The Buena Vista Café was a San Francisco icon. Bottles crammed the glass shelves behind the bar, and Irish coffee mugs lined the countertop, ready for the favored libation. Located at Hyde and Beach Streets near Ghirardelli Square, on the first sunny Sunday in what seemed like forever, the bar was filled to capacity.
The waitstaff put together several tables in the tented curbside seating area to accommodate their group. Cammie was sandwiched between Dane and Ava, with Dane’s thigh resting along hers, his body heat doing funny things to Cammie’s stomach. Something like butterflies. Which meant nothing.
Honking horns and clanking cable cars played a rowdy tune outside the tented parklet, along with raucous voices and boisterous laughter inside. That came mostly from the Mavericks, everyone talking over one another.
Cammie loved the bustle of San Francisco, the happy tourists, the scrumptious food, the salt air, the city skyline, the Golden Gate. Dane had a flat on Nob Hill, but she hadn’t been to the city since her uncle worsened. And she missed the hustle. Though Dane’s Pebble Beach estate would always be her favorite of his homes.
Gabby bounded in, a pink bakery box balanced on her hands. She’d said she was bringing a few sweets, but the box was big enough to hold a full sheet cake.
When she opened the flap, the Mavericks went gaga at the mouthwatering selection of treats. Noah and Jorge wriggled so eagerly on their seats, they might have bobbed away if Ari and Rosie hadn’t been holding them down.
“Those might even look better than Fernsby’s offerings.” Tasha Summerfield rubbed her hands together, while Daniel Spencer leaned close to whisper something into her silky black hair, making her laugh, then bat a hand at him. If those two weren’t engaged yet, they soon would be.
Dane jumped in. “Don’t let Fernsby hear you say that. You’ll never get one of his treats again.”
Gabby’s eyes sparkled. “That’s really why Fernsby left right after the game. I told him I was bringing yummy gluten-free vegan goodies, and he fled in horror.”
Everyone laughed except the Maverick men, who’d suddenly gone wide-eyed and leery.
“But we’re not vegan,” Matt Tremont said, tugging on his hair as if he might pull it out were he forced to eat a vegan pastry.
Dane smiled his lady-killer smile, which of course had no effect on Cammie. At least, not that she’d show. “You’ll turn vegan and gluten-free,” he declared, “after you taste one of these.”
He’d always supported everything Gabby did, just as he had all his siblings.
The Maverick ladies nodded enthusiastically. Ari elbowed her husband. “Come on, Matt. Don’t be a fraidy-cat.” She ruffled her stepson’s mop of hair that was as dark as his father’s. “You’re dying to try one, right, Noah?”
The boy nodded dramatically. “I’m not a fraidy-cat.”
Gabby pulled out a box within the box and set it on the table. Flipping her long blond hair over one shoulder, she leaned close, pointing to a muffin. “This one has an herb that’s good for the heartburn pregnant women can get. And here I’ve got some ginger scones that help the digestion.” She held up the box for all of the pregnant women to see. “And this pastry here will help keep your feet from swelling. It’s savory, with dill and sun-dried tomatoes.”
Ari, her hazel eyes alight, said, “I can’t decide which one to try. How about we share?” She looked at Gabby. “They won’t cause any reaction with each other, will they?”
Gabby smiled. “Everything here is good for you. And, of course, there’s no cheese.”
Rosie, Ari, Lyssa, and especially Paige, the most pregnant of them all, smiled gratefully. Gabby cut the treats into pieces to share, arranging them on plates the waitstaff had brought.
With one taste of the savory pastry, Paige groaned. “Oh my. That is sooo delicious.”
Murmurs of appreciation sounded all around. “Thank you so much for thinking of this,” Lyssa said to Gabby as Cal tried swiping a piece off her plate. She swatted him. “These are only for those of us who are pregnant. You don’t get one.”
Once again, the group burst into laughter.
But the Mavericks were a harder sell. Pushing the bigger box to the center of the table, Gabby introduced the delicacies. “This is a cheese blintz.”
Sebastian snorted. “If it’s vegan, how can it have cheese?”
If he thought he could shoot Gabby down, he was wrong. Gabby Harrington had always held her own around strong men. She simply smiled and said with a slight drawl, “It’s vegan cheese. You have heard of that, right?”
“Isn’t that an oxymoron?” Daniel said in a dry tone.
Gabby wasn’t fazed. “You’d be surprised at the vegan and gluten-free products we have these days. And more are arriving all the time. This one is made with nuts. And it’s delicious.” Her gaze challenged them all.
Even Cammie, who didn’t know them well, understood the Mavericks would never back down from a challenge.
