Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
No one answered.
Her brother Clay was a flavor-of-the-month type. He never dated anyone for long. Ava wasn’t sure he’d ever had a long-term relationship. Since relationships were a taboo subject in the family—the only taboo subject, in fact, and what a wonderful legacy from their parents it was—Ava had no idea.
Except that Clay seemed to have friends, not girlfriends.
“I wonder if she has some artistic ability we don’t know about,” Fernsby mused.
Troy guffawed. “Like what? Pole dancing?”
Cammie shushed him. “Just because she’s—”
“Well endowed?” Fernsby furnished with a raised brow when Cammie seemed unable to find another word.
“That doesn’t mean she’s an exotic dancer,” Cammie insisted. “She could be a dentist.”
Even Dane had to laugh then. “Drilling, filling, and billing?”
Cammie frowned at them. “You’re all so bad.”
A smile lurked even on Fernsby’s thin lips. Ava swore she’d seen that barely there smile more than once over the past few months, especially after Dane and Cammie finally got together.
It was time to take the spotlight off Clay. Ava said to Troy, “So, tell us where your flavor of the month is.”
Troy just smiled. Enigmatically. As if he wanted to keep them guessing. “I prefer stag for weddings. That way, no one gets any ideas.”
Fernsby drawled, “This speculation is beneath all of us. I must attend to the cake.”
When he was gone, Ava asked, “Didn’t he start the speculation?”
Watching Fernsby’s long-limbed figure retreat, they smiled in his wake. The man was unfathomable.
Susan Spencer left the house, crossing the deck and giving Fernsby’s arm a squeeze as she passed.
“There’s Susan,” Ava said. “I want a quick word with her.” She excused herself from the group.
Reaching Susan’s side, Ava put her hand on her arm. “I just have to say that it’s a wonderful way for all the kids to enjoy the wedding as well.” With a tip of her chin, Ava indicated the kids’ tent off to the side.
The young ones were being entertained with movies and games. Ransom had prepared several different sandwiches, including grilled cheese, as well as chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, and personal pizzas. All the favorite kid foods.
Next to that, the moms’ tent catered to those who were breast-feeding and had infants who needed changing. In this gathering, that included quite a few.
The Mavericks had thought of everything, creating the most amazing kid and mommy zone, including sitters to care for the children so the moms could enjoy the festivities.
But then, they were Mavericks. Of course they thought of everything.
“It’s worked out perfectly,” Susan said. “Children can get bored at weddings, with all the pomp and ceremony.” She wore a beautiful peach-colored cocktail dress appropriate for an outdoor afternoon wedding, her short silver hair feathered back from her face. She was a lovely woman, and she adored her children.
From the corner of her eye, Ava saw Ransom step out of the house. Even if her back had been to the kitchen doorway, she would have known it was him. And Lord, he looked amazing in a fitted black tux, his salt-and-pepper hair shimmering in the sunlight.
She hoped he wasn’t about to ask Susan’s opinion on something for the wedding dinner.
Just in case, Ava steered Susan away. “You’ve been to a lot of weddings recently, haven’t you?”
Susan Spencer was the Maverick matriarch. Even if they’d all come from different parents—except Susan and Bob’s two biological children, Daniel and Lyssa—each Maverick called Susan Mom.
Susan clasped her hands over her heart. “It’s a dream come true for my boys. They’ve all found the most wonderful women. And all the new babies too. I’m the happiest grandmother in the world.” Her eyes sparkled with tears of joy. Three babies had swelled the Maverick ranks over the summer. Matt’s wife, Ari, had given Noah a little sister, Penelope. Lyssa and Cal had welcomed a baby boy, Owen, and of course, there was Gideon and Rosie’s daughter, Isabella.
Touching Ava’s arm, Susan said, “And it’s been so lovely watching Dane and Cammie’s love story grow right before our eyes.”
That was just like Susan. Romantic stars glittered in her eyes. She smiled and leaned closer to say, “Only mothers can get away with asking something like this, but is there anyone special in your life?”
Ava automatically glanced at Ransom talking with his bartender at the mobile bar cart. He looked so good in that tux, she could have drooled.
Realizing too late what she’d done, she snapped her gaze back to Susan. “No.” Despite herself, the single word came out breathlessly.
“Oh, okay.” Susan paused, just for a second, and Ava sensed she’d seen something in that brief glance. Then the sweet woman said brightly, “It’s truly wonderful that Ransom stepped in to save the wedding feast. And on such short notice too. I know Rosie and Gideon are so grateful to you, as we all are, for putting them in touch with him. He’s such a delightful, thoughtful, exceptional man.”