Nothing I said was interesting. Scary, but not interesting. “Huh?”
“Tell me more about Max.”
I shrug. “There isn’t much to tell. He’s my new intern’s father.”
“Your kids don’t have families.”
“This one does. She doesn’t live on The Street. She’s the neighbor of a good friend.”
“That means Max lives by your friend.”
Um, why is she talking about this? “I guess.”
“Interesting.”
There’s that word again. “It’s really nothing special. I mentor kids all the time. It’s not much different that this one has a caring father who makes sure she’s safe at all times while helping her fulfill her dreams.”
“That man sounds pretty incredible.”
“He is,” the words slip out of my mouth before I can edit myself. “But then I know a lot of incredible men.”
“Why did you need to rationalize that comment?”
Um… “I didn’t. I’m just blessed to have so many amazing men in my life.” There’s no way she bought that. Even to my own ears, it sounded sketchy. Something about Max always throws me off.
“Did you apologize to this incredible man for almost getting him shot?”
“Yes.”
“And do you think the two of you will be friends?”
That word doesn’t feel right with a man like Max. “Yes.”
“Do you know I’ve never seen you blush before?”
What? “I’m not blushing.”
“You definitely are, but I’m not going to push you. I look forward to hearing more about this interesting man in the future. Our time is up for today. Don’t forget to work on that list.”
***
Interesting man.
He’s not that interesting. Who cares if he’s a self-made tech billionaire—which I shouldn’t already know, but it was too tempting not to look him up—who has an amazing family and is raising a bright, kind-hearted daughter on his own?
Even I can’t lie that much.
What in the world am I going to do? My therapist is right. I’ve never met a man like this.
I lift my steaming cup of coffee and stare up at the mural behind the bakery.
Cup number three is blissful. It can solve all the problems of the world.
But can it solve the problem that is Max?
How do you make a man into a non-issue? Friend zone him. It’s worked with every other man in my life. Why would he be any different?
Max certainly isn’t here to do anything other than protect his daughter.
