29. Max
CHAPTER 29
Max
Charlie’s surprised look was pretty priceless when she found out I’m part owner of the ranch. She of course demanded answers, then laughed when she realized the bunkhouse really was mine.
Alexander insisted we all spend Christmas Eve and Christmas together. Charlene and Nash did most of the cooking, and Magnolia was in charge of bartending. Charlie ended up being her grandma’s gopher, and we went back and forth between the bunkhouse and the lodge about fifteen times, getting different things she needed for the meal.
Christmas turns into a loud, fun affair that includes a pool tournament—Charlene hustled all of us—a shouting match between Alexander and Charlie over who was cheating at Monopoly, and then a cooking lesson from Charlene on how to make the perfect Christmas dinner rolls.
Magnolia and Nash seemed content to canoodle and watch the mayhem, and Nash seemed particularly pleased to see his grandpa enjoying himself so much.
Charlie seemed perfectly comfortable with everyone there. I guess I hadn’t entirely realized how close she was with everyone. She said she had met Alexander and didn’t play up the fact that she and him had a history of playing games and arguing their hearts out.
I open my eyes. I was only resting for a few minutes. Glancing up at the clock, I realize I was resting them for a full hour. But glancing around the room, I realize Alexander and Nash were in the same predicament as me. Both are sitting on the couch next to each other with their heads leaned back and snoring softly.
Charlene is sitting in one of the big reclining chairs, and she’s not snoring softly. She sounds like a freight train rumbling through the house. I didn’t know someone so tiny could make such a noise. It’s actually impressive.
Charlie and Magnolia are nowhere to be seen. This means they’ve either disappeared to the kitchen or one of the other living rooms in this house.
I stand up quietly, trying not to disturb anyone, and walk down the hall.
Soft voices reach my ears.
“You’re really not second-guessing this?” It’s Magnolia asking the question.
“Honestly, no. It feels right. It feels like I have something to do and somewhere I’m needed. Somewhere that I’m wanted,” Charlie replies in an earnest voice.
I slow my steps and stop before I reach the doorway that leads into the family room with the pool table.
“I guess I just want to see you happy. And I know things have been a little tough for you, figuring out where you fit in…and I just really want you to find somewhere you’re content. And if Max is it for you, then I’m really glad you’ve met him.”
My heart catches in my chest, and I hold my breath. Because even though I want to be Charlie’s every reason for everything, I also know there are other things that need to happen too. She needs to want to stay. Because I don’t think I can stand having her come to resent me someday. I don’t want to be the reason she gave up something she wanted. I want to be the reason she’s found more than she’s ever hoped.
“You know what’s strange…is I was thinking about staying even before Max admitted his feelings for me. You know I love small towns?—”
“True, you’re always going and staying at your grandma’s,” Magnolia interjects.
“And the people here have been really welcoming. Do you know that no one has batted an eyelash that I’m a contractor? They don’t act like it’s strange that I can build houses. They don’t act like I’m an anomaly. Instead, they ask me things like, ‘Hey, could you fix my porch? Do you have time to renovate an old farmhouse? I need a shop built behind my house.’” Charlie changes her voice to imitate each question. “I would have work and business here to keep me busy for a good long while.”
“You won’t feel like you’re missing out on an opportunity by leaving Bend?” Magnolia asks. It’s a justifiable question since Bend is expanding at a rapid rate. There’s enough work for any kind of contract work a person could look for—enough work to make a name for oneself in the industry and grow a big career.
“You know I like what I do. But I’m happy just doing what I’m doing right now. I don’t want to girl-boss it up and own a huge company someday. I just want to be able to renovate houses, maybe build some occasionally. I don’t need to be some world-renowned contractor. I just want to do what I love. And I have the opportunity to do that here…with someone I’m coming to care about.”
There’s silence for a moment, and I wonder if I should make my entrance yet. Instead, I hold off.
“And honestly, Max scares me,” Charlie says quietly, and I hear a shuffling sound like maybe she’s rearranging how she’s sitting.
Max scares me are not the three words I’ve been dying to hear from Charlie.
“What do you mean by that?” Magnolia asks.
“He’s good. And fun. And he looks out for me. And he’s ornery, and I can dish it out to him, and he just laughs!”
“Annnnnd this scares you how?” Magnolia asks with a laugh.
“Because I’m falling for him—fast. And I’m scared it’s a one-sided thing.” Her voice quiets to a whisper, and I have to lean toward the door to catch it. “I think I’m already in love with him, Magnolia. It’s only been three days of us being a thing.”
Magnolia laughs. “You’ve been staying together for almost six weeks now. I don’t think that’s that strange. I mean, look at Nash and me. We got engaged during our second meeting!”
Charlie giggles. “That was a fake engagement, so I don’t think that counts.”
Charlie is referring to the fact that Nash and Magnolia got to know each other when he asked her to meet his dying grandpa—as his fiancée.
“If you know they’re worth it, then don’t second-guess yourself,” Magnolia advises. “I’m so glad I took a risk with Nash.”
“Max asked me to take a chance on him,” Charlie admits. “I want to. I’m just scared I won’t be the right person for him. What if he gets to know me, and I annoy him? Or I’m too much for him?”
“Well, you’ve already had lots of fights. If you’ve survived that, I don’t think you’ll annoy him. I know how stubborn you can be.”
“Thanks for that,” Charlie says dryly. “With friends like these…”
I take a deep, slow breath, hoping not to alert them to my presence. Now is not the time to interrupt. Besides, I don’t want to ruin things by telling them I was eavesdropping. I turn around and head back toward the living room as quietly as I can.
Charlie is falling in love with me. She’s worried I won’t want her.
Which is ridiculous. Of course I want her. I’m scared she’ll wake up one day and realize I’m the lead weight in our relationship.
She even said the L word.
She’s falling in love with me. Hopefully, I can push her over the edge so she gets there faster.
And I think it’s safe to say I’m feeling the same.