Page 27 of Hot Shot

chapter

fifteen

Charlotte

BRENDAN: I’m sorry.

The cryptic text from my brother came in ten minutes ago and I still don’t know what he’s sorry about. He’s left my responses unread. Maybe the text wasn’t even meant for me.

But then I hear the front door slam and I know the apology might just have been a warning in disguise.

It doesn’t take Max long to find me. No, sweet smile for me today. Instead, his handsome features are locked into an angry scowl.

“Max?” I ask, coming to my feet.

“Where you ever planning on telling me about Evan? You know, your ex-husband?”

Oh damn.

“I realize that relationship is in the past, but surely the fact that you’d previously been married warranted a conversation with me. ‘No, Max, I don’t want to get engaged right now because I’m still getting over my last marriage.’ See? Not difficult words.”

I swallow hard. “I didn’t tell you about Evan because he doesn’t matter. He’s my history.”

“That history is part of what made you the woman you are today. Just like how I told you about my sisters raising me and my parents’ love story, despite the fact that I don’t personally remember that about them. Because it’s a part of me.” He pounds on his chest. “It’s some of the concrete pillars that became the scaffolding of the Max you see today.”

He shakes his head. “You know the truth is, Charlotte. You didn’t tell me about Evan, not because he doesn’t matter, but because I don’t matter. At least not enough.” He tilts his head back looking at the ceiling for a minute. “I convinced myself you just needed time. I’ve been here every day, fighting for us and you haven’t even been in the game.”

“Max, let me explain,” I say, not having the slightest clue what to say. But I just want to tie a tourniquet around us before we bleed out on the nursery floor.

He shakes his head. “I can’t do this right now, Charlotte. I’m sorry.”

Then he turns and walks away.

I sit in disbelief for a minute, maybe two, but by the time I get to the front door, his car is already driving away.

“Dammit!” I put my hand on my stomach. “Oh baby boy, I’ve done it now. I think I broke your daddy’s heart.”

I grab my phone and call my sister because that’s what you do when your life is falling apart.

“I screwed up,” I say when she answers.

“What happened?”

“I never told him about Evan. Evidently Brendan told him today. I don’t know the story there yet, but now it doesn’t even matter.”

“What did Max say?”

“That he’d been here fighting for us, and I wasn’t even playing the same game as him. Or something like that. I smashed his sweet heart, and I feel like a monster. Not only that, I’m pretty sure my own heart is breaking because I think I might love him.”

“No shit. Have you told him that?”

“No. I’m not sure I fully realized it until this moment. I’m such an idiot. What do I do? He just left. How do I fix this, Chels? I can’t lose him.”

“Take a deep breath, babe; we’ll fix it. I’m sure he’ll understand once y’all can talk it all out.”

“He was so angry.”

“Angry because he loves you. If he didn’t give a shit, he wouldn’t have even bothered to confront you.”