This man is exasperating. “I’m not hungry!”
He looks into the refrigerator one last time. “Sure you are. You said, ‘Max, I’m starving and would love to eat with you’. You said that. Just now. You don’t remember? I think you should see a doctor about that.”
Damn him for being funny. I bite my lip to stop my shocked laughter. In this moment, I can see why so many women like being fawned over. Despite my dislike of flirting, it does make a woman feel good to be fawned over. But I’d prefer real words to pretty lies any day. I’m suddenly very tired. I close my eyes and lean against the wall. “Listen, Mack…”
I hear his frown. “It’s Max.”
Yeah, don’t feel so nice, does it?
Yes, I can be a complete child sometimes. But that felt good.
“Max, I’m tired. My flight wasn’t great, the guy I sat next to was…ugh, and I’m stinky. All I want to do is wash the fat guy sweat-stink off me and sleep for a little while before Nat comes home.”
I feel the warmth of his body in front of me. I quickly stand up straight and open my eyes. He looks down at me in concern. “You okay, cupcake?”
Oh my God. He’s killing me.
Trying to ignore the angry swarm of killer bees in my belly, I whisper, “Fine. I just need you to go.”
Much to my surprise, he doesn’t take offense. He simply nods once and heads for the door. As he opens the door, he announces, “See you tonight.” He winks once more, then he’s gone. All before I can ask, ‘Tonight?’
I move to the door and attach the chain lock. I hear a door open in the hall.
Max yells from the hall, “Hey, Mrs. Crandle. What’s shaking?”
“You’ll have to speak up. My hearin’ isn’t what it used to be.”
I cover my mouth with my hand and burst into laughter.
Chapter Six
Helena
I’ve been sleeping for almost an hour now. And by sleeping, I mean tossing and turning, thinking about Max in my bed, and secretly wanting to lick his drool spot.
After he left, I managed to shower, eat some cereal (because it was all there really was to eat), and tried in vain to catch some Zs. And sleep, in my family, is sacred. We sleep when we can. We get excited about catnaps. But it’s just not happening.
And I blame Max. Max and his sexiness. And his dimple. And his funniness. And his being sweet. I mean, c’mon! I bet he’s like that with all the girls, flirting and charming-like. I bet there isn’t a genuine bone in his body.
I scoff out loud. “Stupid, sexy Max.”
Not a second later, the front door opens. “Hello? Anybody home?”
I smile into the pillow at the familiar voice and bury myself deeper into the covers. Footsteps make their way into the hall, then into my bedroom. She spots me. “Arrrggghhh!” Next thing I know, I’m attacked. Nat jumps on me. “You’re a shithead!” But she says this with so much love that I decide not to punch her in the nose.
She bounces on top of me, forcing my breath out in sporadic wheezes before wrapping her arms around my waist and snuggling into the bed with me. She holds me silently for a long while before I turn over to face her. As soon as she sees my face, we both break out in wide smiles. Then she says, “You’re a liar. Always lying.”
I nod. “I know.”
“But even though I want to shave your head, I still love ya.”
“Good to know.”
“Did you get in all right?”
I lean back into my pillow. “Fine, but when I got here, I almost sucker-punched poor Mrs. Crandle for the key.”
The bed shakes with her silent laughter. “Damn, I would’ve paid to see your face when she opened the door.”
I choke on a laugh. “I’m not even kidding when I say I had to play a fucking weird game of charades with her, three times, for the damn key. Then she tried to lure me inside with candy, tea, and promises of playing with her thousand cats. I yelled, ‘Stranger danger!’ and got the heck out of there.”
Nat laughs so hard tears leak out of her eyes.
“Then, when I finally get inside, there’s a dude sleeping on the bed.”
Nat straightens immediately and shouts, “What?”
I snort. “Oh yeah, Max was sleeping on the bed when I arrived.”
She cocks her head to the side. “That is weird. Not like him at all.” She watches me closely. “Doesn’t sound like you enjoyed that.”
“I didn’t.”
She sits up on the bed. “Sorry, kid. Almost everyone has a key to this place. I asked for all the spares back and they all told me to shove it.” She chuckles. “The only one half-willing to give you your privacy was Tina. And when she saw no one else was giving in, she jumped on the bandwagon.”
I shake my head. “You got some weird friends.”
She smiles and sighs happily. “I know, right?”
Suddenly, she gasps in shock. I still. “What?”
Her eyes water. “It just hit me, you know? That you’re actually here. Living here.” She sniffs and whispers, “That’s awesome.”
I grin. “Now we just have to find a way to get Nina to open a salon up here too.”
Nat’s face turns dreamy. “That would be amazing.” Standing, she claps. “Right! Well, I was going to tell the guys to come here tonight, but I thought I better not. So they’re next-door at ours. That way, when you start to get tired, you can just leave and not have to worry about offending anyone by kicking them out.”
Wow. She’s gone and surprised me.
My brow creases as I respond quietly, “Um, thanks, dude.”
But she’s already out the door. She yells back, “Come on over when you’re ready. No one will care if you’re wearing pajamas!”
I think about going there in my PJs. With a sigh, I slide out of my flannel pants and shirt, and change into jeans and a plain white tee. I quickly slip on some white flip-flops, grab my key, and head next-door.
As soon as I open the door, a cheer sounds. My eyes widen and my heart races. The entire gang is here, as well as Nik and Max’s sisters, Leti, Maria, and Isa, including the two little pugs sleeping in their little beds by the sofa. No kids tonight though. They all look extremely happy to see me. I’ve only met the sisters a couple of times, but they’re a hoot. I like them a lot.
Asher, being the closest to me, comes forward wearing a small smile. Before I know it, I’m wrapped in a brotherly hug. I bury my nose into his collar and breathe him in. I whisper against his tee, “Hey.”