Page 74 of The Ruthless and the Strong

But Max was looking at me like I was the most beautiful girl in the world, and right now, at this moment, I believed him.

“You look amazing,” he answered, his voice gruff.

I smiled. “Thank you. You look good, too.”

That was an understatement. He was dressed casually enough, but I’d realized quickly enough that there was nothing casual about Maxwell Kade.

His eyes crinkled in the corners, and he directed with his head for me to come in. “We have to drive there. We can go through the garage.”

“Okay,” I said, moving in. Max shut the door behind me and locked it. I waited for him until he walked over to me with Hunter still in his arms, and when he placed a hand on my back, leading me to the garage, all I felt was warmth and happiness.

If only I could be with him like this forever. Me, him, and Hunter.

We would be happy, I just knew it.

Silly and naive, I knew.

It didn’t stop me from dreaming of it, all the same.

* * *

Max droveus to a park nearby.

I looked at him questioningly, and he got out.

I got out, too, and lifted Hunter out of his car seat. He looked at me in excitement, and my heart pinched a little from the guilt. Aside from school, I hadn’t really taken Hunter anywhere. I had been trying my best to get us settled in, but it wasn’t an excuse.

Max waited for us by the hood of his car, and when we got there, I noticed a picnic basket in his hand. Excitement ran up and down my spine. “We’re going on a picnic?”

He nodded. “Happy?”

“Ecstatic,” I said, resisting the urge to jump up and down.

“Good,” he answered gruffly. “Let’s go.”

We managed to find a secluded spot by a big oak tree. There were people around, but it felt like we were in our own little corner in the world.

Hunter clasped my hand and jumped up and down in excitement while we waited for Max to set up a blanket. He pulled away from me when he saw something in the basket Max brought, and I watched as he pulled out a Frisbee and a football.

I looked over at Max, and his cheeks were slightly pink. He cleared his throat a bit. “I thought Hunter might like to play with one of those with me later on.”

I had to look away. I didn’t even know why I was feeling like crying now, but I thought I might have loved Max even more for the fact that he was making an effort, not just with me, but with Hunter as well.

“Yes!” Hunter said, excited. “I want to play with the… the…”

He looked over to ask for help.

“Frisbee,” I said.

“Yes, Frisbee.”

Walking over to Max, Hunter grabbed his hand. “Can we go now, Maxie? Please? Please?”

Max looked a little helpless when he met eyes, and I smiled. “Hunter, you can play with Max later, but you have to be good and eat your lunch first.”

“But I’m not hungry, Momma.”

“Hunter,” I said, making sure my voice stayed firm.

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