Page 20 of Maximum Dare
Nick had gotten too close to me and it had scared him away.
I recalled other days on lazy weekends when we’d curled up on this very sofa together with mugs of piping hot cocoa. We’d watched football, sitting through re-runs of his matches. Nick had shown me the moves he’d made that marked him as a player to watch. Even after the millionth time of seeing him kick a goalie, I’d cooed with pride. His obsession had become mine.
We’d danced in this room like we hadn’t had a care in the world. There had been passion-filled, sleepless nights.
I’d not seen this coming. This crushing of my life.
Morgan would never respect his dream like I had. She’d never be willing to sacrifice their time together to allow him to attend games that took him out of town.
I’d find a way to tell him this.
The sound of a truck pulling up out front broke the quiet. Psyching myself up to face Nick, I headed down the hallway. Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I reached for the door handle.
Forcing a bright smile, I yanked open the door.
I’d forgotten how tall Max was. How handsome.
I finally exhaled. “It’s you.”
“It’s me,” he said, giving me a dazzling smile.
I peered around his shoulder for Nick.
“I offered to help you move,” he said. “Nick told you, right?”
“I thought it was going to be him.”
Disappointment squeezed my heart. This had felt like my last chance to save us.
“Will I do?” Max waggled his eyebrows, and then turned and pointed. “I hired a truck.”
I motioned for him to come inside. “Thank you for being here. I…don’t actually have that much.”
Max looked around the living room. “This is it?”
This was it—five cardboard boxes and two suitcases.
He looked concerned. “What’s happening to your furniture?”
“Nick is going to collect the rest. I thought he’d be doing that today.”
“You’re not keeping it?”
“I have no room.”
“Where are you moving to?”
“My aunt’s place.”For now.
He nodded. “Ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” I tried to sound cheery.
We stepped outside and he directed the movers to come in, and then turned to face me. “Why don’t I drive your car so you can relax? Moving can be stressful. Carl will follow us.”
“He won’t mind?”
“Of course not.”
