Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
Zoe
“You should’ve stayed at home,” I mumble under my breath as I walk into the chic venue Lily chose for our night out.
It’s new, trendy, and I feel like a cat at a dog show, awkwardly tiptoeing around, hoping no one notices I don’t belong. My eyes scan the crowd, searching for my sister, who insists that after Fiji I became a hermit. It’s only been two weeks, and I wouldn’t call myself a hermit. More like a workaholic ant planning her escape from the corporate colony, desperately seeking her own little leaf to call home.
Also, I’m trying to bury myself in work so I don’t think about Max who I have to break up with ASAP. Not that it’d be a real break up because we’re nothing. Nothing. Just friends and . . . hopefully, I just have a crush on him and I’m not literally in love with the guy. He’ll probably laugh at this new turn of events.
The thrum of music and chatter fills the air. I adjust my dress, hoping I look more confident than I feel. It’s been almost a month since Audrey’s wedding, and this is the first time I’ve had time to hang out with Lily and her friends.
Sure, she insists they’re my friends too, but somehow I still feel a little like an outsider. More so when I’m hoping to avoid a certain man who is almost out of my mind. Almost. And hopefully, he won’t be here tonight.
Unfortunately, I spoke too soon. Across the room, I spot him. Max. He’s laughing at something Liam just said, his tall frame leaning casually against the bar. He’s back and didn’t say anything?
Not that I care, of course. We’re nothing. I groan inwardly, because if I have to repeat that phrase one more time, I’m going to scream. As if sensing my gaze, he turns, and our eyes meet. My breath catches. His smile fades into something more guarded.
Okay, so maybe he never liked me and only wanted to have a good time, which is totally fine. We can go back to semi-tolerating each other and just be polite for the sake of everyone around us. I don’t have to have ‘the talk’ with him. Yay for small miracles .
I should just start hanging with my own friends. Oh wait, I can’t because the acquaintances I had chose Tom over me.
I reach the table where Lily, Audrey, and another woman are sitting. The other woman is with Caleb, Audrey specifies. Yet another new flavor for the weekend—or maybe only tonight.
“Zoe, you look amazing,” Lily says. “Love that top. Is that from the shopping spree you went on with Mom and Cleo?”
“Yeah, the one you bailed on and left me with them,” I growl, because shopping with our older sister and mom is a nightmare.
“Sorry,” she says. “What do you want to drink? The first round is on me.”
I order something fancy and pricey that I can’t even pronounce; all I know is that it has tequila and mango. Hopefully the mango won’t make me sick. Lily heads to the bar where Ethan is. She soon returns with our drinks. We chat for a while, and then a new guy arrives.
He’s handsome, with an oval face and a strong jawline that catches my attention immediately. As he approaches, I notice his medium-sized, almond-shaped eyes that are a striking shade of light brown or hazel, giving him an intense and confident gaze. His thick, well-defined eyebrows are slightly arched, complementing his straight, moderately narrow nose.
Lily’s eyes light up as she notices him. She leans in close to me, her voice barely above a whisper. “Isn’t he gorgeous? I think you’re going to love him. ”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Great, they’re setting me up.
Lily practically bounces on her toes as she leads the new guy over. “Zoe, I want you to meet Alec. Alec, this is my sister, Zoe.”
Alec extends his hand, a warm smile playing on his lips. “It’s great to finally meet you, Zoe. Lily’s told me a lot about you.”
I shake his hand, feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension. “All good things, I hope,” I reply, trying to match his easy demeanor.
As we exchange pleasantries, I can’t help but feel Lily’s eager gaze on us, clearly hoping for sparks to fly. While Alec is undeniably attractive, my mind can’t help but wander to the other side of the room where Max stands. Which is clearly a big mistake. I shouldn’t care about him at all.
“I think you two would really hit it off,” Lily whispers, all giddy.
I smile politely, my mind still partially on Max though. But tonight, it’s about trying new things and maybe, just maybe, letting go of the past—and the impossible, aka Max. Who knows? Maybe this new guy will be the distraction I need to finally stop thinking about the man who’s been occupying my thoughts far too often lately.
Okay, he’s not bad looking. I could dig this for a date or two—if he has good conversational skills, maybe we can think a little longer term.
“So, Lily tells me you’re a lawyer,” Alec starts, leaning against the table in a relaxed pose .
