Page 27 of Defensive Zone

“A lot of wine will do that to you,” he said.

“Could you shut up? One of the bottles was almost empty. Not that it should matter,” Gabi bit out. She turned to Ava. “I’ll clean this up. Go check on Elise and get some sleep.”

He didn’t miss Gabi squeezing his sister’s hand.

“What’s going on? Are you okay?” he asked as Ava stood up from the couch.

“It’s nothing,” she said. “I’m just tired.”

“You don’t look just tired,” he said.

Ava scoffed. “Just what a woman wants to hear. I’m going to check on Elise and go to bed. I can’t believe how late it is and that she’s still sleeping.”

“Ava.” He pulled her into a hug, and when she stiffened in his arms, he felt like an asshole.

“It’s fine, Max. I’m tired and my stomach hurts from too much ice cream,” she said, pulling free. “Night, Gabs,” she said, looking around his shoulder before she headed down the hall.

“Night, Av,” Gabi said.

Max heard the edge in Gabi’s voice.

“Lay it on me,” he said, turning to Gabi when Ava was out of sight.

Gabi’s cheeks were a brilliant shade of red and he wondered if it was one hundred percent anger or if the booze helped. Regardless, she was hot as hell right now. And he had no business thinking like that when he’d just hurt his sister’s feelings in some way.

“You are such an asshole.”

“I was trying to make her laugh. You both clearly had a fun girls’ night,” he said, waving his hand over the empty wine bottle and carton of ice cream that maybe had a spoonful left in it.

Damn. He’d wanted to eat that one.

Focus.

She was distracting him. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly, her agitation evident.

“Why does everything have to be a joke to you?” she said.

“It’s not.”

“Isn’t it? Ava is going through a lot of shit right now and…” she trailed off, and he wanted her to continue.

“I know that, and I’m trying to help with humor. It usually works,” he said.

“Well, it’s not working now.”

He sighed. “I’m aware. It’s not like this is easy for me.”

“This isn’t about you, Max.”

She was standing in front of him, her finger jabbed into his chest with each word, making him feel like an even bigger asshole.

He bit back his frustration.

“I know it’s not about me, Gabi, but lightening the mood is what I do.”

“And sometimes it’s not the right time for that,” she said, taking a step back.

He instantly missed her, her harsh breath against his chest. He swore he could feel it flooding through every pore in his body.

---