Page 11 of Smooth Sailing
Paloma: My mind just exploded! ??
Paloma:Again.
Max: Don’t worry, I moved back into my nice guy lane.
Max: I like experimenting, but it wasn’t for me. It was a one-time thing.
“Are you dating someone?” Drake asked.
“Huh?” Max looked from his phone. He’d forgotten about his brother. “No. Why?”
“Because whoever you’re texting is making you smitten smile.”
“‘Smitten smile,’” Max muttered, sliding his phone into his pocket. “No. I was chatting with a business partner of sorts.”
“Of sorts?”
“It’s temporary. A single job.”
“Explain,” his brother said.
He told him about Paloma and the Thompson project. Drake took a long pull from his glass bottle, hooking an arm over the back of his chair. “She, huh? Interesting . . .”
“That’s all you heard?” He pushed off from the counter and opened a cupboard, grabbing a glass. “Anyway, what has you leaving Detroit and working out here?”
“I already told you this,” Drake sighed. “But you were too busy ignoring me and sexting yourbusinesspartner. A company from overseas is expanding to Michigan. I’ll be here for a week but will be returning on and off for the next few months until the job’s completed.” He tapped his index and middle finger on the table then stopped, seeming to notice his nervous tic. “I thought while I was in the area, I could stay with you.”
“You don’t want to stay with Mom?”
“I’d rather visit with my little brother. Or do you not want me here because your—” he made air quotes— “‘work partner’ might visit you late at night.”
Max snorted. “The better question is, areyoudating someone and that’s why you want to stay with me?”
Drake rolled his eyes, his corporate veneer slipping a little. “No.” Then he grinned. “But I might want to make a few trips down memory lane with my favorites.”
“Fine. If you’ll be coming and going, just take the key you used to get inside.” He took another drink of his water. “I wish you’d told me late last week you’d be spending most of the summer here. I wouldn’t have accepted Paloma’s offer.”
“Oh, Paloma. Is that your w—”
He’d started with the air quotes again and Max swatted his brother’s hands. “Asshole, we’re work partners.” Although, the more time he spent with her, the less he liked the title.
“Fine, I believe you,” Drake said, sounding the opposite.
Max’s cell buzzed in his pocket, and he checked it. The message was from Paloma, reminding him she was on her way over. “Shit, I need to get in the shower. I’m going to the tree farm with Paloma.”
Drake dipped his chin, looking at Max. “And you need to shower? Won’t you just get dirty again?”
“I’vebeen outside all day.” He ran a palm down his sweaty, dirt-streaked shirt. “I probably stink.”
His brother tilted his head. “Is she hot?”
“Why does that matter?”
“That means yes.”
“Again, what does that matter? We’re working together. Not sleeping together.”
“Would you shower if you and I were going to the tree farm?”
