Page 21 of The Maverick’s Forever Home (Montana Mavericks: Behind Closed Doors #2)

M aggie hadn’t planned on knocking on the door.

They were going to leave Delilah’s get-well present and go.

Apparently, Cody had other ideas. He’d knocked and knocked again.

That’s why she was face-to-face with a sleep-rumpled Braden Parker.

Did he really roll out of bed looking like this?

Mind-blowingly sexy in sweatpants and a tight white T-shirt.

Tight as in she could tell the man was ripped—like all muscles.

“Ma?” Cody asked. “Can we stay?”

“Oh, hon, I don’t think it’s a good idea.

” The moment her gaze met Braden’s, her cheeks went hot.

First they showed up unannounced, now he’d caught her staring at his chest. They should leave before she did anything to further humiliate herself.

She smiled down at Delilah. “But I’m so glad to see you up and looking better. ”

“I am.” Delilah patted her tummy. “No more throwing up.”

“Here.” Cody offered the gift bag to Delilah. “If you feel sick, you can color.”

Delilah took the gift bag. “You got me a present?” Her eyes were round as saucers. “Thank you, Cody.”

“You were real sick and all,” Cody mumbled.

Maggie had been surprised over Cody’s insistence to get Delilah a get-well present, but she’d been touched, too. She couldn’t shake the image of the little girl sobbing and wanting her mother. Cody must have been affected by Delilah’s tears, too.

“Pwease, stay.” The way Delilah was staring up at her had Maggie wavering.

“She takes pancake making pretty seriously, and we’re making a lot.” Braden stepped aside. “You’d be doing me a real favor by eating some of them.”

“I could eat. And I like pancakes.” Cody came inside, not batting an eye when Delilah grabbed his arm and tugged him away.

“Looks like you’re staying.” Braden chuckled.

“Are you sure?” She hesitated in the doorway. If Cody hadn’t knocked, they’d be headed home by now. “I don’t want to impose—”

“You’re not. I’m glad you’re here.”

It was ridiculous how happy his words made her feel.

He cleared his throat and gestured over his shoulder with his spatula. “It’s pretty obvious Delilah is over the moon.”

“Daddy, come on. Time to cook,” Delilah called out.

“That’s my cue.” He pointed with the spatula. “Do you mind closing the door behind you?” He headed for the kitchen, leaving her to follow.

“Sure.” As long as she didn’t let his tight shirt or sweet words turn her to goo, this could be fun.

She closed the door and followed the sounds of Cody and Delilah’s animated conversation.

In the kitchen, Cody had pulled a chair over beside the step stool Delilah was standing on and was reading the directions off the back of the pancake box.

“We have eggs, Daddy?” Delilah asked. “Cody says we need eggs.”

“We have eggs.” Braden put the carton of eggs on the counter. “Check.”

“And miwk?”

“Milk.” When he pulled the milk carton from the refrigerator, the muscles in his arm clenched. “Check.”

She swallowed. “What can I do to help?” Anything to help her stop ogling Braden’s arms and chest and—him.

“The whisk.” Delilah held it out. “I make messes with it.”

“I can whisk.” She took the whisk and got to work.

Somehow, even with them working together and checking their measurements, they wound up making too much pancake batter and a really big mess.

When Braden started flipping pancakes, Maggie began cleaning up.

There were eggshells on the counter and the floor, a few puddles of milk, more spoons than she remembered using and piles of paper towels and napkins.

Once everything was clean and sparkling, she asked Delilah to help her set the table.

She stopped when she heard a woman’s voice call out.

“Hello? Braden? Is Delilah still sick? I’m here to help.”

Maggie wasn’t sure what to do. She and Cody had showed up out of nowhere.

She hadn’t considered the possibility that he was already expecting someone, let alone a woman.

From the corner of her eyes, it looked like Braden was muttering something under his breath.

Had she and Cody ruined some plans Braden had made?

“Hello?” the woman called out again.

“We’re all in the kitchen.” His gaze bounced from Delilah to Cody to her. When his blue eyes locked with hers, he paused.

Maggie had absolutely no reason to feel uneasy or awkward or…

jealous. But, deep down, she was feeling all those things—and more.

Like the fact that this woman, whoever she was, would also be graced with the staggeringly impressive view of Braden in the T-shirt that showed off his impressive six-pack.

She was surprisingly irked by that. Braden’s crooked grin only added to his overall dizzying gorgeousness.

But she couldn’t enjoy the grin too much because the sound of impending footsteps had him turning to the door.

He waved his spatula at the woman. “Mornin’.”

The woman stopped in the doorway. A young, very pretty woman who looked awful comfortable in Braden’s house—like it wasn’t her first time. “Morning? Is it still considered morning?” But she smiled. “It’s almost ten.” She headed straight for Delilah. “Hey, Delly, you don’t look sick.”