Troy leaned his elbows on the table, clasping his hands. “I’ve got dibs on a cruller, so don’t any of you even think about it. Gabby’s raspberry crullers tingle the tastebuds.” He broke into a grin. “And the fudge glaze is to die for.”
Beside her, Dane was grinning, while Ava kept silent, though a sneaky smile played on her lips. The Mavericks were going down.
Dane reached for Cammie’s hand under the table, squeezing her fingers before he pulled away. He couldn’t know what his touch did to her. And she’d made sure he never guessed.
Having been the first to question Gabby, Sebastian had to take the cheese blintz.
Gabby had baked muffins, croissants, crullers, cinnamon rolls, pound cake, zucchini bread, Danish pastries, and more. Each Maverick chose only one, while most of the ladies decided to share. There were no duplicates. Gabby was a smart cookie, not wanting them to think any one treat was a fluke.
Just as Sebastian had been the first to choose, he was also the first to take a bite, his mouth pinched as though he might have to spit it out. But he chewed thoughtfully. And took another bite. Finally, he looked at Gabby, his coffee-colored eyes gleaming. “Gabby, where have you and your delicious goodies been all our lives?” He held out the fork for his fiancée, Charlie Ballard, to try. “You’re going to love this, sweetheart.” Of course, she did.
Daniel cast a sideways glance at him, as if he suspected Sebastian of trying to pull a fast one.
Then his eyes went wide as he tasted the zucchini bread. “Wow!”
The boys were bouncing in their seats. “Can I, can I, can I?” they cried in unison.
Gabby looked from Rosie to Ari, who both nodded, smiles stretching across their pretty faces. Then she held out the box. “Pick whichever one you want.”
Noah chose a frosted cupcake. But Jorge wanted to taste his mother’s vegan treats. Rosie gladly shared.
“I never thought I’d say it,” Evan admitted, a huge bite missing from his cinnamon roll, “but vegan and gluten-free—at least the way you bake, Gabby—are amazing. I second Sebastian. Where have you and your treats been all our lives?”
And every Maverick chimed in with praise.
Dane smiled broadly as he took in his sister’s joy. Cammie knew Gabby didn’t lack self-confidence. But these were Mavericks—assured, powerful, assertive men who would obviously balk at her specialty. It had been a test, and she’d passed like a gold medalist racing over the finish line and knowing she’d run her best time ever.
“You—” Matt pointed a finger at her. “—are unbeatable.”
Gabby’s biggest challenge, however, would be Fernsby. And that day was coming.
Two servers arrived, each carrying a massive tray of drinks, hot chocolate for the boys, nonalcoholic Irish coffees for the pregnant ladies and Cammie, and full-bore Irish whiskey and dark roast coffees for the rest.
The Mavericks were soon to learn that Ava and Gabby could outdrink them as well as outplay them.
With her first sip, Cammie groaned. “This is ambrosia.” She closed her eyes to relish the coffee concoction, made with an alcohol-free extract rather than whiskey.
Opening her eyes again, she found Dane staring at her, his Irish coffee in midair. She laughed. “Are you waiting to make sure I thought it was good before you tried yours?”
His eyes as blue as the sunny sky, he smiled and drank. And she could breathe again.
A dab of whipped cream remained on his lips after the first sip. Cammie reached out to wipe it away, as if it were an automatic gesture. But touching had never been automatic between them. So she simply pointed. “Whipped cream.” Dane licked it off, sending shivers through her that she barely managed to contain.
What was up with these weak moments? Maybe it was the months she’d spent away from Dane, making everything as fresh as the first time she’d seen him.
But she was tough. She had amazing control. Things would go back to normal.
Will Franconi drummed his fingers on the table, breaking the spell. “We’ve been thinking a lot about your family.”
Dane grinned, and Cammie looked away quickly before his smile brought back those butterflies. “We’ve been thinking about yours a lot too.”
The table went silent as a cable car rang its bell on the street. Then, as if by magic, or synchronicity, they all called out in unison, “Merger!”
When Dane once again reached for her hand under the table, she squeezed back lightly, telling him without words that she agreed. They often communicated with gestures, a smile, or just a look. And his smile warmed her, as if it were only for her, even if their rules made anything personal off-limits.
“If we look at the potential numbers,” Will began, only to stop when the Harringtons shook their heads as one.
Troy spoke for them all. “We don’t need to look at numbers. This is going to work. Big-time.”
The Harrington siblings had taken a month to think it through and talk it over, conducting one-on-one meetings with different Mavericks, each side testing the other’s mettle.
