Chapter Two

Maverick gently set the heavy box on the smooth, granite counter of the kitchen and turned to head back out when Parker entered. His gaze drifted down to the small but noticeable sweat stain on her sports bra, between the curves of her breasts. Quickly averting his eyes before she caught him staring. He cleared his throat.

Parker let out a sigh as she set the box down on the plush sofa and looked around at the still-packed boxes that littered the room.

"I will never get these unpacked," she said with a hint of frustration in her voice.

"Well, they're here now, so you can take your time with that," Maverick replied with a smile.

Parker chuckled. "I can't do that. It would drive me crazy."

Maverick laughed. "You don't have to rush, though."

"True, but trust me, I will," she said with a grin.

"I should get going. I have to mow my lawn," Maverick said, gesturing toward the door.

"I'm glad I don't have to worry about that," Parker said with a grateful smile.

"Yeah, it's hot work," Maverick agreed. "But by the time I get home, the sun will be setting and maybe it will cool down." He strode toward the door, his boots thudding against the hardwood floor.

"Thank you so much for your help," Parker called after him .

"You're very welcome," he replied over his shoulder.

As he opened the door, Maverick paused for a moment before turning back to look at Parker with a small smile playing on his lips.

"Maybe we could get a cup of coffee sometime," he suggested.

Parker's smile widened. "I'd like that."

He grinned in return. "I would too. Could I get your number?"

"Sure," Parker replied, giving him her number. Maverick quickly put it into his phone before tucking it back into his pocket.

After touching the brim of his hat, he walked down the steps and made his way to his truck. Glancing up at Parker as she stood on the stoop, he couldn't help but grin before driving away toward home.

****

Parker smiled as she watched Maverick's truck disappear down the alley. She felt a flutter of excitement in her chest at the thought of seeing him again. He was more than just handsome and sexy; he was kind and generous too. She couldn't believe how he had willingly stayed to help her move into her new apartment, even though he didn't have to, and they barely knew each other.

Walking into the shop on Monday morning, Parker took a moment to appreciate the quiet before the storm of customers arrived. The constant stream of tourists kept the shop bustling from open to close. She quickly dusted around the shelves and unlocked the door.

As she settled behind the counter, her mind drifted back to Maverick. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake him from her thoughts. It seemed like every time she closed her eyes, his face appeared in her mind. She was captivated by him.

The bell above the door jingled as Shay entered, waving at Parker before disappearing into the office. A few minutes later, she emerged with a cup of coffee in hand.

"How was your Sunday?" Shay asked.

"I moved into my new place," Parker replied with a grin.

"I loved living there."

"It's adorable."

"I wish you would have called me; I would have helped you."

"Oh, you didn't have to worry about that. Maverick helped me out," Parker explained.

Shay's eyes widened in surprise. "Maverick? My Maverick?"

Parker laughed at Shay's possessive tone. "Your Maverick?"

"You know what I mean. He's such a good man. Wes and Warren think highly of him."

"I like him too. He even asked me out for coffee sometime."

"I'm so happy for you."

Parker shared with Shay the story of losing her husband and son not long after starting work at A Touch of Glass.

"I know Maverick will treat you right. When I first met him, I couldn't stop thinking about how attractive he was. I even teased Wes about him." Shay chuckled.

"I hope he calls."

"If he said he would, then he will."

"How many foremen does the ranch have?"

"Four," Shay said.

Parker grinned. "Four foremen?"

Shay laughed. "Yep. Maverick, Steve, John, and Grady. Steve and John are both married, but Maverick and Grady are single. Oh, you should see Grady. He's tall too, has a great body, coal black hair with a little gray in the scruff, and sideburns, and the greenest eyes. I think my mouth dropped open when I saw him the first time. He's been there for years. I think Wes told me he started there a year after Maverick."

"He sounds gorgeous."

"I'm sure you'll meet him sometime. He's definitely a confirmed bachelor."

"Is Maverick? I'd hate to start something that's not going anywhere."

