Page 47 of Falling Stars (Wild at Heart #2)

BAYLEE

“Are you sure he’s not too heavy?” I recheck the straps on the baby harness. “Is he warm enough? Does he need a blanket?” We’re standing in the middle of the ranch rodeo fairgrounds waiting for Beau and Rhett to bring their horses around. It’s a chilly morning.

“The thick onesie should be enough.” Mav leans down to kiss me. “Don’t worry. I got him.”

“If he’s too heavy, let me know. I don’t want you to hurt yourself. We can always put Leo in the stroller.”

“I’m feeling great, actually.” His smile turns dirty, and I chuckle.

“This is a family-friendly event, Maverick. Let’s not give each other sex eyes right now.”

He laughs. It’s a full-out belly laugh that makes me grin.

He’s carrying Leo strapped to his chest. His arms flex as he pats my baby’s back, and I sigh. It’s total daddy porn.

I pull my jacket closed. Maverick could run through a snowstorm in shorts and a t-shirt, so I know better than to ask if he’s okay without a coat.

Paige and Honey join me as we watch him cross the arena to talk to his brothers. The whole time, he has his hand protectively on Leo.

Honey leans into me and whispers, “Damn, girl. You reeled yourself a big fish right there.”

Paige chuckles. “After how I saw Baylee walking bow-legged a few minutes ago, I’d have to agree with you.”

“Paige!” And then I lower my voice. “Is it that obvious I got railed last night?”

My friends crack up. I’m smiling until I glance around.

Ugh. I grab my friends and drag them over to the side.

“We have to hide from Kira.” I point her out to Honey since Paige has already met her.

“Next to the lumberjack. See the pretty blonde in the baby blue raincoat? That’s her and her cousin.

” I’ve seen the cousin around a few times.

Paige’s nose wrinkles. “Is she still trying to contact Maverick?”

“He blocked her everywhere, so I’m not sure.”

But then Kira does a double-take and obviously sees us because she holds up her middle finger on both hands.

Honey frowns. “Was that for you?”

“I believe it was.”

“Why is she mad at you? Shouldn’t she be mad at Maverick?”

“Now that I understand what happened a little better, she kinda stalked him until he gave in and dated her. So I’m not sure she’s all that rational. I think she views me as someone who stole him.”

Paige rolls her eyes. “Of course Maverick dated his stalker.”

Enough time has gone by that I can laugh about it too. “I’m not sure he realized that’s what she was until she showed up at his condo hysterical about them breaking up even though it had been a few months.”

“So… she was just waiting for him to go back to her?”

I shrug. “Something like that.” As I watch Kira and her cousin take a seat on the other side of the arena, I can appreciate that love doesn’t always make sense. “I get it. You can’t just switch off your feelings even when you might want to.”

Coming around the bend, I spot another familiar face, and I wave at Rory.

She smiles and jogs to us. “I was afraid I wouldn’t find you.”

I hug her. “Glad you could make it.” Then she turns to greet Paige and Honey.

The PA system flips on. “We have ten minutes before we get started. The teams to beat today are the Walker Ranch…”—Paige and I shout and clap—“and the McAllister Ranch.” Honey holds up her fist and hoots.

Rory nudges me. “I get the rodeo, but what’s a ranch rodeo?”

“They feature cowboys in team events that mimic skills you need to work on a ranch. They’re using the same horses and equipment they use every day.”

Honey motions to the arena. “Today is about bragging rights. A regular rodeo is more about individual competitions with pro athletes, who win huge payouts.”

I’m about to razz Honey for being on the McAllister team when Jace strolls by with his horse and tips his hat at us. “Ladies.”

Rory’s eyes go wide and her face flushes. When he’s gone, she whispers, “Who… who was that?”

I’d laugh at her expression except she seems so flustered. “Mav’s brother Jace. You haven’t met him yet?”

She shakes her head.

I lift my brows. “Do you want to meet him?”

Her eyes get even wider. “N-no.”

Okay then. Looks like another unsuspecting victim just got struck by the Walker love bug.

Maybe I’d better change the subject. “Speaking of competition.” I nudge Honey. “Your brothers won’t get upset that you’re fraternizing with the enemy?” The Walkers and the McAllisters have had a beef since this town was founded.

“Cash and Trig don’t tell me what to do. Besides, they’re all bark and no bite.”

A shadow falls over her. “That right, little sister?” a deep voice asks.

I chuckle. “Why, Cash McAllister, are you ready to get your ass kicked today?” I might not be officially a Walker, but I’m a Walker at heart.

Elbowing me, Paige giggles.

Honey flips her hair over her shoulder. “I’m not your property, Cash. If I want to talk to Baylee and Paige, I can.”

Beau steps up to us. “There a problem?”

“Here we go,” I mutter before I push him back. “No, Beau. There’s no problem. Just siblings giving each other shit.” The last thing I need today is these three coming to blows. There’s a lot of bad blood here, and both families take ranch rodeos seriously.

A pretty buckle bunny sidles up to Beau and threads her arm through his. “I thought you were going to let me pet your horse.”

Honey snorts.

Beau looks like he wants to say something, but Trig grabs Honey’s arm, and she walks off with her older brothers.

She glances back at me. “Talk to y’all later. And fuck you, Beau.”

Beau just shakes his head and stalks off, leaving his bunny running after him.

Thank God other people have drama. It distracts me from my own.

Leaning against the rail of the arena with the sun on my face and a cool wind on my back, I can almost forget what’s happening tomorrow.

“You okay?” Paige whispers .

