The Gamble (Colorado Mountain #1)(202)

I watched her go, having seen the look in Max’s eyes and thinking for the first time since I met Kami that I desired her continued presence.

Max’s hand curled around the back of my neck then it used my neck to curl me to his front. I tipped my head back to look at him and braced.

“Forgot to tell you this, babe, with Jeff and all and considerin’ this shit’s a onetime deal what I’m gonna say won’t matter since this isn’t gonna happen to you again but…” his face got closer, “anyone, a guy, a woman, a f**kin’ Martian traps you against a car and gets in your face and the first person you tell ain’t me and you wait more than two seconds to tell me, it’s not gonna make me happy.”

I started to defend myself, saying, “Max –”

He cut me off. “No response required.”

I really wanted to make a response and further I wanted to make a response about him telling me I couldn’t make a response. However, he was, as usual, annoyingly right. I should have told him. So I pressed my lips together and I pressed them together tightly. Max watched me for several long seconds then his eyes dropped to my mouth.

Then he asked, “You gonna explode?”

I unpressed my lips and answered, “Maybe.”

It was at that moment Max burst out laughing and at the same time my mother called. I decided a good evasive maneuver was to answer my mobile which I did only to have her shout on the phone at me for ten minutes about my disappearing act, ending her tirade telling me she and Steve were at Drake’s and would Max and I “grace us with your presence” (her words) for a drink.

Since we were within walking distance, Max and I met Mom and Steve at Drake’s. Then I calmed Mom and Steve down when they saw my face. And, shortly after, Mom and I had a heated discussion about the fact that Max and I weren’t going to some fancy seafood restaurant a town over with her and Steve that night.

“I don’t have anything to wear,” I’d finally snapped.

“Nina!” she’d snapped back in horrified maternal affront (Mom style). “I taught you how to pack better, surely. You always bring something nice. I don’t care if you’re staying in a shack in the Adirondacks. You come prepared for a nice night out!”

“I already used my fancy outfit when Max and I went to The Rooster,” I informed her.

Mom had a ready answer which, by the way, was also an oft-used answer to nearly all Mom’s problems. “Then we’ll go shopping.”

“I’m tired Mom, I got beat up last night,” I reminded her. “I want a cozy night in.”

She waved her hand around and stated, “Good seafood will take your mind off all that. You love seafood.”

“Mom, we’re in Colorado. You eat steaks here and buffalo burgers and, I don’t know, elk or something. You don’t go to a seafood restaurant.”

“I do,” Mom retorted.

I looked at Steve. Steve shrugged.

Mom caught my look at Steve and gave in but the way she did made that Max Unhappy Shimmer fill the air. “Okay, you’re tired then I’ll make you two dinner at Max’s house.”

I opened my mouth but luckily Steve, likely noting the shimmer, intervened.

“Nellie, let Nina and Max have a quiet night.”

“I can do quiet,” Mom replied.

Steve stared at her, brows raised and even Mom knew she had no hope of making the case for being able to do quiet.

Then Mom looked at me and her face fell before she whispered, “I never see you.”

I sighed, leaned into her and took her hand. “Yes, but soon I’ll be a short plane ride and a two hour car ride away, not a continent and an ocean away.”

Mom’s face grew gentle, her eyes moved to Max, na**d gratitude filled them and she looked back to me.

“Right, tonight you and Max get a cozy night, tomorrow I get you.” She looked back at Max and asked, “Deal?”

“Deal,” Max replied in his gravelly voice.

I started to release her hand but she held on tight and gave my hand a rough shake. “And Nina, sweetie, you ever run away from Max again and get yourself beat up, you’ll answer to me. Is that understood?”

Apparently I hadn’t calmed Mom down about my face so in order to do that, I used my other hand to cup her cheek, leaned even closer and I promised on a whisper, “Understood.”

She smiled at me, released my hand, I dropped my other one, we finished our drinks without any further drama and Max took me up the mountain.

Which brought me to now, tidying up the prep dishes with Max, in his kitchen, a new drama, at least for me.

This was because, firstly, Max was helping me tidy up. Niles could, if pressed (repeatedly), fill a dishwasher but mostly he ignored the dishes until his cleaning lady did them once a week. If I cooked for Niles, I did the clean up because Niles’s efforts were halfhearted at best and, if I let him try, it annoyed me so to avoid being annoyed, I just cleaned up.

Max was a natural.

Okay, so he didn’t wipe down the counters, he was more a rinse and load man, but he also was capable of putting away food which was a clear plus.

This drama was, secondly, because it dawned on me that this was my future, making dinner and tidying up with Max.

Why something this simple seemed overwhelming in a weirdly spectacular way I had no idea, but it did.