"I don't think so. He was in a relationship for a good while, but Grady never stays with one woman longer than a few weeks, maybe a month."

Parker nodded just as the store started to fill with customers and they got busy helping them.

By the middle of the week, Parker was beginning to think that Maverick wasn't going to call her. She couldn't believe how disappointed she was. She thought they got along great. Biting her lip, she wondered what happened to make him change his mind.

When the door opened, she turned toward it and smiled as more customers came in.

She was helping a woman when the doorbell chimed again, and she instinctively looked over her shoulder and her heart hit her stomach when she saw Maverick enter. She watched him glance around, then smile when he saw her and headed her way.

"Hey," he said when he reached her.

"Hi." She smiled at him. "I thought you forgot me."

He grinned. "Not a chance. I had to come into town and thought I'd see if you wanted to get that cup of coffee."

"We're a little busy at the moment," she said, disappointed.

"Honey, if you don't want to go, I will," the older woman said with a laugh.

Maverick laughed and raised his eyebrow at Parker.

"Looks like I have a date if you can't go."

Parker laughed and looked at her watch. "I take lunch in fifteen minutes," she suggested.

He nodded. "Okay. I'll just head to the Feed Store, then come back."

"Sounds good." Parker smiled.

"Hey, Maverick," Shay said when she saw him.

"Shay, how's your day?"

"Busy."

"That's good though, right?" He looked back at Parker. "I'll see you soon."

As he touched the brim of his hat and walked out, she grinned as she heard some of the women sigh.

"That is one good-looking man. Oh, to be twenty years younger," the woman said, then laughed. "Oh, who am I kidding? Thirty years younger. "

"He's very handsome," Parker agreed.

Fifteen minutes later, Maverick entered the store again. He grinned when he saw her behind the counter and walked toward her. Parker smiled and continued ringing up the customer.

Once she was finished, she walked to Maverick.

"Just let me grab my purse, and we can go."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll be right here."

Parker headed to the office, took her purse from the safe, and walked back to the front. She saw Shay and Maverick talking, so she made her way to them.

"I'm ready."

"Okay," he said and opened the door for her.

"I'll be back after lunch, Shay."

"Take your time." Shay smiled.

As they walked out the door, Maverick moved to the outside of her, making her smile at his manners.

"Your mama raised you right."

"Yes, she and my dad did."

"Are they still living?"

"Well, my adoptive parents are. I'm not sure about my biological parents."

"You were adopted?"

"As an infant. My mother gave me up since she was only fifteen. I don't know who my father is."

"But you love your adoptive parents, don't you?"

"I do. I was just thinking about going to visit them soon."

"Are they in Cheyenne?"

"Yes. I'll probably go when I get my vacation this year. I rarely take time off. "

"Somehow, I can see that."

When they reached the diner, he reached around her and opened the door. The bell above the door jingled and everyone who knew them waved or called out to them.

"I love this place."

"The town or the diner?"

Parker laughed. "Both."

"Booth or counter?"

"Booth."

Maverick inclined his head for her to lead the way and he followed behind, stopping to talk with people as he passed them. Parker smiled when an elderly lady stopped him.

"Hello, Maverick Whitaker, you handsome devil," the woman said.

"Mrs. Needham, how are you?"

"Well, my hemorrhoids are bothering me, but other than that, I'm fine."

Parker slid into the booth, placed her hand over her mouth to keep her laughter in, and watched Maverick trying to get away from the woman.

"Uh, well, I'm sorry to hear that." Maverick touched the brim of his hat. "Have a nice day."

When he finally made it to the booth, he slid in across from her, he shook his head and grinned, making Parker laugh.

"Sorry."

"It's fine. You seem to know a lot of people," Parker said with a smile.

"It's not a big town, and I know a lot of ranchers and farmers." He shrugged.

"It's a great place to live."

"And to hear things you're not interested in hearing."

"I almost burst out laughing." Parker laughed and he chuckled.

"Hey, you two. What can I get you?" Connie set two glasses of ice water on the table.

