Chapter 7: The Playboy’s Burden
Max dragged himself out of bed. He was operating on minimal sleep, but that wasn’t new. Since last night, he hasn’t slept more than six hours. He didn’t take a shower; he still had two hours before the driver arrived.
He threw on a t-shirt and shorts and headed next door. He could already smell the food. Three sharp knocks and the door opened. Behind it was Cassie. Max gave a small wave and a flirty smile before walking in.
He noticed her blush again. He liked it.
He flopped onto the couch and made himself comfortable. "Not ready yet?"
"It will be ready soon. Stacey’s just making the sauce."
Max looked at Cassie walking towards him. The person he asked was actually Stacey, but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t about to push Cassie away. He patted the seat next to him, telling her to sit next to him.
"So, Cassie, what brings you to Brookshire?"
She hesitated momentarily, peeking into the kitchen.
"I don’t bite...well, most of the time. You don’t need to look at me like I’m the big bad wolf."
"Sorry," she whispered.
"It’s fine." He pulled her down when he realized she had no intention of sitting. She yelped as she fell into his arms.
Max’s attention turned to her plump, round bottom, before he righted himself and her, so she was sitting beside him.
"Has anyone ever told you you’re too shy?"
"I’m not shy," she retorted, but the blush betrayed her. "I just don’t do well around new people."
"New people," Max asked, raising an eyebrow. "Or handsome men like me?"
"Narcissistic," Cassie mumbled, turning away from him.
Max laughed, slinging an arm around the chair.
"A little bit," he replied. He watched her face get redder. "Pretend I didn’t say anything."
He cleared his throat. "I won’t tease you anymore. But seriously, why Brookshire?"
Cassie sat beside Max with her back ramrod straight and her hands on her lap. She really wasn’t shy. But Max was one of the most handsome men she had seen in a long time. Being this close to him was strange for her.
Ever since the Aunt Ven incident, after she learned what they were really doing, she never really got over what she saw. She wasn’t afraid to have sex, she just felt...
Coming out of her thought, she responded.
"I’m not sure if you know, but me and Stacey are from the same place, Hargrove. It’s basically a small town where everyone knows everyone and everyone’s business is town business."
"The problem is, in a town that small, there aren’t many opportunities." She chuckled, fiddling with her fingers. "I’ve always had a dream of being an architect and designer. I can’t do that there. I talked to Stacey about it, and well...here I am."
He nodded appreciatively. He understood having a dream. His dream for the longest time was to pay off his debt, but somewhere along the way, going out, drinking, and catering to other people’s demands, he began wanting more.
He wanted to start his own business. The problem with that is the loan. He had medical debt up to his ears because of his parents’ car accident. He kept them alive as long as he could. But it was always one thing after another.
The loans piled up, and by the time everything ended, he was already close to a million in debt. It’s taken him almost five years to pay off the debt. It might sound like a miracle for some, but only he knew what he had to do.
Not that he didn’t enjoy it....sometimes. Other times...
His body shivered subconsciously.
"Are you cold?"
"Huh? No, just lost in thought. You mentioned your architecture dream, and I was thinking about my own."
"Oh," she perked up. "What’s your dream?"
Max chuckled, "I’ll tell you another time." He turned to see Stacey walking out of the kitchen.
Stacey had heard Max enter, but she didn’t have time to pay attention to him. Usually, he would come in and lounge on the couch, scrolling on his phone.
This time was different. He and Cassie were sitting together. His arm was slung over the back of the couch, and his body was relaxed. Cassie leaned into him without even noticing she was doing it.
The sparkle in Cassie’s eyes mirrors the dull ache in Stacey’s heart. She sighed to herself. She knew Max wouldn’t try anything with her, but that didn’t stop her from liking him.
"So you come in, lounge around, and don’t help?" Stacey scoffed.
"Isn’t that how it usually goes? Unless you like dark cuisine. I don’t mind."
Scoffing again, she said, "Cassie, come help me take the stuff out."
Before long, a hearty meal was placed on the table, steaming and ready to eat. Max didn’t consider himself a stranger at all. Cassie had seen his enthusiasm for food before. This was their second time eating together, but she could tell he really liked Stacey’s cooking.
"Nobody’s stealing your food. Are you a caveman?" Stacey asked.
Max paused long enough to answer. "I have something important to do tonight. Stuffy people pretending to be who they aren’t. Lots of business jargon. I don’t know when I’ll be able to eat anything tonight. I’m eating quickly so I can send more food into my stomach to last longer."
Cassie giggled, "I don’t think that’s how it works."
Max shrugged and kept eating.
At the end of the meal, the plates were cleared. Max leaned against the chair, looking every bit like a man satisfied.
He stood up to leave. "Stace, that was great. I can’t decide whether to hire you to be my chef or just marry to I don’t have to pay."
"How about you marry me? I don’t mind being a stay-at-home wife for a rich man." She leaned forward, her blouse cut low enough that he could almost see her nipples.
Max took a quick look. No matter how many times he’s seen them, he still considers her breasts a thing of beauty. He looked over at Cassie. She didn’t have the massive pair Stacey had, but her ass was to die for.
He only paused for a second before he said, "I’m not looking to get married."
He didn’t deny the part about being rich. It made Cassie and Stacey, who were talking about his possible riches earlier, wonder if he might actually be rich. And if he is, why does he live in a place like Roxburgh Apartments?
Regardless of the truth, neither of them would question Max.
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