“Yeah, that’s right,” I say, trying to keep my tone light. “Corporate law mostly. What about you?”
“I’m in advertising,” he says, his eyes twinkling. “Mostly creative stuff—coming up with catchy slogans, designing campaigns. It’s a lot of fun.”
“That sounds interesting,” I say genuinely. “I’ve always admired people who can come up with creative ideas on the spot. I’m more of a by-the-book kind of person.”
“Well, I think we’d make a great team then,” he jokes, his smile widening. “You keep things grounded, and I’ll keep them exciting.”
I laugh, not sure what to make out of this conversation. Is it me or is he coming on a little too strong? Maybe this is blind date jitters? At least he knew he’d be meeting me. I’m blindsided by this whole thing.
“So, what do you do for fun when you’re not buried in legal briefs?” Alec asks, his tone casual but interested.
“I enjoy reading, hiking, and sometimes painting,” I lie because I don’t want to tell him I don’t have much time off, though when I do, I like to travel places, even if it’s just taking the train in the morning and ending up in some New England small town in the afternoon where I can explore and do something new and different.
He looks at me expectantly, obviously waiting for more, so I say, “Though I haven’t had much time for any of those lately.”
“Painting? That’s cool. What do you like to paint?”
I open my eyes wide. Really, he wants to know what I paint? My nails, if I have time. Damn it, he was supposed to move on. Glancing at Lily, I recall the last painting she created and say, “Mostly landscapes. It’s a nice escape from the structured world of law.”
“Maybe you can show me some of your work sometime,” Alec suggests. “Or we can go for a hike.”
Before I can respond, I feel a presence behind me. Turning, I see Max, looking as handsome as ever, but with an air of arrogance that makes my blood boil.
“Hey, Zoe. Can I talk to you for a second?” Max says, barely glancing at Alec. “It’s about a legal issue.”
I honestly don’t want to go with him—though it’d be great to leave the awkward conversation with Alec. Decisions, decisions.
“It’s really important,” Max presses, sounding a little bossy.
I glare at him, really not caring for his tone.
“You can go,” Alec offers. “We can continue our conversation when you’re done, exchange numbers and maybe plan a real date.” He winks at me and adds, “You can paint me during our first hike.”
Paint him during the date while hiking? That’s . . . weird. “Uh, sure. Sorry, I’ll be back . . .” Never. I’m heading home right after I figure out what Max wants. If it’s legal help as he just stated, I’ll just give him the number to another one of my colleagues.
Max finally looks at Alec, offering a tight smile. “Sorry to interrupt, Alan.”
“It’s Alec,” he corrects, clearly annoyed. “No problem, just make sure you don’t monopolize her for long. ”
“Sure, Alfred.” Max dismisses him with a nod and turns back to me. “Shall we?”
I give Alec an apologetic look as Max leads me away. Once we’re out of earshot, I can’t help but ask, “What’s this legal issue you need to discuss so urgently?”
Max smirks, a glint in his eyes telling me he’s up to no good. “Oh, that? I just needed to rescue you from Mr. Perfect over there. He’s not your type.”
I roll my eyes. “Really, Max? I was actually enjoying the conversation,” I lie.
“Yeah, I could tell,” he says, sarcasm dripping from his words. “He’s a real charmer, that Alvin.”
“It’s Alec, and you know it,” I snap, crossing my arms. “Why do you have to be so . . . so insufferable?”
“Insufferable? Me?” Max feigns innocence.
“You interrupted me for no reason,” I protest.
“I had a reason,” he refutes.
I cross my arms. “Really, please tell me why you had to drag me out of what was a pleasant first date.”
He laughs. “Good one, Harper.” The asshole laughs as if I just delivered the best joke he’s heard in ages.
“Explain yourself, McCallister,” I press, glaring at him and tapping my foot exasperated.
“If you must know, I made a commitment to save people—I was simply saving you from him. You were about to die of boredom.”
“It was a perfectly fine conversation for a first date,” I retort, feeling the familiar frustration bubbling up. “He’s nice, you know. Lily thinks we’ll hit it off. ”
Max scoffs. “He’s definitely not your type. It’s like going back to Tom the Tool but douchier.”
“You don’t know that,” I argue.
“But I do,” he states, stepping closer—so close I can feel the heat of his body. “As I said, I’m just doing my civic duty and looking after you. You’re welcome.”
I can’t help but laugh, despite myself. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
“And you love it,” he replies with a wink.
