Considering the fact that I’d recently decided to go home to England as soon as humanly possible and never come back to Colorado again in my life, it was unnecessary for Bitsy to give me this warning. Although I didn’t tell her that since her doing so was also kind.
“Thanks Bitsy,” I said and then told her the truth knowing, even so, she’d not understand my true meaning, “I’m not worried about Shauna.”
She smiled at me, it was again small, her face had not fought back the grief but she wasn’t letting it consume her, something else I admired her for, and she gave my hand a final squeeze before letting it go.
“Sucks,” she started, looking back at the reception desk and I saw her eyes lock on something and I looked to see Max and Mick were heading our way. “Finally, he’s found someone he’s into and it’s during all this crap.” I felt her eyes come back to me so I looked back to her and she was again smiling. “But we’ll get to know each other.”
“I’d like that,” I said quietly, even though I knew we wouldn’t.
“Me too,” she replied with feeling, not sharing my knowledge and making me feel guilty because she appeared to be looking forward to it.
“Bitsy,” Mick greeted as he stopped in front of us and I stayed seated. I did this out of habit. It was something I did for Charlie, keeping myself at his level, not making him look up all the time, reminding him of what he’d lost.
“Hey Mick,” Bitsy greeted back.
“How’s things, Nina?” Mick asked me.
“Interesting,” I replied and Mick smiled.
“Max, would you stay with me when they talk to me?” Bitsy asked and then said to me, “Or, sorry Nina, I should ask you. Do you mind?”
I shook my head and smiled at her. “I’ll just go get a coffee or something.”
“Thanks,” she said softly. She nodded at Mick, started wheeling away and Mick followed her.
Max stayed with me and I stood.
“Bitsy wants you,” I reminded him.
“Somethin’s up,” he said straight out, watching me closely.
“You better go,” I encouraged him, evading his subject. “Do you want me to bring you a coffee when I come back?”
He got close, tilting his head down to look at me but he didn’t touch me.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“I’ll get Bitsy a coffee too. Do you know what she likes?”
His finger went into my side belt loop again.
Then he said in a low tone, “Not gonna ask twice, Duchess.”
God. Seriously. He was so annoying.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re lyin’.”
My eyes narrowed, I yanked my h*ps away but his finger held fast and instead of tearing my loop, I settled and repeated, “I said, I’m fine.”
“Bullshit.”
I leaned in and hissed my lie, “All right, Max, I’m going out for coffee and my Dad’s in town. I don’t want to run into him and have another scene, this time in public.”
His finger in my loop drew me closer as his face relaxed.
“Just stay at the Station,” he suggested. “I’ll ask Mick to get someone to bring you coffee.”
“Police coffee?” I asked, sounding horrified.
“Yeah, Duchess,” he returned, grinning. “You think your system could stomach that?”
“No,” I lied again.
His grin got bigger and he muttered, “Christ, you’re cute.”
I sucked in breath, feeling those three words pummel me like blows to the gut.
Then I reminded him, “Max, they’re waiting for you.”
“Stay here, you want coffee, we’ll get coffee with Bitsy after. She’d like that.”
“Max, as I said, twice, I’ll be fine.”
He shook his head and his finger in my loop brought me even closer, inappropriately closer for a public place, a closer that was almost, but not quite, as close as making-out-in-the-kitchen close.
“Now you explained it,” he said, “I don’t like the idea of you runnin’ into your Dad in town without me havin’ your back. So I want you to stay here. Yeah?”
I decided it was probably better to give in because Max wouldn’t let it go and I needed distance immediately. What I did not need were more indications of all the reasons he could easily be the love of any woman’s life.
I decided this but I also decided not to give in gracefully.
So I did it on the release of a heavy, annoyed breath. “Oh, all right.”
His grin came back, his finger left my loop but his hand lifted and curled around my neck, giving me a squeeze then he turned around and walked away.
Not five minutes later, a lady who introduced herself as Jane brought me coffee and when I took a sip it was just how I took it.
Yes. Max was so annoying.
* * * * *
We were on our way back up to the A-Frame.
It was after Bitsy’s police interview; after Max took us to lunch, again at that little caf�� by the river but this time it was warm enough for us to sit outside close to the rushing, snow-melt swelled river; and, after lunch, we took Bitsy home where she insisted we stay for a thank you mug of her homemade lattes which she created in a fabulous kitchen that also had a load of extra counters that had been built so she could reach them and, incidentally, her lattes were delicious.
Bitsy had been quiet and reflective through lunch and twice I caught her eyes filling with tears while she studied the river, though she never allowed the tears to fall. Max and I kept quiet with her, me because I didn’t know what to say and I was deep in my own thoughts, Max because, I suspected, he was leaving her be. When she went home, she seemed to perk up but I guessed this was because she wanted to entice us not to leave and I didn’t blame her. Being alone with my thoughts in my current predicament was less than fun. Being alone with hers would be torture.
Now I was studying the beautiful landscape passing me by wondering, if the cosmos had shined down on me and given me Max free and clear, if I’d have ever gotten used to the beauty of it and thinking at the same time that Max thought that we’d be spending the afternoon further exploring our relationship.
I was also trying to form a plan on how I was going to avoid letting him do that and wondering, if he touched me and, God forbid, kissed me, even if I did form a plan, if I could manage to be successful in my endeavors.
“Duchess?” he called at the same time I felt his hand wrap, warm and strong, around mine.