by Kally Ash
Max looked wistful for a moment, his thoughts obviously on what could have been. Gigi leaned forward and grabbed her coffee and took a sip.
“I was supposed to start at Washington State in the fall. About six weeks before school finished, I found out that Chelsea had screwed around on me. She told me it was only one time, but the rumors around school said she’d been cheating on me for a while. At the time, I was angry, but I was also relieved; she’d just given me a legitimate reason to break up with her, and I did. A month later, Chelsea came around to my house in tears. She told me she was pregnant and she didn’t know who the father was since she’d slept with this other guy as well as me within days of each other.”
“Oh, Max,” she said, unable to stop herself from reaching out and taking his hand. All of this certainly made his attitude and behavior when they’d first met make sense.
“That was the moment my life changed forever. My dreams of playing pro ball were sliding down the drain and I was left with a decision I knew could only end one way.”
“You married her,” she murmured.
He sighed. “I married her.”
“But…” Gigi was doing the maths. “Erin’s too young to be the baby she was talking about.”
Max smiled at her, but it was humorless, and anger bled from the edges. “Days after graduation, I married Chelsea at city hall. Soon after, she told me she wasn’t ever pregnant. She’d only told me that so I’d take her back and she would have everything she ever wanted—to be married to the high school star quarterback.”
“Neither of you were in high school anymore.”
“Try telling Chelsea that. The real world was a smack in the face for her. She was no longer the queen bee. She no longer had the other cheerleaders kissing her ass and telling her how perfect she was. I thought moving to LA would help her to realize that life wasn’t just high school for grown-ups. She never did get it though.”
“Why didn’t you just get divorced?”
“I had planned on being married only once. I’m a stubborn sonofabitch, and although Chelsea made my life hell, I stayed with her. I wasn’t in love with her anymore, though—how could I be after she did that to me? She knew it, too. She wanted to have a child. She thought it could ‘fix’ things between us, but I’d sworn never to have children with her. It even got to the point where I refused to sleep in the same bed as her.”
Gigi glanced down at Erin, who had her chubby fingers wrapped around a bunny’s ear. “You must have slept with her at least once.”
He followed her gaze. “I meet up with my best friend every Thursday at a local bar. One time, we both drank too much and I stumbled home, collapsing on the couch. When I woke up, Chelsea had my pants down around my ankles and…” he grimaced. “Let’s just say it was the least satisfying orgasm I’ve ever had. I felt violated, but to Chelsea, she saw what she’d done as a way of getting what she wanted…again. Almost ten months later, Erin arrived.”
“But she didn’t fix the marriage.”
“No, she didn’t. Don’t get me wrong; I love my daughter. I wouldn’t change anything that’s happened except for marrying Chelsea and believing all her bullshit.” Leaning down, Max picked up the little girl and sat her on his knee. “So that’s it.”
“What about Chelsea? Has she gone home?”
“I told her never to come around to talk to me again. I’ve been in contact with my lawyer, and when I get back to LA, I’m going to have a meeting with him to discuss my options.”
“You’re still going back, then?” she asked, her stomach clenching into a tight knot at the reminder. He studied her face carefully. “I have to, Gigi. My life is there—my mom, my friends, my job. My boss will need me back, too. She only asked me to come over here temporarily until her new club was set up properly and running like she needed it to be.”
“I just realized I have no idea what your other job is.”
He gave her a small grin. “It’s exactly what I’m doing here in New York, but just in LA. I manage Temptation six days a week.”
She looked down. “So where does that leave us?”
“I’d like us to still have a relationship. Whatever this is between us, it works. Being in the same city as you and not being able to touch you would be torture.”
She bit her lip, thinking. There were so many reasons why she should just end it now: Max was still married, he was still leaving and he would still break her heart. His warm palm cupped her chin, forcing her eyes to his face.
“Don’t overthink this.”
“I’m not,” she whispered. “I wouldn’t be able to stand the torture either.”
Chapter 27
Max smiled triumphantly at Gigi, her answer just what he needed to hear. “When will you move back in?”
Her returning smile was shy. “I have classes today, but I’ll come back around tonight. Do you have to work?”
Now, that was a sobering thought. “Yeah. I have to be in at four.” Her gaze dropped to his mouth, her eyes devouring him. His body responded as if he hadn’t touched her in weeks rather than hours. He cleared his throat. “What time is your first class?”
“Ten,” she replied.
Leaning forward, he kissed her hard, leaving her breathless when he pulled away. “It’s thirty now.”
She blinked once. Twice. “What?”
“It’s nine thirty. You have half an hour to get to class.”
She jumped up from the couch, almost knocking her empty plate from the cushion beside her. “I have to get ready. I have to go back to the apartment and take a shower.”
“Check in your room here first. You were in such a hurry to leave that some of your clothes were overlooked.”
