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“Thank you. It’s nice to set everything aside for a little while.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
This all felt so sweet and perfect and like old times again.
“So, you said something about paperwork.”
“You’re the only person I know who’d get excited about spreadsheets.”
She perked up. “You didn’t tell me there’d be spreadsheets.” She gathered her plate and his and her bottles of soda and stood up. “Let’s go.”
Max chuckled and stood but stayed right in front of her, smiling. “There she is.”
She cocked her head and stared at him. “What?”
“The old Kenna. The one I think about all the time. Happy. Smiling. Joking.” He cupped her cheek in one hand. “God, I missed you.” His lips brushed hers in a soft sweep. “Come on.”
She appreciated that he kept things light, even as he drew her into the relationship they were rebuilding.
This was a start of the next chapter for them. It felt familiar, yet exciting at the same time.
She’d come here reluctantly because she needed a safe place to hide. Now she didn’t want to leave.
That night, after she did the paperwork in the office and filed all of it, she made dinner to thank Max and his dad for letting her stay here. Then she and Max watched another movie on TV. After he saw her to her room and said good-night with only a whispered, “Sweet dreams,” she found the beautiful bouquet of pink roses on her nightstand with a note from him.
A new beginning.
Love, Max
She thought she’d run out of tears over the last few days, but no. The sweet gesture and hopeful words brought them back. Her battered heart eased a little more. And she fell a little more in love with Max, if that was even possible.
She didn’t know how he’d even gotten them for her. Then she remembered seeing Hunt’s car pull out of the drive moments before she walked up to the house to start dinner. Max had probably asked his brother to pick them up in town and deliver them on his way home.
So sweet.
The flowers weren’t the only surprise. He’d left the T-shirts she returned to him when they were at her place stacked neatly on the end of her bed.
And another note.
These always looked better on you.
Love, Max
She swiped another happy tear from her cheek, changed out of her clothes from today and slipped on one of Max’s shirts. She settled into bed for the first time with happy thoughts in her head and a light heart. Finally she slept.
Chapter Twenty-One
Max started his day the way he wanted to start every one of them from now until he died. Kissing Kenna. He’d waited outside Kenna’s room after she showered and dressed. The second she opened the door and saw him, she smiled and thanked him for the flowers and T-shirts, wearing one of his old Guns N’ Roses tees.
He’d said, “You’re welcome. Good morning,” cupped her beautiful face, and kissed her until she melted into him. He loved that he could still make her smile the way she did when he ended the kiss, only because they had an audience. One of the feds was always close by. But the smile she gave Max, it was open and warm and bright and filled with joy to see him.
They’d walked downstairs together, and he’d left her in the kitchen with his dad and headed down to the barn to meet up with Chase and the crew.
He’d been busy with one thing after the next and hadn’t seen her at all during the day. It amazed him that just knowing she was here, that they were trying again,made him so damn happy. It felt like his life was finally getting back on track.
And all roads led to her.
He found her in the barn brushing down one of the horses. Ray, her fed for the day, stood just outside the stall door.
