Sugar Rush (Friend-Zoned #3)(76)
Author: Belle Aurora

Talk about spoiled.

Sitting one bowl of chips on the armrest between the sofa and Ceecee’s chair, Max takes the remote, looks me in the eye, and asks, “Ready?”

No. I don’t think I am ready for what he’s offering.

But I’ll sure as shit try to hold on and ride the rollercoaster.

I smile softly. “As I’ll ever be.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Max

Walking into Nik’s office, I pull up a chair and state, “I need next Sunday off.”

Sunday nights aren’t usually busy, so I’m not surprised when he doesn’t look up from typing at his computer when he responds, “Okay. I’ll make sure Trick can work it.” This part comes a little harder. It comes harder, because I’ve never asked for this, and I’m not sure what his answer will be. As if just noticing I haven’t left yet, Nik raises his head and narrows his eyes at me, “What do you want now?”

“Next Saturday off too.”

He leans back in his chair and looks at me, hard. “Why?”

I shrug and try not to sound like a pussy when I mumble, “I want to take Helena home for the day. She’s homesick, misses the beach.”

Nik’s brows rise and he puffs out a laugh. He shakes his head and grins knowingly. “When are you going to tell her you’re in love with her?”

I scoff. “It’s only been three and a half weeks since we got together. I’m not in l—”

He cuts me off with a firm, “Yes, you are.”

Frustration wells in me. Leaning back in the chair, I sputter angrily, “That wasn’t meant to happen. It wasn’t part of the plan.”

Nik raises a brow in question. “What exactly was your plan?”

I stand and emphasize every word with quick pauses in between, “To not fall in love.” Nik tips his head back and bursts into laughter. My lip curls. “What are you laughing at, Dik?”

Still chuckling, he utters, “Do you think I wanted to fall in love with Tina? Hell no. It wasn’t the right time for me. I had a plan too. The plan I had to settle down was set to commence next year.” He grins. “It don’t work that way, Maxie-boy. Put it this way. If Helena called you today and told you she wanted to see other people, what would you do?”

I roll my eyes. “I’d say fuck no and that wouldn’t be happening.”

He smirks. “’Cause the thought of some other guys hands on her makes you want to draw blood, right? Because she’s your woman, and she loves your daughter. She makes you smile for real, not the one you learned to put on for the sake of other people. And because when she holds your hand, she does it for the world to see, and she cares about small shit like that. Or maybe it’s because she truly cares about you, heart and soul.”

The fight successfully knocked out of me, I puff out, “Yeah.”

Nik looks up in thought. “Take Friday off too. I don’t think you’ve taken her out on a real date before, have you, you cheap bastard?”

My brows narrow in thought. “No, I haven’t.”

Nik sighs, “Do I gotta do everything for you?”

As I step back out of his office, I flip him the bird. Walking down the hall, I hear him call out, “Sure you don’t want me to wipe your ass too?”

I puff out a laugh.

Asshole.

***

Helena

God, I’m missing home. A lot. Today more than yesterday. As I wait for my three pm session with Sam, a Marine vet and amputee, I reach across my desk, pick up my phone, and type out a text.

Me: You are the reason doves cry.

With a calmed sigh, I place my phone where it was and print out exercise sheets to give Sam. As I hit print, my phone vibrates.

Nina: Oh my God, you whore. I spat my coffee out everywhere.

I smile down at the screen, but it’s a sad smile.

Me: I miss your fat ass.

Nina: I miss your cellulite and weird eye.

I squint down at the screen.

Me: When are you going to tell our middle, balder, fatter sister about you know what?

She doesn’t respond for a very long time, and I know she knows I know, so I send her another quick statement.

Me: I love you. There. I said it. Happy?

A moment later, my phone vibrates.

Nina: Soon…ish. I’ll visit soon. Love you too. X

I still have twenty minutes before the next session, and I’m up to date with all my file entries, so I pick up my phone and dial.

He answers almost immediately, sounding happy to hear from me. “Cupcake, why are you reading my mind? I was just thinking about you.”

I smile into the receiver. “Oh yeah, well guess what?”

“What?”

I quell down my excitement and singsong, “I managed to get Ceecee a place in a wheelchair basketball game.” As I chuckle at my triumph, I explain, “The kids are just like Ceecee. They’ve all struggled with being different, and they have a really positive feedback system. It’s a social media network where the kids can talk to each other about whatever’s bothering them, but don’t worry. Parents are encouraged to go on there too. Nothing it private or hidden, so she won’t be talking to any creepers. I made sure of that. But what it is, really, is a support network for Ceecee with kids her own age. What do you think?”

Silence. Then, “I think you put a lot of thought into this, into helping Ceecee.”

I admit, “I have. I really have, and I think I know why she ended up rebelling. I think it was because she started to feel lonely in her own family. And before you say anything, it happens. So many of my clients feel like they can’t talk to their family about their problems, because able-bodied people can listen, but they can never truly understand how they’re feeling, you know?”

He responds thoughtfully, “Yeah, I guess I never thought about it like that.”

“Well, that’s kind of the point, honey. You wouldn’t. So the game is this Saturday at ten am. It’s not far from the house either. I’ll send you the address and I’ll meet you there.”

He hesitates. “This Saturday?”

My face falls. “Yeah, this Saturday. Is that going to be a problem?”

“I sort of…” he pauses, “…had something planned for you. A surprise.”

I smile. “A surprise? For me? Max, you don’t need to give me surprises.” I lower my voice and utter, “I’m a sure thing.”

He chuckles, then utters, “I know I don’t need to, but I wanted to. But if Ceecee’s game is Saturday, then we can’t do it.”