Maverick’s Secret Daughter by Mann Catherine

Author:Mann, Catherine
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2024-02-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Ryan had never been so sure of anything in his life. Proposing to Gabby so that Bella would have his name made complete sense on many levels. Although based on the look of horror on Gabby’s face, he suspected she would need a hefty dose of persuasion.

She grabbed him by the sleeve of his jacket and hauled him into her apartment. “Get in here before someone hears you and lights up the town with even more gossip.”

“Let them talk.” His chin jutted as he looked around at the other apartment doors. “I would proudly tell the world about my beautiful bride-to-be and our perfect daughter.”

Gabby paced away from him, her hands on her shapely hips, her long legs bare in the plaid sleep shorts. He hadn’t allowed himself to think much about their shared past while all of his thoughts had been on processing the news of his daughter. But now? Why not enjoy the things that had been so appealing about Gabby in the first place?

She pivoted to face him again, her face full of accusation. “I can’t believe you asked me to marry you. Have you been drinking?”

“I’m sober as a judge,” he insisted, a bit insulted but determined to keep his cool. Too much rode on him winning this negotiation. “And yes, I asked you to be my wife. I had hoped for a different response.”

“I’m not sure I understand where you got that impression.” She charged away. “You might as well follow me and explain. I have to finish these brownies before the ingredients spoil.”

He worked to keep his eyes off the sway of her bottom and focus on her words. “What do you mean by more gossip? Who’s been talking?” Was his father already creating trouble? His dad was spiteful, no question, but this didn’t seem quite his style.

“Apparently people all over the county have been texting each other about Ryan-Gabby-Bella sightings and theorizing. Your ex-girlfriend Nora didn’t help matters.”

“Nora’s been talking? When? After we left the restaurant?” He was deeply confused. Or maybe his head was still reeling from the massive rejection of his very first marriage proposal.

His father and Nora had been pressuring him to commit, but Gabby seemed determined to keep him at arm’s length.

“Not exactly. Someone overheard our conversation. I guess from now on, I’ll need to check for feet under all the bathroom stall doors to make sure no one is eavesdropping.”

He didn’t even have to know who’d been listening. In Bronco, there were dozens of people who would have been riveted. And the mental image of any one of those people hiding out in a bathroom stall, trapped and unable to leave without interrupting the showdown between Nora and Gabby... A much-needed laugh swelled inside him, a relief after a stressful evening.

Gabby dumped sugar into a bowl of butter and eggs with so much force it caused a splash. “It’s not funny.”

“The speed with which rumors spread around this town is absurd, sure, but also laughable.”

She smooshed a spatula through, creaming the sugar, eggs and butter together, adding a splash of vanilla.

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