“If I don’t think about it, I’m fine.”

Rory, who’s on my other side, frowns. “You’re sad ’cause Maverick’s leaving, right?”

I nod. No sense in trying to keep anything from her. All the girls in my salon know everyone’s business anyway.

Paige’s lips twist. “Have you guys made a plan for what’s going to happen? Or talked through how you might handle him being in New York?”

“Nope. We haven’t had one conversation about it. Aside from Maverick making sure my security system works and making me promise to open the store with one of the other stylists so I’m not alone.”

She smacks her forehead. “This is almost as bad as him dating his stalker.”

“We’re just trying to enjoy the here and now.”

“Baylee, he’s leaving tomorrow.”

I groan. “Can’t I just bury my head in the sand a little longer?”

“Look, I know how challenging his schedule was in college. In some ways, the NFL probably isn’t as bad because he’s not juggling classes. Figure out times to talk each day. Make things sexy a few times a week with some fun video chats and vibrating toys, and maybe send him some baked goods.”

Rory looks scandalized, and she points to the concession stand. “I’m going to grab a snack. I’ll be right back.”

Paige chuckles. “I think I scared her, but relationships in a modern time might need virtual sex.”

I love my best friend, but that sounds miserable. “I have no problem sending him food, but I shudder when I think about seeing my naked body on video.”

“You’re gorgeous, Baylee.”

“I feel okay when we have sex because I’m either sprawled out or sitting up since we can only do certain positions while he’s rehabbing.

But when you’re on video, you need everything well lit so you can see.

Like, do I really want to see my white ass all lit up?

And you have to watch the angles so you don’t give yourself a double chin or accentuate a fat roll.

” I once overheard one of my clients complaining about video sex.

She laughs and takes my hand. “I get it. I’m not saying it’ll be easy.”

“I’m afraid I’ll be too self-conscious, and then I’ll have to fake it, and I’m not good at faking it. Like, give me my damn orgasm.” And then things will get weird with Maverick, and he’ll be too far away to talk me off the ledge. “So yeah, let’s not talk about it.”

As I wait for the event to start, I replay that conversation Maverick had with his coach. My heart sinks as I think about what he said. About leaving behind the distractions.

That’s what I am to Maverick right now. A distraction. He’ll be worrying about me while trying to rehab and playing a game that almost killed him.

The runaway thoughts make me panic.

When the team penning event starts, I’m delighted to see Honey compete with her two brothers.

“Come on, Honey!” I cheer. My friends and I clap as I lean over to Paige. “I feel weird applauding the McAllisters, but Honey is awesome.”

She nods. “My husband will understand. Besides, I’ll cheer louder for him.”

The Walkers are last. The goal is for Rhett, Jace, and Beau to separate three specifically marked calves out of thirty to one side of the arena and into a pen within sixty seconds.

“Come on!” I shout. “Let’s go, Walkers!”

Beau’s the cutter, and he rides his horse into the herd, moving like he was born to do this. Seconds later, he has the three calves trotting to the other side of the white line, and Rhett and Jace maneuver them into the pen for the winning time .

“Yeah!” Paige screams. We jump and clap.

“Let’s track down Maverick. Leo’s probably due for a diaper change.” I spot him across the arena chatting with Jace.

“I have to pee first.” Paige points to the bathroom.

Rory nods. “I’ll go with you.”

“I’ll wait for y’all here. I need to check my messages.” Clients call me all the time to book appointments, and I’m always paranoid if I don’t do it quickly, they’ll go to Darling Divas.

I’m typing in my password when someone walks up to me.

“Hey, Baylee. Do you have a second?” Nicole smiles hesitantly.

Damn. First Kira, now Nicole. “What’s up?” I return my attention to my phone.

She fidgets with her pearl necklace. “I just wanted to apologize for my mom. I heard what she said to you the other day, and I feel bad.”

Frowning, I look up at her. “Really?”

“Yes. Look, I know you think I’m a mean girl, and yes, I definitely had my moments in high school, but I’m trying to turn a new leaf.”

My mother always tells me, when someone asks for forgiveness, try to forgive. It doesn’t mean I have to forget, but forgiveness will help me heal too. Reluctantly, I nod. “Thank you. I appreciate the apology.”

Nicole grabs a strand of her long, silky hair. “I figure you must be going through a lot right now, what with Maverick heading back to New York tomorrow.”

I frown. “How do you know that?” I mean, it’s not a secret exactly, but I don’t understand why she’s all up in my boyfriend’s business.

“He told me last week when we were chatting on the football field.” She grabs my arm like we’re old friends. “You should see him with the kids. He’s a natural coach. ”

It chaps my hide that she’s seen him coach and I haven’t. “He’s always been a great leader on the field,” I mutter, my stomach starting to hurt.

Her blue eyes grow sympathetic. “I’m sure you’re really worried after everything that happened. I hope he’s safe this year. I can’t imagine how scary that must’ve been, him being paralyzed for three days! Goodness.”

My breath shallows. Maverick swore us all to secrecy about the extent of his injuries when he first got back.

“Did you read that somewhere?” I’m not sure which is worse, his medical history getting leaked to the press or him confiding in his ex-hookup.

I suppose I should hope it’s the latter, but I can’t help but hope she read it somewhere.

“No, silly.” She chuckles. “Maverick shared the whole story last week.”

“With you?”

She squeezes my arm. “Don’t be jealous. I’m just an old friend who wants to lend an ear. You know how it is.”

I grit my teeth. “Yes, Nicole. I know how it is.”

So much for setting firm boundaries with other women.