Maxim (Carolina Reapers 10)

“And I told you that was BS.”

“Yeah,” I said. “And I didn’t tell you last month because I was afraid if I spoke the words out loud, everything would come crashing down around me.”

“One, I still can’t understand how you believe in jinxes,” she said. “And two, you kept something from me? I go to Italy for a few months and suddenly you’re keeping secrets?” Her voice was pure teasing and it made me laugh.

“Not intentionally, more like I wanted to see if it was true before I said anything about it.” Better to keep things quiet instead of shed light on them and then everything crumbles.

“Fine, I forgive you,” she teased. “What happened last month?”

“X took me on a date.”

“A date?”

“Yeah, like a major romance-book-worthy date.” I bite back a grin at the memory. “He rented out an entire local bookstore, just so we could shop unhindered by paparazzi or fans seeking him out.”

“Time out,” she said. “Are we still talking about my brother?”

“Yes.” I chuckled.

“He’s never done that before.”

Hope flared to life in my chest, my heart doing a little happy dance at the idea of me being something special to Maxim. But doubt was a cold bitch, and she delighted in presenting other scenarios for why Maxim behaved the way he’d been behaving.

“Maybe it’s just because of the good luck charm thing,” I said, that icy doubt falling right out of my mouth. “Or maybe he would’ve done the bookstore thing anyway, since I’m your best friend and he’s known me forever, but now that we’ve crossed a line, it’s just…convenient.”

“Evangeline Walsh!” she chided me. “Stop treating yourself like that. God, you know your worth in every single way unless it comes to my brother’s attention.”

I cringed, knowing she wasn’t wrong. I prided myself on being an independent, quiet-but-confident-in-who-I-was woman, but the idea of Maxim actually wanting to be with me still spun my head.

“I know,” I said. “I can’t turn it off, I’m sorry. I think it’s a protective instinct,” I admitted.

“I know, babe,” she said. “But you have to give yourself more credit. And him. He wouldn’t lie to you. Did you guys have any labeling discussions before those lines were crossed?”

“Not before,” I said. “But after the first date—”

“First? There’s been a second?”

And a third, fourth, fifth…

“Whenever he gets a chance, he thinks of something special for us to do.”

Even if that meant ordering in and watching Netflix or me reading him some of my favorite scenes from books, he was always willing to do whatever I wanted. And I kept coming up with new ways to entertain him between practices and games. Like when I’d convinced him to go to an arcade and food truck night with me. Turns out, Maxim is competitive in all areas, so it wasn’t exactly relaxing, but he did have a blast kicking my butt in ski ball though.

“Wow,” Mila said. “That’s amazing. Okay, tell me about the convo.”

I went on to explain what Maxim had said to me in the bookstore, but I left out some of the more deliciously devious parts. She got the gist though.

“So you are official,” she said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

And yeah, maybe after Maxim told me he didn’t want me to be with anyone else, or vice versa, I should’ve felt more solid in my position with him, but again, doubt sucked. And maybe it was because I’d been in love with him for years that it was hard to believe this was actually happening, or maybe I was just an annoying, overanalyzing brat.

“It reads that way,” I finally admitted.

Mila sighed, but left the comment alone. “You haven’t been traveling to away games with him though,” she said. “Why is that?”

I bit my lip. “Away games are for fiancés and wives or like long-term girlfriends.”

I heard an audible smack, almost like Mila had popped her hand on her forehead. “Evie—”

“I’m trying to be smart here, Mila,” I said. “You know how I feel about him. It’s intense. He’s not even close to there with me, and he may never be. I have to respect that. I can’t force him to accelerate to my level just because I’ve adored him since we were seven.”

“I know,” she said. “I just love you and want you to enjoy yourself. I want you to hang on to your joy and own every single inch of what makes you happy. You deserve that because you’re an amazing human being.”

Happy tears welled in my eyes. “I miss you so much.”

“I miss you too,” she said. “I can’t believe you’re Maxim’s girlfriend,” she said all sing-songy. It’s like we’re sister sisters now!”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Stop,” I said through my laughter. “Someone will hear you and then there will be an article posted in like five seconds.”