They all, especially Dane, knew a good thing when they saw it.
Cammie took that moment to check her phone. Her uncle lived in Ava’s stylish San Juan Bautista facility. But during the entire soccer game, Cammie couldn’t help looking for updates. She trusted Ava’s people implicitly, yet she couldn’t dispel a nagging fear that without her at his bedside, things could go sideways, and he’d be gone before she could get back.
Ava patted her hand, her lips close to Cammie’s ear. “Don’t worry. I’ve got my people with him all the time.” She held up her phone so that Cammie could see a text with a photo of Uncle Lochlan sleeping peacefully.
She should have known Ava would make a special effort. “Thank you.”
She would forever be grateful to Dane and Ava for making it possible to keep Uncle Lochlan with such comfort and oversight. Cammie could never have afforded the care home in San Juan Bautista without their support. Their kindness brought tears to her eyes even now. She’d sold Uncle Lochlan’s house right after the move seven years ago and put all the proceeds toward his support. When that was exhausted, she paid whatever she could out of her salary. Of course, it wasn’t enough. But she would pay them back over time. Every penny.
Dane had stopped by to see Uncle Lochlan last week, and he’d talked with Cammie about this game. “You don’t have to come,” he’d said.
Cammie had immediately shot back, “You think I’d be on board with making such a massive decision without meeting the Mavericks too?”
When he raised his arms, she’d been sure he was about to envelop her in his comforting embrace. Nothing personal, just gratitude that she would do this for him. It warmed her to know how much he valued her input.
Dane was an amazing boss.
She would never leave him. Especially since it would take years to pay him back for all he’d done for her and her uncle.
* * *
He and Cammie were on the same wavelength. This merger was the best thing for the family. But Dane was glad for the simple agreement in her squeeze of his hand.
If her touch shot a bolt of lightning through him, that meant nothing. He needed Cammie for her smarts, her diligence, her efficiency, her quick mind, and her intuition. Anything else took second place. Even if sometimes…
But now he needed her impressions. Dane wanted this merger for his family. Badly. And he needed Cammie to agree.
His family had good lives. They’d come a long way since losing their parents. He and Ava had to quit college back then, but the sacrifice had been worth it, because together they’d helped their younger siblings achieve their goals. Troy pursued his dream of Olympic diving, Gabby had visions of cooking school, and Clay was their computer geek. Ava, too, had finished business school, getting her degree in healthcare management. Now they never had to want for anything again.
Except love.
After meeting Bob and Susan Spencer at Gideon’s New Year’s Eve gala, Dane had recognized the potent, cohesive, loving element that parents added to the mix. His family had so much to learn from these Mavericks, not just businesswise, but emotionally.
Their parents had never provided the stability that Susan and Bob did. Partying in the world’s hotspots, Dane’s parents had left their kids with indifferent nannies, while Dane and Ava had given their younger siblings all the care they could. How often had he begged his mom and dad to take all the kids with them? Yet, every time, his parents had returned alone to Europe’s playgrounds and the ski slopes of Vail or Chamonix or the Swiss Alps. They’d been risk-takers, and in the end, risk had won.
It was no wonder his brothers and sisters were still single. They’d never known a parent’s love or witnessed real love and commitment.
They’d all been stunted. While they’d reached for the stars in their careers, none of them had ever found the kind of loving relationship Dane saw in abundance at this table. He wasn’t sure any of them would know what to do if the perfect partner came along.
He looked at this impressive Maverick bunch, with the recent additions of Gideon Jones and Cal Danniger to the fold. Each had found a love that surpassed anything Dane had ever imagined. When a Maverick looked at his lady, it was as if love enveloped her. It shone out of their eyes. It softened their features. They might be ruthless men in business, but with the women they brought into their lives, they were compassionate, caring, loving, and loyal.
It could only be due to Bob and Susan Spencer’s upbringing. It was the love the couple had felt for the lost boys they’d brought into their family, equal to that for their biological children, Daniel and Lyssa. They’d raised this family in a poor Chicago neighborhood when times must have been unfathomably tough. Yet they’d forged an extraordinary bond with their love and raised extraordinary men and women.
He didn’t see the Spencers ever leaving their boys behind, even if they’d had the money to travel. And now, they’d moved halfway across the country from Chicago to join the family on the West Coast. They were fixtures in their children’s lives. To their foster sons, they weren’t Susan and Bob, but Mom and Dad.
Dane also had an unbreakable bond with his brothers and sisters. He could call on any of them night or day, and they would be there, just as he would be there for them. They weren’t just siblings, they were best friends.
