The Gamble (Colorado Mountain #1)(157)
“But –”
“I’m out on a job, you’re here by yourself, it’ll make me feel better you know where the gun is, how to get to it and how to use it.”
“Out on a job?”
“Yeah?”
“What do you mean, out on a job?”
“I work contract, take three month jobs, sometimes six. Sometimes I take jobs and work fourteen hour days, six days a week, three months on, one month off. Builds. Mostly in state, sometimes out. Thought you knew that.”
“Well, kind of, but –”
“So, I’m gone, you’re here, I’ll –”
I cut him off. “Fourteen hour days?”
“Yeah.”
“Is that even legal?”
“When they pay you a shitload to do it, yeah.”
I pointed out what I thought was the obvious, “But, that’s insane.”
“You get used to it.”
I didn’t like that he worked fourteen hour days that was a brutal schedule. I also didn’t like the idea of him being gone for three months straight, sometimes six. That would be brutal for me.
However, the current subject was a golden opportunity and I thought if I was careful, I could use it to suggest helping out financially.
So being cautious, I waded in. “Um, Max, after awhile, if I move in –”
Then I stopped talking when I realized I hadn’t been cautious enough and I hadn’t even gotten to the meat of the matter.
I knew this because his eyes narrowed dangerously and he cut me off. “After awhile?”
“Well, yes, I thought once I moved here I’d get an apartment in town, maybe a condo –”
“Those go on year leases,” he informed me.
“Well, okay.”
“You ain’t stayin’ in town a year.”
“I’m not?”
“Fuck no.”
“Where am I staying?”
“Here.”
My eyes got wide again and I stared at him.
Then I asked, “Here?”
“Yeah.”
“But I can’t move here.”
“Why the hell not?”
I blinked at him, uncertain how to answer for the answer should be obvious. And that answer was, I couldn’t move in here because we’d known each other a week.
Max kept talking. “I’m outta town, babe, I get back, I want you in my bed not in a bed in a condo in town.”
“Max –”
“And bein’ apart for months, I’m not wastin’ more time waitin’ for you to drive up the mountain or wastin’ gas drivin’ down to you when you should be here in the first place.”
“Max –”
“Or f**kin’ you in your bed one night, mine the other.”
“Max –”
“Draggin’ clothes everywhere.”
“Max!” I said loudly to get his attention.
“What?”
“What about your rentals?”
“You live here, Duchess, I pull it off the rental market.”
I blinked again then started to ask, “But what about –?”
“That’s the reason I can’t keep the land Curt gave me, losin’ the rental income makes it tough, standard of living changes.”
I stopped breathing at this news.
Then I asked, “Could you keep it if you didn’t lose the rental income?”
“Yeah, but you’re movin’ here, I’m losin’ the rental income.”
Suddenly my day brightened and to brighten Max’s I shared, “So I can help.”
It was evident Max’s day didn’t brighten; I knew this because his face darkened. “No, you can’t.”
I put my hand to his jaw, my heart getting lighter. “If I move in, I can’t live here and not contribute.”
“Yeah, babe, you can.”
I blinked again, my heart going right back to heavy as I grew confused and I asked, “What?”
“Things aren’t tight, they’re good, more than comfortable, solid. And they can stay good, we can live a nice life, we contain the acreage. That rental income means I already paid off the build on this place, got no mortgage, just taxes, utilities and I pay those.”
“But –”
“Not up for discussion.”
“But –”
“You use your money for your fancy clothes and you can plant flowers and buy shit for the kitchen.”
I stared at him in shock. Did he say plant flowers and buy shit for the kitchen?
Helpfully, I reminded him, “Max, we celebrated a new millennium a few years back.”
“So?”
“So, I’ll be earning money, I can help.”
“No,” he stated shortly, firmly and with a definite finality.
I stared at him again.
Then I asked, “That’s it? No?”
“That’s it. No.”
“I thought you didn’t have a problem with me earning more than you?”
“I don’t.”
I was no longer shocked, now I was back to confused.
“I don’t get it.”