Page 9 of The Charming Checklist
But he worried his sometimes-roving eye could be the reason he’d been fantasizing about Ava lately. Her shapely behind, legs, long, kissable neck and sensual mouth said fun with a capitalF. Which went right along with his favoriteFword. But his life would have to change. Having amazing sex was not known to be the best way to find a compatible partner for the long haul. A real damn shame, but he’d done the research. The facts didn’t lie.
Cole arrived a few hours later to pick up Sub and accepted a cold beer.
“How’d it go?” Max asked.
“We went with whatever Valerie wanted because I can’t distinguish between cake properties like I can with beer.”
“Which is why we own a bar.” Max clinked bottles with Cole.
“Amen, buddy. Amen.” Cole bent to pet Sub, who had found a place on the floor on his feet. Not by them.Onthem. “I heard Ava asked you out.”
“To impress her family.”
The fact that Ava Long had asked him out to impressherfamily had been the most gratifying thing she’d said to him since the day he met her.
Years ago, the daughter of doctors would not have even been in Max’s social circle, much less a friend.
“Ah, she must have that family birthday dinner again.”
“Yep. I had no idea she had a family full of doctors. Must be interesting dinner conversation.”
“Valerie says they’re not very supportive of Ava and this dinner is just a way to criticize her in person instead of over the phone.”
“On her birthday? Who would be that cruel?”
Cole shrugged. “Who’s your date tonight?”
“Daphne Montgomery.” Even her name slid off his tongue smoothly. Max listed her achievements and background and watched as Cole’s eyes widened.
“Man. Hope you can curl up to her big brain every night.”
Smug, Cole went to his phone and brought up her photo. “I think there’s far more than her brain I could be sleeping with.”
“Oh, yeah. Wow. Why are all these women signing up for dating services? It sounds a little... I don’t know, desperate? And, bro, she doesn’t look desperate.”
Admittedly, Max had his doubts about online dating profiles. He should have probably gone with an old-fashioned matchmaker and if this didn’t work out, that would be his next move.
“Maybe like me they’re looking for someone compatible. Or maybe they don’t have time to filter through all the men knocking their doors down.”
“Far be it from me to say, but not having enough time doesn’t bode well for a serious relationship.”
He’d cross that bridge when he came to it. At this point, he didn’t expect to find the right woman for him immediately. It just didn’t make sense and couldn’t be that easy. Nothing worthwhile ever was.
Max had now indulged in enough small talk. He had to get to the point and knew Cole wouldn’t like it. But he tended to be everybody’s best friend and left the tough decisions to Max.
Like when to fire someone.
“We have to let him go, Cole.”
“Not this again. I thought we were going to give Nick another chance.”
“I don’t giveanyonea third chance.”
“Because you’re a hard-ass.”
“That’s why you love me. You’re too damn nice, which is how you won Mr. Charming. But it’s not how we’re going to stay successful and grow. We need everyone to be on board. He’s a link in the unbreakable chain and I want to cut him loose.”
Nick, their chef, had been with the bar since long before their grand reopening a year ago. He’d worked for the previous owner. A great cook, but Max was sick of Nick’s womanizing. He went home with a different woman every other night, which wasn’t any of their business. But he was often late, or MIA after a random hookup, which was very much their business. Cole often took care of receiving the fish order on the days when it arrived because Nick was rarely there on time. Cole, of course, didn’t mind. Max did.
