Oh, and the fact that Max had stopped off for a super-quick espresso with Harrison and Michael had probably improved the experience too.
Both Harrison and Michael were delighted to hear that Max and Channing had made everything right between them after the drag race.
And Michael was keen to report that a friend of his in the Los Frisco Police Department told him that they were very close to locating Judd and then putting him behind bars for quite some time.
This was comforting to hear – Max knew that Channing would benefit from knowing that Judd was going to serve some serious jail time.
That said, Max had been so impressed with how Channing had gone into work with a fresh optimism that he was beginning to see that Channing was a lot tougher than he once thought.
Just before finishing off his second espresso, Harrison and Michael had asked Max whether he would consider investing some of his sizeable race winnings in an investment that they had been working on.
Harrison and Michael’s proposition was interesting, and Max was certainly going to give it some thought. After all, if he was going to be putting down some real roots in Los Frisco it made sense to have business interests to keep him occupied and tied to the community.
However, Max also had earmarked some of the money for something very special that he knew Channing would be super-keen on too. It was still a surprise, so Max decided to tell Michael and Harrison only on the condition that they kept it quiet for now at least.
‘You’rebarkingmad!’ Harrison had said in response to Max revealing his idea.
‘Don’t listen to him,’ Michael replied. ‘I think it’s adoggone great idea!’
To the sound of laughter from his friends, Max finished his espresso and continued with his run. Harrison and Michael had busy days ahead too, not to mention a potential double-date later that evening.
But as far as Max was concerned, there was only one baby boy who had his attention now – and that was Channing.
As Max pounded the streets in his battered old sneakers, he began to feel the sweat drip down the back of his classic white t-shirt. Running was fun. It gave Max the space to let go of his old demons and thoughts and focus on simply putting one foot in front of the other.
The closer Max got to the Green Sky Future office, the more excited he became to see Channing.
Of course, the possibility of seeing Kyle Peters was on Max’s mind too.
That asshole needs to be taught a lesson.
No one messes with my Channing.
Kyle Peters needs to be put in his place…
As Max rounded the corner that would take him directly to Green Sky Future, his mind had drifted away from thoughts of Kyle Peters and back onto Channing.
Max knew that he had been on quite a journey. With his shoulder now almost fully healed, Max recalled the feeling of how much it hurt in the hours after waking up in his crashed car.
For so long, Max’s life had been about living on the edge and not giving two craps about the consequences. But that was changing now, Max could sense it.
Having Channing back in his life truly meant something to Max. Yes, Channing was younger and his commitment to all-things health and eco could be irritating at times. But Max had learned a lot from Channing too.
The kind of education that Channing had given Max wasn’t the kind you would get in college or in an office. It was a lesson in learning to be happy with a calm life, one based on enjoying simple pleasures and not needing to seek the most dangerous, out-there thrills.
Max felt a sense of tranquility as he stood near the entrance to Green Sky Future. It was a building that looked like many of the Los Frisco business quarter blocks. It was tall, mostly glass, and was surrounded by lush greenery.
As Max looked up to the top floor, he imagined Channing in the CEO’s chair, running the organization and loving every second of it as he helped to change the world.
Channing is the true wild one.
The boy’s got what it takes to reach the top.
And nothing will stop him…
But just as Max was indulging himself in a little fantasy of the kind of explicit naughtiness that he and Channing could get up to in the CEO’s office, he caught sight of something far less appealing.
‘Well, I’ll be damned,’ Max muttered under his breath. ‘If it isn’t the man himself.’
