Chapter 10
Charlie
Tonight has been the most fun that I have had in a really long time. Max is the freaking best. I swear, if the man was a fictional character he would have been written by a woman. He’s so funny and charming. Normally, that would make me act extra awkward. But I can’t seem to do anything wrong in his eyes. None of my stories have been too boring, he laughs at all my jokes, and he definitelyappreciatesthe effort I put into my appearance tonight. I don’t think I have ever felt this comfortable … or thisdesiredby a man. It’s addicting.
We pull up outside of the bar and I am not surprised to see a nearly full parking lot. This place may be a total dive but being that it’s the only real bar in town it makes sense that it’s still up and running. Max parks us beside this rusty green car and I hop out quickly, not allowing Max to open the door for me this time. I giggle when I hear his “Hey!” from inside the truck and meet him at the tailgate.
“You think you’re so slick,” Max grumbles, holding his hand out for me to take.
As I go to reach for it, this huge grin blooms across his face and he books it across the parking lot to get to the bar door before me. He holds it wide open and bows deep when I reach the door.
“Bowing, really?” I tease.
“Only the best for you, m’lady.”
Max returns upright and is right behind me as we go through the door. He’s so close, I can feel the heat coming from his chest and he smells so fucking good. I’m mentally debating whether or not it would be too forward to tell him that when mybrain registers where we are.
“Woah.” This is not the shitty bar I remember from my youth.
A large dance floor takes up most of the space in the centre, with a few standing height cocktail tables surrounding it. The far wall is a very long bar, with shelves to the ceiling filled with bottles of liquor. Almost all the furniture is done in black, other than the round booths that line the walls. The leather seats are a striking electric blue. But, most importantly, the place isclean.You can smell the cleaners that are used, even with the large amount of people occupying the space.
“This doesn’t look like how I remember.,” I tell Max who chuckles beside me, his eyes scanning for somewhere for us to sit.
“Yeah, I think some guy took over ownership and decided to completely overhaul the place. Don’t be fooled, the patrons are still basically the same. It’s just cleaner now with less tolerance for bullshit.”
Max growls suddenly and before I can ask him what’s wrong, he’s grabbing my hand and dragging me over to one of the booths in the corner. There are two other men sitting there, both with shit-eating grins on their faces. I have a feeling I know who these two are.
“I thought I told you two to not be here tonight.” Maxsoundspissed but based on the way these guys are looking at him I don’t think he actually is.
“You can’t stop us from going to a public place bro!”
The man who speaks is the visual definition of ‘it wasn’t just a phase mom!’ His longish jet-black hair is artfully tousled on top of his head, with the sides shaved right down revealing two large gauges in each ear lobe. Various other piercings are scattered across his ears, accompanied by two barbells in his left eyebrow, and two hoops through his bottom lip. Snake bites. Tattoos creep down from the top of his neck, and his arms are covered as well. He’s sitting, so I can’t be certain, but he looks tall too. He’s got that punk bad boy thing going for him and holy man he ishot.
It figures. Of fucking course, a hot guy like Max has hot guy friends. His other friend hasn’t spoken yet, but I glance over at him quickly. He has dark brown hair, and a full beard. And the man is BUILT. Wide shoulders, and super strong looking arms. He looks like someone you wouldn’t want to mess with. But the most striking thing about him is his eyes. Surrounded by a pairof black, thick-rimmed glasses is the most beautiful steely grey eyes. I have never seen anything like it.
I am brought out of my inappropriate ogling by hearing Max utter the phrase, “I can when I own the damn place!”
Excuse me, sir. What? I am such an asshole! I was talking all that shit about his bar. Why wouldn’t he just tell me he owned it? How freaking embarrassing! I can feel my cheeks reddening.
“Maximus! Why would you let me talk all that shit about the bar when you owned it?”
The punk guy cackles. “Yeah Maximus? Why would you do that?”
“Left or right,” Max replies as I look at him, confused.
“Oh, come on dude! She got to call you it!”
Max releases my hand and leans over, punching him in the right arm. “Charlie, this is Andy. He knows better than to call me Maximus.”
The grin returns to Andy’s face, and he shakes my hand enthusiastically. Max gestures over the other man and says, “And this is Ben.”
I reach over to shake Ben’s hand as well, but when his insanely large hand envelops mine, I come to a sudden realization that I have met him before.
“Hey! Aren’t you the guy who used to shovel my parents’ driveway for them?”
“Used to?” Andy scoffs, earning him another punch to the arm. This one from Ben.
“If your parents live on Oak, Elm, or Cedar. Then yep. Been doing it since high school.”
