He shrugs. “I’m not sure. Sounds like one of them has liked the other for a while, and he’s being kind of weird about it.”
“What’s the problem?”
“To be honest, I’m not sure.”
He leans against the rail, only an inch or two away from me. There’s a faint hint of his cologne, and before I can stop myself, I take another breath of it. I put my hand on the rail next to his, surprised by the suspense at being so close. He’s held my hand before, but maybe that was just a fluke.
Yeah, that’s dangerous territory.
“You left the coffee shop quickly yesterday. Is everything okay?” I ask, studying his face to see if there’s a hidden answer.
He lets out a long breath and gives me a small smile. There’s something behind it, pain maybe? Or frustration?
“It was kind of a work call, but it didn’t go well.” He looks wounded, and I can’t help but reach over, wrapping my arms around his middle for a hug.
He’s a stiff as a board at first, then relaxes into the embrace. His voice is a bit muffled when he says, “Sorry, I’m not used to hugs.”
I pull back in surprise, still holding onto him. “What do you mean, you’re not used to hugs?”
He lets out a light chuckle, and I’m lost in the sadness in his eyes. “I didn’t grow up in a home that was outwardly affectionate.”
I frown, trying to picture something like that. Hugs are a part of life, connecting people when they’re struggling.
“You can ask Lila, but I tend to hug for everything.”
“I don’t mind,” he says, grinning at me.
What would it be like to just reach up and kiss him?
The thought sends me spiraling, and I immediately remind myself that I need to stop thinking about him as more than a friend, or my heart is going to get crushed.
I take a step back and realize the line has moved several steps forward. I close the gap and turn back to Max. He reaches over and takes my hand, like it’s the most naturalthing in the world. He might not be super comfortable with hugs yet, but he’s knocking it out of the park on his hand-holding skills.
“I’m excited about this weekend,” I say, changing the subject. It sounds lame to my ears, and I frown.
“Me too. So, you’re not originally from here?” Max asks.
I shake my head. “No. I grew up in Arizona and then went to school in Oregon. My sister, Cora, and her husband moved down here before they had Lila, and she just never really left after her husband passed away. Well, now she leaves all the time.”
“Is she hired by a bunch of companies? Or how does that work?” Max asks.
It takes me a moment to come up with the answer because he’s using his thumb to draw small circles on the back of my hand.
“She’s contracted with one company that works with hospitals around the country. When they’re short-staffed or someone is out on leave, they’ll send her there for varying amounts of time. It’s hard on Lila when she’s gone, but Cora is trying to pay for the treatments her husband went through during his battle with cancer.”
Concern flickers in his eyes, and I give his hand a squeeze. “He passed a year ago, and it was a good thing for him. He’d been through so much that his body was pretty worn out by the end.”
We’re quiet for several moments, and I want to break the silence somehow, but I’m not sure how to steer the conversation to easier waters.
“I think it’s great that you help take care of Lila.” His jaw moves back and forth, like he’s trying to avoid saying something.
“Well, it would be easier if she didn’t think she was a grown-up already,” I say turning to look at her and Ashley. They’regrinning at each other and talking about something from school.
“I know you didn’t want to talk about it earlier, but I have to admit I’ve been curious about how you made the jump from lawyer to coffee shop owner.”
I laugh softly. “I’m sure many people are. That’s a lot of money to spend on an education I’m no longer using.”
He raises his eyebrows, waiting for me to continue.
