Max slowly walked over to the table and sat down, his face not giving anything away. “What did he say?”
“Nothing. Abso-freaking-lutely nothing. I thanked him and he said he would tell Lucy she did a good job.” I raised my eyebrows, challenging Max to a response.
Max shook his head, a small smile playing at his lips. He leaned back in his chair looking amused. “Look, Cane is—”
“An asshat?” Kari cut in.
“No. Cane is complicated.”
“Good for him. I’m not. I’m simple,” I said.
“Jada, I don’t want to say too much and I won’t put words into my man’s mouth. But Cane has never sent a woman flowers. Ever.” He held his hand up to stop my forthcoming interruption. “Not even through Lucy.”
“Great! Fine. He didn’t have to do that or have her do that or what-the-fuck-ever. I just want him to go away.” I looked Max in the eye, giving him my best intimidating look. When he failed to react, I let out a breath, feeling defeated. “So, why did you trick me into meeting Cane at Solomon Place? I would have never gone to the building the first time if I had thought I was meeting him and not you.”
“You tricked her?” Kari asked incredulously. “Max!”
Max chuckled. “No,” he began, but seeing the look on my face, he switched tactics quickly. “Yes, in a way. But not really.”
“Can either of you just be transparent!?” I leaned back in my chair in disbelief. “You two are like watching trickery in motion!”
“What the hell does that mean?” Max laughed.
“I don’t even know. I’m just so frustrated.”
“I did plan on being there. Maybe not alone, but I did plan on being there. As fate would have it, I got called out to another jobsite and you ended up alone with Cane.”
“I liked you until now, you know.”
Max smiled as he pulled his phone from his pocket. “Speak of the devil. Should I tell him you said hello?” he asked cheekily.
“Yes. Tell him I said hello and that Lucy deserves a big raise.”
Max shook his head, answering the call as he walked into the other room.
Kari sipped a glass of wine as I finished my dinner. I knew that she wanted answers to what was going on with Cane, but I remained silent.
How can I explain something to her that I can’t explain to myself?
All I knew for certain was that I was wiped out—completely and utterly spent. I just wanted soft sheets and maybe a little wine.
Just as I started to get up, we heard Max’s voice raise slightly from the living room. “Cane—no. That’s not what I’m saying …” Silence again. “I handled it, man. We are back at the house. Everything is under control.”
Kari bit her lip as Max’s voice lowered, barely audible. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said.
My stomach knotted. “After the day I’ve had and your boyfriend in there—doing whatever it is he’s doing, I really think I need a drink.”
“First of all, he’s not my boyfriend. Second of all, I will never turn down wine.”
“What’s going on with you and Max anyway?” I asked as I watched my sister get up from the table and make her way to the kitchen. She began to pour our drinks. “He looks at you like you’re his and you seem sure you’re not,” I observed, taking a sip of the cool pink liquid after it was handed to me. “One glass of wine and then I’m starting on the Bacardi.”
“She’s just a pain in the ass—that’s what she is,” Max rumbled from the doorway, irritation written all over his face. “And so is Cane.” He moved his eyes to me and I could see the underlying hesitation in them.
I struggled to swallow the Moscato. “Why do I get the feeling that you are saying that for a reason?”
“Because I am.” Max took a deep breath. “Cane is on his way over here.”
JADA
We were sitting on the back porch a little while later, enjoying the peace and quiet. The ceiling fan whooshed and the pool bubbled. With the white twinkling lights strung overhead and the glow of the tiki torches, the backyard had a relaxing, romantic aura.
Kari snuggled into Max’s lap, wrapping her arms around his chest. He leaned his head back on the chaise and closed his eyes, looking completely content with my sister cuddled against him.
Jealousy reared its ugly head.
That should be me. I miss that.
I downed the rest of my wine in one gulp. “I’m going in for a refill. Do you guys need anything?”
“I think we’re good,” Max drawled, stroking Kari’s bare thigh.
My spirits in limbo, I stalked into the house and considered turning on a movie—something violent and gory. Something where the asshole gets what he has coming.
As I entered the kitchen, the doorbell rang.