I felt a zap of tension behind my eyes. I knew she was right, but I wasn’t willing to admit it aloud. “I don’t know what to say to that.”

  Max seemed to be getting more agitated. She leaned closer to me. “And what if they find out the truth? That we’ve been lying to them about being in a relationship?”

  “My mom would definitely have a problem with that, yeah,” I admitted.

  “Rafe too. He’d never forgive me.”

  The line edged closer to the order window, and I wracked my brain for something to say to try to get things back on track.

  “What if we try something?” I asked.

  Max tilted her head at me.

  “What if we just … focus on the here and now? Be in the moment. That way we can enjoy one another’s company without worrying about what’s on the horizon.”

  She frowned. “I guess we could do that. But still …”

  I grasped her shoulders and turned her to face me. “I know this, uh, situation, started off weird, but I’m really enjoying myself with you. And I get the feeling you are too.”

  Max nodded.

  “Good. So let’s just take that perspective instead of overthinking everything.”

  “Okay,” she sighed.

  I pulled her into a hug and happened to see Renee watching us in the distance. Shit. Max was right. We were getting in too deep.

  I tucked Max against my body, trying to outrun what was surfacing inside.

  It feels real to me. And I like that more than I should.

  24

  MAX

  I was getting way too comfortable at Theo’s place.

  I liked my little apartment, but given the choice of the two of us trying to cram into my tiny bed or being able to stretch out on Theo’s California king together, it was a no-brainer. Then there was the balcony, the view, the theater, the shower, the high-end coffee machine, and every other amenity I could dream up. Theo made a show about offering to trade spaces now and then, but we both knew that nothing could compare to his condo.

  I was up early, prepping for a major shoot for Miami Magazine, a now-and-then story about how the city has changed over the past thirty years. I was going to be running all over town trying to check off half of the images required for the piece. My entire day was meticulously plotted out to take traffic and hours of operation into account.

  But first? Coffee.

  I opened the pantry and was shocked to find a few bags of hazelnut Dunkin’ Donuts next to Theo’s ridiculously expensive imported beans. I’d tried to stomach what he brewed up, but I preferred a kinder, gentler brew to start my day.

  He’d made a special trip to pick up my brand. Aw.

  “There are steel cut oats in the cupboard,” Theo’s rumbly voice echoed behind me. “I know you prefer them over instant.”

  I jumped, startled by him.

  “You were dead to the world three minutes ago,” I said, holding my hand over my racing heart.

  “I felt your hunter-gatherer vibe and decided to come out and help you,” he said, trudging over to me to collect a hug. “Good morning. Big day, huh?”

  I loved the way he looked in the morning with sleepy eyes and wild hair.

  “Major day,” I squeezed him back and wished I had the time to strip him down and kiss him all over.

  “Worried?” he asked, drawing back to study me.

  I shook my head. “Not about the work itself; it’s the ancillary stuff that’s stressing me out. All the driving and coordinating schedules with the building managers.”

  Theo paused with one hand on the coffee machine. “Shit. Do you want me to have my driver take you? That would make things easier, wouldn’t it?”

  I considered it and realized that he was right. But reallocating a car service for over eight hours wouldn’t come cheap. Obviously, he could afford it, but I wasn’t about to take advantage of his generosity. He was already doing so much for me. And no matter how many times I reminded myself he was nothing like Nick and he wouldn’t make any demands in return for his generosity, the massive tally of money he was spending on me still made me uneasy on some deep, subconscious level that I couldn’t really control.

  “I should be okay. I’ve got every stop choreographed down to the minute, changing it now would just confuse me,” I lied.

  He stared at me for a beat longer. “You sure? Because I’ve got Fernando on standby.”

  “I’m good,” I said, ripping open the bag of coffee and nodding toward the machine. “Now you just have to remind me how to use this thing.”

  The contraption looked like it belonged in a professional coffee shop, with levers and pulleys all over it.

  “Let me brew for you while you prep oatmeal. Make enough for two, please.”

  He’d made a face the first time I’d fixed oatmeal for myself, but after forcing him to try a mouthful he’d come around to the wonders of peanut butter and chocolate chip oatmeal.

  Theo turned the music on, and I smiled to myself as we went about our now familiar morning routine. It felt downright domestic.

  I wasn’t able to convince him to join me in the shower since he was well aware that I was running late. I got dressed in my multi-pocket pants and sleeveless tank, loaded up my camera bag, and crossed my fingers that the day was going to be a success. Getting Miami Magazine’s blessing meant they’d keep me in mind for future gigs. There wasn’t much money in print work, but somehow this periodical managed to pay well.

  Forty-five minutes later, I headed out the door and began my endless day, fortified by a lingering good luck kiss from Theo. I couldn’t help but smile every time I thought about him.

  I was still on track by lunchtime, and I was downing a quick sandwich in between appointments when my phone rang. It was Rafe’s school. At midday.

  Not good.

  “This is Maxine,” I answered in my official stand-in mom voice.

  “Hi, this is Judy from the main office at Central, and I wanted to check in with you. Rafe’s not in school today. We tried to reach out to his mother but there’s no answer. Do you know anything about his absence?”

