Argumentative…
Shrewd.
But rereading what he’d written that day wasn’t the part of the list restoring my faith. Each word had been expanded upon with notes Max had made beside it. Just like he’d seen in my dad’s book. Notes written later, and in secret, for me to find when I needed them.
His thoughts on who I was.
His insight into my future path.
And, maybe, his hopes for what I’d do when his truth came to light. Because next toSkeptical, he’d written, “She won’t believe something just because someone tells her it’s the truth. Good or bad. Guilty until proven innocent.” Then a line with a question mark leading to, “Might need to swap those.”
I laughed and kept reading.
Logicalhad a heart drawn beside it and the note, “Supports her case with evidence, facts, and sound reasoning. Even when her emotions get involved.”
BesideArgumentative, he’d written, “Will argue that the sky is purple if she truly believes it until she’s blue in the face, andmake a case so strong, you’ll believe her before she finishes her rant.”
My heart soared.
And finally, next toShrewd, he’d written, “She cuts through my bullshit and judges me for who I am. Not the image I put out for everyone to believe. She sees me. She believes in me. For everything I can be, even when I don’t believe it myself. Yeah, she fights with me. See: Argumentative above.”
He’d drawn an arrow leading back to that word, but then continued his analysis with what hit me hardest.
“But she fightsfor me, too. The way no one else has.”
“Max…” I whispered, hugging the napkin to my chest.
As Gia rubbed my back, I took a few deep breaths to steady my emotions. Then read what he’d written at the very bottom. “Maybe her future path involves law school? Either way, I hope it includes me. I’ll even suck it up and make nice with those other fools, if that’s what it takes to keep her.”
I clutched the napkin in my hands, tears slipping down my cheeks as I squeezed them shut.
Gia stood by me as I gathered my thoughts and emotions.
“So, what’s the plan? Want me to come inside when we get to Camelot Court? Tie him down and let you go at him until he admits how he feels and gives you what you want?”
My eyebrows jumped to the ceiling, and I laughed through my tears. “Let’s put a pin in that idea, for sure.”
She lifted a shoulder. “You know I’m always on standby.”
“Max…” I thought about what I wanted to do. What he needed right now. “He closes off when he feels vulnerable. When he feels like he’s not enough or worth being chosen. I think most of those moments have been tied to what he’s dealing with right now. He’s been pushing me away, and I thought it was because he didn’t trust me, but I did the samething everyone else has been doing to him. I didn’tlistento him. I was so hellbent on answers, I got in that golf cart with Ben.”
“Which we’re still going to circle back to, by the way.”
“I know. When Max asked Kingston if there was still a risk, and Kingston couldn’t guarantee there was none, Max said he’d protecthis future wifehimself.” I raised my eyebrows, certain now that he’d been talking about me. “He set me up, hoping that would finally be enough to make me leave and keep me safe. That’s how far he’ll go to protect me. Even if he’s protecting me from myself.”
“So, what do you want to do?”
I released a heavy sigh, sinking back on my heels.
With the napkin lying on my knees, I ran a hand through my hair. “I wouldn’t say Iwantto do this, but I need to.”
After zipping my suitcase, I got to my feet. Then I pulled Gia up with me.
“I want him to see that he’s enough, and that I won’t stop fighting for him, even after what he did. But I can’t approach it like I did before, making a spectacle of myself and drawing attention to us both. I have let him do what he needs to do right now. Stand behind him. Fight the quiet battle, while he fights the one he feels is bigger in his head. Like you did.”
Gia hugged me. “I know you can do it.”
I huffed a laugh into her hair, less confident myself. “I’m glad one of us has faith in me. But you’re right. As impossible as it sounds, I will do it. He’s worth fighting for, and I’m going to prove that to him.”
