He’d forgotten. Or he’d been too optimistic, and assumed thateverything would work out just because he really wanted it to.
Maybe Dominique was right. Maybe he had no business being awedding planner after all.
“Take a deep breath,” Max said. Connor obeyed, filling his lungsas much as he could, pushing aside the urge to gasp for air. “Now let it out,”Max continued after a moment.
“Breathe in, breathe out,” Max said, pausing between instructionsto force Connor to take deep, calming breaths.
He’d obviously done this before.
Connor sat back in the chair, resting his hands in his lap andletting himself breathe, count to five, and then let it go over and over.
After what felt like hours, he opened his eyes again, ready toface Max. There were tear tracks drying on his cheeks, and he probably lookedlike crap, but at least he didn’t want to die anymore.
“You must think I’m an idiot,” he said, sniffing as one last tearrolled down his cheek.
Max reached out, wiping the tear away with his thumb.
Out of everything they’d shared, that may well have been the mosttender, intimate gesture yet.
“I don’t think you’re an idiot. I think you’re stressed, andoverworked, and having a normal reaction to extra stress on top of everythingyou’re already dealing with.”
Connor sniffed again. “I guess,” he said.
Max had a way of being nice to him that made it hard to keepbeating himself up. IfMaxbelieved in him, Connor figured he shouldbelieve in himself.
“I’m gonna figure this out,” Max promised. “You’ve done enough.It’s time for me to have your back.”
Connor swallowed.Hewas supposed to be planning thiswedding, not Max. None of this was supposed to be Max’s responsibility.
“It’s okay,” Max said. “I want you to head back to the house andclean up. Take a few minutes to calm down. By the time you get back, I willhave fixed everything. Okay?”
“Okay,” Connor said. He had little choice but to trust Max, here.
“Go on,” Max said, nudging Connor with his knee. “Everything’sgonna be all right.”
Connor nodded, standing up and rolling his shoulders back. Hekissed Max’s temple on the way past, just barely brushing his lips againstMax’s skin, but it was enough. Enough to say thank you, for now.
He crossed the wide field between the barn and the house, walkingaround the newly-planted saplings instead of through them, afraid he mightdisturb them if he got too close.
It was just as well everyone else was hovering around the barn tohelp out, because he hated the thought that anyone else would see him likethis.
Except Max. He didn’t mind Max seeing him vulnerable.
Max was holding Connor’s heart in the palm of his hand, and hedidn’t even know it.
Connor had decided to keep it that way. The last thing Max neededwas him hovering around after all this was over, sad and desperate and needy.
He had to move on. That was what he’d said he was going to do whenall this started, and he intended to go through with that.
Max was going to start a new life once this was over. He didn’tneed Connor hanging around and holding him back. No matter how much Connorwanted to be around to see him blossom and grow like he deserved.
Connor bounded his way up the stairs in Riley and Brent’s house,finding the bathroom and locking the door behind himself.
He looked up at the mirror, seeing his eyes red and his cheeksstained with tears.
Nothing a splash of water and a few minutes of taking a breakcouldn’t cure.
He turned on the tap, leaning over the sink to splash his face,careful not to get his clothes wet. It was meant to be a casual wedding, but itwasn’tmeant to be a wet t-shirt contest.
