The Gamble Read online

  “Um…” I replied, answering his confusing question the only way I could, “no.”

  “Nina rented the house,” Max told Harry and Harry nodded.

  “Yeah, fuckin’ great house,” Harry remarked then took a drink of his beer.

  “It is,” I agreed, not knowing what to do in this situation and hoping the icicles Shauna was so obviously willing to shoot out her eyes and pierce my flesh wouldn’t actually form.

  “Pretty unbelievable, Max built it himself,” Harry said.

  I stopped trying not to look at Shauna without looking like I was trying not to look at Shauna and my eyes shot to Harry.

  “I’m sorry?”

  “The A-Frame, Max built it himself from the ground up,” Harry informed me and my eyes moved to Max.

  “You did?” I breathed, actually breathed. Then again, I was surprised. And impressed.

  “Designed it too,” Harry went on before Max, who’d turned his head to me, could reply.

  “He did not,” Shauna put in coldly and I looked back at them.

  “Well, Rudy helped,” Harry grinned, seemingly impervious to her frosty demeanor. “He looked over the plans.”

  “Rudy’s an architect,” Shauna told me with great emphasis on her last word. “He more than helped.”

  I decided Shauna seemed kind of like a bitch.

  “Still,” I said, “building it, that’s –”

  Shauna cut me off. “He didn’t totally build it.”

  “Yeah, those windows would be hard to get in all by himself, but the rest of it –” Harry said.

  Shauna looked at Harry. “He didn’t do the wiring.”

  Harry looked at Max. “I thought you did.”

  Again before Max could reply, Shauna put in, “Not all of it.”

  Before anything more could be said, my eyes on Shauna, I swiftly and firmly declared, “Doesn’t matter, laying a single stone to create that beautiful house would be impressive. The whole place is perfect.”

  Shauna’s eyes locked with mine and we went into stare down. The stare down was interrupted by Max sliding his arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his side. Both Shauna and I broke contact, me because I was shocked at his familiar hold, Shauna because she was clearly infuriated by it.

  I tipped my head back to look at Max to see his head was tilted down to look at me.

  “You think my house is beautiful?” he asked softly.

  I was struck by something in his eyes, something intense and mesmerizing, and the restaurant faded away.

  “Well… yes, because it is,” I replied just as softly.

  “Hey, you’re English,” Harry butted in and I watched up close as Max’s jaw hardened and his eyes sliced to Harry.

  I looked at Harry too and unlike Max I was glad, for my sanity mostly, that Harry had butted into our little moment. It was a nice little moment and it made me feel warm all over, something I knew I shouldn’t feel.

  “Not exactly,” I said to Harry, “I just have a hint of an accent because I live there.”

  “Whoa!” Harry burst out and such was his surprise at this news his body slammed back into the booth. “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  Harry’s eyes darted between Max and I and he asked, “You live in England, how did you two hook up?”

  “Long story,” Max’s gravelly voice replied in a way that said that particular long story was not going to be told now or ever to Harry but more than likely especially to Shauna.

  Harry belatedly took the hint and asked me instead, “What do you do in England?”

  “I’m a solicitor.”

  “A what?” Harry asked.

  “It’s what the English call an attorney,” I explained and I felt Max’s hand tighten on my shoulder.

  “Cool!” Harry exclaimed. “Like, ‘Order in the court!’ and ‘I object!’”

  “Not exactly, I’m not a barrister, I’m a solicitor. I don’t often see court.”

  “Come again?” Harry asked, looking somewhat adorably confused.

  It was then I decided that Harry was a bit of a goof but I liked him.

  “It’s different there,” I explained. “I’m not a litigator. I don’t try cases in court very frequently and when I do they’re usually minor ones, like small claims. Mostly, I write letters and such.”

  “Bummer,” Harry muttered, looking crestfallen.

  I grinned at him and said, “They’re good letters and some of them are really long.”

  Max chuckled, Harry grinned and Shauna was still trying to get her eyes to form icicle daggers.

  Suddenly Shauna’s gaze shifted to Max and she asked, “You talk to Dodd?”

