Chapter 19

Max had been sitting at the kitchen table since the new bathroom fixtures were delivered shortly after three, and before that, hell, he didn’t even know what he’d done. Nothing but think about Sarah and how differently he’d thought the day would go. He’d been so sure that after three grueling weeks without her, they’d be able to fall into the kind of friendship he didn’t have to worry about giving up. How stupid could he be?

That was what the looks Jase had been giving him were about. Now he got it.

Trying to throw himself into his work on the house, he’d gotten as far as cutting the packaging open before shoving the box back with a growl. He hadn’t moved since. It was hard to muster much enthusiasm about a few hunks of metal with Sarah’s tears burned into his mind.

Christ, the look in her eyes when she’d asked him if he wanted her to sleep with another guy. The betrayal and hurt spilling down her cheeks were almost worse than knowing that while, fuck no, he didn’t want another guy to so much as hold her hand, let alone take her to bed, that was exactly what he’d been telling her to do. And whether it had been her original plan or not, whether it was the right thing—he’d hurt her deeply by suggesting it.

His gut knotted, and he thought for the thousandth time about calling. Texting. Making sure she was okay. But he already knew the answer to that question. She wasn’t. And it was because of him.

Slowly, he registered the knocking coming from the front door. His legs felt like lead as he forced one in front of the other until he was staring at his little sister on the other side of the glass.

He let her in and started back for the living room, where he dropped onto the couch. “What’s up, Molly?”

“Wow, Max, you look really bad,” she said hesitantly, following him in and parking in the new oversize chair he liked to sit in with Sarah on his lap. “Is this because of Sarah?”

“Things didn’t go the way I’d been expecting this morning.”

“But you guys broke up three weeks ago. You’ve pretty much looked fine until now. I mean a little grumpier, a little more quiet volcano-ish, but overall no train-wrecky, about-to-break-down-and-ugly-cry like this business.” She sat forward. “Seriously, I don’t think I can handle you ugly crying on me after the day I’ve had.”

He heaved a sigh and shook his head.

“Feeling kind of beat down?” she asked, and while her voice was gentle, Max caught something harder in those bright-blue eyes staring back at him. Something not quite right.

“Yeah,” he answered tentatively. “You could say that.”

Molly was out of her chair in a flash, her finger pointing in his face. “Good, you pathetic oaf. Because let me tell you, Big Brother, now you’ve done it!”

Jesus, he didn’t need this today. “I don’t have it in me to play word wars with you, Mol. What have I done?”

Her brow rose. “Okay, so let me spell it out for you. Sarah asked me to set her up on a date.”

It was like he’d taken a battering ram to the gut. Sucking a breath through gritted teeth, he forced his eyes open. “That’s good. She needs to move on.”

“Yeah.” Molly’s lips pursed as she eyed him. “I guess she does then.”

Max swallowed. Nodded. She was still looking at him like she was waiting for him to say something else. “Just make sure you pick a good guy. She deserves one.”

“Yeah, I would, Max,” she said, picking at her thumbnail. “But she told me she wasn’t looking for a good guy.”

His head snapped up. “What?”

“Yeah, apparently, all she wants is a guy. Good enough for one date.” Molly started walking for the door. “As it happens, I know one. They’re going out tonight.”

* * *

“Damn, girl, you are smokin’!” Piper exclaimed from the bathroom doorway as Sarah applied the finishing touches to her makeup. A layer of lash-thickening mascara, and she was ready. Or as ready as she could be for a date she’d rashly demanded and now just wished she could cancel.

She glanced down at her knee-high leather boots, camel wool skirt, and thin, fitted cashmere V-neck. It was definitely date appropriate. “Not too much?”

“No way. It’s perfect.”

Sarah took a steadying breath, wishing there was more to do to get ready. She didn’t want time to think about how she’d found yet another man to love, only to discover how ready and willing he was to share her with someone else. At least with Cory, he’d cared enough to want her to come back to him after.

She had no business going out like this. Not when it was taking everything she had to keep the tears in check.

