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“Where’s Win?” Ryan asked, and jealousy slammed me out of nowhere with the sudden vision of the other day at the pool when Win was rubbing his shoulder.
“He’ll be here,” Max said.
“Up you go, Carrot,” Ryan said, bending low in front of Rory.
She hopped onto his back like it was second nature, and he stood like she weighed nothing at all. I felt stupid for being jealous of something as trivial as Win putting kinesiology tape on this guy’s shoulder when he was clearly in love with his girlfriend.
“You too, Mads,” Jamie said, doing the same thing in front of his girlfriend. Her long dark hair fluttered out around her when she leaped on Jamie’s back, and he groaned like she weighed three tons.
“Did you just imply that I’m fat!” She gasped.
“I’ll wash your mouth out with soap, woman,” Jamie told her. “The only thing fat on you is your attitude.”
She gasped again.
“Now, Maddie baby, I loves me some attitude,” Jamie drawled.
“Good thing ‘cause you’re probably gonna get it all night now,” Rory cracked as Ryan hauled her toward Kruger and Prism.
“Hey.” Max laid a hand on my arm long enough to get my attention and stall my footsteps.
I stopped instantly, turning to face him as everyone else continued ahead, bantering without a care in the world. Even Wes who seemed to understand Max wanted a moment with me.
My stomach squirmed in discomfort as I worried about whatever he would say.
“Look, I suck at talking.”
“Something we have in common,” I murmured.
His teeth were white against the night, the head-to-toe black he wore, and the black hair on his head. “I think we have a lot more than just that in common.”
I felt my eyes narrow as the anxiety attacking me all day spiked. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“I think you do,” he said knowingly.
A lump formed in my throat, and I started to crave that vodka I joked about before.
“I just want you to know you can talk to me. If you ever need someone to listen.”
My shoulders relaxed some when I realized he wasn’t trying to pry into my thoughts or have a conversation right there. I nodded. “Thanks.”
“I don’t talk to many people. Just two actually,” Max said almost as if this entire thing made him uncomfortable as hell. That made us both. “But you’re family now.”
A sharp ache lanced through my chest, his words surprising but also wanted.Too wanted. I started to shake my head.
He held up his hand. “My brother might have his head up his ass right now, but he won’t for long.”
I made a choked sound.
“So yeah, if you need to talk, you can talk to me.”
“Thanks,” I echoed because I had no idea what else to say. I still wasn’t quite sure what to make of Max, but whatever he was, I thought I liked him.
He started walking again but glanced over his shoulder. “And I really meant what I said about the drink. You can only have one.”
“You aren’t my keeper,” I refuted, amazed he would try and control me.
“No, but I’m the one who will have to deal with Win if you get drunk and someone touches you.”
