heart were having a very difficult time working this all out.
“Let me help you with that,” he said.
He reached for her coat and held it open so she could slip into it. He might have been difficult to work with at times, but the man knew how to be a gentleman, a crucial trait to possess in a service-oriented business.
“Thanks,” she said, glancing at him over her shoulder as the scent of his cologne enveloped her. He always smelled good, making it easier to be around him when his mood was more than annoying.
He wasn’t annoying her right now.
“Have a nice night,” he said, taking a step back. “Tell Simon thanks again for the drawing. That kid is pretty talented for a six-year-old.”
Kendall nodded. Her love for art had fortunately been passed down to her son. “Thanks for being understanding about him being here. I promise it won’t be a regular thing.”
Max shrugged. “I get it. Family comes first. My son doesn’t go to school yet, but he could have a ‘thing’ happen someday, so I won’t hold it against you.”
His smirk made Kendall smile. His mention of a son made her eyebrows rise. “You have kids?”
“Kid.” He held up one finger. “Singular. He’s why I relocated from L.A. I couldn’t stand living a couple of thousand miles away anymore.”
Well, that added a new layer to him she wasn’t expecting. Kendall had assumed Max was driven by nothing but his own ambition, but maybe he was here to do more than impress Mr. Sato. She wondered if he was divorced or just separated. Was he here to win them both back?
“How long have you guys lived apart?”
“Pretty much his whole life. My ex moved back here to be close to her family when we split.”
The child’s whole life? How could he stand to be away from his son for that long? Of course, she’d often wondered that about her own husband. The military took Trevor away so much before it took him away completely. Maybe Max moved because he was tired of flying back and forth so much to visit. “I bet he’s happy to have you closer.”
Max grimaced. “He’s three and all he wants is his mom. To tell the truth, I think Simon likes me better than my own son does.”
Kendall’s heart thudded with a mixture of emotion. It sounded so loud in her ears, she was sure Max could hear it, too. “You remind Simon of his father. You kind of look like him.”
She almost laughed at her gross understatement. It felt too strange to tell him the whole truth. Their working relationship was strained enough as it was. She didn’t need to make it more awkward.
“Simon told me...” Max paused, shifting his gaze to his feet before peeking back at Kendall. “About his dad. I’m sorry for your loss.”
It was shocking enough that Simon had spoken to Max, but for him to bring up Trevor was unbelievable. Kendall couldn’t imagine how long their conversation had been or how Trevor’s passing had become a topic. The strain of the day combined with the way Max’s face messed with her head left her speechless and overcome with emotion.
“Oh, man, I’m sorry.” His hand came up and his fingers gently wiped a tear from her cheek. The physical contact caught her off guard. It was so familiar, yet not. It made her want to cry harder. “I didn’t mean to—”
Kendall shook her head and stepped back, out of reach. She couldn’t let him get too close. He’d see her insecurity, all of her weakness. “I’m fine,” she lied. She hadn’t been fine in a long time. “I better get home to Simon. Have a good night.”
He didn’t stop her from going, but he looked like he wanted to. Sometimes he wasn’t like Trevor at all.
* * *
L UCY WASN ’ T THE only sister waiting for Kendall when she got home that day. Emma greeted her at the door.
“This is serious. You do know how serious this is, right?”
The youngest of the Everhart girls was also the tallest. She almost never wore heels for fear she’d tower over everyone around her. She was thin
“Let me help you with that,” he said.
He reached for her coat and held it open so she could slip into it. He might have been difficult to work with at times, but the man knew how to be a gentleman, a crucial trait to possess in a service-oriented business.
“Thanks,” she said, glancing at him over her shoulder as the scent of his cologne enveloped her. He always smelled good, making it easier to be around him when his mood was more than annoying.
He wasn’t annoying her right now.
“Have a nice night,” he said, taking a step back. “Tell Simon thanks again for the drawing. That kid is pretty talented for a six-year-old.”
Kendall nodded. Her love for art had fortunately been passed down to her son. “Thanks for being understanding about him being here. I promise it won’t be a regular thing.”
Max shrugged. “I get it. Family comes first. My son doesn’t go to school yet, but he could have a ‘thing’ happen someday, so I won’t hold it against you.”
His smirk made Kendall smile. His mention of a son made her eyebrows rise. “You have kids?”
“Kid.” He held up one finger. “Singular. He’s why I relocated from L.A. I couldn’t stand living a couple of thousand miles away anymore.”
Well, that added a new layer to him she wasn’t expecting. Kendall had assumed Max was driven by nothing but his own ambition, but maybe he was here to do more than impress Mr. Sato. She wondered if he was divorced or just separated. Was he here to win them both back?
“How long have you guys lived apart?”
“Pretty much his whole life. My ex moved back here to be close to her family when we split.”
The child’s whole life? How could he stand to be away from his son for that long? Of course, she’d often wondered that about her own husband. The military took Trevor away so much before it took him away completely. Maybe Max moved because he was tired of flying back and forth so much to visit. “I bet he’s happy to have you closer.”
Max grimaced. “He’s three and all he wants is his mom. To tell the truth, I think Simon likes me better than my own son does.”
Kendall’s heart thudded with a mixture of emotion. It sounded so loud in her ears, she was sure Max could hear it, too. “You remind Simon of his father. You kind of look like him.”
She almost laughed at her gross understatement. It felt too strange to tell him the whole truth. Their working relationship was strained enough as it was. She didn’t need to make it more awkward.
“Simon told me...” Max paused, shifting his gaze to his feet before peeking back at Kendall. “About his dad. I’m sorry for your loss.”
It was shocking enough that Simon had spoken to Max, but for him to bring up Trevor was unbelievable. Kendall couldn’t imagine how long their conversation had been or how Trevor’s passing had become a topic. The strain of the day combined with the way Max’s face messed with her head left her speechless and overcome with emotion.
“Oh, man, I’m sorry.” His hand came up and his fingers gently wiped a tear from her cheek. The physical contact caught her off guard. It was so familiar, yet not. It made her want to cry harder. “I didn’t mean to—”
Kendall shook her head and stepped back, out of reach. She couldn’t let him get too close. He’d see her insecurity, all of her weakness. “I’m fine,” she lied. She hadn’t been fine in a long time. “I better get home to Simon. Have a good night.”
He didn’t stop her from going, but he looked like he wanted to. Sometimes he wasn’t like Trevor at all.
* * *
L UCY WASN ’ T THE only sister waiting for Kendall when she got home that day. Emma greeted her at the door.
“This is serious. You do know how serious this is, right?”
The youngest of the Everhart girls was also the tallest. She almost never wore heels for fear she’d tower over everyone around her. She was thin
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