  For some reason this made Harry’s good-natured demeanor slip a notch and he muttered, “Shauna.”

  But at the same time Max answered, “Nope.”

  “You should talk to him,” Shauna advised.

  “Yeah, you’ve told me that a fuckin’ hundred times,” Max said, his voice kind of scary, not overtly so but the threat was definitely there.

  Shauna ignored it, looked at me and announced, apropos of nothing, “Max’s Dad gave him that land.”

  “Really?” I asked, puzzled at the turn of conversation.

  “It’s great land. Beautiful,” Harry tried to lighten the mood again. “Thirty whole acres of God’s country.”

  “Yeah,” Shauna answered me, foiling Harry’s attempt to lighten the mood. “He didn’t buy it or anything.”

  Max’s arm tightened around me, bringing me closer as I murmured the only response I could come up with, “Oh.”

  “No way, considering it’s worth millions and he doesn’t have that,” Shauna went on.

  I blinked at her in surprise, not only that Max owned millions of dollars worth of land but the nasty way she shared that fact as Harry whispered, “Shauna.”

  “Can’t afford the taxes on it, that’s why he rents the house,” Shauna went on and I stared.

  Max’s entire body tightened, I sat up straighter in the curve of his arm and Harry hissed, “Shauna!”

  She shrugged, her gaze skittered over Max as if afraid of catching his eye and she muttered, “Just sayin’, she’s with him, she likes that house, she should know.”

  “Maybe we –” I started to change the subject but Shauna plucked up her courage and looked at Max.

  “Saw you with Becca today.”

  This was an accusation. I knew it because her gaze slid to me to catch my reaction.

  And, frankly, I’d had enough. Shauna wasn’t kind of a bitch, she was a bitch. I didn’t think I’d ever met a bigger one.

  “Yes, Becca’s lovely,” I announced, curling into Max’s body but not taking my eyes from Shauna. “I met her this morning, she came by when Max was making me breakfast.”

  When I mentioned Max making me breakfast, the cold snap emanating from Shauna reduced the temperature of the entire restaurant by a whole ten degrees. It was a wonder I didn’t shiver.

  I ignored it and the frosty look on her face and looked up at Max. He was scowling at Shauna so, to get his attention, I placed my hand on his chest. I was interrupted from feeling the fact that his chest was as hard as his bicep and fortunately also interrupted from the instant impulse to explore that feeling further when his chin dipped down to look at me.

  Yes, his face was dark and scary. He was angry, maybe even furious.

  I ignored that too and said quietly, “I don’t want to seem ungrateful but my oatmeal was kind of… too sweet.”

  He wasn’t following, likely because he was too angry. “Too sweet?”

  I pressed my hand against his chest, cuddled closer and whispered, “Too sweet. Four sugars? Um…” I trailed off as his face cleared and he grinned.

  “I’ll make it with three tomorrow, Duchess,” he whispered back.

  “More like, one.”

  His brows went up. “One?” I nodded and his arm tightened again but he also pulled me up his body as he leaned down so my face was closer to h
is and still whispering, he said, “That’s the way you like it, that’s the way you’ll get it.”

  I was so busy watching his mouth form the words and experiencing feeling my front pressed to his hard body at the same time I was wrapped tight in his arm, I almost missed Shauna making a weird noise in the back of her throat.

  But I didn’t miss it. Neither did Max.

  My eyes went to his, I smiled at him and he smiled back. His smile and his eyes in that proximity weren’t phenomenal, they were sensational.

  The loud thump of a bottle hitting the table made me jump and I turned.

  “Ale,” Trudy announced, a smile firm on her face, her eyes on me. She dipped her head to the new beer on the table then she looked at Harry. “Table’s ready, Harry.” And without sparing Shauna a glance, she turned and walked away again, without leaving menus.

  “We’ll leave you alone,” Harry said and I noticed he didn’t look happy-go-lucky anymore. He looked pale and maybe a little frightened.

  Because of that, I probably shouldn’t have said what I said next. But for some reason I couldn’t help myself.

