The Maverick's Secret Baby

Finn slipped his hand onto the small of her back as he led her toward the main house, and she tried her best to relax. An impossible task, considering that her father would probably disown her if he had any idea where she was right now. Finding out about the baby was going to kill him.

But she couldn’t worry about that now. First, she had to figure out how to tell Finn, and that seemed more difficult than ever now that this little outing was beginning to feel like a date.

Does he have to be so charming?

It was the flowers—they’d completely thrown her off her game. Which was pathetic, considering how active Finn’s Montana social life had become. He probably got a bulk discount at the nearest florist.

“This place is gorgeous,” she said. “Do all your brothers live out here?”

Finn nodded. “Logan, Knox and Hunter have cottages on the property. Xander and his family just moved into their own ranch house in town. Wilder and I live in the main house with my dad.”

His dad.

So Maximilian Crawford was here somewhere. Great.

“You look a million miles away all of a sudden.” Finn paused on the threshold to study her. “Everything okay?”

No, nothing was okay. She felt huge and overly emotional, and he was still the same ridiculously handsome man, perfectly dashing in all his clueless daddy-to-be glory.

“Actually…” Her mouth went dry. She couldn’t swallow, much less form the words she so desperately needed to say.

Tell him. Do it now.

“Yes?” He tilted his head, dark eyes glittering beneath the rim of his black Stetson.

Meeting his gaze felt impossible all of a sudden, so she glanced at his plain black T-shirt instead. But the way it hugged the solid wall of his chest was distracting to say the least.

“I, um…” She let out a lungful of air.

“You’re beautiful, that’s what you are. A sight for sore eyes. Do you have any idea how glad I am to see you?” Finn reached up and ran his hand along her jaw, caressing her cheek with the pad of his thumb.

It took every ounce of Avery’s willpower not to lean into his touch and purr like a kitten. Her body was more than ready to just go with the flow, but her thoughts were screaming.

Tell him, you coward!

“I’m relieved to hear you say that.” Butterflies took flight deep in Avery’s belly—or maybe it was their baby doing backflips at the sound of its daddy’s voice. She swallowed hard. “Because…”

Then all of a sudden, the front door swung open and she was rendered utterly speechless by the sight of her father’s mortal enemy standing on the threshold with an enormous orange pumpkin tucked under one arm.

She recognized him in an instant. His picture appeared every year in the Crawford Meats annual report, and he looked exactly the same as his slick corporate portrait. Same deep tan and lined face, same devil-may-care expression.

Maximilian Crawford stared at her for a surprised beat. Then he glanced back and forth between her and Finn until his eyes narrowed into slits. “Well, well. Howdy, you two.”

“Dad,” Finn said. There was a hint of a warning in his voice, but Maximilian seemed to ignore it.

“Aren’t you going to tell me what you’re doing keeping company with Avery Ellington?” The older man smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Maximilian Crawford had just smiled at her. She was surprised lightning didn’t strike her on the spot. If her father were dead, he’d be spinning in his grave.

“Avery’s just here for a friendly visit.” Finn’s hand moved to the small of her back again, and a shiver snaked its way up her spine. “I’m not sure you two have officially met. Avery, meet my dad, Maximilian.”

“Hello, sir.” She offered her hand.

He gave it a shake, but instead of letting go, he kept her hand clasped in his. “You’re Oscar’s little girl.”

He was going there. Okaaaay.

“One and the same,” she said, reminding herself that this man wasn’t just her father’s nemesis. He was also the grandfather of her unborn child.

“Right.” He gave her hand a light squeeze and then finally released it. “I’m not sure if your daddy ever mentioned me, but he and I go way back.”

Avery nodded. “I’m aware.”

She shot a quick glance at Finn. The night they’d slept together in Oklahoma, he didn’t seem to care much about any animosity between their families, but she’d wondered if he’d simply been downplaying things in order to avoid any awkwardness between them.

Not that she’d cared. She’d been more than ready to forget about anything that got in the way of their ongoing flirtation. Besides, they’d been miles away from Dallas. Just like the famous saying—what happens in Oklahoma stays in Oklahoma.

Unless it results in an accidental pregnancy.

“Interesting man, your father.” Maximilian’s expression turned vaguely nostalgic. “We were roommates back in the day. Almost went into business together. Truth be told, I occasionally miss those times.”

Finn sneaked Avery a reassuring grin as his father’s attitude softened somewhat.

“How’s he doing? And your mom?” Maximilian shifted his pumpkin from one arm to the other. “Good, I hope.”

Avery nodded. “They’re great.”

For now, anyway. Once she started showing, all bets were off.

“Avery’s in town for a few days, so I thought I’d show her around a little bit.” Finn eyed the pumpkin. “Tell me you’re not on the way out here to try to carve that thing into a jack-o’-lantern.”

“It’s October. Of course that’s what I’m going to do.”

“Dad, this isn’t Dallas. Halloween isn’t for a few weeks. If you leave a carved pumpkin outside, it’s going to get eaten up long before the thirty-first. The coyotes will probably get it before sunup.” Finn shrugged. “If the elk don’t get to it first.”

“Fine. I’ll take it inside after it’s done. I’ve got five more to carve after this one. We can line them up by the fireplace. I just thought the place could use some holiday flair.” Maximilian grinned. “Especially since we’re welcoming a new little one to the family.”

Avery coughed, and both men turned to look at her. “Excuse me. Little one?”

They couldn’t possibly know. Could they?

“My brother Logan is a new stepdad. He and his wife have a nine-month-old little girl, and my father suddenly wants us to believe he’s transformed from a cattle baron into a doting grandfather.” Finn narrowed his gaze at his dad.

“Oh.” This seemed promising. It almost made her wish she planned on raising the baby closer to Montana, but that would be insane. She had a job back in Dallas. A family. A life. “How sweet.”

Finn held out his hands to his father. “Why don’t you leave the pumpkin carving to us? Manual labor of any kind isn’t exactly your strong suit.”

Maximilian glanced at Avery and lifted a brow. “You’re willing to stick around long enough to help Finn with my mini pumpkin patch?”