truck and for them to drive back to the house. Max peeked into the house then smiled. Chloe was long gone, already at the hospital to get final instructions on Liz’s care. He dashed to his room to get his tools and, with Rico, Mark and Dan, started to work.
They lost track of time and their shirts as they sawed, hammered, stained and assembled in the heat of the summer sun. They talked and joked non-stop. They only took a break when their stomachs growled. They jumped into the nearest cars and raced to a little diner down the street for burgers and more conversation.
Max couldn’t remember the last time he had so much fun with a bunch of guys. He certainly didn’t have fun like this with Tyler and the guys at Roadies. Getting plastered wasn’t his idea of fun. Partying every night was overrated. Talking, working out, watching movies, reading—that was a good time. And after talking with these three men he discovered they felt the same.
Max and Rico chuckled as Mark playfully criticized Dan on his placement of the abrasive strips. Dan shot a death glare over his shoulder as he tore the backing off another strip and very carefully laid it on the completed ramp. It was beautiful. They all had done an incredible job.
The sound of a motor turned all four of the men’s attention. Chloe turned off the car as she stared out the passenger window. Both she and Liz had the same reaction on their faces. Complete and utter shock.
Rico and Mark dropped their tools as they jogged to the car. Liz glanced uneasily from one heavily tattooed man to the other as Mark opened her door. Rico tapped gently on the trunk for Chloe to pop it. He retrieved the wheelchair from inside, unfolded it and pushed it to the passenger side door. He and Mark gently scooped Liz into their arms and set her in the seat. Mark carefully pushed the chair up the walk so Liz could get a closer look at the ramp.
Chloe stepped out of the driver’s side, leaning one arm against the roof and the other on the edge of the door. Her wide, brown eyes slowly scanned their work. Max smiled as he approached. “What do you think?” he asked.
“It…it’s all so much, Max,” she stumbled. “You took care of everything.”
“I told you I would.” He watched her for a moment then frowned. “You don’t seem happy about it.”
She looked at him, clearly astounded. “No, I am. It’s beautiful. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
“It’s all so much.”
“You and your mom are worth it. She wanted to come home. You want her home. I did what I could to make it happen.”
Chloe’s eyes brimmed with tears. “It’s too much.”
“Why is it too much? Chloe, I don’t understand what I did wrong.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong. Not yet.” She slammed her car door shut then ran around the house to slip in the back door. Max slowly exhaled then stalked across the lawn to Liz and the three men surrounding her.
“Max, this is incredible!” Liz gushed. “I can’t believe you did this! You’re an angel. You all are. You need to let me buy you dinner. Let’s order pizza.”
Max glanced at the uncomfortable faces of his friends. They trained hard for hours every day. They ate healthy, high protein, and low-fat diets so as not to sabotage that training. Pizza was not in any of their diets. “Liz, you’re very welcome. Thank you for the dinner invite. How about I go to the store for some chicken breasts and vegetables. Then, we can grill out. Sound good?”
“Sure, if that’s what you fellas want.”
“Yeah, we do. I’ll run out and be back in just a minute.”
“All right.”
Max grabbed his car keys and motioned the other three to come with him. He wouldn’t mind a little more time away with the guys. Maybe while we’re gone I can make sense of Chloe and her crazy outburst.
The four men were back within a half hour with all the ingredients for a delicious, low-carb feast. They stumbled into the house laughing and joking as they made
They lost track of time and their shirts as they sawed, hammered, stained and assembled in the heat of the summer sun. They talked and joked non-stop. They only took a break when their stomachs growled. They jumped into the nearest cars and raced to a little diner down the street for burgers and more conversation.
Max couldn’t remember the last time he had so much fun with a bunch of guys. He certainly didn’t have fun like this with Tyler and the guys at Roadies. Getting plastered wasn’t his idea of fun. Partying every night was overrated. Talking, working out, watching movies, reading—that was a good time. And after talking with these three men he discovered they felt the same.
Max and Rico chuckled as Mark playfully criticized Dan on his placement of the abrasive strips. Dan shot a death glare over his shoulder as he tore the backing off another strip and very carefully laid it on the completed ramp. It was beautiful. They all had done an incredible job.
The sound of a motor turned all four of the men’s attention. Chloe turned off the car as she stared out the passenger window. Both she and Liz had the same reaction on their faces. Complete and utter shock.
Rico and Mark dropped their tools as they jogged to the car. Liz glanced uneasily from one heavily tattooed man to the other as Mark opened her door. Rico tapped gently on the trunk for Chloe to pop it. He retrieved the wheelchair from inside, unfolded it and pushed it to the passenger side door. He and Mark gently scooped Liz into their arms and set her in the seat. Mark carefully pushed the chair up the walk so Liz could get a closer look at the ramp.
Chloe stepped out of the driver’s side, leaning one arm against the roof and the other on the edge of the door. Her wide, brown eyes slowly scanned their work. Max smiled as he approached. “What do you think?” he asked.
“It…it’s all so much, Max,” she stumbled. “You took care of everything.”
“I told you I would.” He watched her for a moment then frowned. “You don’t seem happy about it.”
She looked at him, clearly astounded. “No, I am. It’s beautiful. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
“It’s all so much.”
“You and your mom are worth it. She wanted to come home. You want her home. I did what I could to make it happen.”
Chloe’s eyes brimmed with tears. “It’s too much.”
“Why is it too much? Chloe, I don’t understand what I did wrong.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong. Not yet.” She slammed her car door shut then ran around the house to slip in the back door. Max slowly exhaled then stalked across the lawn to Liz and the three men surrounding her.
“Max, this is incredible!” Liz gushed. “I can’t believe you did this! You’re an angel. You all are. You need to let me buy you dinner. Let’s order pizza.”
Max glanced at the uncomfortable faces of his friends. They trained hard for hours every day. They ate healthy, high protein, and low-fat diets so as not to sabotage that training. Pizza was not in any of their diets. “Liz, you’re very welcome. Thank you for the dinner invite. How about I go to the store for some chicken breasts and vegetables. Then, we can grill out. Sound good?”
“Sure, if that’s what you fellas want.”
“Yeah, we do. I’ll run out and be back in just a minute.”
“All right.”
Max grabbed his car keys and motioned the other three to come with him. He wouldn’t mind a little more time away with the guys. Maybe while we’re gone I can make sense of Chloe and her crazy outburst.
The four men were back within a half hour with all the ingredients for a delicious, low-carb feast. They stumbled into the house laughing and joking as they made
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