Both women swirled to look at him, and it was obvious they had forgotten he was even there. Max was only mildly offended by this.
“Yes,” Chelsea answered after a moment. “I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. And then I went home with this couple who were actually pretty interesting, and we had a sleepover. Any further questions, or can you help me with this blender now?”
Stella rolled her eyes and took a step forward, but Max beat her to it.
“I can help,” he said, coming around Stella into the kitchen. “I have one of these at my place.”
“You do?”
Stella and Chelsea said this at the same time, and Max chuckled.
“Yes, I do.” He reached for the blender. “May I?”
Chelsea shrugged and stepped out of his way. “Be my guest.”
Max took the top of the blender off, careful not to let any of the fruit that was already inside spill out as he took a look, trying to figure out where Chelsea went wrong.
“So this is the guy you’ve been seeing?”
Max pretended as if he didn’t hear Chelsea’s question, even though she’d only gone to join Stella on the living room side of the counter and they all knew he could hear her.
“Yes,” Stella answered.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were bringing him over?” Chelsea asked.
“I did!” Stella said. “You didn’t respond to my texts and then when I called, I didn’t really get a chance to say much before you hung up.”
Max put the lid back on the blender and pressed the start button. The machine whirred to life, and Chelsea and Stella both turned.
“Amazing, thank you!” Chelsea said, stepping back into the kitchen. Stella watched her friend walk away, their conversation clearly unfinished, but said nothing.
“I’ve been trying to make this damn smoothie all morning,” Chelsea went on.
“No problem,” Max said. He moved out of the way so she could take over the blender.
Once he was next to Stella again, he rested his hand on her back and she tensed. Max looked down at her, concerned, but she wouldn’t look at him, instead keeping her attentionon Chelsea, who was now pouring her smoothie into one of those plastic to-go cups with a straw.
“Are you going somewhere?” Stella asked.
Chelsea blinked up. “No, why? Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“Of course not, Chels,” Stella said. “You’re dressed in workout clothes and just made a smoothie. It looks like you’re going to the gym.”
Chelsea took a sip of her drink and shook her head.
“Nope, I just want to be comfy,” Chelsea said. She looked over at Max. “But let’s get into his ensemble.”
“He had nothing else to wear,” Stella explained. “But he was just leaving anyway.”
This was news to Max. “I was?”
Stella looked at him. “Don’t you have to go to work?”
It was well past nine, which was when he usually made it to the office, but he’d already emailed his assistant and Rashid, telling them he wouldn’t be making it in today. However, Max got the sense that Stella wanted him gone, and whether that was because of him or Chelsea, he wasn’t sure. Regardless, he knew how to take a hint.
“You’re right, I do,” he said finally. He turned to Chelsea, taking her hand and shaking it.
Chelsea looked bemused by the gesture and made a face to Stella that he couldn’t decipher and that she ignored.
