Page 20 of Max Bannon
“Good, I’m almost finished.”
“Max, don’t overthink this. You might lose something that you’ll never get back.”
“I know. I’ll take it slow.”
10
Tessa
Icouldn’t wait to tell Max about my day.
I’d officially survived my first day teaching fourth grade, and I loved it more than I ever expected to. Those kids were chaos and energy and heart, and they somehow made me forget about every fear I had about starting over.
They were loud. They were weird. They asked questions that had absolutely nothing to do with fractions, but I loved them for it.
I’d even made it through a hamster-related crisis without crying. That had to count for something.
When I pulled into the B&B, I didn’t see Max’s truck. For a second, my heart dipped—silly, really, how used I’d already gotten to seeing it parked beside mine like it belonged there.
I heard voices out back and made my way around the house.
Fraiser and Max stood by the outdoor kitchen. I smiled as I walked closer, about to call out—until I heard my name.
“…let her down easy if you’re afraid of hurting her feelings,” Fraiser was saying. “You have to be gentle. Tessa’s been through a lot. I’ve gotta head out. I’ll see you later.”
I froze.
Max didn’t say anything. He just stood there, looking down at the table between them. And in that silence, I heard everything.
I turned around and walked away before they saw me.
By the time I reached the stairs, my hands were shaking.
I told myself I was being dramatic. That maybe I’d misheard. That maybe it wasn’t about me.
But deep down, I knew.
I made it to my room, shut the door quietly, and leaned against it.
I hadn’t meant to fall for him. I’d told myself I was just passing through, just starting over, just trying to breathe again.
But I did fall. And somehow, I let myself fall fast and hard—ina few weeks.
And now?
Now I had to pretend I didn’t.
I didn’t plan on hiding in my room all night. I really didn’t. But the thought of facing him, of hearing him tell me gently that the past few days meant less to him than they did to me…
I couldn’t.
If he says anything, I’ll laugh. I’ll play it off. I’ll make a joke and brush it aside like it was nothing.
Like I’m nothing.
Because I refuse to be the girl who falls apart again.
11