Maverick looked at Parker and nodded.

"I'll take the southern fried chicken salad with ranch, please, and just the water is fine, Connie."

"Maverick?" Connie smiled.

"My usual is fine, thank you, Connie."

"I'll get those to you right away."

She came back in less than a minute to set Maverick's drink on the table, then she headed back to the kitchen.

"So, did you get everything unpacked?" He grinned.

"Not even close. I should have taken the weekend off."

"Do you work every weekend?"

"I'm off Wednesdays and Sundays. Guess what I'll be doing on my day off?" She smiled when he chuckled.

"Well, I can't help you Wednesday, but I could on Sunday if you need me to."

"I appreciate that, but I'm hoping I get it done on Wednesday."

"Okay. It's no problem, just send me a text."

"Thanks, I will." Parker smiled as Connie set their meals on the table.

"Enjoy your meals." Connie smiled. "And, Maverick, you should know better than to ask Thelma how she's doing. She won't hesitate to tell you."

"I know, Connie. It just slipped out."

"I like this," Connie said, waving her hand between the two of them, then she walked off.

Maverick chuckled and Parker laughed.

"Not much gets by the people of Clifton," he said.

"I'm sure everyone knows you helped me move too."

"No doubt." He picked up his burger, took a bite and moaned. "So good. Between this place and the Hartland restaurant, you can't go wrong."

"I've never been to the Hartland restaurant. Where is it?"

Maverick grinned. "In Hartland."

Parker laughed. "I never would have guessed."

"Would you like to go with me?"

"I'd love to. When?"

"I'll see if I can get a reservation for next Saturday evening, if that's alright with you."

"You need a reservation?"

"Yes, it's always packed."

"So, is it fancy?"

"Yeah, but you can wear anything. Jeans, dress slacks, or a dress. It's entirely up to you."

"Can you get a reservation this late?"

"I'll call the owner if I can't. If he can get us in, he will."

"Okay. I'd love to go."

"I'll pick you up at six-thirty. If we can't get in, we could come here again."

"How about if you can't get us in, I'll fix dinner."

"Deal." Maverick smiled.

After they finished eating, Maverick paid Connie, then they walked outside into the heat. Maverick, once again, moved to the outside of her, as they walked along the sidewalk.

At the door to A Touch of Glass, Maverick reached around her, opened it, and nodded for her to enter.

"Are you coming inside?" she asked.

"Not this time. I need to head back to the ranch. I'll call or text you about Saturday, if that's alright."

"Whichever is easiest for you." She smiled.

"Alright. Have a good rest of the day, Parker. I'll see you soon." He touched the brim of his hat, and after she entered, he let the door close and walked off.

Parker worked the rest of the day with a smile on her face. She liked Maverick and couldn't wait to see him again.

****

Maverick made his way to his truck, its paint glistening under the hot sun. He opened the door and climbed into the cab, immediately hit with a wave of suffocating heat. Hastily starting the truck, he lowered the windows and cranked up the air conditioning to full blast.

As he drove back to the ranch, a grin spread across Maverick's face as he thought about seeing Parker again. He couldn't deny his curiosity and growing interest in her. She was undeniably beautiful, but for a long time, he had no desire to settle down. Until now. Meeting Parker had stirred something within him that he never knew was missing.

Of course, just because he was interested didn't mean she felt the same way. But she had agreed to go out to dinner with him, and he couldn't wait for their date.

Pulling up to the barn on the Triple C Ranch, Maverick parked his truck and stepped out into the blistering heat. He immediately wished he could retreat back into the cool comfort of his truck.

"Maverick?"

He turned to see Wes walking toward him.

"Hey Wes, what's going on?" Maverick greeted him with a smile.

"Do you think you could call Ash and see if he can get another truckload of feed here?"

"Sure thing. Are we running low?"

"Not yet, but Warren likes to have extra on hand. Cold weather will be here before we know it," Wes explained.

Maverick nodded in understanding. "Better safe than sorry."

