Looking up at him made me feel protected, as though all he had to do was wrap his arms around me and everything would be all right again.
I heard a sigh, and it was mine, full of wonder as both of us remained suspended in a moment seemingly meant for us.
“Let me know if you need any help!” the shop girl piped up.
She broke the spell and we stepped away from each other self-consciously.
Max threw a nod her way. “I was making sure they go with her hair.” He faced me again. “What do you think?”
I spun to look in the mirror and caught my surprised expression—his comment had made my insides feel warm and fuzzy.
“They make your eyes pop.” He grinned at me. “Like them?”
“I love them.” This was the kind of excitement usually reserved for something a lot bigger than buying glasses. I couldn’t deny how much I loved being around Max.
His soul was on fire for life—he was a person willing to embrace happiness and share it.
“I found the one!” he said, and then quickly corrected himself. “The right glasses, I mean.” Max took them out of my hands and walked over to the counter. “I’d like to buy these, please, for Daisy Whitby. Her prescription should be on file.”
Minutes later, we headed out of the shop after receiving the promise that I could pick them up tomorrow.
Max drove me home and parked outside the house. He sat for a moment, tapping the steering wheel as though he wasn’t ready to say goodbye just yet.
“Thank you, Max.” I reached for the door handle.
“I have something for you.” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
I took it from him, and realized it was a check. “What’s this for?”
“You helped pay the mortgage.”
“This is more than I paid.” In fact, it was more money than I could make in years.
“It’ll be a nice deposit on a flat when you’re ready.”
My lips trembled at what this meant; what he really thought of me.
“You want more?” He reached into his coat again.
“No!”
My relationship had a number on it. No, that wasn’t it. The shopping trip to buy new glasses had been a ruse. Max had merely waited for me to let down my guard so he could pay me to disappear.
I ripped the check into tiny pieces, throwing it over him like confetti. It landed in his hair and sprinkled his shoulders and coat.
He didn’t blink. “Well, that didn’t go as expected.”
“I don’t want it.” I drew in a sharp breath. “I just want Nick to be safe.”
Max rolled his eyes. “For God’s sake, Daisy. He’s fine.”
Whipping out my phone, I brought up the Instagram app and Morgan’s page, turning the screen so he could see the latest photo she’d posted.
He kept his gaze on me instead. “Daisy, you need to delete Instagram off your phone.”
“I did.” Okay, that sounded batshit crazy. “Then I went and reinstalled it.” Because someone has to watch out for your brother.
Max looked down at the photo and flinched. “Whoa, what is that?”
“That’s your brother’s bum. Morgan had him do a moony out of a limo window.”
Max shook his head, his hands scraping his face in exasperation. “That’s one for National Geographic.”
“Now do you see?” I snapped.
“Can’t un-see it.”
“This is not funny.”
“Don’t give Morgan the pleasure of seeing you following her on there.” He sounded annoyed. “She’ll only taunt you with worse photos.”
“Don’t you see? She’s taunting everyone.”
“Daisy, you need to move on,” he said.
“I don’t think I can.”
Max reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a gold envelope. “You probably won’t be interested in this, then.”
My cheeks burned as I stared at the same envelope I’d pinched from Morgan’s purse.
“It’s an invitation,” he said, passing it to me. “Thought you might like to go.”
“Not sure I should.” Though curiosity had me wanting to know what event it was for.
“Why not?”
“It’s not meant for me.”
He looked away. “All you have to do is turn up. Have fun.”
Fun?
I’d given up on fun. My fingers traced along the broken edge of the envelope. Reluctantly, I shoved it into my handbag. This was karma reminding me of my wayward behavior at Isobel’s.
Getting those new glasses was a sign my connection with Nick’s family was over. Max had merely ensured there’d be no hard feelings. It meant I’d be wearing evidence of their pity. They could keep their money.
Max climbed out of the Tesla and it was impossible for me to drag my gaze away from him as he strolled with confidence around the front of the car. He seemed unaffected by our tension-fueled conversation. Whatever chemistry we’d had back at the optometrist had seemingly evaporated into thin air.
My crush on Max had morphed into feelings of doubt and humiliation.
He opened my car door and helped me climb out onto the pavement.
We shared an awkward hug. My face squished against his firm chest in an annoyingly perfect fit as he held me there, as though he were forcing an apology on me.
He suddenly broke away from me and headed around to the other side of his car without looking back. Because I was firmly in the history zone to him.
I stood on the curbside with my heart still racing and watched Max pull into traffic. Remembering the way his cologne made my nipples bead with pleasure caused fury to surge through me.
It turned out that hating Max Marquis was easy. He was an arrogant bastard with a pretty face. His full lips had a magnetic pull that could make you believe all your problems would go away with just one kiss.
I pulled the invitation out of my purse and peeled open the envelope.
The Dare Club
Fun events to bring you closer to a new you.
7 PM
The Waldorf Hotel
Upper Floor Bar
Casual Attire.
Well, this was stupid and so not me.
The event was tomorrow night.
I was not having anything to do with this crappy idea. I’d never been the daring sort before and I had no interest in being that kind of girl now. This invite was going in the trash bin.
Max obviously had no idea what he’d given me.
Once inside the house, I paused at the bottom of the staircase. The invite had been addressed to Morgan because she was daring. She was fun. She was everything a man could want in a woman.
You know what…
Morgan wasn’t the only one who had an Instagram page. I had one, too. And Nick still followed my account. Posting a snapshot of me at a Dare Club might get his attention. All I needed to do was tweak his curiosity by letting him see I was attending the event, making me look spontaneous—even if I remained on the sidelines.
No daring deeds required.
Riding the lift to the top floor of the Waldorf Hotel, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the walled mirror. I looked pretty in my new glasses. Even if they were the result of Max Marquis’ evil meddling—his way of getting me to let my guard down so he could pay me to go away.