Chapter 18 Kari
EIGHTEEN
KARI
Am I just jealous? Am I that girl that sees things that aren’t there, that reads into things because I’m afraid?
Dr. Manning noticed my unusual quietness and asked me about it. He and I had forged some sort of friendly relationship; I liked him. He never crossed the professional line, but we had a natural give-or-take between us. It was like I had worked with him, known him, for a long time.
When he asked me what was wrong, I tried to play it off.
He flashed me the smirk I’ve come to notice is reserved for me and said he was “waiting on me to stop lying”.
Reluctantly, I gave him a rundown of the day before.
He said it was his medical opinion that Samantha needed someone to keep an eye on her. I agreed.
But Max knows her better than Connor or me...
I had gotten home before Max and washed and dried a load of laundry.
I folded it while watching an old episode of Sons of Anarchy and then started to put it away.
I held Max’s shirt to my face and inhaled.
I loved the smell of him, the scent of musk and cedar mingled together.
It made me smile, relax, and ache at the same time.
I stuck the shirt on a hanger and hung it in the closet.
Out of nowhere, a set of arms wrapped around me.
“What the—” I shouted before realizing it was Max.
“I didn’t hear you come in.” He just held me tight, my back to his front, his face buried in the crook of my neck.
He swayed back and forth with me for a minute before pressing a kiss to my neck and letting me go.
I turned to face him. His eyes lacked the sparkle I had come to expect in them.
His mouth dipped at the corners, lines marring his face. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t even know where to start, Kar.”
“The bid?”
He shook his head. “We lost it. I don’t know how, but we did.”
“Oh, baby,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around his waist. “I’m sorry. I know you were hoping to get that.”
“I’ll have to go in early tomorrow and make some calls. I know it’s Saturday and we were supposed to go hiking, but I have to try to get something else figured out. Cane’s busy with Jada, so I’m trying to take the pressure off of him.”
I rested my cheek against his chest. “Cane called here earlier and asked me to stay with Jada tomorrow. He said she wasn’t feeling good and he needed to be in the office all day.”
“That’s a good plan.”
We stood like that for a while. “You hungry or anything?” I asked.
“That’s something else...” His chest rumbled as he spoke. “Samantha wants us to go out to dinner tonight with her and some guy she’s dating.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, the thought of spending an evening with her—date or no date—didn’t sound all that appealing. It occurred to me, however, that if she was with a date, maybe that was a good thing to support. If she had a man, she’d have less interest, theoretically, in mine.
“If you don’t wanna go, we won’t go. End of story,” he mumbled into my hair. “She just wanted me to check this guy out for her. And it’ll save us from cooking anything. I’m tired as hell and I know you probably are, too.”
I couldn’t argue that either. With a heavy sigh, I said, “It’s fine. Let’s keep it casual, though. I don’t have the energy for something dramatic.”
Kari
A couple of hours later, we pulled into Maisano’s. Max led me into the restaurant looking edible himself in a pair of khaki pants and a black Polo shirt. He smelled all outdoorsy and wonderful and I wished for a split second we were home alone.
Without the Polo shirt and khakis.
Max gave the hostess our name and we were seated in the back of the restaurant. The hostess said she’d bring Sam and her date back when they arrived.
I looked around the room, large and airy with a very romantic, ethereal feel. Light pinks and warm grays decorated the walls in abstract paintings and art. It had been my favorite place since Max brought me here on our first date. I giggled as I recalled the night we met.
“What are ya laughing at?” he grinned.
“Remember the first night we came here?”
He leaned back in his chair, his dimple shining in his cheek. “I do. It was my payment for fixin’ your car.”
“I remember watching you walk across that parking lot,” I said, my eyes widening. “I’d never felt my luck change from bad to good so quickly before.”
He chuckled, the low sound reverberating through my body. “I was mad at Cane for dumping that project in my lap that morning. And then I find this sexy little firecracker all stranded.”
“Thank God for small favors.”
“No kiddin’.” He tilted his head, a slow, sexy smile sliding across his lips. “That was one of the best days of my life.”