She dashed off in the direction of her bedroom. Her bedroom. Max would have to fix that when she moved back in tonight. There was no way he was having her sleep in there when she could be sharing his bed. She must have found what she needed because a few moments later, the shower began to run. He cleared the dishes then went to change Erin into new clothes for the day. He had planned to take a walk in the park that morning. When his daughter was ready, he put her on his bed and got changed himself. After pulling a running shirt over his head, he slipped his feet into his shoes and tied the drawstring on his shorts. He was just strapping Erin into the stroller when Gigi emerged.
Dressed in a pair of shorts, a tank top and a pair of red Chuck Taylor’s, she didn’t look at all hungover. “You look nice,” he said.
“I feel terrible,” she shot back with a small grin. “Seriously, don’t let me drink tequila again.”
“You got it. Want me to walk you to university?”
“Are you heading that way?”
“I was going to take Erin to Central Park.”
She waved away his offer. “It’s in the opposite direction. I’ll be okay.”
He stalked towards her, wrapping a firm arm around her waist and pulling her in close to his body. His kiss was demanding, letting her know that although they didn’t have time to get reacquainted now, that time would come later.
They rode the elevator down together, parting ways out the front. He said, “I’ll see you this afternoon.”
She got up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “See you then.”
*
Max had been running for about twenty minutes when his phone rang. Pulling the stroller to a stop, he wheeled Erin off to the side of the track and dug a hand into his pocket.
“Evangeline,” Max said, breathing hard, “how are you?”
“Did I catch you at a bad time?” his boss asked.
“No, just out for a run with Erin. What’s up?”
“It sounds like New York is agreeing with you. I kind of hate to be the bearer of bad news.”
“You’ve filled the positions, haven’t you?”
“One of them, yeah. The guy taking over for you is named Brian Wilson. I head-hunted him from Bembe when I heard he was looking around.”
Max whistled. He’
d heard of Bembe before; it was voted one of New York’s top dance clubs. “What about the head bartender position?”
“I’m still waiting back to hear from a few people. Jeremy is just going to have to stick it out for a bit longer.”
He laughed. “I’m sure that won’t be an issue for him.”
Evangeline was silent for a moment. “Chelsea came by looking for you.” He didn’t say anything. “I didn’t realize you two were having problems.”
“What makes you think we’re having problems?”
“Max, please; give me a bit of credit. You didn’t even tell your wife that you were leaving with your daughter to go to New York for four months.”
He swirled the words he was going to say around in his mouth for a moment. “She walked out on us three months ago.”
“Oh, Max.”
“I don’t need your pity, Angel.” His words were weary with resignation. “Sending me here was the best thing you could have ever done.”
“Well, I didn’t know any of this before I told her where to find you. I’m sorry if she shows up.”
“She already did,” he replied. “I sent her away.”
“Is there anything I can do for you?”
He wiped the sweat now trickling from his brow. “No. I’m good. Thanks, though. So, when is Brian coming in?”
“Tonight. I told him to go and see you at five. I also gave him your number.”
“How much longer will I be staying in New York?”
A pen tapped in the background. “Once you give Brian the rundown, which I can’t see lasting more than a couple of days, I’d like to have you back at work for Friday night. I’ll start looking at flights leaving mid-morning. That should get you back with enough time to rest and get ready for the night shift.”
Max smiled tightly at a couple of female joggers smiling at him after glancing down at Erin.
“Sounds fine. I guess I’ll see you on Friday.”
“It’ll be good to have you back.”
He ended the call and began walking again, his muscles already tightening up from the short break. He replayed the phone call in his head, always coming back to one thing—he was leaving on Friday morning. That invisible deadline that had been hanging over his and Gigi’s head was now a tangible reality. The thought of leaving almost hurt as badly as it had when she had walked out on him the morning before. What was she going to say? What were they going to do? He didn’t think she would take the news very well. He also doubted they would do a long-distance thing, but the thought of walking away from what they had was also a huge hell-fucking-no.
Palming his phone again, he pulled up Gigi’s contact details. “Hello?” she answered a few rings in. She sounded breathless.
“Are you running?” he asked.
She chuckled. “I forgot to put my phone on silent. My professor hates cells going off in class so I had to leave the room in a hurry to escape the laser beams he was shooting at me with his eyes.”
His mouth flexed into a smile at the image, but his mood quickly sobered. “I just spoke to my boss, the one in LA.”
“Oh?”
He squeezed the muscles in the back of his neck. “I’m leaving on Friday.” For a moment all he could hear was her heavy breathing on the other end of the line. “Please say something.”
“Friday?” she whispered.
“I know; it’s too soon, but she found a new manager to run the show. The guy is starting tonight to learn the ropes. It won’t take him long, though—he used to run Bembe.”
“Friday?” she repeated, her disbelief haemorrhaging from that one word.
“I’m sorry.” What else could he say? He hadn’t thought beyond his time in New York. Could they do long-distance? He knew he couldn’t ask her to come back to LA with him; she had her whole life here in New York. She had her hopes pinned on the internship at the museum, and if she got it, he had no doubt that she would secure the job at the end of the year too.
Could he live in New York, though? He couldn’t leave his job. He couldn’t leave his mother; he couldn’t keep Erin away from her. He had made a life in California, even if Chelsea had temporarily destroyed it.
