admit to being out of touch with William while Max has his own fling with Claws right in the living room? “Yeah.” Dove forces a smile. “Everything’s cool.” She searches Max’s face for signs of disappointment but doesn’t see any. “A week from now I’ll be slathering on the SPF and …”
“Sounds like you have it all figured out.” Max puts a hand on her shoulder and gives her a warm smile.
I guess he is fine with it. Fine with me leaving, going after William, with never finishing whatever we started. Dove knows she has to ask Max something but can’t quite bring herself to do so. “What are your New Year’s plans?”
Max removes his hand and shrugs, looking past Dove into the swell of partygoers. Dove fights the urge to follow his gaze. “Oh, you know, I’m not even sure how long I’m even staying here.” He pauses and points to the ceiling. “As you’re aware, I’m not staying right here, at The Tops, and being in the hotel isn’t quite the same.”
We can do this, Dove thinks. We can be friends and chat about things like accommodations and holiday plans. “I hear the hotel’s really nice. That’s what the ski team says, anyway.” She laughs, determined to be breezy and friendly.
“It’s fine. Five stars and all that.” His face doesn’t look like he’s singing the praises of anything special, though. “But I miss it here.” Max’s eyes penetrate Dove’s to the point where she has to look away.
Dove wipes her hands on a towel. “Suffice to say in terms of my cooking you aren’t missing anything. And it’s not as though Charlie’s on anyone’s Top Maids list.”
“She doesn’t seem like the dusting sort.”
“Far from it. And Melissa—well, she’s been rising to the title of host, but now who knows …” Dove thinks about Melissa, wondering if she should find her and bring her soup or something, but then she figures Melissa would want her to stay, to keep the party going as though she’s here to host it. “So don’t worry about what you’re missing here. I’m sure the hotel has everything you need.” Dove swallows as she looks at Max. Why is life so complicated? Why does everything have to overlap — William and Max, jobs, holidays? If Max and I had stayed t ogether I never would have met William. But if William hadn’t taken the sailing job on Nevis I never would have had feelings for Max all over again. The two relationships are just inextricably linked.
A whiff of Chanel perfume announces Claire’s arrival before her words. Her bright red mouth forms a model-perfect smile. “The hotel really does have everything.” She looks at Max and Dove as if it’s all very normal, the three of them standing there. “They have fantastic room service. Don’t they, Max?”
Dove feels a frown forming. “What do you want, Claire?”
Claire puts a hand on her hip, leaning toward Max. “The same thing as you, I suspect.”
Dove shakes her off. “That’s where you’re wrong. I’m here working. A job? I know it’s a foreign concept for you, but some of us need the money.”
Claire raises an eyebrow and clears her throat. “We all need things, Lily.” She shoots Max a meaningful look that raises a red flag inside Dove. What exactly is going on with them? Are they together? Dove wrinkles her forehead. Why would Max tolerate Claire’s rude behavior? “Some of us need money or a job. And some of us just need to—”
Max claps his hands, startling Claire into silence. Then he speaks quickly. “We should go. Now. Dove, sorry to bolt but I think Claire here needs to get some rest.
Without putting up too much of a fight, Claire reluctantly nods. Then she squints at Dove. “Yes, I suppose I could use a good night. In bed.” She highlights the last two words and immediately grips Max’s hand.
Dove stares at the two hands—Max’s and Claire’s—and thinks about finding them together at Max’s birthday, and how shattered she’d been. How could I have
“Sounds like you have it all figured out.” Max puts a hand on her shoulder and gives her a warm smile.
I guess he is fine with it. Fine with me leaving, going after William, with never finishing whatever we started. Dove knows she has to ask Max something but can’t quite bring herself to do so. “What are your New Year’s plans?”
Max removes his hand and shrugs, looking past Dove into the swell of partygoers. Dove fights the urge to follow his gaze. “Oh, you know, I’m not even sure how long I’m even staying here.” He pauses and points to the ceiling. “As you’re aware, I’m not staying right here, at The Tops, and being in the hotel isn’t quite the same.”
We can do this, Dove thinks. We can be friends and chat about things like accommodations and holiday plans. “I hear the hotel’s really nice. That’s what the ski team says, anyway.” She laughs, determined to be breezy and friendly.
“It’s fine. Five stars and all that.” His face doesn’t look like he’s singing the praises of anything special, though. “But I miss it here.” Max’s eyes penetrate Dove’s to the point where she has to look away.
Dove wipes her hands on a towel. “Suffice to say in terms of my cooking you aren’t missing anything. And it’s not as though Charlie’s on anyone’s Top Maids list.”
“She doesn’t seem like the dusting sort.”
“Far from it. And Melissa—well, she’s been rising to the title of host, but now who knows …” Dove thinks about Melissa, wondering if she should find her and bring her soup or something, but then she figures Melissa would want her to stay, to keep the party going as though she’s here to host it. “So don’t worry about what you’re missing here. I’m sure the hotel has everything you need.” Dove swallows as she looks at Max. Why is life so complicated? Why does everything have to overlap — William and Max, jobs, holidays? If Max and I had stayed t ogether I never would have met William. But if William hadn’t taken the sailing job on Nevis I never would have had feelings for Max all over again. The two relationships are just inextricably linked.
A whiff of Chanel perfume announces Claire’s arrival before her words. Her bright red mouth forms a model-perfect smile. “The hotel really does have everything.” She looks at Max and Dove as if it’s all very normal, the three of them standing there. “They have fantastic room service. Don’t they, Max?”
Dove feels a frown forming. “What do you want, Claire?”
Claire puts a hand on her hip, leaning toward Max. “The same thing as you, I suspect.”
Dove shakes her off. “That’s where you’re wrong. I’m here working. A job? I know it’s a foreign concept for you, but some of us need the money.”
Claire raises an eyebrow and clears her throat. “We all need things, Lily.” She shoots Max a meaningful look that raises a red flag inside Dove. What exactly is going on with them? Are they together? Dove wrinkles her forehead. Why would Max tolerate Claire’s rude behavior? “Some of us need money or a job. And some of us just need to—”
Max claps his hands, startling Claire into silence. Then he speaks quickly. “We should go. Now. Dove, sorry to bolt but I think Claire here needs to get some rest.
Without putting up too much of a fight, Claire reluctantly nods. Then she squints at Dove. “Yes, I suppose I could use a good night. In bed.” She highlights the last two words and immediately grips Max’s hand.
Dove stares at the two hands—Max’s and Claire’s—and thinks about finding them together at Max’s birthday, and how shattered she’d been. How could I have
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