Chapter 5 #3
I rush into my bedroom and tug on some jeans and a t-shirt before dragging my fingers through my hair in a half-hearted attempt to put myself together.
I hear the front door creak open, then the sound of Ashton’s heavy footsteps marching inside, until they pause abruptly.
I freeze, halfway through buttoning my shirt, when I hear his voice booming from the kitchen.
“Maxie? What are you doing here?”
I picture his frown, and my gut twists tighter, understanding that he’s found his little sister in pajamas, barefoot in my kitchen, first thing in the morning. This is going to look…really bad. Jesus, I’m going to need you to take the wheel here.
I’m thankful when Maxinne doesn’t miss a beat. “Relax, Ash. This is not what it looks like.”
“I sure hope not, because it looks like you’ve—” Ashton snaps, but she interrupts him.
“Sven jumped on me while I was drinking coffee on the front porch and caused me to spill it everywhere.”
I wince, dragging a hand over my face. That doesn’t exactly help my case.
“But why are you here?” Ashton presses, his voice sharper now.
Maxinne lets out a groan. “Because he was replacing the poor excuse for coffee that you keep at your place with actual coffee. And don’t get me started on the lack of food you stocked for me. Did you forget I don’t eat meat, or is this your subtle way of starving me?”
There’s a beat of silence, and I imagine Ashton blinking at her while she levels him with that unimpressed little-sister energy she seems to carry with her when he’s around.
Meanwhile, I’m in the bedroom, quickly brushing my teeth and trying not to hyperventilate.
My best friend is going to think that I’ve made a move on his sister after he specifically told me not to.
I take a deep breath, straighten my spine, and decide to play it cool.
I take one last steadying breath then stride out of the bedroom like nothing’s out of the ordinary.
“Morning,” I say casually, grabbing my keys off the counter as if I hadn’t been silently panicking in the other room.
Ashton’s narrowed eyes track me. He looks like he’s two seconds away from interrogating me.
“Dude, you see what this looks like, right?” He waves a hand toward Maxinne and furrows his brow.
I’m man enough to admit that Ashton is terrifying when he’s angry, and the last thing I’d ever want to do is upset him to the point of him punching me in the face, especially considering the fact that he spends half of his free time at the gym in the boxing ring.
One good right hook from him would probably rearrange my entire skull, and I happen to like it the way it is.
Maxinne crosses her arms, shooting Ashton a look that’s half exasperation, half amusement. “Don’t be so dramatic, Ash.”
I smirk, leaning against the counter like I’ve got nothing to hide. Because it’s true—besides all of the staring I’ve been doing, but we’re not going to mention that.
“I was being a good neighbor and making sure Maxinne had a proper cup of coffee to start her day. Would you like to try some to see what coffee should actually taste like?”
Ashton doesn’t look amused. His eyes flick from me to his sister, connecting dots that don’t even exist.
Maxinne lifts her mug in mock salute. “Yours tastes like…burnt charcoal.”
Ashton scowls. “It’s coffee. It does the job.”
“Barely,” she shoots back then gestures to my cup. “Zane’s coffee doesn’t taste like a punishment.”
I smirk at my grumpy best friend. “See? Finally, someone appreciates me.”
“Don’t get used to it,” she warns with a smirk.
Ashton groans, scrubbing a hand over his face, before he reaches down to give Sven a pat, who was nudging his leg with his nose. “Fantastic. My best friend and my sister are teaming up against me. That’s just what I need.”
“Look on the bright side,” I say. “At least Sven’s still on your team.”
Maxinne snorts. “I wouldn’t be so sure. I think he’s voted me his ’favorite human’ this morning.”
Sven barks once, as if to agree, which gets Maxinne to laugh. Ashton’s shoulders ease a fraction at the sound, which is a huge relief for me. The last thing I want is to cause issues between me and him.
“Come on, we’re gonna be late.” He grumbles before heading toward the door.
After everyone is out of the house, I lock up and whistle for Sven, who trots at my heels as Ashton and I head toward his truck. If the job site is safe, I like to bring him with me so he’s not cooped up all day. Thankfully, my mom helps with him any other time.
I give Maxinne a quick wave goodbye as she makes her way back toward Ashton’s cabin, but my eyes linger as he stops to say something to her.
Their words are carried off by the wind, too low for me to catch, and then he stalks toward the truck with that familiar storm-cloud look.
Maxinne lifts her hand in a small wave, but her smile falters before she turns back toward the cabins.
And for reasons I can’t explain, the memory of her broken smile stays with me long after we pull out of the driveway.