“I’m better now.” She smiled up at the woman. “Me an’ Daddy an’ Maggie an’ Cody makin’ breakfast. Want some pancakes?”

“I don’t know, do I?” The woman shot Braden a look Maggie couldn’t decipher.

“I don’t know.” Braden pointed at the two giant stacks of pancakes he was adding to, then smiled at the woman. “We might not have enough.”

Delilah giggled. “Daddy is so siwwy.”

“Oh, I know that, Delly. He’s is super silly.” The woman faced her then. “I’m his sister, Rylee. And you must be Maggie. Pretty sure I’ve seen you before, but I’m not sure we’ve officially met.”

Braden’s sister? “It is so nice to meet you.” She was almost ashamed by how relieved she was. This was Delilah’s aunt, who’d come to check in on her niece, not just some other woman. Not that it should matter—but it did. “That handsome kiddo over there is my son, Cody.”

Cody was already sitting at the table. “Hi.”

“Hello.” Rylee waved at him.

“Can you grab the syrup out of the pantry?” Braden asked. “And the peanut butter and jelly, too.”

“Yay!” Delilah clapped her hands then ran around the table to sit by Cody. “They are ready.”

“Good, cuz I’m starving.” Cody put his napkin in his lap. “What’s with the peanut butter and jelly?”

“For pancakes.” It was Delilah’s turn to use the “really” look on Cody—a look Maggie was pretty sure Delilah had learned from Cody. “Pancakes are so yummy.”

“You put peanut butter and jelly on pancakes?” Cody was not convinced.

“Try it.” Braden carried the platter of pancakes to the table. “It took some convincing for Delilah, too, but now she’s a fan.”

“ You like peanut butter and jelly on pancakes?” Cody seemed to be having a really hard time with this. “You are weird.”

Braden laughed and sat at the round table. “When your dad drags you out of bed at the crack of dawn and there’s no time to sit and eat, you improvise. Rolling up a couple of pancakes with PB&J inside fills you up and is portable enough to eat on horseback.”

“Okay.” Cody shrugged, holding out his plate so Maggie could serve him some food. “Thanks, Ma.”

“You’re welcome.” Maggie served herself and sat between Cody and Braden.

“As long as you wrap it in something.” Rylee sat across from her brother.

“Otherwise, you get a lap full of peanut butter and jelly and you’re stuck attracting flies and bees until you can wash up.

” She held her plate out. “Pancakes, please, dear brother.” She nodded her thanks when her plate was full.

“That’s sounds like a ‘you’ problem.” Braden put a pancake on Delilah’s plate. “What do you want on it?”

Delilah watched Cody pour a healthy amount of maple syrup on top of his pancakes.

“Syrup, pwease, Daddy.” She smiled up at Braden.

Maggie loved everything about the exchange. Did her son have any idea how much this little girl adored him? She did, Braden did, and now so did Rylee. Cody, however, seemed oblivious. Which was probably for the best.

“What brings you all the way to Tenacity?” Braden served himself a stack of pancakes.

“Our brothers called me.” Rylee lifted her fork to her mouth, then paused. “They were worried about Delilah but too scared to come over—in case she was still, you know, sick.” She pretended to gag, then rolled her eyes.

Braden chuckled. “I get it.”

Maggie had long ago realized that sickness was part of life—especially once you became a parent. Come to think of it, considering Braden was still new to the parenting thing, he’d handled it pretty well.

“Since Delly is all better, you could invite them to breakfast. The folks, too.” Rylee gave her brother a wide-eyed, innocent smile. “There’s plenty of food, and I know they’d come running for the food—and the company.”

Maggie watched the exchange. Siblings often had their own language.

While Rylee and Braden weren’t twins, there was no missing there was a whole lot of unspoken communication going on.

Rylee’s smile was not in the least bit innocent, and Braden’s scowl said he didn’t appreciate his sister’s teasing.

“But if you do, you might want to get dressed first. Mom would be scandalized that you are entertaining company in your pajamas.” Rylee took another bite.

“That’s our fault,” Maggie said. “We showed up unannounced and interrupted their morning routine.”

“You didn’t interrupt. And Delilah is tickled pink that you two came over.” Braden winked at his daughter.

“You did tickah me, Daddy.” Delilah held out her arms and looked them over. “But I’m not pink.”

Maggie laughed.

“It’s something silly that adults say sometimes.” Braden chuckled again.

“’Kay,” Delilah said before taking a big bite.

“Careful, now.” Braden reached over and wiped at the syrup on Delilah’s mouth and chin. “You wearing it or eating it?”

“Both.” Delilah grinned.