It was a good deal for both of them.
“Okay,” Connor agreed. “I’ll do it.”
He’d wanted a chance to prove himself, a chance to move his careerout from under the shadow of his biggest failure, and Max was handing it tohim. Kind, sweet Max, who was putting his sister first and willing to go for along shot to help her.
Max got more attractive every time Connor talked to him. Wantingto help his little sister out was, as motivations went, the purest Connor couldthink of.
Max’s whole face broke into a grin. He rounded the counter inthree strides, wrapping Connor in a warm, strong hug. The biceps weredefinitelynot just for show. Connor got the feeling Max could have lifted him clean overhis head if he wanted to.
“Thank you,” Max murmured, breaking off and giving Connor a chanceto breathe. “Seriously,thank you.”
“We haven’t won yet,” Connor said. He didn’t want to get Max’shopes up too much. He knew he was good, but… other people were better. He wasbanking on none of them entering.
“It means a lot that you’re willing to try,” Max said sincerely,his voice low and soft. The faintest hint of tears made his eyes shine as helooked down at Connor.
Connor swallowed again. He had plenty of motivation to start with,but now he had more than he could ever have asked for.
This was going to be the best micro-budget wedding anyone hadeverseen. Fairy lights and fake flowers everywhere. Detail upon detail upon detail,all lovingly hand-crafted.
It wasn’t as though he had anything better to do right now.
“I’ll download an entry form and we can fill it out when yourshift ends,” Connor said. “And for the record, it means a lot that you havethis much faith in me.”
“Faith is all I have left. I’m choosing to put it in someone whomight actually be able to help,” Max said. “Everyone’s been awesome, but you…you could fix this for me.”
Connor’s heart clenched.
Few peopleeverhad any faith in him, and never like this.
He’d win this thing for Max if it killed him.
Chapter Six
Max sighed happily as he sat down next to Connor, sinking deepinto the plush armchair the other man had saved for him.
“Shift finished?” Connor asked, looking up from his laptop.
“Not quite,” Max confessed. “I’ll have to get up if there’s acustomer, but… it’s usually quiet around this time, so I figured we could atleast get started.”
“Absolutely,” Connor said, scooting his chair over a little andturning his laptop so Max could see the screen. “The entry form is basicenough. First things first, they want a picture of the two of us. How are youat selfies?”
“Awful,” Max said, laughing at the thought. More often than not,he ended up dropping his phone, or blinking, or taking a weird angle that madehim look nothing like himself.
“Okay, well, I’ll take my average over your awful,” Connor said,taking out his phone. “Smile for me.”
Max followed the order, holding still as Connor moved to sit onthe armchair beside him, their bodies brushing together as he positionedhimself.
“Can I kiss your cheek?” Connor asked. “It’d be cute.”
Max wet his lips.
He’d promised himself he’d do whatever it took to win, and he’dsurvive a kiss on the cheek.
“Go for it,” he said, tilting his head to give Connor easieraccess.
Connor leaned in, and Max caught the bright scent of citrus comingoff him--orange, maybe, or mandarin. Something sweet, but still sharp enough tobe masculine, and with a herbal note under it.
It was nice. Comforting, in a way Max hadn’t expected.
