Chapter 5 #2
He bites his lip to stifle his laugh. He doesn’t believe it, but it’s true. I never mentioned this to him because I didn’t know we had a history involving chess.
“I’m not joking, honey. I did. You know, what’s strange?
I remember asking Mom for a chess game at the store.
She bought it for me, along with a book on how to play.
I might not have remembered our fights over chess, but my heart seems to have.
I became so good that I entered the chess club.
Even ask Lana. She’ll tell you how competitive I became. ”
Max folds his arms across his chest, listening to my every word. “Really? It’s hard to believe, baby, but I’d like a rematch.”
“Anytime. I’m ready for you this time.”
“Challenge accepted. How about we play adult chess?” He drops a playful kiss on my neck.
“What the hell is adult chess?”
“Every time you lose, you get naked.” His gaze rolls down my entire body. “This should be fun. I’ll have you bare within seconds.”
He has no idea how good I have become at playing chess.
The joke will be on him; I’ll have him naked within seconds.
“How do you do it? How do you look at me as if I hung the moon or like I’m in this gorgeous gown when I’m covered in icing, flour, and my hair is a mess?
” I wear an apron, but it doesn’t keep me from getting completely messy.
“Easy. I’m in love with you. I’m in love with every version of you.
I love your hair when it’s a mess, curly, or let loose.
I love it when you dress up or when you just want to wear leggings.
And you’re right. I look at you like you hung the moon because you have, but it’s more than just that. You brought out the light in my life.”
I wrap my arms around his neck, giving him a tight hug. He’s a dream, a dream I’m not sure I deserve. “I love you,” I murmur on his shoulder and inhale his spicy scent. I rub his back and pull back. “Are you ready for the fight?”
“More than ready.” He leans, palms pressed against the table. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long.”
He has. I’m proud of him whether or not he wins. He’s come a long way.
“And I’m ready to see you shine.”
“Good, because I need my good luck charm there.” He winks. “So, how about I help you finish up? Then I was thinking, if you wanted to come with me, I’m going to check on my dad’s house. Then I need to hit the gym.”
Oh lord, his dad’s. I plan on telling him soon.
“Then we can go home. I’ll cook us dinner. You’ve been cooking and baking all day. You must be tired.” His voice is husky but sweet as honey.
Yes, I’m tired, but I know he is, too.
“Sounds good to me, but we can cook dinner together.”
Max lifts me off the table. “Okay.”
I finish up my end-of-night preps while he sorts paperwork in my office and goes over inventory. I don’t have much to do with the new hires now. My sales have increased with them, and Leo’s ability to charm the ladies shopping hasn’t hurt either.
I take a quick glance at my social media accounts and see old friends from high school.
Lana and I with her four siblings and parents.
Another shows a friend holding her newborn, her husband beside her, and the grandparents.
Everyone else seems to have these picture-perfect families.
I’ve got my brother, my sister, and Lana, and that should be enough.
Should it?
I wonder why my biological relatives didn’t want me.
Was it really about money? Why did they let me get sent away?
I wonder what happened to my grandmother—I’m sure she’s gone.
My plans are to find where they are laid to rest—my parents, my grandmother.
Whatever is left of them to find. But sometimes the strangers we choose become more family than the ones who were supposed to stay.
The sound of his tuneless hum brings me to a halt.
I glance up from scrubbing the tables and smile at Max.
My heart aches knowing he’s a man any woman would want.
He’s a catch. He peers up from the stack of papers and gives me a smile that takes my breath away.
Max loves me. I have reminded myself for months.
I’ve been second-guessing myself about whether I’m enough for him. Will I be his trigger?
We enter Hector’s home. I haven’t been here since I shouted at Hector and took him to rehab.
The floor doesn’t stick to my shoes like last time.
It’s clean and has no alcohol odors, unlike last time.
No more towers of bottles on the coffee table.
Someone swept the baseboards. The windows are open, curtains dancing in a breeze that smells like Tide and fabric softener sheets.
“This was my home once, a long time ago.” His voice sounds as if it’s been dragged through gravel. He’s staring at the photo of him with his parents, the same one I looked at.
“Umm, it’s a nice home.” I shake my head at myself. Dammit, I can’t even fake surprised. “Is this your mother and father?”
He lifts the portrait from the mantel and hands it to me. “It is. This is my mom
and dad.”