Page 45 of Wrong Idea

“That’s a little… dark,” I called him out, and he gave me a somewhat sheepish look.

“I know. I’m working on it,” he muttered, and for some reason, Harrison Storm made me laugh.

“He loves you, Max. He’s never been this way about anyone. No one could have drawn him out of his office. The man was a workaholic through and through before you, Max. No one would have been able to get him to delegate or handle things. Not his family, not any other woman, but you. I’ve never believed in the whole finding the one and how it could change your life, but... watching Carver these last couple of weeks, even if he thought he was being sly, has me second-guessing what I believe. He genuinely cares, and I have never seen him like this with anyone. And I’ve known him my whole life.” It was sweet to hear his little brother talk about him that way.

“Why did you guys order new uniforms? And jackets?” I blurted, and he stared at me.

“I didn’t. I ordered the first polos. Carver ordered the new ones and the jackets on his own.”

“Why?”

“You really don’t know?” Harrison asked, and I shrugged. “He did it for you, Max,” he shared. Carver was looking out for me long before we got as deep as we did. I nodded, knowing all I wanted to do was run to him and tell him how I felt.

“Thank you.” I smiled.

“Did that help?”

“Help?” I asked, not sure what he was talking about with so much going on in my head.

“Make up your mind about what you’re going to do with my brother.”

“Oh.” What did I want to do with Carver? I had to bite away my own smile.

“I think so… yeah,” I admitted. I loved Carver. He had messed up, but we could get through this. We could get through anything as long as we were together.

“Good. Anything I can do to help?” he offered, and an idea popped into my head. Suddenly, I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. I knew what I wanted to do. Who was I kidding? I’d always known; I just hadn’t had the guts to admit it to myself.

“Actually… there is.” I leaned forward and shared my idea. A sneaky smile spread over Harrison’s face.

“That’s not a bad idea. Tit for tat. I like it. Count me in!” he agreed all too easily.

Hopefully, my little plan wouldn’t backfire.

twelve

max

I heardthe door open and shut while I hid in the bathroom. I had no idea if my plan would work or not, but I had to try. In my head, it was one way to even the scales between us.

“Harrison, I don’t have time for this.” Even though Carver was complaining, hearing his voice felt like warm honey in my veins, somehow soothing me from the inside out. It had been four days since I heard his voice. Four days without him, and I knew, right or wrong, I didn’t want to go one more.

I loved Carver Storm.

Every stalkerish inch of him.

“Why are we here?” he rumbled, and my lips twitched.

“Relax. Jesus,” Harry exhaled. “You need to relax. Look, I get it. Life kinda sucks for you and?—“

“Kind of? I just…” His voice cracked, and I chewed on my lip. Maybe I was just as bad as him waiting a couple more days to torment him? Maybe I was playing my own games? What if this backfired on me? “I just lost the love of my life.”

“You’re being a little dramatic, don’t you think?” Harrison callously answered, and I pressed my lips together. He was good at this whole thing. “Lost the love of your life?”

“I haven’t talked to her.”

“But you’ve seen her,” Harry pointed out, and I strained to hear what Car answered.

“Harrison—“

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