  No, I knew the reason. Because Shauna was far more of a bitch than Harry was a good guy and she deserved it, not only for saying what she said and for obviously, and in an ugly way, pining for Max, but for being with Harry at all. I didn’t know him but I knew he deserved better.

  Therefore I snuggled my head into Max’s shoulder, wrapped my arm around his belly and invited, “Why don’t you two eat with us? It’d be great, getting to know some people from town.”

  Harry grew paler, Max grunted in a way that made me think he was struggling with laughter and Shauna’s eyes narrowed.

  “We’re good with our table,” Harry muttered. “You two look like you’d like some private time.”

  “You sure?” I asked graciously.

  “Yeah,” Harry answered.

  “Well, maybe we can get together some other time,” I offered and looked at Shauna. “Does Max have your number? I’ll call you.”

  Before Shauna could say anything, Max’s voice rumbled from behind me but he sounded funny, like he was now choking back laughter. “I’ve got her number.”

  I lurched up a bit and doing my best imitation of Becca I cheerfully cried, “Great!”

  “See you around,” Harry said as he and Shauna slid out of the booth.

  Shauna didn’t say anything.

  Harry gave us a half-wave as he walked away, I waved back and Shauna didn’t even glance in our direction.

  They were five feet away when Max got my attention by curling me into his body front to front, so close I was almost in his lap.

  “Enjoyed the show, Duchess,” he muttered, his other arm sliding around me and he still looked amused.

  I pushed against his chest and muttered back, “Show’s over, Max.”

  He ignored me and held firm. “Though, it was unnecessary.”

  I quit pushing against his chest and looked in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I know your computer password is her name but she’s just… not very nice.”

  “She’s a bitch,” Max declared bluntly.

  “Well…” I drew the word out and then let it hang, allowing the way I said it to speak for itself.

  “And her name is my computer password because she set up the computer and the password.”

  I tipped my head to the side. “So, she and you –?”

  Max cut me off by informing me, “Yeah, I used to fuck her,” my body jolted at his frankness but he kept talking, “but it’s been over awhile.”

  “You should change your password.”

  “Not exactly a priority so I haven’t got ‘round to it.”

  “I’ll do it for you,” I offered.

  His arms gave me a squeeze and he grinned. “What’ll you chose?”

  Before I could stop my mouth from forming the words, I said, “Shebitchfromhell666.”

  He burst out laughing, giving me another squeeze while he did it.

  When he controlled his laughter, he looked back at me. “That’s kinda long, honey.”

  “Maybe so, but you won’t forget it.”

  His face got closer when he murmured, “Don’t figure I will.”

  I realized where I was and what I was about and I pressed against his chest again.

  “Let go,” I whispered.

  “Like you here,” he whispered back, something tingled someplace private, it felt altogether too good and I pulled in breath.

  “I have to use the restroom,” I kind of lied. I didn’t have to use the facilities. I needed to blow my nose.

  “Run away and remind yourself to be uptight?” he asked, again bluntly, and I felt my brows draw together.

  “No. I need to blow my nose.”

  He looked at me a second, seeming at a loss then said, “Do it here.”

  I wasn’t going to blow my nose at the table in front of him.

  “I forgot tissues,” I lied outright this time.

  He grinned again and declared, “You’re so full of shit.”

  What? Did he have x-ray eyes and could see in my purse?

  “I’m not full of shit,” I returned and his face dipped close again.

  His arms got tight before he whispered, “You like where you are just as much as I like you here.”

  Before I could say a word, his hold loosened and he slid out of the booth, taking me with him and setting me on my feet.

  “Hurry up, the food’ll be here in a minute,” he said when he let me go.

  I looked at the table then at him. “We haven’t ordered yet.”

  “Yeah we have.”

  “I haven’t even seen a menu!” I said, my voice raised.

  “You’re gettin’ a buffalo burger with jack cheese and onion rings, just like me.”

  I shook my head, those short, jerky shakes and I wasn’t certain I’d ever really done that before but I seemed to do it a lot around Max.

  “But –”

  “Go blow your nose, Duchess.”

