Last on the List (Wait With Me #5)(100)

“Surprise, surprise, he’s a breast man,” Kate deadpans when Tucker begins nodding off in my arms almost immediately.

I turn around and sway him in my arms to hide my stinging eyes from Kate as she looks over all the boards, oohing and aahing at the fine details. I’ve been basically in this workshop every night this week…barely even stopping to eat, so I’m pretty proud of the work I’ve done.

One night Everly came into the shop with some food for me and I had to do a quick coverup of my cock boards that were more balls than cock at that time, so I don’t think she realized what she was even looking at, thank goodness. When she handed me the plate of food, I had to resist the urge to ask her if it was from her or Max.

I wanted it to be from Max.

And then I spent the next hour aggressively sanding wooden shafts to punish myself for wanting the food to be from Max.

This is stupid.

I should want nothing from Max. I pushed him away. I ended what we had to save myself so I should be happy with that decision.

Why did he have to say he loved me?

“This one is my favorite,” Kate says, holding up one of the maples that I liked the most too. “The deep curve of this says…yeah, I might have dick cheese…but I can still hit your brie-spot.”

“Nice pun,” I laugh and shake my head, cupping the back of Tucker’s head to prevent him from jiggling too much. “You have to put that on a bookmark or something.”

“For sure,” Kate agrees, clapping her hands together excitedly. “I’m meeting with the lawyer tomorrow morning and a real estate agent in the afternoon to look at some properties downtown. This shit is finally getting underway, and I couldn’t be more thrilled! I’m really hoping to find a space near Dakota’s T-shirt shop. That part of town is cute and artsy and everything I always pictured for an indie bookstore. I just have to finish my book today first because I’m so close to typing “The End” and I can think of no better way to celebrate than going bookstore shopping.” She exhales heavily after that long rant of a to-do list she just blasted through.

“My God, you’re taking care of an infant, finishing a book, and opening up your own bookstore…how do you do it all?” I ask, staring at her like she must have five clones in the car.

“I do it stylishly, of course,” she answers, gesturing to her Pizza slice T-shirt. It’s a Dakota T-shop original.

She laughs and turns to look at the boards again. I can’t help but pry further. “No, seriously. How are you getting all this done? Are you a ball of stress at home?”

“Are you kidding me?” Kate replies with another laugh. “Not at all! I mean, sometimes I have my little freak outs, but I’m living my dream right now. I’m doing something I absolutely love, and opening up this charity bookstore will be like…the thrill of a lifetime.”

I nod slowly. “So you think if you’re doing something you’re passionate about, it’s less stressful?”

“Definitely. And it might still be stressful but it’s fulfilling at the same time. I mean…how do you feel making charcuterie boards?”

“Horny usually,” I respond with an honest answer because if anyone can take it, it’s this woman. “And that was before I knew cocktuterie boards were a thing.”

“I love it!” She holds her hand up in a high five that I gratefully accept because I didn’t totally perv her out with my honesty.

“But I feel fulfilled too,” I add, digging in a little deeper. “Making these boards is like this strangely satisfying experience for me. After my stroke, they really brought me back to life.”

“I’m sorry, did you say stroke?” Kate’s eyes turn to saucers.

I nod and cringe. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to just drop that on you.”

“No…please,” she says, crossing her arms and staring seriously back at me. “If we’re going to be working together with all these hard cocks, I think it’s important for me to know you, Cozy. This sounds like a big deal.”

I exhale heavily, squeezing little Tucker to my chest for comfort. “It was but I’m okay now, thankfully. I used to work in a really high-stress job in corporate and it all became too much for me. I had a stress-induced stroke in the middle of a meeting almost eight months ago.”

Kate’s eyes widen. “Damn, that’s scary as fuck.”

“I know,” I reply with a self-deprecating laugh. “I’m doing great now, but what you said about doing something you’re passionate about really resonated with me. Making these boards helped me with my physical therapy. I gained back all I lost making these things and ever since then, when I work on them, it’s like an out-of-body experience. Like an adrenaline rush of gratitude every time I get to put this stupid leather apron on.”

“Sexy leather apron,” Kate corrects with a warm smile. “And good for you. It sounds like you made the right career change. Creative types like us are way more fun than the suited stiffs.”

She laughs but all I can do is picture Max in his suits. God, he wears them so well. And in the mornings when his hair is still damp from his shower, and he’s just applied his cologne…there is nothing hotter in the universe. I miss it more than I’d miss charcuterie boards.

“Well, I’m a clean bill of health now,” I respond, refocusing my thoughts. “And please don’t worry about my quality of work. I promise you that I am healthy as a horse and doing better than ever.”