Page 19 of A Love So Sweet
THE AFTERNOON DRAGGED into evening, with each issue taking twice as long as the last. By dinnertime, Max was starving, but she couldn’t even eat her salad from lunch. As they neared closing time, she guzzled more coffee and decided to duck into a theater. Maybe she could close her eyes for a few minutes and no one would notice. The minute her butt hit the only available seat in the theater, her earpiece buzzed, and she hauled herself back out into the cool evening air.
“Yes?”
“Max? Delivery for you.”
“I’m not expecting any deliveries. Who’s the vendor?” she asked as she moved out of the way of the crowds.
“Forget it, Max. I’ll have someone run it up to the office.”
“Thanks.”
Chaz was texting when Max entered the office. She relaxed into the couch and closed her eyes. Chaz’s phone buzzed three times in quick succession.
“Text fight?” she asked.
“No.” He responded to the texts, and his phone continued to buzz again.
She lifted her head and opened her eyes. “Anything I can do?”
He finally put the phone down on his desk and looked at her. “We’re slow tonight. Why don’t you take an hour off? Get off the grounds and do something non-work-related.”
She snapped to attention. “What?”
“You heard me. Take a break.”
Adrenaline drove her to the edge of his desk. “What’s going on? I’ve never left a festival early, and you know we’re anything but slow tonight.” Max rubbed her temples.
“You’re exhausted,” he said.
“So? I can still do my job. Look, I’m sorry if I overstepped my boundaries by being so worn out. I take full responsibility, but there’s no reason to make me leave early.”
When he didn’t respond, she said, “I love my job, Chaz. Have I done something wrong?”
“Relax,” he said with a pinched face, sending another quick text. “No. Even when you’re tired, you do twice the work of anyone else.”
Max felt a wave of relief. “Then what is it? Why do you need to get rid of me?”
There was a knock at the door, and Max answered it.
Mark, one of the temporary festival staffers, came through the door carrying an enormous white box and set it on the table. “This just arrived,” he said on his way back out the door.
“Were you expecting something?” Chaz asked.
Max shook her head and lifted the lid, revealing a decadent chocolate cake with lavender-frosting roses in the center. The smell of rich chocolate sent her ravenous stomach into a flurry.
Chaz peered over her shoulder. “Sponsor?”
“Probably.” She dipped her finger into the deep chocolate frosting and licked it off. “Holy cow, that’s delicious. I love our sponsors.” She removed the card that was taped to the inside of the box and read it aloud. “Max, I never want to forget last night. Dive right in…” She snapped the card shut as a flush heated her cheeks.The lavender roses. He remembered my favorite color, too?
“O-kay, then,” Chaz said with an arch of his brow. “Someone either did something very wrong or very right, and I think now I understand why you’re so tired today.”
“It was something very right,” she said a little dreamily, then quickly added, “But not what you think.” She couldn’t believe Treat had taken her comment to heart. The man had a memory like a vault.And a heart sweeter than this decadent dessert.She was elated.Giddy.She closed the top of the box, wishing she hadn’t sent him away earlier. “I could never eat all of this. Why don’t you take some home to Kaylie and the kids?”
“Max.” Chaz shook his head. “I think whoever sent this probably meant for you to have it. That’s not a cheap cake.”
“No, it’s not. It’s indulgent and delicious, and exactly what I need.”Like him.
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