Her roommate cocked her head and gave Sarah a sympathetic look. “It’s just a date, Sarah. A couple of hours of company, right?”

“I know. I just—” She sighed, wrestling with the emotions trying to push to the surface. “I don’t know what I’m doing going out with this guy.”

It wasn’t like with Cory when she’d left and all she’d wanted was to prove she was done letting him hold her back. She’d thrown herself into her career with everything she’d been saving up for him. She’d come out with her head held high and a career that had fast-tracked her to working directly with the top players in the Wyse chain of hotels. She’d done all right.

But this?

The intercom buzzed, and Piper straightened. “You’re going to prove that you aren’t waiting around for some guy who doesn’t deserve you. I’ll get the door.”

Sarah smiled weakly and returned to her room to get her purse.

“Um, Sarah?” Piper called from down the hall, her voice strained. “Could you come out here, please?”

That made her wonder who Molly had set her up with.

Forcing her feet to move, Sarah stopped when she got to the front door. Piper was holding it three-quarters of the way closed, like she was not about to let this guy in.

What the heck?

Peeking around her friend, Sarah gasped. “Max?”

He was wearing the same clothes she’d admired on him that morning, only somehow he seemed to be filling them out differently now. The leather seemed to stretch around his biceps and across the hard muscles of his chest and shoulders.

“What the hell are you doing, Sarah?” he demanded, bristling with aggression.

Piper looked to Sarah. “Want me to stay?”

She shook her head. “No, go on. I’ll walk Max out and see you later.”

Turning to Max, she crossed her arms. “What are you doing here?”

“Telling you not to be stupid because you’re mad at me.”

Her brows rose slowly, her temper not so slowly. “Excuse me?” she snapped, and Max closed his eyes.

After a deep breath, his hands came up between them. “You don’t even know this guy. It’s not safe.”

“Your sister does. She’s known him for years. But even if she didn’t, it’s none of your business, Max. So again, what are you doing here? You could have texted. You could have called. You could have had enough respect for me after this morning to let me have one damn day.”

Max blinked, and for a second she wondered if that look was the realization that, yeah, he could have done any of those other things, but until that moment, they hadn’t even crossed his mind.

What the hell?

“It’s time for you to go,” she stated, walking past him and pulling the door closed behind her. Starting down the stairs, she refused to look back. “I have a date.”

“You’re mad at me,” he said, following. But even a few steps behind, she could feel his presence there in the needy prickle of her skin wanting him closer. “What kind of date is it going to be when the only reason you’re on it is because of another guy?”

Sarah pushed out the front door to the street, letting it swing shut without holding it. And then he had her by the arm, his hold gentle but firm. She whirled around to face him.

“What kind of date?” she repeated. “It’s just a first date, Max.” He winced, and she knew he was thinking about their first date and the schedule of intimacy he’d put together for them. Then his eyes hardened and he opened his mouth like he thought he had the right to say anything at all. Screw him. “You know what though, Max? I’m sort of sick of playing by a set of rules designed for someone else’s benefit. I think I’ll just do whatever the hell I want from here on out. And don’t worry. I’ll be sure to let you know how that works for me.”

A guy rounded the corner behind Max, and she recognized him from the pictures Molly had sent to her phone.

She jerked her arm back and glared at Max. “My date’s here.”

Max looked down at the hand he’d been holding her with and then over his shoulder to where Dave Rayes was closing the distance between them. The other man’s eyes shifted between she and Max, studying the exchange.

“Sarah?” he asked, coming up to them with a smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes.

Max’s hand fisted, and her heart skipped. But he kept it down by his side.

“Hi, Dave. Nice to meet you.” Then because Max was just standing there, she turned to him with a firm “Good-bye, Max.”

Dave’s jaw cocked to the side. And when the tension seemed beyond unbearable, his smile spread wide and he held out his hand. “You ready to go, Sarah?”