Wes chuckled. "That's why Warren handles the business side and I handle the ranch side."

Maverick grinned back at him. "He knows what he's doing."

Wes tilted his head playfully. "Are you saying I don't?"

"On the business side? Absolutely," Maverick joked.

"At least you're honest." Wes laughed. "Did you get lunch in town?"

"I did and I had company."

"Oh, yeah? Who did you have lunch with?"

"Parker."

"Parker? As in Parker Tisdale?" Wes asked, eyebrows raised in surprise.

Maverick nodded. "Yep. "

"How did that come about?"

Maverick recounted how they had met and his impromptu offer to help her move. "I ended up inviting her for coffee, but it turned into lunch. And we're going out to dinner next Saturday night. Damn, I need to call the restaurant or Grant if I can't get a reservation."

"Better do it now. You know how busy that place gets," Wes advised. "She's a beautiful woman by the way, and if you tell Shay I said that I'll have to fire you."

"I'm pretty sure Shay knows men find Parker attractive." Maverick chuckled. "I think you're safe."

"Let's hope so." Wes slapped him on the shoulder before heading back out to work.

Maverick toiled away in the sweltering heat of the barn; his shirt drenched with sweat within minutes. With a frustrated sigh, he finally gave up and peeled it off, revealing his chest and arms glistening with perspiration. The air inside the barn was thick and heavy, offering no respite from the scorching sun outside. But Maverick couldn't stop now. There were stalls to be mucked out and horses to be tended to.

Most of the ranch hands worked around the cattle or doing maintenance, but since Maverick was a foreman, he worked around the barns with the horses.

As the day wore on, he drove back home and gratefully stepped into the coolness of his house. He heard the familiar sound of the pet door flap and saw his Australian shepherd, Blue, bounding toward him. She stood in front of him, her back-end wiggling excitedly before she suddenly stood up on her hind legs and waved her paw, causing Maverick to chuckle. He squatted down and rubbed behind her ears.

"Hey there girl. Did you have a good day?" Maverick chuckled as Blue barked in response and spun around in circles. "I suppose you think that deserves a biscuit?"

At another bark from Blue, Maverick made his way to the box of dog biscuits, grabbing one and tossing it to her. She caught it deftly in her mouth before scampering off to the living room to devour her treat.

Maverick headed for the bathroom, eager to wash off the grime and sweat from a long day's work. As he entered his bedroom, he shed his clothes until he was completely nude. Stepping into the bathroom, he reached into the shower stall and turned on the water, letting out a sharp hiss as the cold water hit his skin.

"Shit," he swore as he quickly adjusted the temperature to warm it up. Once the water warmed up, he picked up his shampoo and lathered up his hair, relishing the feel of water against his scalp. Once he was finished washing his hair, he moved on to washing his body with soap, scrubbing away the dirt and grime.

Suddenly, he heard the door push open and knew it was Blue entering the bathroom. She hated being apart from him when he was home, and Maverick often took her to work with him on the ranch. He had quickly learned that Aussies didn't take kindly to being left alone when she had destroyed an entire sofa in protest. But despite her mischievous tendencies, Blue was a good dog and incredibly smart. She would join Maverick on cattle drives without any training, her natural instincts kicking in to help herd the animals.

The shower curtain rustled, and Maverick looked down to see Blue peeking in curiously.

"I'll be out in a minute, girl." He chuckled as Blue barked at him again, clearly impatient for his attention. No wonder they were known as ‘Velcro dogs'.

After showering and drying off, he threw on a comfortable T-shirt and sweatpants. He made himself a sandwich in the kitchen and carried it to the living room, where he settled into his recliner. With the footrest up, he turned on the TV and tuned into the news.

A commercial for the Hartland Restaurant caught his attention, causing him to curse under his breath. He grabbed his phone and attempted to make a reservation, only to be told there were no openings for Saturday night. Irritated, he called Grant and after some teasing from his friend, managed to secure a reservation. Maverick then tried calling Parker but received no answer. So, he sent her a text message informing her of their dinner plans before placing his phone on the arm of the chair and returning to watching the news. Eventually, he leaned back with his eyes closed.

