Page 47 of For All It's Worth
Chapter Nineteen
Max
MaverickKanewasapain in my ass. Not literally, though I’m sure that he wanted to be. The guy had been trying to get his coffee into my café, and himself into my pants since I’d met him about a year ago.
While attractive and arguably my type, being tall, dark and some might say, handsome, he did nothing for me.
Actually, he set off every warning bell I had developed over the years from dealing with creeps. This guy set off my creep meter to a red alert, but I had no reason for why I acted so defensive around him. He’d never given me a reason to think that he was anything but a rep from one of the coffee bean suppliers in the city. This one was far more persistent though and was trying to poach my business from the fair trade supplier that I’d used since I’d opened.
I’d been brought up to always trust my gut, so I worked hard to keep polite but firm, never showing any sort of weakness or doubt since I could guarantee that Maverick would be all over that if he thought he had a chance with me.
“How’ve you been?” he asked as we sat down at our usual table. I always picked this one because of its proximity to the counter. Usually so that Kristen or one of my other employees could come up to me with an emergency that I just had to handle right then, if they saw me struggling or if Maverick was coming on too strong.
“Busy, so busy, thanks, you?” It was always a good idea to keep Maverick talking. I wasn’t interested in listening to his answers, distracted with Charlie handling the counter himself, looking like a black cloud had settled overhead. He’d been doing so well with the customers, giving out sweet smiles to old ladies with cups of tea, and quick quips to the university students loading up with caffeine before lectures.
Maverick rambled on and on, with the expected humble brags and flirt routine that I was used to, and I tuned out briefly as I watched the muscles of Charlie’s back flex as he ground beans confidently for his latest order. “What do you think?”
“Sorry?”
“What do you think about me taking you out for dinner?”
There was a clatter from the counter and a muffled curse. Charlie bent to pick up the milk jug and shot me an apologetic look.
“Excuse me for a second,” I said to Maverick as I got up to help Charlie clean up, but Finn got there first and quickly cleared the spill, handing a fresh jug to Charlie to use instead.
Shrugging, I sat back down.
“So sorry. What did you say again?”
“I’d like to take you out to dinner. Look, I’m sure it’s not a surprise that I’m interested in you. I wouldn’t be nearly as persistent about coming here otherwise. I know as well as you do that you aren’t changing suppliers. Your current one must either love you, or you managed to con them into giving you a fantastic price. I can’t do those numbers without being fired and I happen to like my job.”
I shuffled in my seat a bit, uncomfortable and unsure how to let the guy down gently. The ones that were confident enough to just straight out ask me out were always the ones liable to make a scene when they didn’t get what they wanted.
Instinctively, I looked up and caught Charlie watching me. It was impossible to know what he saw in my expression but he rounded the counter and came to my side.
“Babe, I need you to come look at the schedule for the week after next. You promised me a date night and it’s been a month since we’ve had one.” He settled his expression into a faux pout, teasing me with a sly twinkle in his eyes.
I stiffened briefly as Charlie ran his hand up and down my back gently, not expecting the gesture, but thankful that Maverick was too busy reacting to Charlie’s interruption to notice me. Just having him beside me, touching me, filled me with relief, though there was a touch of melancholy since I wanted this to be real. This was the ultimate tease. Acting the part of my boyfriend when he knew I wanted the act to be real.
“Oh. Oh! I’m sorry. I thought you were single.”
I didn’t even manage to speak up before Charlie cut in and answered for me.
“It’s new.” His tone was short, not inviting any comment and I saw Maverick measuring Charlie up.
“Right, well I’ll let you get back to work, Max. You have my number so if things change with your supplier, or your man here, gimme a call okay?”
Charlie tensed and I could almost hear him growl at Maverick as he gathered up his things and left.
Moving to get up, I noticed that Charlie was still tense and wondered if he was okay. He wouldn’t look me in the eye.
“Everything okay?”
“Hmm.” He muttered, the rest of the sentence was too low for me to hear as we made our way behind the safety of the counter.
“Thanks for stepping in.”
His eyes shot up to my face as if he was looking for a lie.
“Maverick doesn’t know when to take no for an answer,” I pressed, wanting Charlie to talk to me.
He offered a grunt but there was a smile playing on his lips, and I knew what he wanted to say. He wanted to tell me I was trouble. That I could get into all sorts of situations without even trying. That I’d be lost without him. He’d be right.
What he didn’t say were the words that I wanted to hear. That he didn’t want to pretend to be dating, that we should be planning dates for real. That we belonged with each other because no one else got him like I do. No one would ever know me like he does. That I own his heart as much as he owns mine.
I wanted him to tell me that he was ready for the next step. That the week of ignoring the elephant in the room was over with. Even if he couldn’t say the words, some sort of sign would do.
Charlie slung an arm around my shoulders and in a move that he’d never done before, he pulled me in close and pressed a kiss to my temple before moving away and leaving me struck dumb.