But there was so much more out there for all of them. The Mavericks had it. And Dane wanted it with every fiber of his being. He wanted it for all of them.
And for Cammie too.
Thank God for Cammie. She was as much a best friend as any of his family. He could talk over any idea with her, tell her anything. She couldn’t know how much he’d missed calling her at any hour since she’d been on family leave. Neither the nightly video chats nor the weekly visits he made to check on Lochlan were enough. She had to do this for her uncle, and Dane had to be supportive. But working without her by his side, it seemed as if he’d lost not only his right hand, but the whole arm. And sometimes it ached like a phantom limb.
With all his woolgathering, he realized Will Franconi had taken over the meeting.
“We actually have a lot of synergy going on,” Will was saying, echoing Dane’s thoughts. As if taking roll in class, Will introduced each of the Mavericks. “Sebastian is our media mogul with Montgomery Media International.” He pointed to Clay. “You both have totally different contacts, and yet, what you do converges. That new YouTube platform you’ve got going is an amazing feat.”
Clay jumped in immediately, not defensive, but wanting everyone to understand. “In reality, it’s completely different from YouTube. It’s a space for artists, musicians, writers—all forms of artistic endeavor, in fact—to display their work without fear of a hostile environment.”
The new platform was already taking over the web. Clay totally knew his market.
Dane started the next round, looking to Matt. “I see a lot of synergy between Troy’s sports empire and Trebotics International. With you being the inventor and robotics guy and the new sports machines Troy has in mind, there’s immense possibility in what you two can do together.”
“I’ve got tons of ideas.” Troy grinned at Matt. “But I need an expert to make them viable.”
Matt was nodding, and Dane could see the interest flashing in his eyes. “We’ve talked a bit,” he said. “But we really need to put our heads together.”
Dane went on, jutting his chin at Gideon. “Your foundation, Lean on Us, is all about veterans, many of whom are fresh out of the forces.” He pointed at his sister, who sat on Cammie’s other side. “And Ava is our expert on retirement facilities. You help them when they’re younger. She can offer support when they get older.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.” Gideon leaned forward to look at Cal and Lyssa, who were instrumental in running the foundation for him. “Sometimes the older vets don’t even know what benefits they actually have.” He smiled broadly at Ava.
Full agreement sparked in Ava’s eyes. “We’ve got a lot to talk about.”
Will took over again. “Daniel’s Top Notch DIY conglomerate has a place in everything we do. As well as The Collins Group, with Evan being our finance guru.”
Dane agreed. “We all complement each other, yet bring something unique to the table.”
Evan popped up with, “And Gabby can feed us.”
As the Mavericks clapped, Dane turned to catch Cammie’s eye. Without a word, they were thinking the same thing. Don’t let Fernsby hear that.
Will waved a hand between the two of them. “I see lots of crossover between you and me, Dane. With Franconi Imports, we can add products and foodstuffs your guests at DH International Resorts have never even dreamed of.”
As he lifted his hand in the air, Dane stood to high-five him.
Oh yeah, the Mavericks and the Harringtons together would be a powerhouse.
This was what Dane wanted—synergy, working together, bonding. He could almost feel the magic he, Cammie, and his siblings could create with the Mavericks.
He rapped his knuckles once on the table. “Let’s do it. A partnership.” His family were as gung-ho as he was.
Will punched a fist in the air. “Let’s do it,” he repeated. “I suggest meeting once a month to go over what deals we’re all working on, discuss how they can benefit the group, and what each of us can add to them.” He looked to his brothers, all of them nodding agreement.
“Sounds good,” Dane said. “I see this growing organically. We don’t need to shove ideas down each other’s throats. We’ll work on things that are mutually beneficial.”
“Absolutely,” Will agreed. Then he grinned. “Let’s draw up a partnership agreement.” He directed that at Cal Danniger, who in addition to running Gideon Jones’s foundation, managed many of the Mavericks’ joint ventures.
“I can get that done within a couple of days,” Cal agreed, enthusiasm lighting his eyes.
Will gave him a thumbs-up. So did Dane. Beneath the table, Cammie tweaked Dane’s hand, a pinch me, I can’t believe this gesture, signaling her approval of everything he was doing. It was why he’d needed her here.
The sparkle in her eye heated him as she leaned close, a subtle citrusy scent that was uniquely her own drifting over him. “I’m going to take off now,” she murmured.
He held her hand a moment under the table. “I’ll walk you to the car.”
She shook her head. “You stay here. Talk more. Then call me tonight. We’ll discuss it all.” Her smile wrapped around him. “But I already know this is going to be the most astounding alliance ever.”