to do with the weirdness at Maverick’s condo?”

“The whole thing came up in conversation last night, and he apologized for lying about how he felt back then.” I give her all the details except for what he shared about his father.

That’s not my story to tell. “I kept this locked away for years because it’s so humiliating, but I could really use someone to help me get perspective. ”

She nods. “I’m so sorry, Baylee. I’d be upset too.”

“This whole time, I thought my feelings were entirely unreciprocated, you know? I watched him bounce from girl to girl like he was a giant fuckboy without a care in the world.” Every time I’d visit him and Paige in Charming, I’d come home with my heart in tatters.

As she burps Ella, she hums. “Did he explain why he lied?”

“He said he panicked because if we broke up, he’d be losing the best friend he’d ever had.

He said Rhett had warned him that sex could change a relationship and make things serious, and he didn’t want us to get hurt.

” I retuck the cotton blanket around Leo while he nurses.

“I guess he wasn’t ready to be in a serious relationship. ”

“And if something happened between the two of you, it would be serious, fast.”

I pat Leo’s butt. “On one hand, I understand where he’s coming from.

I was staying in Wild Heart and he knew he was moving to Charming for football.

You and I both know what players’ schedules are like, especially during the season.

But the part I can’t reconcile is that he lied to my face and denied having feelings for me. Like, I put myself out there?—”

“And he crushed you.”

“Yeah. I was devastated, and the whole time, I thought I’d imagined us having this intense chemistry. It took me years to recover from that.”

Paige reaches for her sweet tea. “When did this happen?”

“A few weeks before homecoming junior year. Your stepmonster had you on lockdown, which is why you weren’t at Chet’s party.” I groan and press my face into my hand. “The worst part is I kept the video, and I tortured myself by watching it over and over again.”

“Oh, Baylee.” She reaches over and squeezes my hand. “So what happened back then? I don’t remember you two ever having some big rift.”

“The following week, we had to go help my grandfather in Amarillo, and that saved me from seeing Maverick right away, but when I got back, we basically pretended it never happened. ”

Her eyes widen. “Was that before or after homecoming?”

“Right before. I made this big declaration about how I had feelings for him, he lied to me and denied it, and then he turned around and took Nicole Asshat to homecoming two weeks later.”

“That would definitely sting.”

I pull Leo up over my shoulder and burp him on a cloth diaper. “It took me years to date someone, while he ran off and fucked his way through Lone Star State.”

Tilting her head, she pauses. “While I did see him talk to a lot of girls, I never saw him hooking up with anyone. And you know how crazy those football parties got. So I mean, I’m not totally sure the manwhore description is accurate. Aside from Kira, I don’t know who else he ran around with.”

“I guess that’s better, but I’m still angry about it.”

“Which is understandable.”

“What if he and I had been able to date long distance?” I snuggle Leo, not able to articulate that I wish Maverick was his father and not Sean. “What if we’d had what it took to be high school sweethearts who lasted?”

Our food arrives, and after she takes a bite of her sandwich, she hums. “I don’t know if this relates at all, but I think Maverick had it the worst as a child, and I can’t help but wonder if he’s been sabotaging his own relationships as a result.”

“What do you mean?”

“His mom took off when Maverick was little. All the other boys were older except for Mav and Jace, and Jace…” She pauses.

“Jace is the biggest player in town.”

“Yeah.” She takes another sip of tea. “All the Walker brothers have commitment issues, and the only reason Rhett worked through his is because he could either marry me to get that loan or lose the ranch.”

After I take a bite of my brisket sandwich, I smile at her. “If I haven’t told you lately, I’m thrilled for you. You and Rhett are great together, and I’ve never seen Gabe and Austin happier.”

“I love those boys, and I’m so grateful Rhett and I figured things out.”

I grin. “You two always have heart eyes when you look at each other. It’s a little nauseating, but adorable.”

She laughs, but nudges me. “I want you to get your happily ever after too.”

I’m a romantic at heart, but I’m also a realist. “I don’t see that happening any time soon.”

“Don’t bottle it up this time. Talk through it all, and if that means you give Maverick hell, then do it. Do whatever it takes to confront this head-on. You owe it to yourself and to him to finally get everything out in the open.”

“Honestly, I’m scared. Mav’s been so sweet since he got back to town, but I’m afraid to open up. If we crash and burn, I can’t just bury my head and cry. I have to take care of Leo and the salon. I have people who rely on me. I have employees and bills. I don’t have time to fall apart.”

Nodding, she gives me a sympathetic smile. “That’s true, but consider the alternative. This might be your last chance to work something out with him. And I know deep down that you’ve never felt what you feel for Mav for any other man.”

“Sad but true. I genuinely thought I was over him when I got with Sean. Except now, the more time I spend with Maverick, the more I’m reminded of all the reasons I fell for him when we were younger.

” I fiddle with my napkin. “But I’m not sure I can open up like I did when I was seventeen.

Back then, I was ready to go anywhere for him. ”

“And that’s his loss. Maybe he’s figured that out. I mean, there has to be a reason he’s always reached out to you even when he was the big football star on campus. ”

I tilt my head down. “Paige, I’m afraid to let myself love him again.”

She reaches across the table and takes my hand. “Love is scary as hell, but it’s worth the risk.”

“I have to admit that Mav was awesome the other day. He helped me clean up my mom’s house. I haven’t had a chance to tell you yet, but it got vandalized.”

“Your house got vandalized? What?” she yells, and everyone looks at us again.

I hold up my hands and glance at the other customers. “We’re okay! No nipples have been harmed.”

She covers her face with a laugh. “Baylee Reyes, I can’t take you anywhere.” But then her expression grows serious again. “What happened to your house?”

My phone rings, interrupting us, and I pull it out of the diaper bag. Chills run down my arms as I stare at the screen. It’s another ‘unknown caller.’ I hold up a finger, and Paige nods. When I answer, I already know what will happen, but I do it anyway in case it’s a client.

Except all I get is dead air and then a click.

As I toss my cell back in the bag, I shake my head.

“This is the third time today. Every time I answer, the person hangs up.” It makes me wonder if it’s somehow connected to what happened to my bedroom.

Either that or a bot scammer got my number.

It’s also possible this whole thing has made me paranoid, and someone’s simply having trouble with their phone.

After I explain how some psycho destroyed Leo’s baby shower gifts and my clothes, Paige reaches over to hug me. “I’m so sorry. That had to be traumatic. What did the sheriff say?”

“The usual. That he’ll look into it.” I won’t hold my breath that he’ll discover anything.

“I love him, but he should probably retire.”

“It helped to have Maverick with me,” I admit .

“Look, no matter where things end up with my brother-in-law, I don’t want you to worry about having a place to stay. If I have to move Jace to the camper and put you in his room, we’ll do it.”

I wrinkle my nose. “Have you ever wondered what his room looks like under a black light?”

“Good point. Maybe Jace’s room isn’t the best option, but we’ll figure it out. You’ll always have a place with me and Rhett.”

“Thank you. That means a lot to me.” I tuck Leo into the crook of my arm and hand him his wonky lion rattle that my mom made me crochet. “What do you say, buddy? Want to go stay on the ranch?”