Something So Irresistible (Something So 3)

Allison

I press send and sit here waiting, for what, I have no idea. I’m expecting him to answer right away. After thirty minutes of me just waiting, I get up, close my laptop, and close up the house. I put on the alarm, a stipulation that Cooper wasn’t willing to take no on. It also came with cameras around the house. I walk upstairs doing my nighttime routine, checking my phone one last time, and seeing nothing come in. Sleep doesn’t come easy for me that night. I keep replaying the scene in my head all night, tossing and turning, and when my alarm finally rings at seven a.m. I look like I just pulled an all-nighter.

I get up, grabbing my black capris, with a white T-shirt, matching it with a pink jacket. I grab my black ballerina shoes, then my phone, checking it again, and seeing nothing from Max.

I make my way to the office, nodding at people when I walk in. I put my things down and go about finding Max. I peek in the gym and find out he’s not there. I check the kitchen, the dressing room, and come up empty. I’m walking back to my office and knock into someone.

I’m expecting to see Max, but it’s not him. It’s Ryder, a first-year rookie.

“Hey there,” he says, smiling. “Looking for something?”

He’s dressed in his workout gear with his name on his shirt.

“Yeah, sorry, I was looking for Matthew or Max?” I smile at him. “Have you seen them?”

“I just left Max in the kitchen and Matthew will be here only this afternoon.”

I nod at him. “Thank you so much, Ryder. See you around.”

I make my way back to the kitchen and walk in when I hear Phil. “Jesus fuck, it’s like bad luck follows you everywhere.” He shakes his head, walking away from Max, who is sitting down eating his heaping plate of breakfast.

“Hey, I was looking for you,” I say to him and his head doesn’t come up. He’s wearing the same baseball hat that he had on yesterday, and he didn’t shave this morning.

“Well, you found me,” he says to his food and not me.

I look around and see that it’s slowly starting to get busy. “I wanted to just say that I’m sorry for jumping the gun yesterday. I should have listened to your side before I said anything.” I trail off because his eyes shoot up, and they are as bloodshot as mine are.

“Forget about it,” he says, his voice gruff. “In the end, you did what you’re paid to do.”

“I think we got off on the wrong foot.” I try to say, but he laughs.

“We aren’t off to anything. How about this? You stay out of my way and make sure we never have to work together.” His tone is hard.

“We work together. We will be traveling together.” I cross my arms.

“We don’t need to be friends,” he says, finishing off his plate. How he could finish that heap in five minutes is beyond me. “You do your thing, let me do mine. I won’t assume you’re always a bitch and you can assume I’m not always an asshole. How’s that?”

I grind my teeth together. “Fine,” I say, storming out. “Not always an asshole. His middle name should be asshole,” I say to myself, walking into my office and closing the door, leaning on the back of it. “I’m going to do my thing and have him do his. I can do this.” I go to my desk and do just that, my job.

Chapter Six

Max

The minute I walked out of the house, I thought I was going to punch the side of her fucking house. I knew the minute I sat down in the car and Doug said we were going to Allison’s it would lead to this, to her expecting me to be the fuck-up. And, well, she didn’t disappoint. I would have let her go on and on, but Doug didn’t let her.

I get to the car that Steve, who is Denise’s co-worker at the hospital, is driving. As soon as I saw the car coming down Allison’s street, I bailed out the door and made it down the steps and to the car. Steve stops the car and Denise jumps out, running to me with tears down her face.

“I’m so sorry, Max.” She sobs out in my chest while I hold her head and kiss her forehead. “I didn’t even think.”

“It’s fine. Let’s get in the car so we can get the fuck out of here.” I walk to the car, getting in the back with her, where she curls at my side as she silently cries. “Hey, Steve, thanks for picking her up.”

“Yeah,” he says, pulling away from the curb and making his way to my apartment. “Figured you could use the ride.”