Page 14 of The Young & the Sinner

It was so masculine. The boys at school barely had peach fuzz.

I squirmed in my seat and cleared my throat, trying to remember what it was that we were talking about just now.

“Do you like it?” I asked, proud of how steady I sounded.

“Yeah. I can’t imagine doing anything else in my life.”

“Max said you’re always on the run. That you never have time to do anything.”

“He did, did he?”

I looked down, blushing. Perhaps I shouldn’t have said that. He gently tapped my shoulder and I looked back at him. “It’s okay. Max is always saying stupid stuff like that.”

My lips twitched with a threat of a smile, and I knew that was his intent. “I think Max missed hanging out with you.”

“He’s one to talk. He makes my sixty-hour work week look like a teenager’s part-time job.”

I smiled then. “He’s not working so much anymore. We have dinner together most nights.”

“That’s good to hear. I would hate the thought of him keeping his regular working hours now that you’re living with him.”

We both stopped talking when we heard the garage door opening. I put my coffee mug down, excited. I missed Max. He was only gone for four days, but it might as well have been four months.

“He’s home,” I told Mason, who smiled indulgently at me. I ignored the way his smile made my heart stutter, putting it off as my excitement of seeing Max again. And then the door leading to the garage opened, and Max walked in, his carry-on hanging off his shoulder, his clothes wrinkled, and his hair a mess.

“Max!”

He looked at me, and all tiredness was wiped from his eyes as he dropped his carry-on to catch me. He made an oomph sound when I reached him, but he didn’t move from where he stood, wrapping his long arms around me, making me feel safe and protected.

“I missed you,” I whispered, still aware that Mason was behind us, witnessing the scene. I blinked away the moisture forming in my eyes. I didn’t want to lose it in front of Mason. That would just be embarrassing.

“Ah, I missed you, too, Olive. But look at how well you did with me being gone for four days. I’m proud of you, kiddo.”

To others, it might seem like a weird thing to be proud of, but I practically flourished under his praise. I would live the rest of my life trying to make him proud. My arms tightened a fraction around his waist, not wanting to let him go, but knowing I had to.

I stepped away after a long second, and he ruffled my hair. “How were things at home? Throw any wild parties while I was away?”

“Of course not,” I said seriously.

Max laughed. Then he looked behind me and his smile widened. “You know, a little warning would be nice before you drop in.”

I cringed at the reminder of my reaction from earlier, even if it was a normal reaction to seeing a strange man in your house.

Mason laughed as well. “I thought it would be nice to surprise my big brother on his birthday. I didn’t even know you left the States.”

“And I didn’t know you were back,” Max said meaningfully. “How was New York?”

“As expected,” Mason replied.

I got the feeling he only said that because I was around. Max looked at me then, and I shot him a smile. “Happy birthday.”

“Thanks, kiddo. What do you say I change out of these clothes and we can go out for dinner?”

“Yeah, that sounds nice.”

“You’re joining us, Mason,” Max said, and it wasn’t a request. I looked back at Mason and found him grinning at his brother. I was happy to see how close they were. Sometimes I wished I had a sibling growing up. It would have made my childhood less lonely.

“Sure. I never say no to free food.” Mason winked at me, and my cheeks flamed red. I looked away and caught Max’s probing gaze.

---