Page 14 of Falling for the Maverick

“It looks like Lucas has really entrenched himself in our family,” Aaron said under his breath.

“That’s because his sister is married to our brother,” Michelle said.

“Which is something that will never happen with my sister.”

A frown settled into Patty’s features. “Why would you say that, Aaron?”

Michelle glared at her brother, daring him to open his mouth and tell their parents why he believed she shouldn’t have anything to do with Tiffany’s brother.

“I just feel that Lucas is not right for Michelle.”

“And what made you come to that conclusion?” Joseph asked his son.

“The word is he’s commitment-shy.”

Patty laughed softly. “That sounds like the pot calling the kettle black.”

Aaron bristled. “l will commit when I find the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, not because I’m pressured to put a ring on her finger.”

Michelle wanted to tell Aaron that him proposing would be cause for a celebration lasting an entire month. Even Shane, who’d had a yo-yo relationship with a woman, had finally come to his senses once he met Remi Hawkins. Shane and Della Arnold were college sweethearts who broke up because she didn’t want to live on a ranch. Fast-forward ten years, they reconciled, Shane left the Circle C to live with her in Helena, then two years later he came back. That time for good. He’d been withdrawn and refused to talk about his breakup. Then he met award-winning rodeo rider Remi Hawkins of the famous Hawkins Sisters. His whole world changed once he realized she was perfect for him, and he for her because she’d tired of dating rodeo cowboys.

Remi was good for Shane, and it was the same with Tiffany and Ellis. As a city girl, Tiffany didn’t know if she would ever feel comfortable in a place where there were no museums, no concert hall where she could listen to a symphony or an upscale spa where she could get a hot stone massage. The very notion of learning to ride a horse gave her anxiety. Quiet, confident and patient Ellis was able to convince Tiffany that he was nothing like her two-timing ex and that their differences weren’t insurmountable because he loved her and was willing to wait until she dealt with the issues in her past. Michelle didn’t know if Lucas was her Mr. Right, but she hoped one day she would fall in love and experience her own happily-ever-after.

Aaron drained his coffee mug and slid off the bench seat. “Thanks, Mom, for breakfast. Good luck, Dad, with your meeting.”

Joseph nodded. “Thanks, son.”

Michelle hadn’t realized how tense she’d been until Aaron left the kitchen. She was glad her mother had shot him down after he mentioned Lucas was commitment-­shy.

She didn’t know why that bothered her brother so much. She hadn’t even had her first date with Lucas yet, and already Aaron was talking about commitment. What Aaron failed to realize was that even if she wanted a commitment that was something she wanted years from now. What her brother didn’t know was that she did not want a rerun of what she’d experienced with her last boyfriend. Everyone at the school had known she was dating Keith, but no one suspected he was also seeing another teacher at the same time. It all came to light on Valentine’s Day when the other woman came in with a sparkly diamond engagement ring and announced that she and Keith were planning to get married over the summer break. Michelle had to endure the pitying looks and an occasional I feel your pain, Michelle, until the end of the school term. She had wanted to tell them it wasn’t pain that she’d been experiencing but rage and humiliation for not recognizing the signs that Keith had been deceitful.

She’d learned a lot in two years. Never again would she advertise whom she was dating. That included her family, because if it didn’t work out, then she didn’t have to explain what had gone wrong. Or experience anyone treating her as some fragile soul who needed their support so she could heal emotionally.

Michelle planned to join Lucas at the pumpkin spice crawl, but only if it suited her.

Her dad stirred beside her. “Baby girl, you’re going to have to get up. Tristan just sent me a text that he’s on his way to pick me up.”

Michelle slipped off the bench seat. “When am I going to stop being your baby girl?” she asked, smiling.

Joseph dropped a kiss on her hair. “Never. Even when you’re a married woman with babies of your own, you’ll still be my baby girl.”

Patty waited until her husband left the kitchen to say, “Once we had Shane and Ellis, your father kept running his mouth about wanting a daughter. Meanwhile, I was okay with having two boys, but no, he just had to have that girl.”

Michelle laughed. “And it took you having two more boys before you guys hit the jackpot and had me.”

Patty slowly shook her head. “I was so done having five kids that were two years apart that I was ready to serve your father with divorce papers when he mentioned having one more baby to make it an even six.”

“No! You were seriously thinking about divorcing your prince?”

Patty lowered her eyes. “Joe knew I was just blowing smoke. But I was truly serious about not having another baby. Just when I managed to get one potty-trained, I had another in diapers.”

“Admit it, Mom, that if you had to go back in time you still would’ve had all of us.”

“There are two things in my life that I will never regret, and that is falling in love and marrying your father and giving birth to our children. And I hope one day you’ll be able to experience that, too.”

Michelle had no comeback. She wasn’t looking to fall in love. She planned to date and have as much fun as she could until her Mr. Right Now became her Mr. Right.

She walked over to the buffet table and filled a plate with scrambled eggs and crisp bacon. “It looks like rain today, so I’m going to bake a batch of pumpkin squares later,” she told Patty.