Fixed up in February (Spring River Valley Book 2) by Clarice Wynter

want me?”
    He shrugged. “Don’t settle for me, sweetheart. I don’t want to be the understudy or the consolation prize, so all I’m saying is go out with the real guy, the one you were meant to see, obviously the one you’re still thinking about, and if that doesn’t work out, call me.”
    “No. I don’t think I will.”
    “Go out with him?”
    “Call you.”
    Now anger flared in Max’s eyes, but what had he expected? Did he really think she wanted a guy she’d never met over him? “If that’s how you want it, that’s fine.”
    “Is it?” Her blood was simmering again. He’d managed to put her back on that roller coaster with a single stupid remark. And worst of all, she’d allowed it. She’d let Max get under skin, under her covers, and into her soul. She’d decided the reason none of those other guys had worked out was because all along she’d been waiting to meet Max, but that was just bunk, wasn’t it? There was no such thing as destiny or fate. This, whatever it was between them, wasn’t meant to work out, and that was just fine.
    “It’s whatever you want it to be. Tell Quinn I’ll be waiting in the lobby if he wants his picture on the front page.” Max turned and walked away from her.
    Audrey stood completely still, afraid that if she moved or took a breath she’d either run after him, tackle him, and beg him to reconsider and to want her again; or that she’d run after him, tackle him, and hospital security would have to get involved.
    He disappeared through the doors leading to the main lobby, and she let out her breath in a shuddering staccato. He’d gotten one thing right. She couldn’t have met the perfect guy yet, because the perfect guy would never make her feel this bad.
     
    *
     
    With each step he took away from Audrey, Max’s hatred of himself grew. He hadn’t even been in control of the words coming out of his mouth. Once he’d gotten started thinking about her still looking for Mr. Right when he was right under her nose, he couldn’t stop himself. That part of him that wasn’t ready to give everything he had to one woman reared up and took over. The truth was, Audrey terrified him. He’d felt so much when they were together—thoughts he’d never had before like how his job could support a family, where they would live. God, he’d even rehearsed the scene in which he told Jared he was moving out of their shared apartment.
    Had he lost his mind? One night with this girl and he was planning the complete restructuring of his life down to abandoning his closest friend, putting his plans to write his photography book on hold, and thinking about how many kids they might have.
    That wasn’t normal.
    So the more he’d thought about her with Appendix Guy, the more it seemed like the right thing to do. Maybe he was the guy who wanted a house and kids and a steady income. Maybe he was the guy who’d already realized his dreams and wouldn’t feel like he was giving up everything to be with her.
    Max asked himself if that’s how he felt. Am I giving up my life to be with Audrey? Or am I giving up my life by walking away from her?
    He didn’t know the answer, so he kept walking. He only turned back when he reached the far end of the lobby, and by then, she was gone.

Chapter Twelve
     
     
    Quinn’s bandaged face appeared on the front page of the Herald the next morning, complete with the headline EMT Injured in Daring Rescue with Max’s byline beneath the picture.
    Audrey had seen at least twenty copies of the shot. It was plastered all over the ER, and Quinn was handing out signed copies in the ambulance bay. Normally she’d have taken one, just to play into his vanity, but she didn’t even want to see Max’s name.
    She hadn’t called him , and he hadn’t called her, and moment by moment her misery grew. This whole thing was ridiculous. She should have just chalked it up to experience and gotten over it, but how could she when the pillows of her bed still smelled