Page 86 of Catch the Sun

“Thank you.”

“Max,” Candice adds before I make my way down the hall. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you more than just in passing. I never did thank you for saving my daughter’s life that day at the lake.”

“Oh, uh…” I pause to scratch the back of my neck. “I’m glad I was there. Right place, right time.”

“You two have become close, yes?”

“Pretty close. We’re friends.”

“Did you get her those roses?” Her eyes drift to the kitchen table in the adjoining room where a cerulean-blue vase holds the slightly drooping bouquet.

Those flowers are haunting me.

I fold in my lips and nod.

“Well, they’re lovely.” She grins brightly. “Let me know if I can make some food for you two.”

“I appreciate that. I won’t stay long… We’re just working on a project together. For school.” When she sees me off with another warm smile, I traipse down the short hallway until I land at a closed door. There are three closed doors, but this one has a custom wooden hanger dangling from a nail in the frame in the shape of a horse, personalized with Ella’s name in block letters.

Bingo.

I forget to knock and whip open the bedroom door.

Then I freeze.

Ella whirls around to face me, wearing only a lacy black bra and matching panties. She gapes at me, mouth hitching with surprise.

As for me, I just stand there staring at her, not moving, my own lips parted with shock. With more than shock. My gaze rolls over her curves and alabaster skin in slow motion before drawing back up to her face and mess of static-infused hair.

I’m still not moving.

Not. Moving.

“Max, get out! Jeez!” she shrieks, her cheeks flaming. Instinct has her grabbing a bed quilt off the mattress and wrapping herself up like a mortified burrito.

“Right. Shit. Sorry.” Still not moving.

She throws a slipper at me.

“Christ…I’m going,” I fluster before swiftly exiting the bedroom and closing the door behind me. I lean against the wood and take a deep breath, begging my nether regions to calm the hell down. As I drop my head back, the horse nameplate falls on me and everything is chaos.

I’m putting it back into place when the door pulls open again and Ella stands before me, newly clothed in pajama pants and a tank top that’s flippedbackward, the tag poking out through the top of her chest.

I blink at her.

“Did my mother let you in?”

“Yes.” Blowing out a breath, I do everything in my power to cleanse my mind of the last thirty seconds but fail tremendously. “Sorry. I should have knocked first.”

“You think?” Blotches of bright pink dapple her cheeks and neck as she avoids eye contact.

“Can I come in now?”

“No.” She swallows, crosses her arms. “Fine.”

I sweep past her into the bedroom and try not to trip over the wadded-up blanket on the floor. When I collapse on the edge of the mattress, I brave a glance at her. “I’m used to climbing through your window. I thought the door was a step up.”

“Knocking is standard etiquette in both scenarios.”

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