Page 47 of Craving You

“Because I could be interested in investing and donating my time and a crew as my contribution,” he explained. “It would be a way of ensuring that Hailey is taken care of. And what about a house for the two of you?”

Crap. He and Hailey hadn’t talked about actual living arrangements, and even though he was the one who brought it up earlier in the conversation, he didn’t expect Kevin to circle back to it.

“Like I said, that’s a top priority. Living here in the room over the garage was just a temporary situation. I never wanted to get too comfortable there and…”

“Dad!” Hailey said as she practically sprinted across the room toward them. She glanced anxiously between them before fully facing her father. “I hope you’re being nice to Max and not giving him a hard time. I honestly thought you wouldn’t rush back here to interrogate him.”

Holding out his hand, Max gently tugged her down onto the sofa with them. “It’s okay, Hales.”

“No one’s interrogating anyone,” her father told her. “Max and I are simply having a conversation.”

She still looked wary. “About…?”

“The bar he and Ronan are going to open.”

“The bar…?”

Nodding, her father went on. “I’m thinking of investing in it too. You know, help with the construction. Then we were just talking about the kind of house Max was going to buy—hopefully for the two of you—when you came running across the room.” He shook his head. “Seriously, Hailey, you didn’t need to make such a dramatic entrance.”

“Dramatic…?”

“And you really should finish your sentences,” he said, still shaking his head. “You’re a grown woman. Use your words.”

Max could feel her bristling, but had no idea if he should calm her down or let her react however she was going to react.

She glanced at him briefly, as if looking for assurance, so he smiled and nodded and then let her say whatever was on her mind.

“You know why I’m confused, right? Just a few hours ago, you were shaking your finger in Max’s face and talking to me like I’m a child,” she said calmly. “Then I notice the two of you alone in here while everyone else is watching from a safe distance. Even Mom is staying in the kitchen! And my entrance wasn’t dramatic; I was just making sure you were playing nice.”

For some reason, that made her father smile broadly, like he approved.

“So you’re protecting Max,” he said, nodding. “I like that.”

“You do?”

“Before you came running in here, he was telling me all the ways he was going to look out for you and that I didn’t need to worry. As your father, that’s always going to be my job, no matter what. But listening to you both separately, I can tell that you have something between you.” Then he frowned. “Something other than a baby out of wedlock.”

“Oh my God…Dad, seriously?” Sighing loudly, Hailey turned and looked at Max again. “I am so sorry. I really thought we could all be adults about this.”

“Hailey Shae, we are being adults, and the two of you are having a baby out of wedlock,” her father casually said. “Seems to me at least part of that can be rectified.”

Her head snapped around so fast that Max was shocked she didn’t have whiplash. But before she could say anything, Kevin was speaking.

“You’re moving here to be close to Max, the two of you are obviously very fond of each other and taking the time to get to know one another. Would it be so wrong to get married? I know it would go a long way in making your mother feel better.”

Max remembered Billie’s words from earlier.

They love to throw the guilt around…

Clearly, she wasn’t exaggerating.

“Dad, this really isn’t any of your business. Max and I haven’t started making any plans, and we certainly haven’t talked about making that kind of commitment,” she nervously explained, and he had to wonder if she had already forgotten how he suggested this exact thing not so long ago. “And it’s unnecessary. We can co-parent while each living our own lives.” She turned to Max. “Right?”

And something in his expression must have given him away because her eyes went wide.

“Max?”

“I…” He cleared this throat. “I know we haven’t talked about it, um…much, but…” Pausing, he cleared his throat. “I’m not opposed to the idea. We already know we get along and have a lot of things in common. We both want to be hands-on with raising our baby, so I don’t see why we can’t consider getting married.”

---