I felt my cheeks heat under his gaze, his words would’ve been just as true coming out of my mouth.
Meeting Max Quinn had changed my life in so many ways.
I had gone hiking that day to stop from crying.
It had been the anniversary of one of the saddest days of my entire life.
I had pulled myself up off the floor of the bathroom that afternoon, climbed to the top of Pinnacle Peak, and just zoned out.
I didn’t pray a lot, not as much as I always thought I should, but I prayed that day.
I felt so low, so down and I was afraid that depression would settle back over me as it had in the past. I had prayed for direction, for guidance, for something to soothe my soul.
I had talked to my mom and asked her to help, then I laughed at myself for thinking that.
There was no way a deceased person could help.
Then I had laughed harder because maybe they could—how did I know?
By the time I made it back down the mountain, I had felt a touch of peace.
More than I had felt in a very long time. ..at least until my car didn’t start.
That was the best thing that had ever happened to me.
“I love that dress on you.” Max leaned towards me a bit. He looked tired but happy. “The green makes your eyes look like emeralds.”
I looked down at the dress I had bought a few weeks before but never worn. I complimented it with a gold bracelet and gold hoop earrings. I left my brown hair straight and it hung to the middle of my back.
“I’d love it more on the floor of our bedroom right about now,” he grinned, his pupils dilating.
“We can always go,” I said nonchalantly. “I’m open to the idea.”
He chuckled again, leaning back. “Let’s eat fast and get out of here. I just need a quick glance at this guy Sam’s dating.”
Resigned to our fate, I sat back in my chair, too. “What do we know about this guy?”
He shrugged. “I think his name is Briar or something. Sam just wants to make sure she’s not wasting her time on him. She thinks he’s in love with an ex-girlfriend, I think.”
“Ex-issues aren’t good.”
“Nah, they aren’t. But this guy’s ex, I guess, aborted his baby and didn’t tell him. So that kind of screwed with his head.”
My heart lurched in my chest at the thought. “I’d imagine it would screw with him. Maybe Sam should back off. It sounds like he needs to work things out with his ex—find some peace or something.”
What am I saying? No! No, I want her with this guy and her sights off Max!
“Or,” I continued hurriedly, “maybe she is looking too much into things.”
“We’ll see,” Max said with amusement. The corners of his lips turned up and I knew he saw right through me.
I looked across the restaurant and saw the hostess heading our way. I could see Sam’s blonde curls behind her. “They’re here,” I said as sweetly as I could.
Max sat up in his seat as they approached. “Don’t get overly chatty tonight. I need that dress on the floor as soon as possible.”
The seriousness in his tone made me laugh. “No worries there, babe.”
“The rest of your party is here,” the hostess said, stepping out of the way. “Your server will be right with you. Enjoy your evening.”
“Hey!” Sam smiled happily. “It’s good to see you guys.”
Max rose and pulled out her chair, which she accepted with a wide grin. “Thank you, Max.” He eyed me cautiously, letting me know he was just being polite. I fought against rolling my eyes. “Kari,” she said, turning towards me, “you look pretty tonight.”
“Thank you,” I said as nicely as I could. “I love that color on you.”
She looked down at her powder pink dress. “Thanks. I don’t love pink, but I loved the way this fit.”
“So,” Max said, clearing his throat. I looked at him and he mouthed “chatty,” making me laugh. He shook his head and turned his sights on Samantha. “Where’s he at?”
“He had to take a quick call. I know it’s so rude, but he’s been waiting on it all day. He’ll be here in a second.”
“How did you meet him?” I asked, figuring we may as well make small talk.
“At a bar. But it’s not what you think,” she laughed, tossing her curls behind her shoulder and pressing her lips together. “He was there with a client and I was there...well, I was there with Brielle with less honorable intentions,” she winked. “Oh, there he is now.”
I followed her eyes across the room to the tall, dark headed man walking towards us.
I grabbed the edges of my chair to keep myself from falling.
I couldn’t breathe.
My heart stopped beating.
Blaine!