I shake my head, trying to hide my smile. “Okay, Mr. Arrogant. What do you really want? If you don’t mind, I’d rather go home than have to deal with you.”
As I wait for Max’s response, I can’t help but wonder why he really pulled me away from Alec, and what this means for us.
“I already told you.” He shrugs, his playful demeanor fading slightly. “Save you from a bad date. Maybe warn you about Lily and your family. I heard they’re trying to find your ‘Mr. Right.’ There’s something about you going shopping for a new wardrobe.” His eyes roam over my body, lingering on my top as a slow, appreciative smirk spreads across his face. “I approve, by the way. Pretty sexy.”
I feel a mix of annoyance, confusion, and upset bubbling up inside me. “How do you know all this?” I demand, crossing my arms defensively.
“Well, from what I heard, it seems like you’re going through a crisis,” Max says, leaning casually against the bar. His eyes never leave mine as he continues, “Your job too. What is up with that, Harper?”
“It was part of our conversation in Fiji, obviously you weren’t listening . . .” I trail off, biting back the words ‘or cared’ that threaten to spill out. Instead, I force a tight smile. “I told you I was going to do it.”
The tension between us is palpable, a mix of attraction and frustration. I can’t help but wonder why Max is so interested in my life changes, and why his opinion suddenly matters so much to me. As I struggle to maintain my composure, I realize that dealing with Max McCallister might be more complicated than I initially thought.
Plus my future is really something I don’t want to discuss right now with him or anyone. I’m feeling a bit lost because now that I’ve given the deposit and first and last months’ rent for my new office, I’m terrified of what’s next—officially giving my resignation to the firm. My family saying I’m making a mistake isn’t helping.
“You did, and I’m glad you’re finally taking that step,” he says, “but your family seems a little alarmed, so I really wanted to check on you. If anything, you need someone who’s on your side and not a bunch of assholes telling you that you’ll fail.”
Honestly, I’m not sure how to feel about what he just said. This could’ve been a text . Maybe next time, call me , or why interrupt my date? But I don’t say any of that. At least we’re talking and not making things awkward after that one night we spent together, which obviously meant nothing to him.
It’s been what, three weeks? Probably. I lost count. We fucked the first night, the wedding happened, and then he disappeared. If Ethan and Caleb hadn’t gone with him, I would’ve sworn it was the best excuse to get rid of an unexpected and awkward one-night stand. And even when it’s been a long time, it still feels like it was yesterday when he was pinning me to the door and . . . stop those thoughts right now, Zoe. You don’t want to go there. Not again.
“Well, you see me. I’m fine.”
He glances over. “You’re fine.” Max raises an eyebrow, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. “Really fine. I wouldn’t mind looking more in detail to see that nothing has changed since the last time we . . . saw each other.”
I feel my cheeks heat up at his innuendo and the memory of that night. It was a moment of weakness, a lapse in judgment. One that can’t happen again.
“That was then, in Fiji,” I say, my voice wavering slightly. “We had fun, and we both know it should stay in the past—for our friends and families’ sake.”
Max moves even closer, his hand brushing against mine. “Do we now? Because I seem to remember we were great together. More than great. Plus, you owe me an encore.”
I swallow hard, my resolve crumbling under the intensity of his gaze. “Max, please. We can’t do this here.”
He leans in, his lips grazing my ear as he whispers, “Then let’s go somewhere we can.”
For a moment, I’m tempted to say yes, to let myself get swept away again. My breath hitches, and I find myself leaning in closer, the tension between us almost unbearable.
But before I can respond, Lily appears out of nowhere, and her timing is impeccable as always. “Hey, Zo, Ethan, and I are ready to head out. We can drive you home since you took an Uber to the bar.”
I blink, the spell broken. “Oh, uh, thanks, Lily. That sounds great.”
Max straightens, his expression shifting back to the guarded mask he wore earlier. “Guess I’ll see you around, Zoe,” he says, his voice cool but his eyes still smoldering with unspoken words.
“Yeah, see you around,” I reply, trying to sound casual as I turn to follow Lily.
As we make our way to the exit, I glance back at Max one last time. He’s still standing there, watching me with that infuriatingly unreadable expression.
And then, he mouths, “ You still owe me .”
Well, he can keep waiting for that because I’m not falling for that again. At least, that’s what I tell myself as I step into the cool night air, my heart still racing from our encounter.