Max walks past me. In fact, he barely even looks at me. “Yeah. Sure. But later. Now, I’ve gotta run.”
I step back out of his way. “Okay. I guess I’ll see you for dinner?”
“Uh-huh.”
He opens the door and closes it just as fast behind him.
Okay, what the fuck was that about?
Phoebe’s gone for a week, but he doesn’t seem all that broken up about it. It’s just a normal day at the office for him.
At the office.
Was Phoebe right before?
Is there something Max is hiding from her?
From us?
Chapter Nineteen
Thad
The elevator opens. I poke my head out, covertly scanning the entryway to the law offices where Max works. He’s a junior partner here, so his name isn’t on the wall, but I know he prefers it that way.
It’s busy today. Paralegals shuffle up and down the hallways, popping in and out of offices, adding even more paperwork to the already thick stacks in their arms. They must all be working on the same big case Max is.
If he even is working on a big case.
The thought is brief and quiet, but I instantly despise it. This is Max I’m thinking about. My best friend. My girlfriend’s boyfriend. We share a home. A California king bed, for fuck’s sake.
I ease forward off the elevator, hoping to do a little quiet reconnaissance without being bothered.
“Hi, Thad!”
Crap.
Executive Assistant Janet waves at me from the desk by the wall. Unfortunately, I’m well known around here.
“Hey, Janet…” I shuffle toward her, doing my best to look inconspicuous. “How are you?”
“I’m… well, busy,” she says, gesturing around. “As you can see.”
“Yeah, big case I hear?”
“Biggest we’ve had in a long time,” she says, adding a smile. “Did you want me to ping Max? Is he expecting you?”
“Oh, no. No.” I wave a hand. “Don’t need to bother the guy. I’m sure he’s busy.”
She nods, then squints. “Then what can I do for you?”
“Nothing.”
She cants her head.
Fuck. I’m bad at this.
“I mean…” I lean an elbow against her desk, throwing on a smirk. “It’s a surprise. I’m here… to surprise him. I have some good news. Personal news. Good, personal news.”