Page 2 of The Maverick's Homecoming

In high school, she had loved him with every fiber of her being. And then, when he left her, she’d hated him with the burning fury of a thousand suns. It had taken her a long time to get over him.

But all that was ancient history. Now, she had Tate to get over. The heartbreak she’d suffered when Finn walked away from her was water under a very old bridge.

She did find it somewhat disorienting, though, to have him standing right here in front of her today of all days. She’d heard he was back in town. But this was the first time she’d seen him in person since he broke up with her all those years ago.

He seemed to be studying her face. Did she look as woozy as she felt? Was he waiting for her to do something alarming—perhaps pass out and fall off her stool? “You’re pale,” he said. “You sure you’re—”

She cut him off with a weary wave of her hand. “Just a little queasy, that’s all. It happened fast, my divorce. I get sick to my stomach just thinking about it.”

Right then, the bartender emerged from the open doorway to the back room. He spotted Finn first and came straight for him. “What do you know?” He stuck out his beefy hand. “Finn Monahan, am I right?”

“That’s right.” The two men shook hands as Kenzie put all her energy into not being sick.

“I’m Dale Clutterbuck,” the bartender said. “I moved to town eighteen years ago, which means I was here when you led the Tenacity Titans to back-to-back state championships. Then, twelve years ago now, I bought this bar from old Mr. Kelsy. Man, it’s great that you’ve come back to town, Finn. And I do mean that sincerely. I heard you bought the Rawlings place. That’s quite a house.”

“Yeah. It’s a beautiful property.”

“It is indeed. You settling in alright?”

Finn slid a worried glance Kenzie’s way. She squared her shoulders and managed a grim smile to signal that she was just fine.

His gaze swung back to Dale. “I’m doing well, Dale, thanks. I’m in real estate now and have been for a while. Things are looking up around here and I’ve got a feeling this town is going to do just fine in the future. As a matter of fact, I’m betting on Tenacity to come back big.”

“Smart man,” Dale replied with a firm nod. “Yeah, we’ve had some bad years. But that’s over now. And you chose the right line of work. The real-estate market is only going to get hotter.”

The bartender knew what he was talking about, Kenzie thought as she sucked in air, slowly and steadily, through her nose. The old days of political corruption were behind them. Tenacity’s new mayor was trusted and admired by everyone in town. Money once stolen from the town coffers had been reclaimed at last. And then dinosaur bones had been discovered. The town had pulled together to build the Tenacity Dinosaur Center, which was now open and attracting tourists from all over.

Dale was still talking. “Well, don’t be a stranger, Finn. It’s real nice to have you back home.” He turned to Kenzie then…and got his first good look at her. “Whoa!”

She tried a big smile. “Hey, Dale. Good to see you. How’ve you been?”

“I’m fine. But you don’t look so good—it’s Kenzie, am I right?” When she opened her mouth to tell him her last name, he put up a hand. “Wait, wait. Don’t tell me. Hastings! Kenzie Hastings.”

“School nurse, at your service.” She tried a chuckle. Too bad it came out as more of a groan. “And it’s Osborne. Kenzie Osborne. I, uh, recently took back my family name.”

“Alright then, Kenzie Osborne.” Dale leaned closer and asked gently, “Tell me the truth, now. Yousureyou’re okay?”

Willing her stomach to settle the heck down, she took off her denim jacket and hung it on the hook beneath the bar. “Must have been something I ate. But I’m feeling better now, honestly.”

Finn caught her eye. “Ginger ale?”

She almost smiled. After all these years, he remembered. She used to crave ginger ale whenever she was feeling under the weather—which was often during the last couple of months they were together. “Ginger ale would be perfect, thank you.”

“Coming right up. Finn?”

“Maker’s Mark and ice.”

“Done.” Dale served their drinks and moved down the bar to get that lone cowboy another beer.

Finn sipped whiskey as Kenzie tackled her tall ginger ale. The fizzy drink helped. She grinned as she realized that Finn was still standing.

“Still haven’t dared to sit down, huh?” she teased.

He looked pained. “Given our…history, it seemed like a good idea not to grab a seat until I’d been invited.”

He had a point. But the past? It was forever ago. She patted the stool beside her. “Consider the hatchet officially buried.”

He looked at her sideways. “There was a hatchet?”