The Maverick's Midnight Proposal. Brenda Harlen

you have to be back in Wyoming before then?” she guessed.

      He shook his head. “No. For the past couple of years, I’ve been working on a huge spread outside Cheyenne—there are plenty of hands to cover the work, especially this time of year.”

      “So you could stay...but you don’t want to?” she asked, seeking clarification.

      “I’m not sure what I want,” he admitted. “Bella and Hudson have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome, but it still feels strange to be back after so many years. And I haven’t even seen my brother Jamie yet.”

      Eva remained silent. Though she had a thousand questions she wanted to ask, it was obvious that he needed someone to listen—and not judge.

      “He was only fifteen when I left,” Luke continued. “Now he’s married—for the second time—and the father of three toddlers.”

      “Henry, Jared and Katie.” She opened a packet of sugar and dumped it into her cup, stirred. “They’re adorable.”

      “I guess I’ll see for myself this weekend. The invitation to their house came to me through Bella, from Jamie’s wife. I’m not even sure if my brother knows that I’ve been invited.”