AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When he came back inside with the New York strips, he took them directly into the dining room where the table was set, including the side dishes.
Next to his plate sat a small package wrapped in red and pink paper.
“What’s this?” he asked as he sat down.
“Just something from Sawyer.”
“Can I open it now?”
“No, wait until after dinner.”
Maverick pulled the earrings from his pocket. Pam had been wrapping her husband’s present at the office and had some of the purple, red, and pink hearts paper left over—enough to wrap the small box, anyway.
He set the package next to her place setting. “Sawyer got you something, too.”
She shot him the dirty look he’d been expecting.
“Dammit, Maverick.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t make the rules, Hallmark does. And, apparently a new mother getting a Valentine’s present from her baby is like a cardinal rule, so there’s no way I was going to let my son violate that.”
“You’re not funny.”
“Come on, I’m kind of funny.”
“Not even the littlest bit.”
He’d come to know when she was trying to act mad, but really wasn’t, so he felt confident cockily replying, “You can admit it,” as he put the medium cut of meat on her plate.
“You’re impossible, is what you are.”
“Impossibly loveable.”
He knew he was pushing the envelope with that remark.
She scooped mashed potatoes onto her plate and handed him the bowl.
“You have your moments.”
Victory!
He was going to quit while he was ahead.
They finished preparing their plates and started to eat.
“Darlin’, this is delicious. You outdid yourself.”
“Thank you.”
The conversation that flowed was easy, although somewhat innocuous. She told him about Sawyer’s antics that afternoon, he bitched about the traffic coming home.
The domesticity of their dinner added to the perfection.
“Should we open presents before dessert?” he asked.
The package that sat next to his plate had been taunting him all through their meal, and he couldn’t wait anymore. He was dying to know what it was.
“Sure…”