  “But –”

  “You a vegetarian?”

  “No.”

  “Then trust me.”

  I leaned toward him and stated on a hiss, “You’re impossible.”

  He leaned toward me, grinning, and returned, “And you’re cuter than hell.”

  “Don’t call me cute when I’m angry!” I exclaimed, now totally loud.

  His eyes went over my shoulder before coming back to me then he asked, “You want the whole restaurant in on our conversation?”

  I looked in the direction his eyes pointed and saw a lot of people, including Trudy, Sarah, Harry and Shauna as well as others were watching.

  Then I turned back to Max, gave him a glare which would have melted paint off the walls but didn’t appear to affect him in the slightest and I flounced (yes, flounced but I decided I could forgive myself for flouncing as it was definitely a flouncing moment) in the direction where I hoped there would be restrooms.

  Luckily, I was correct.

  Once there, I blew my nose, washed my hands and looked in the mirror wishing I’d brought my purse so I could fix my lipstick.

  Then I pulled in breath through my nose, rested my hands against the sink and whispered to my reflection, “What on earth am I doing?”

  You’re living your life, Neenee Bean, Charlie said into my head, he sounded pleased and I watched my eyes go wide in the mirror.

  Then I looked behind me. Then I looked under the two stalls behind me. The room was empty, except for me.

  “I’m going insane,” I muttered. “Going insane in the snowy mountains like Jack Nicholson in The Shining except without the spooky hotel.”

  No one replied because no one was there.

  I decided being alone wasn’t good. I was hearing voices when I was alone. Charlie’s voice and as much as I wanted to hear Charlie’s voice, would have paid every penny I had, sold everything I owned, made a deal with the devil to hear Charlie’s voice, I didn’t want to hear it in my hea
d.

  I walked back into the restaurant smiling at Sarah and Trudy along the way, noticing Harry avoid my eyes and Shauna stare daggers at me and then I looked at Max.

  He was eating an onion ring while he slid out of the booth.

  “I see you didn’t wait for me,” I noted, my eyes on his chewing mouth then I slid into the booth.

  “I ate a ring, Duchess, relax,” he returned as he sat in the booth beside me.

  “Whatever,” I muttered and looked at my food of which there was a lot. The burger itself could feed four people. All of it was in a red, oval, plastic basket protected by a sheet of thin, white, wax paper.

  It looked utterly delicious.

  I reached for the ketchup.

  “Got burgers in England?” Max asked.

  “Yes,” I answered, squirting ketchup in a pile by the onion rings and not sharing with him that English burgers were not much to write home about.

  “Buffalo burgers?”

  “At gourmet burger places, yes,” I answered, dipping in a ring.

  “Babe?” Max called and I looked at him, onion ring halfway to my mouth. “Prepare to be dazzled,” he finished on a grin then turned to his food.

  I turned to mine.

  He wasn’t wrong, the food was so good, I was definitely dazzled.

  * * * * *

  “Sleep,” I muttered, wandering drowsily into the A-Frame and sliding my coat down my arms as Max flipped on a light.

  “Honey, I told you, you shouldn’t have had the hot fudge sundae,” Max said from behind me and I heard the door close.

  He was right and he was wrong. The burger and onion rings more than filled me up but I saw the hot fudge sundae slide by on Trudy’s tray going to someone else’s table and I couldn’t help myself. They didn’t have hot fudge in England not like they had at home.

  And anyway, I was on vacation.

  Even so, the hot fudge sundae was definitely overkill.

  But it wasn’t the hot fudge sundae making me drowsy. It was the fact that we spent the last two hours sitting in a bar called Drake’s a block down from the restaurant, listening to Max’s friend Josh play guitar and sing while Max drank Budweiser and I drank Fat Tire. Josh was good, really good but even so I ended up slouched into Max’s side, his arm around me, my head on his shoulder. I knew I shouldn’t be slouching with my body resting against his and my head on his shoulder but I couldn’t help it. It was comfortable, the beer tasted great but was mellowing me out, the music was nice, my belly was super full and I was tired.