Page 29 of The Charming Checklist
“Hey, how’s it going, you two? Nice gorilla.” He leaned back, feigning shock. “Are you two on adate?”
“It’s Ava’s birthday,” Max said, tone dripping irritation.
“Oh hey, happy birthday there, Ava.” When the redhead wouldn’t go away, he finally threw his arm around her shoulders, friendship-style. “Sheryl and I are just hanging out.”
“That’s right. We’re just good friends,” Sheryl said with a saucy wink. “Hi, Max.”
Max did not reply but simply nodded.
“Well, we best get going,” Nick said. “Ava, drop by tomorrow and I’ll make you a special birthday lunch.”
“Um, thanks. I will.” She waved as they walked away, then turned to Max. “Awkward.”
“He’s an idiot.”
“I can’t argue with that, but it does take two to tango, or line dance, or two-step. You catch my drift.” She clutched the gorilla she’d just silently named Tarzan.
Max turned to her and the scowl that had been on his face had slipped. There was the slightest tip at the corner of his mouth, and his eyes... Those beautiful eyes were smiling, crinkles on the sides.
She loved making him smile, even a tiny bit.
“Let me ask you something. As a business owner, will you be able to make the tough decisions? The ones no one else will make?”
She gnawed on her lower lip. “You mean firing someone, don’t you?”
He nodded. “I get to be the hard-ass. Cole doesn’t have the stomach for it.”
“I suppose that I’ll have to be ready for that.” She waited a long beat, imagining how tough that might be. She couldn’t possibly fire a single mother. “Are you going to fire Nick?”
“Yeah. Probably. It’s not his personal life, because much as I hate it, who he dates is none of my business. But he’s letting this cross into his professional life and I can’t let that happen. I don’t think he respects us enough. Maybe this is just a stop for him.”
“Have you ever fired someone?”
“Yeah, many times, and I will tell you something—most people see it coming. They know when they’re screwing up.”
“I’m just going to have to do a stellar job of screening my baristas.”
“That too.” He stood and offered his hand. “Ready?”
She wasn’t prepared for this night to be over because this was one of the best times she’d had in months. With the last man on earth she’d have thought would have the patience. Then again, it was her birthday, and he probably felt bad for her.
She slipped her shoes back on and when she looked up Max was scowling again. “What?”
He gave her his back. “Climb on.”
“Climb on your... No, Max.” She hesitated to tell him that she didn’t want to be aliteralburden. Besides, what if she weighed too much for his poor back?
“Do it. I’m carrying you back to the car.”
“But I can walk.”
“You mean limp, don’t you? Climb me.”
When he put it that way...his back looked strong enough to carry a beast of burden. Or something. She argued a bit more with him—useless, because she’d already learned that Max didn’t back down when he wanted something. Seconds later, she was on his back, dress hiked up to her thighs, her arms wrapped around his broad shoulders, holding on to both him and Tarzan. They must have made quite a pair, because more than a few people smiled their way. Some openly stared.
A few minutes later they were at her home, and Ava struggled with whether she should ask him inside or not. This was not an actual date, but on a real date, there might be a kiss at the end. Max, ever the gentleman, led her to the front door.
Hand on her doorknob, she turned to him. “Do you want to come inside?”