  My mind reeled from all of the possibilities. Rafe had been acting out lately. Maybe he’d cut school? If that was the case, I needed to think fast, because Nick would have his ass if he got caught skipping.

  “Yes, of course, apologies for the hassle. Rafe isn’t feeling well and I think our mom just forgot to call you. I’m sure she ran out to grab some Pepto for him. She doesn’t always remember her phone and it drives us all nuts.” I laughed to really sell it.

  Judy chuckled in reply. “Well, okay then. So will he be back tomorrow?”

  “As far as I know, yes,” I replied, hoping it was the truth. “Appreciate the call, and again, my apologies for not being proactive.”

  The minute we disconnected I immediately dialed my mom. It went straight to voicemail and my heartbeat kicked up. Had Nick done something?

  I looked around the beautiful setting as I considered my options. I was on a bench in the shade outside my next appointment, at the Fontainebleau waiting to meet with the facilities manager so I could get up on the roof. It had taken half a dozen calls to wrangle the meeting, and the guy had only promised me twenty minutes to get all of the shots I needed. And once I finished here, I needed to drive to Churchill’s Pub immediately after to snag photos during daylight hours, which required a very unhappy night manager-slash-vampire to agree to meet with me. There was no way I could bail to deal with whatever was going on with Rafe.

  But still. The feeling that something could be really wrong clawed at my insides. I dialed him directly, convinced that he wasn’t going to pick up either.

  “Max?”

  My stomach dropped when I heard the catch in his voice. He was trying not to cry.

  “Rafe, are you okay? Where are you? The school just called. Where’s Mom?”

  He sniffled. “She went to some sort of class for staging houses, something for work. I’m at home. I wasn’t feeling great this morning and I asked him to call the school but he wouldn’t. Said I didn’t look sick.”

  “Are you?” I asked pointedly. Like all kids, Rafe had been known to fake illness to avoid tests he hadn’t studied for.

  “Do you think I’d want to stay home with that asshole if I didn’t have to?” Rafe’s voice went up to a screech. “No fucking way. I have a headache, a really bad one. I’m trying to rest in my room and he’s working on some dumb project, making a lot of noise. Bookshelves that mom has been asking him to put together for months, but today’s the day he decided to do it. Right outside my door.”

  “Rafe …”

  “My head really hurts, Max.” The desperation in his voice rang through. “And I don’t want to be here alone with him.”

  He said the last part in a whisper, like he was afraid Nick might hear him. Despite all of the tough-guy posturing, my brother was still just a boy.

  I sighed. I had ten minutes before my meeting. I had to do something.

  “Sit tight. I’m getting you out of there, okay?”

  “Thanks, Max,” he said in a small voice.

  A petite man in a light blue suit walked over to me tentatively. “Are you Maxine?”

  I stood up quickly. “Yes, hi, you must be Phil.”

  “Are you all set?”

  “I’m excited!” I held up my phone. “I just need two minutes for a quick client call,” I lied. “Can I meet you in the lobby?”

  He nodded, looking a little put out. I needed to make this fast. I dialed quickly.

  Theo picked up before the second ring. “Hey Max, everything okay?”

  “Hi, not really. Rafe is home sick today and he and Nick are going at it. My mom’s not there to referee. He called me and sounded like he’d been crying.” I lowered my voice. “I can’t leave but I need to get him out of the house. Is there any chance you can go get him? I know it’s a huge imposition, and it’s no problem if you can’t—"

  “On it,” he cut me off. “Of course. I’ll get him right now.”

  I finally felt like I could breathe again. “Thank you.”

  “No problem. You focus on your work and know that he’ll be fine with me. Just keep me posted about when you’re finishing up, and we can figure out dinner for the three of us.”

  I smiled. “That would be great. Thanks. You don’t know how much I appreciate it.”

  “Stop worrying and get back to work,” he scolded me gently. “Talk later.”

  I hung up and took a steadying breath. Family drama was the last thing I needed, especially the type that required Theo to get involved, but at least he seemed up for it. He already knew that Rafe was a grumpy, hormonal teen, and he was probably going to be worse with a headache.

  But I wasn’t worried, because somehow Theo always seemed to make everything okay.

  25

  THEO

  I sat in my car outside the house, realizing I didn’t have Rafe’s number. Max had texted me that she was going into a meeting and couldn’t be interrupted, so I wasn’t about to reach out to her.

  I didn’t have to wait long. Rafe must’ve been watching out the window because he came barreling out the door, skateboard in hand. I’d driven my black Porsche because I had a feeling he’d like it more than my Land Rover. Maybe it would give us something to talk about.

  Rafe was halfway down the front walk when the door behind him flew open and a man in a t-shirt and jeans came out to yell at him.

  “Hey, hey!”

  Rafe didn’t turn around, his face hard as he stalked toward my car.

  “Where are you going?” he bellowed. “And who’s that?”

  Rafe paused but didn’t turn to face the man.

  “I’m talking to you, kid. Who the hell is that?”

  Rafe started walking toward me again, causing his father to come tripping down the front stairs after him.