She was ready to go upstairs and hide, and have a good cry and maybe an entire straight-from-the-pan batch of brownies. But no way was she skipping out on this date because of Max. Even if he was the only reason she’d arranged it.

Taking Dave’s hand, she answered, “Yeah, that sounds great.”

Dave was parked around the corner, and when they got to his car, he held the door open for her before letting himself in. Once the engine started, he turned in his seat, slinging his arm over the back. “So I’m guessing that was the reason you were looking for a few hours of distraction.”

Sarah let out a quiet laugh. “Pretty much.” She met his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know he’d be there. If you’d rather not go out—”

Dave laughed and shook his head. “Not a chance. You aren’t the only one in the mood for some company. So what are you thinking? Movie, dinner, drinks? Any combination of the above?”

“Movie? You have one in mind?” she asked, curious what he’d say.

“Truth? I’ve been dying to see the new Marvel flick. Total sucker for the superheroes.” Then he cut her a sidelong look. “But only if you’re not a talker while it rolls. Sorry, but from the first preview to the last credit, I’m all about the show. Talking is for after.”

Sarah laughed and relaxed in her seat. “A movie sounds great. With an option for drinks and discussion to follow.”

He flashed her a crooked grin and pulled out onto the road.

* * *

Four and a half hours later, Dave parked in front of Sarah’s building.

“Thanks so much for tonight,” she said, a lightness in her heart she’d desperately needed. The movie had been a perfect distraction, and the chitchat over drinks after a great way to make a new friend. Which was all either of them was interested in. Dave had ended a relationship a month ago and wasn’t looking for anything more than a break from contemplating his broken heart. Same as her. It had been perfect, right up until Sarah saw the man standing sentinel at her apartment door.

Her breath leaked out as everything she wanted and couldn’t have rushed to the forefront of her mind.

“Umm, is that the same guy from earlier?” Dave asked, cocking a brow at her. “You want me take care of him for you?”

“No, I’ve got this,” she said, turning back to him, an idea coming to her. “But maybe there is one little thing you could do for me.”

Max hadn’t moved from his spot by the wall, but his stare hadn’t left the car once since it pulled up. She was sure he’d catalogued the make and model, along with the plates.

Dave opened her door for her and took her hand to help her out. They walked halfway to her door and stopped, at which point, she turned, grasped him by both sides of his face, and pulled him in for a firm kiss. She could feel his smile against her lips as she counted down from seven, which was the duration he’d suggested in the car. When they broke apart, he cast her a quick wink and walked leisurely back to the driver’s side. She turned and walked up to the entry where Max was standing, his fists balled at his sides, the muscle in his jaw jumping with satisfying regularity.

If he didn’t love her, then what the hell was he doing there, looking like he’d just suffered a fate worse than death?

Unlocking the security door, she stepped inside. “Night, Max.”

* * *

Max stood by the upstairs bay window, every damn muscle in his body on lockdown. Barely able to move his jaw, he demanded through the line, “What else did she say?”

His sister was raking him over the coals after waiting half the morning to call him back. Yeah, it was none of his fucking business how Sarah’s night had been, but that didn’t change the fact that if he didn’t find out in the next five seconds, he was going to lose his shit.

“Your phone is making funny sounds, Max,” Molly answered casually, like she didn’t know that every second she delayed was killing him. “It sounds creaky.”

“Molly.” He was giving her his most intimidating voice. She wasn’t impressed.

After yawning in his ear, she finally relented. “She said it was a second date, Max. Pretty much what she’d expected, whatever that means.”

Max tried to swallow, but his throat was Sahara dry. He knew exactly what that meant, having basically written the book on what Sarah’s second dates should look like. Why the fuck had he done that?

“Max? Yo—ill—re—”

He looked down at his phone and found it broken in his hand. Shit.

By the time Max had gotten it replaced and his backup info transferred, it was afternoon. He was throwing his leg over his bike outside the store, thinking about taking the afternoon to ride, when the message app started blowing up, one alert coming through after another in rapid succession.

A single string of text flashed past, tearing his world down around him.

Get to the hospital.