“You’re awfully quiet today.”

I turned to look at Max with a blank stare. As polite as I could be, I was not in the mood to fake my mood and be happy right now. I woke up to a headache and an empty bed.

“You don’t even know me,” I pointed out. “What makes you think I’m quiet?”

Max nodded his head and took a sip of what I assumed was coffee. We were both on the deck of his yacht, attempting to get some sun. In reality, I didn’t want to be anywhere Will might be, and Will didn’t strike me as the relaxing under the sun type. Neither did Max, but he decided to join me anyway, which was fine since it was his yacht and I couldn’t exactly tell him otherwise.

“Touché,” he said. “I’d like to get to know you, though. Tori speaks…”

“Doesn’t speak about me at all,” I pointed out. “The girls know each other and when she’s able to pick Penelope up from school, she’s always late and in a rush. Not that I take that as rude, I just don’t think she knows my name. Which is fine. But let’s not kid each other.”

“Fair enough.” Another long sip of coffee. “Can I give you some advice?”

I rolled my eyes. Typically, I wasn’t this rude, but I was tired of everyone giving me advice; Stan, Mo, Will, the women at school (because apparently, not being a parent means I have no idea how to treat a child), and now Max. Max, a man who I had never met before and I only knew because Will was working for him and Westport was in a tizzy that he was moving to town.

“I’m just going to take your silence as a ‘fuck you, I don’t want to hear your advice,’ which is understandable,” Max admitted, “but I’m going to go ahead and give it to you anyway because I’m kind of an asshole.”

“So I’ve heard,” I grumbled. “Go on, then. I’m sure you’ve been informed about my stumbling blocks ever since moving out to Westport. I’m sure you know I was engaged to marry Stan, of all people.”

“The sailor?” he interrupted.

I cut him a look. He’d barely been here and somehow, even he knew that Stan was not the relationship type. Well, that was a lie. He was, just not with me.

“Sorry,” Max said. “Go on.”

I shook my head. “I think I interrupted you, actually,” I murmured.

“See, I didn’t think you could be annoyed with me for very long.” Max grinned. “Tori, yes. She can go days without talking to me. But you’re sweet. At least, that’s what I heard. And looking at you, I tend to think they’re right.”

“Because I’m blonde and British?” I asked, raising a brow.

“Because you have more laugh lines than frown lines,” Max replied. I felt my cheeks flush. Not because I was embarrassed by the gentle crinkles around my eyes, but because he noticed them so quickly. “Anyway, I can see the attraction you have for Will. I typically don’t notice things like that, but it’s too obvious not to. You care about each other. You might even love him.”

“Why are you talking to me about this?” I said. I pulled my eyes away from the ocean so I could look at Max. “What business of yours is it?”

“You’re right,” he replied. “It’s definitely not my business. But I know what you’re going through. And instead of bumbling around and making the same mistakes I made, I wanted to give you advice on how to avoid all of that and jump to getting what you want.”

“And what do you think I want?” I asked.

He set his coffee cup on the table that divided us. “That’s easy,” he said, spreading his arms out. “Will.”

I nearly choked on my own saliva. I shot him a look and he gave me one of those smirks that said he knew it and was also amused by my reaction.

“I’m not good at this love stuff,” Max continued. “Bodhi and I are notoriously bad at committing to women. Until we meet the right one, obviously. But I’m a businessman and I’m good at knowing when someone wants something. And you want Will.”

“I do not,” I argued weakly.

“It’s not a bad thing,” he continued over me. “He wants you too. He wants you bad. He just doesn’t know how to express it.”

I slowly closed my mouth and waited for him to go on.

“I don’t know much about Will except he’s damn good at his job,” he said. He took another gulp of his coffee. It seemed he needed the drink to survive. “He could probably make a better effort to be around for his daughter, but you know why he avoids her.”

“That’s no excuse!” I exclaimed. I didn’t know why it came out like that but I couldn’t help it.

Max leaned back as if I had struck him. “I agree,” he said slowly. “Look, just be patient with the guy. You never know what he’s going through.”

“And what about me?” I asked before I could stop myself. I clamped my mouth shut and shook my head, glaring out at the sea. I didn’t think anyone was so rude to something so glorious before. “Everyone has something going on. I’m here on a K-1 visa. I’m trying to get a work visa, but I still haven’t heard back. I’ll be forced to fly back in roughly two weeks.”

“Did you tell that to Will?” Max asked.

“Of course I did,” I grumbled. “And all he said was that Thea wouldn’t want that. I’m glad he’s finally concerned with her well-being, but I can’t - I’m not going to do it again. If I stay, it won’t be for a man or for a girl - as precious as Thea is. I’m going to stay for me.”

Max nodded and let that sink in. “Just,” he said. “Patience, okay? Please? Trust me.”

“I don’t even know you,” I pointed out.

“You’re on my yacht,” Max pointed out. “Doesn’t that count for anything?”

“Sure.” I huffed. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go take a shower.”