Read More Than Cookies (The Maple Leaf Series) for Free Online Page B

hand to Adam. “I’m Sage Stannard. I found this guy bleeding in the house I’m buying.”
    Adam shook her hand and said, “I’m Adam Rouse. This guy bleeds all the time.”
    At the same time, Ian stood, wrung his hands, and added the chorus, “Bleeding, bleeding, bleeding,” until Orion grabbed his hand.
    “It’s okay, Dad. No one’s bleeding now. Everybody’s all right.”
    Sage’s beautiful green gaze flicked to Orion then to Ian. “Hi, there,” she said. “Oreos and Nutter Butters, huh?” She gestured to the cookie packages on the bed.
    Ian slid his hand from Orion’s and said, “Best cookies on the planet.” He gathered the packages and held them to his chest in an embrace.
    “I make the best cookies on the planet,” Sage said, her chin tilted upward as she smiled at Ian.
    “You make cookies?” Ian loosened his hold on the Oreos and Nutter Butters. “She makes cookies, Orion.”
    “Maple and peanut butter ones?” Orion asked, remembering her aroma from last night.
    “My specialty,” Sage said. “People come from all corners of the globe to eat my cookies.”
    I’ll bet . What else did people—men, mostly—want from Sage Stannard? If there was any woman Orion should definitely stay away from, this was her standing right in front of him.
    “I want some,” Ian said.
    Adam let out a little snicker, but stopped when Orion glared at him. He cleared his throat and said, “Ian, let’s see if we can get some milk to go with those cookies.” He slid his arm around Ian’s shoulders and navigated him toward the door.
    Ian turned around suddenly before leaving. “You’ll make me some maple peanut butter cookies, Sage Stannard?”
    “Sure. A special batch, just for you.”
    “Two batches.” Ian held up two fingers and grinned.
    Sage chuckled and nodded. “Okay, two batches, but you have to share them with Orion and Adam.”
    Ian considered this, and Orion had to smile now as his father fiddled with the buttons on his plaid, short-sleeved shirt. He scratched at the salt-and-pepper hair covering his head in waves still pretty thick for a guy of seventy-two and said, “Okay, I’ll share.”
    “Good. Cookies are best when shared, don’t you think?” Sage had a patient way about her as she conversed with Ian. That was in direct opposition to Orion’s belief that women had no patience and would rather call his father “dummy” or “idiot” as Adriana had.
    “Myah shares.” Ian’s face softened and Sage looked to Orion.
    “Your daughter?”
    Orion nodded. Despite his condition, Ian always remembered Myah and acted most like his old self around his granddaughter.
    “When can we see, Myah?” Ian asked. “I miss my panda bear.”
    Hearing the nickname Ian had for Myah made Orion’s chest hurt. “Soon, Dad. We’ll see her soon.”
    “C’mon, Ian. Let’s get that milk, and we’ll come back to see Orion a little later.” Adam raised an eyebrow to Orion asking if that would be all right.
    “Yeah, man. Thanks.” What would he do without Adam? He’d been the one to light a fire under Orion’s ass after Adriana had done her damage.
    “You can’t let that bitch win,” he’d said. “Myah is yours too, and anyone with two functioning eyes can see she belongs with you. Fight for her. Don’t leave her in the hands of the Dragon Lady.”
    As soon as he got out of the hospital, he’d get back on that mission.
    Adam and Ian left and Sage turned to face Orion. “Lots on your plate, huh?” She put her purse on the end of the bed and again, Orion liked the sight of it there. It was intimate somehow.
    “Yeah. He’s been getting worse over the last few years.” He ran a hand through his hair and wished for a shower. How bad did he look right now?
    And why do you care, asshole?
    But he did care. Orion had never seen anyone as beautiful as Sage. He didn’t want to look like some backwoods redneck way out of her league. And the fact that he felt this way royally pissed him