Fall to You (Here and Now 2)

“But she wants you. And you said yourself you’ve been in love with her most of your life.”

Three soft little tendrils have slipped from her twist at the nape of her neck, and I take one between my fingers as I respond. “I thought it was love once. But that was before I knew what it was like to be in love with you.”

Her lips part and her gaze dips to my lips. “You say these things—”

“Go ahead and kiss her, Max!” Sam calls from the other side of the dance floor. “You guys are next!”

Several people around him call out in agreement, and all eyes land on us.

Hanna nods almost imperceptibly, giving me the permission I need before I lower my mouth to hers. I mean for it to just be a touch of lips, enough to appease the curious people staring at us, but the second my lips touch hers, she melts into me, and I can’t resist tasting her for another second, memorizing the sweetness of her mouth under mine. I’ll be there for her. I’ll be the friend she needs when she raises her babies, but she’s made it clear that’s all we can be. I can’t rush this last kiss before I have to let go of this part of our relationship forever.

“I HAVE a buttload of flowers to pick up from the florist to put on Cally’s cake tomorrow. Would you mind the extra stop?” The sky is filled with stars tonight, and I take a minute to breathe it in as Max opens my door.

“Flower shop and then the bakery?” he asks as I climb in.

With a grateful smile, I nod. Then, for some reason I’m not entirely sure of, I lift onto my toes and press my lips to his. He freezes for a moment. Probably because no one’s watching and there wasn’t any reason for me to kiss him.

Slowly, he cups my jaw with his big hand, and when I part my lips under his, he sweeps his tongue inside my mouth. The kiss is slow and tender, and it reminds me of the early days of our relationship, when I was so nervous about my body that kissing and over-the-clothes groping was as wild at it got.

When we break the kiss, I can’t deny the sadness in his eyes, and guilt sweeps over me. What’s wrong with me that I couldn’t see his love for me for what it was? Why did I let Meredith control my perception of Max?

I want to apologize, but the words turn to dust on my tongue. Are there any apologies more difficult than the ones we owe the most?

He kisses my forehead before heading around to his side of the car.

“Thank you for tonight,” I whisper as he starts the car. “It meant a lot to me.”

He takes my hand and presses my knuckles to his lips. Then he puts the car in gear and starts driving to the florist.

“We’re here,” he whispers, lightly brushing my hair from my face. “I’ll take the flowers into the cooler. You can go up to bed.”

I blink at him. I was so tired that I must have fallen asleep. I shouldn’t let him do this without my help, but every cell in my body seems to be demanding more sleep now.

“Okay,” I murmur.

He helps me out of the car and watches me walk up the stairs before he turns back to get the flowers.

At my door, I dig in my purse for my keys, and when I wrap my fingers around them, I realize my mistake. He’s going to need the key to the bakery. I peek over the balcony and frown when I see the back door open and light flooding into the alley as Max hauls the giant flower box inside.

I look down at my keys then back at the door. “How…?” Slowly, I make my way back down the stairs and into the bakery. Max is locking up the walk-in cooler when I step inside.

He gives me a soft smile. “I thought you were going to bed.”

“You know,” I start carefully. I look around my commercial kitchen with new eyes. “I really thought Nate Crane was the silent partner. I thought he just wasn’t admitting it. But I was wrong.”

“Hmm.” He shoves his hands in his pockets and shrugs. “Maybe it’s just a private investor and nothing personal.”

I take a breath, my heart heavy and full. “This was personal. The apartment upstairs, the care that was put into the remodel.”

He turns his head and studies the gleaming stainless-steel countertops. “Whoever it was should have spent the extra money on putting those stairs inside the building. Then you wouldn’t have to go outside every time you needed to get between the apartment and the bakery. And maybe you wouldn’t have fallen.”

“I think he did more than enough,” I whisper.

He shrugs. “I’m just glad you get your bakery.”

“Were you ever going to tell me that you’re the one behind all this? That you’re the one who set it all up for me to live my dream?”

He drags a hand through his hair and studies the ground.