  I’d had enough. I got out of my car and unfolded myself, my eyes on Nick. When he saw me standing there, substantially bigger than him in both height and build, he froze then wobbled a few steps closer.

  He was drunk.

  “Who are you?” he jeered.

  “A friend. Rafe is leaving with me.”

  Nick snorted. “That’s what you think. He’s supposed to be sick, he ain’t going anywhere.”

  “Get in the car,” I said to Rafe in a low voice.

  He nodded and slid into the passenger seat, leaving me and Nick staring at each other. It was a faceoff, and I wasn’t about to lose.

  “It’s midday and you’re drunk. He’s coming with me,” I said simply.

  I hadn’t moved onto his property, and Nick didn’t seem like he was in a hurry to get any closer to me. I’d always been told that my height could be intimidating, which was exactly what I was counting on in the moment.

  “Shut the fuck up,” Nick yelled back at me, looking around with an incredulous expression on his face, like me calling him out for drinking was the most insane thing he’d ever heard. “What do you know?”

  “I know Rafe is leaving.”

  And with that I got back into my car and peeled out with dramatic flare, just for Rafe. I saw the corner of his mouth curve up for a second as he looked over his shoulder to watch Nick disappear.

  “You okay?” I asked after we got back on the highway.

  Rafe shrugged. “Yup.”

  “Your sister said you have a headache. Do you need aspirin or anything?”

  “Nope. I took some an hour ago.”

  “So you’re feeling a little better?” I glanced at him.

  He bobbed his head once. It was going to be a long afternoon.

  “You hungry?” I asked him. “We could grab some food.”

  “I ate half a cold pizza. I’m good.”

  So much for one of my planned time wasters. We had at least four hours before Max finished for the day. On to Plan B.

  “Do you feel okay enough to stay out, or do you want to go back to my place and rest?”

  “Depends,” he shrugged.

  “Okay.” I pushed on. “There’s something I think you’d enjoy. It combines two things I know you like.”

  “Whatever.”

  I made a quick right and headed for the gallery, hoping he wouldn’t think I was an idiot for suggesting it.

  “What’s this?” he asked, getting out of the car slowly to squint at the white building.

  “It’s an art gallery that’s doing a show with street artists. There’s a bunch of custom painted skateboards included in it.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, I’ve bought a few paintings here and they keep sending me emails about their latest showings hoping I’ll buy more. When I heard about this show I thought you might appreciate it.”

  He bobbed his head again. It was probably the most enthusiasm I’d get out of him. He hung behind me as we walked into the place.

  “Mr. Barnes, welcome back.”

  A blonde in a formfitting blue dress greeted us, and Rafe couldn’t stop staring at her.

  “Thank you. Okay if we poke around?”

  She gestured to the expansive white space that was dotted with chaotic-looking oversized canvases. “By all means. I’m here if you have any questions about the artist or works.”

  I let Rafe take the lead.

  “This one is insane,” he whispered as we got closer to the first canvas, his eyes wide.

  It was an acid-trip of a work, a mash-up of colors, bodies, and words swirling together.

  Rafe giggled when he spotted the two topless women embracing in the corner of the painting.

  “Do you like it?” I asked.

  “It’s okay, but a little too crazy for me.” He walked a few steps to another work. “I like this one better.”

  It was a simple, bold skull painted with thick black lines on a yellow canvas and wearing a flaming crown.

  “That’s a cool one. Not to get too nerdy on you, but I think it’s a reference to an old 80s artist named Keith Haring, and another street artist named Basquiat who got really famous after he died.”

  “I know that name,” Rafe said, turning to me. “He’s the crown guy. He’s all over TikTok, and they make shirts with his stuff. I like him.”

  “Well, then we have something in common. One day I hope to own one of his originals.”

  I didn’t mention that his last painting had sold for one hundred and ten million at auction.

  “There are the skateboards,” Rafe said, jogging across the gallery and not bothering to hide his excitement.

  I joined him next to the wall lined with clear plexiglass cases.

  “That one is badass,” Rafe said, pointing to a board featuring a smiling devil on it.

  “You definitely have a theme for what you like,” I laughed. “Creepy.”

  He turned to me. “That’s not true. I like all sorts of stuff. I like the cat sticker you bought for me at the farmer’s market.” He moved a few steps down the line of boards. “I like this one with the mushroom and bunny, too.”

  I leaned closer to examine the skateboard he’d pointed at. It was an incredibly realistic painting of a bright red toadstool with a tiny rabbit nestled beneath it. The effect was ethereal and feminine, and I loved the fact that the “cool guy” also appreciated what could be considered a more girly work.

  “Agreed. That’s amazing.”

  Rafe and I worked our way around the room, talking about what he liked and didn’t like. I listened without judgement. I knew Renee and Max did their best to support him, but I wasn’t sure how often Rafe had a supportive male presence in his life.

  The blonde joined us as we finished our lap around the gallery. “Anything stand out to you, Mr. Barnes?”

  I glanced at Rafe. “What do you think?”

  Suddenly, the kid who’d spent the past hour finally opening up to me was silent. “It was good.” He stared at the ground.