“Gigi? Are you still there?”
She cleared her throat. “Yeah, I’m still here.”
“Will you still come and stay with me and Erin?”
She exhaled. “Yes.”
The tension in Max’s shoulders eased. “Thank you.”
“I have to go. I’ll see you tonight.” With a click, the call disconnected.
Chapter 28
Gigi was still staring at the screen of her phone long after it had gone into sleep mode. Max’s words were bouncing around in her head, the word ‘Friday’ one long echo repeated over and over again. She didn’t know how, but the moment he had paused, her stomach had started to tie in knots. She knew what he was going to tell her, and he’d only confirmed her worst fears: he was leaving.
With shaking hands, she pushed back into the classroom, her professor cutting a sideways glance in her direction.
“Sorry,” she mumbled. “It was an emergency.” She took her seat, picking up her pen as the lecture continued. But it was all white noise to her. For the remaining forty-five minutes, she made a few notes and asked no questions while the students around her debated animatedly. She hadn’t even realized the class was over until Alex touched her on the shoulder, startling her from her thoughts.
“Gigi, hi,” he said, smiling bashfully.
She forced a smile onto her lips. “How are you, Alex?”
Initially, things had been a little awkward after their first—and last—kiss, but he had warmed up to her again, although she knew he was hoping they’d give dating another try. “I’m good. I was just wondering whether you heard from the AMNH yet.”
She felt her pulse begin to race. “Have you?” Had two weeks already passed?
The grin that split his face in two was all the answer she needed. He had made it. “I got a spot. Did you?”
She reluctantly shook her head. “I haven’t heard from them.”
“Oh.” His smile faded. “Well, give it time. I’m sure you made it. I’ll see you later.” Alex waved goodbye, leaving her alone in the lecture room. She packed her notebook and pen back into her bag and slung it over her shoulder. Great! Now she not only had Max’s leaving to worry about but also the fact that the best chance she had at getting a job after school had just evaporated into thin air.
She started walking back to her apartment, her buoyant mood completely sunk. She had another lecture in an hour, but she couldn’t face it. She decided that she would rather be wrapped up in Max’s arms instead—after all, they had only a few more days together.
Jen was home when she got there, her roommate talking in soft whispers behind her closed bedroom door. For a second, she thought Jen was on the phone, but as Gigi passed by her room, she heard the distinct timbre of a male voice. She had known Jen would forget about Jeremy sooner or later.
Gigi trudged to her closet and started pulling a few things from the hangers—she wouldn’t need much to get her by. She packed her suitcase carefully, slipping in a few extra non-study related books to keep her attention while Max was at work in the evenings. Closing the case, she zipped it shut and hauled it out into the living room. Calling through Jen’s bedroom door, she said, “I’m going to Max’s.”
There was a small thump and then Jen called, “When will you be back?”
“A couple of days. Stay safe, Jen.” Gigi hoped she took her advice.
“I always am,” her roommate replied, the guy she was with chuckling at her mischievous tone.
She walked to Max’s apartment with a cloud of gloom hanging over her head. She hardly looked up once, and never deviated from her path. When she reached his building, she pushed the button on the intercom beside the door.
“Yeah?” he asked coolly.
“It’s me,” she replied.
“Gigi, come up.” This time hi
s words were warm. The door unlocked and she rode the elevator up to his floor. He was standing in the doorway when the doors opened, Erin cradled in his arms, his hair still damp from his shower. “What’s wrong?”
She didn’t reply. Dropping the handle of her suitcase, she wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her head against his broad chest. His free hand came to rest on her back, giving her the strength she’d been so desperately looking for since she’d spoken to Alex.
“Come inside,” he urged, stepping away. Passing Erin to her, he picked up her suitcase and brought it inside. She sat down on the couch, holding the little girl on her lap.
“What’s happened? Is it your folks?” he asked, propping her case against the wall near the door.
She took a deep breath, looking at him. “It’s the internship.”
He sat beside her. “What about the internship? Have they announced the successful applicants?”
This time she nodded. “Alex got a place.”
Max frowned at the mention of her classmate. “What about you?”
She felt the first tears prick the corners of her eyes. She wiped them away and shook her head. “Oh, Gigi,” he murmured, scooting closer and wrapping an arm over her shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not the end of the world.” She sniffled. “There are other opportunities out there.”
“I know. I just know how much that one meant to you.”
“It did,” she whispered. More tears fell, and although she was trying incredibly hard to hold it all together, her disappointment soon overwhelmed her. Turning into his body, she cried into his chest, even as Erin struggled in her arms.
“Let me put Erin in her room,” he told her, taking his daughter and walking down the hall. There were a few cries of protest, but soon she had quietened down. Max emerged and wrapped Gigi up in his arms. “It’s been a day of bad news, huh?” This only caused her to sob harder. He rubbed circles on her back, soothing her.
“I’m sorry,” she eventually said, wiping the last of her tears away. Her eyes felt puffy and her nose was running. She looked hard at his stomach, refusing to let him see how awful she no doubt looked. Crying never did anyone any favors.