He was jolted awake by the buzzing of his phone after dozing off for a few minutes. He picked it up to see a text message from Parker.

Great! I'll see you Saturday

Yes, ma'am. Maverick replied.

To his surprise, he found himself eagerly anticipating seeing Parker on Saturday. Even more surprising was the fact that he secretly hoped this could lead to something more. It had been a while since he had been in a relationship, and his last one hadn't ended well. But with Parker, he felt like there might be potential for something special. It didn't hurt to find out.

****

Parker smiled as she read Maverick's message. Cowboys and their jargon. She remembered when she'd first moved here and started working for Shay. When Shay's husband, Wes and his brother, Warren, came into the shop one day, Parker couldn't stop staring at them. She'd always been fascinated by cowboys.

When she was younger, she loved western movies, and when she got older and started reading romance novels, the first contemporary cowboy romance captured her heart and now that's all she would read. At first, she was sure those men didn't really exist, until she moved to Clifton, Montana and met quite a few who could have stepped right off the pages of a book.

"And now, you're going out with one," she said, giggling as she unlocked the door and entered her apartment.

The cooler air made her sigh. She walked to and from work since it was only a few blocks away, but she knew she'd drive in colder weather.

Once inside, she hung her purse on the hatrack, kicked off her sneakers, and walked to the bathroom to shower. Then she would settle in for the evening .

Later, after eating a salad, she called Shay to ask about the restaurant and what to wear. She told her basically the same thing Maverick had, that there was no dress code and women would show up wearing jeans, slacks, dress, or skirt.

Parker walked to her bedroom, opened the closet door and stared at the clothes hanging on the rack. As she pushed them along the rod, she shook her head at each item.

"Well, damn. Now what?" She nibbled on her bottom lip as she thought about wearing a dress, but none she had appealed to her. "Looks like another trip to Walton's is in order."

With a sigh, she closed the door, headed back to the living room, took a seat on the sofa and watched TV until it was time for bed. She hoped the week went by quickly. She couldn't wait to see Maverick again.

The following morning, Parker unlocked the door to the shop, entered, then locked it behind her. She liked to come in early to get the place ready. She made herself a cup of coffee, then carried it around with her as she dusted the shelves and glassware. She absolutely loved working here, although she didn't need to work. Brad's insurance policy, along with the money she was awarded in the lawsuit against a bar, she was pretty much set for life. She just wasn't the type of person to sit home and do nothing. Just as she put the supplies away, she heard the key in the door and knew Shay had arrived.

"Parker?"

"Hey, you're a little early today."

"I forgot to tell you that I'll be leaving today around one. Connor has a doctor appointment and I have to order more from Uncle Lou, so I wanted to get that done before the day gets busy and I have to leave."

"Is Connor alright?"

"Oh yeah, just a check-up."

"Oh, good. Well, that's fine. Don't worry about it. I'll take care of the place." Parker smiled.

"I have no doubt about that. I'm going to get busy. I'll be in the office if you need me."

"Okay. Oh, I'm going to have to make a trip to Walton's to find something to wear for Saturday night."

Shay laughed. "Of course, you do. I'm sure you have absolutely nothing to wear in your closet, do you?"

"How did you know?" Parker laughed.

"I'm the same way. What do you want to wear?"

"I haven't dressed up in years, so I'd love to wear a dress or skirt."

"How about a nice halter dress with wedge sandals?"

"That would be comfortable too."

"Are you going anywhere after dinner?"

"He didn't say. Maybe he's going to see how dinner goes first. If he doesn't like me, he can take me home." Parker grinned.

"Please. What's not to like? You're a beautiful woman and have a great personality. I asked Wes about Maverick back when we first met and he said Maverick rarely dated, but he did know he'd been in a serious relationship at one time. I have no idea what happened and when I asked Wes, he said he didn't ask."

