“I trust your judgement,” Connor responded.
“I thought the barn would be nice. You were talking about casual,and I saw a picture in one of your magazines when you were showing me stuff youwanted to do.”
Connor chuckled. “You know, you’d make a good wedding planneryourself,” he said.
Max had a surprisingly good eye once he had enough confidence tosay what he did and didn’t like. He’d steered Connor away from some ideas andtoward others, and every suggestion had been a good one.
“I wanted to be a teacher, actually,” Max said, sliding Connor’scoffee over to him.
Connor wasn’t inclined to sit down just yet. Not if Max was aboutto open up.
“A teacher?” he asked.
“Yeah, I was thinking elementary school. I just… I’d kinda like tobe surrounded by kids all day, show ‘em all the cool stuff about the world. Iwas starting on a bachelor of education, but then Zoe got really sick, and… Icouldn’t afford college if I wanted to help her, so… I quit.”
Connor’s heart clenched in his chest. He could almost feel ittearing in two.
Max had given up his dream to help his sister. That was so likehim in every possible way, but Connor hated that he’d had to. That he’d beenput in that position in the first place.
“You’ll make a wonderful teacher,” Connor said. “When we win this,I want you to spend the leftover money on college, okay?”
“There’s not gonna be much change out of fifty thousand,” Maxresponded, looking down at the counter.
“A hundred thousand,” Connor corrected. “I don’t want or need themoney. Just the career boost. And I’ve already heard from a few people, so…I’ve got what I need. I’m winning this for you.”
Max opened and closed his mouth a few times. “You can’t,” he saideventually. “You can’t just… give me your half.”
“It’s my half to give you, and I never intended to keep it anyway.I want you to have it. I want you to walk away from this withallyourproblems solved. Besides, teaching is a sexy profession. I really like the ideaof you as a teacher.”
“I don’t understand why you’d do that for me,” Max said.
“I have everything I need.” Connor shrugged. “You don’t. But I cangive it to you. It’s… this is going to make me sound like an asshole, but it’sreally not that much money to me. People paid me tens of thousands of dollarsto get their weddings right before I screwed up. I won’t miss it, but it’dchange your life.”
And I think I’m falling in love with you, Connor didn’tadd.
He couldn’t afford to be in love with Max, not with everythingbetween them so uncertain, but…
If he hadn’t already fallen for him, he was right on the edge ofit. Max was an easy man to love.
“It doesn’t make you sound like an asshole,” Max said. “I don’tknow how to thank you.”
“Worry about thanking me when we win.” Connor took a sip of hiscoffee, making a soft, happy noise as the smooth, rich taste rolled over histongue.
Max was a great barista, but he’d be an even better teacher. IfConnor could give him that, he fully intended to.
“And I’ll just take athank you. Like I said, you’vealreadyhelped me. I have clients lined up for when this is over.”
“I’m glad,” Max said. “Makes me feel better about all the effortyou’re going to.”
“Hey, I like doing this.” Connor smiled at him.
It was nice to plan something that wasn’t about what other peoplewanted. To have a little free reign for once.
It was even nicer to do it with Max, who was a balm for Connor’ssoul.
“Oh, uh, before I forget… I’m thinking I’ll just come up with theguest list and give it to you? Then you can add anyone you want. Since wedidn’t, uh… do that last night?” Max scratched the back of his neck, lookingunsure.
“Works for me,” Connor said. “I just want it with plenty of timeto hand-write the invitations.”
