Page 66 of Charlie Takes a Chance

“Yeah, that one.”

Max shakes his head. “You mean to tell me Bryce broke up with you because you wouldn’t quit your job?”

I move to step back, but Max catches my arms and tugs me closer to him as he chuckles. “Of all the ridiculous reasons to break up with someone. Listen, I want you, Charlie. And I want you to take a chance on me.”

“But what if I meet someone you know, and I’ve outbid them on a job, and it causes a tense, awkward dinner?”

Max looks at me with raised eyebrows. “That was oddly specific.”

“Yes, tell us more,” Grandma chimes in.

I flinch as I remember we still have our captive audience. “The boyfriend I had before Bryce…Well, he introduced me to his parents, and I already knew his dad. He’s another residential contractor in the area and I had just outbid him on a job. Let’s just say that dinner precipitated our break up.”

Max shakes his head, glances at Grandma and says, “If you’ll excuse us…”

He grabs my elbow even though my arms are still folded and tugs me toward the stairs. I follow him up to the loft, where he gently pushes me onto the couch.

“We’re not going anywhere until we get this settled.” His tone is ominous like he’s willing to stay here for a hundred days.

I stare at him with wide eyes. “Now is the time to run.”

Max throws his head back and laughs. “If you think I don’t want to date you because of your job…you don’t know me very well. That’s something we can fix. Because let me tell you, I have a whole list of projects I’d like to hire you to do around the ranch.There’d be enough work here in Pine Ridge for five lifetimes. It’s all part of my evil plan to keep you in the area.” His eyes twinkle as he says it.

“You’ve never thought I’m too much?”

Max smirks. “Oh, definitely…especially when you were trying to steal my house.”

I smack his arm lightly, and he grins, catching my hand and lacing his fingers through mine. “Listen, if a man can’t respect you or your work, that shows a lot more about his insecurities than it saying anything about you.” He rests a hand on the back of my head, pulling me close to kiss my forehead.

“It’s why none of my relationships last long,” I whisper. “They’re always trying to compete with me or make me change who I am.”

Max leans back and rubs a hand along his jaw. “Maybe I should send them a thank you text. It’s giving me a fighting chance with you.”

Now it’s my turn to laugh because I’m shaking, and if I don’t laugh, I’ll cry. The adrenaline of worrying about what he’ll think or say. I’ve never had someone respect me in this way. Making me feel—normal. Desirable still. And to find out that he’s plotting how to keep me close. It’s the sweetest manipulation I’ve ever heard.

Gah. I think I might have just genuinely fallen in love with this man right here.

“So, are we all clear?” He asks. “Anything else you want to get off your chest?”

I nod slowly. “I found your Reese’s stash and ate some of it.”

Max moves quickly and starts tickling my ribs before I have a chance to dodge. I begin shrieking “Mercy” which he deliberately pretends like he can’t hear.

“There. I definitely feel better about myself.” Max leans back and tucks me close to his side. “Did you mean all of the stuff you said to me after the Christmas dance?”

“Not really,” I say with a giggle.

He pokes my side.

“Yes! Yes, I mean them. And I wanted to go crawl into a hole and never come out with the way you responded. I was so mortified that I had blown things out of proportion and that I was the only one falling for you.”

“Falling for me, huh? That was definitely not one of the words you used.”

I tip my head back, but his arm behind my neck prevents me from moving too much. “I’m thinking I should just keep my mouth shut around you.”

Max leans down and presses a kiss against my lips. “But I like it open.”

“So what are we then?”

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