"Men. How can you not ask?" Parker laughed .

"Right?" Shay joined in the laughter. "Anyway, you can go to Walton's tomorrow during lunch if you want. It shouldn't take you long and even if it does, you don't have to rush. You know, I'm thinking about hiring someone. For reasons like this. We're so busy but when I have to leave early or you do, I'd like an extra person here." Shay frowned. "What do you think?"

"I think it couldn't hurt."

"I could hire them full-time for the summer months, but just let them work part-time during the winter when business is slow."

"I think it's a great idea."

"I'll definitely give it some thought. Well, I believe it's time we got our butts in gear and open the door." Shay grinned as she headed for the office to place orders while Parker unlocked the front door.

****

Maverick drove his truck to the barns, ready to tackle the day's work. The chores were posted in the bunkhouses the night before, a routine the foremen had developed to give the men a head start after breakfast.

Blue rested her head on his lap as he drove, gazing up at him with unbridled adoration. He grinned and affectionately scratched behind her ears.

"Now, Blue, just because we're going to the barn doesn't mean you can run all over God's creation. Got it?" He chuckled at her whine. She loved accompanying him to the barns, especially when he rode out on horseback .

As he parked the truck near the back entrance of the barn, Blue perked up and started barking excitedly. Maverick shook his head in amusement, got out of the truck, and held the door for Blue to jump down and run along the aisle of the barn. After closing the door behind him, Maverick made his way to his horse's stall. He wanted to check on the fence in the west pasture that he had instructed some new hires to repair yesterday. It was important that they did it correctly. They seemed to know what they were doing, but he knew he'd feel better checking the work.

After changing the halter to a bridle, Maverick led the big Quarter horse out of the stall. The horse stood at seventeen hands, its coat a deep, rich red and its mane, tail, and legs a sleek black. As Maverick secured the reins to the post, the horse playfully chewed at the sleeve of his T-shirt.

"I don't need you ruining another shirt, Cisco." Maverick chuckled as he moved away from the horse's playful antics. But he couldn't help but smile as Cisco bobbed his head up and down, as if in agreement and showing his teeth. "I know you think you're funny, but you're not."

Suddenly, Blue headed straight for Cisco. Maverick watched as the horse lowered his head to nuzzle his buddy. Maverick grabbed the blanket from the tack room and placed it carefully on Cisco's back before returning for the saddle. Once everything was in place, Maverick mounted the horse and gave a gentle nudge with his knees to set off.

Looking over his shoulder, Maverick caught sight of Blue excitedly following behind them. He waved at Wes who was walking into one of the other barns before urging Cisco into a gallop toward the west pasture.

The blazing sun beat down on Maverick's shoulders, already slick with sweat. It was going to be another scorching day on the ranch. The tall grass swayed and whispered against the horse's legs as Blue ran ahead. Maverick reached into the leather saddlebag and retrieved a bottle of water, grateful for the refreshment. He twisted off the cap and took a long gulp, the cool liquid soothing his parched throat.

As he neared the section of fence he needed to check, beads of sweat began to trickle down his chest and between his shoulder blades. The heat was relentless, but Maverick knew he had work to do. He was glad that this section was close by; with so many acres to cover, it was important to have certain areas fenced off for easier cattle management. The west pasture was where a large portion of the land was divided into sections.

Riding along the fence, Maverick observed that the new employees he had hired seemed to know their job well.

After checking the fence, he turned Cisco around, nudged him, and rode through the field. He glanced over his shoulder to see Blue not keeping up, so he reined the horse to a stop, dismounted and removed another bottle of water from the saddlebag, along with a small bowl, and poured the water into it and let Blue drink. Once she was finished, he filled the bowl again to let Cisco get a drink .

Maverick knew they had to be thirsty too. The sun was merciless today and it wasn't even close to noon. He put everything away, mounted the horse, whistled for Blue, and she jumped up onto the back of the horse behind the saddle, then he nudged Cisco, and they rode back to the barns.