Pixie brows scrunched together. “Hmmm. Okay. Then what do we call you?”
“Just Max is fine.”
“But you will be Mama’s ma—friend, right?”
Hooded dark eyes revealed nothing of his thoughts. “If she’s okay with it.”
Sky blushed like a school girl on her first date and nodded.
“Good,” said Maddie as she zipped up her coat. “Can we go to the store now?”
Two hours later, Sky put away the final sack with an envious sigh. Her pantry would never be this well stocked. If her list said one of something, Max added extra, just in case. He stipulated she replenish the coffee, bacon, and eggs he’d eaten the night before, along with some snack items Maddie liked. She returned the favor by insisting he stock items other than canned chili and crackers for quick meals.
When the final tally appeared, she struggled for air, suddenly embarrassed and inundated by guilt as Max paid the checker.
Once out the door, he touched her arm lightly, switching her focus to him. “This was my idea, Sky. If anyone should feel like they’re taking advantage of someone, it’s me.”
His comprehension of her unease should have bothered her. Should have. “Why do you say that?”
“You can cook. I can’t. You know how to shop for real food. I don’t. The way I see it, I’m the winner here.”
And just like that, her good mood resurfaced.
Sky roused herself and looked around the kitchen, noted the empty plastic bags scattered over the counter as well as the table, and gathered them up. “Did you put the turkey in the fridge?”
Max gave her an of-course-I-did look and didn’t reply.
“I forgot to ask about your schedule,” said Sky. “Will you be home Thursday morning? I’ll need to start cooking early. Some stuff I can do at home and just bring it over later if you’d rather.”
He pulled a key ring from his pocket and removed a key. “I work Wednesday and need to do a couple of things for Gail on Thursday.” He held the key out to her. “Here’s my extra key. Just do what you need to whenever you need to.”
She hesitated. A key to his house? That was a little too—something.
“It’s just a key, Sky,” he said softly. “With no strings attached.”
Once again, his perception of her feelings should have been disquieting but weren’t. She reached for the key. “Will it be okay if I come over Wednesday while you’re at work to do some of the prep stuff? Maybe bake that peach cobbler you wanted?”
When he smiled, her stomach did a somersault, and awareness raced through her like lightning.
“You’re going to leave me here alone with a fresh peach cobbler?”
Maddie’s gleeful laugh broke the spell. “You’ll get in big trouble, Max, if you nibble on stuff before Mama says you can.”
A flash of humor softened the hard lines on his face. “Then I guess I’ll have to wait.”
“Come on, young lady, we need to get home.” She gathered up her items. “You still have homework to do.”
The child pulled her coat from the back of the chair. “Can we have chili dogs for supper, please?”
Sky saw movement out the kitchen window and leaned over for a better view of who walked toward her back door. She couldn’t stifle a groan as Cade’s lean form came into view.
Max saw the sudden change in Sky’s posture and followed her gaze. Dammit.
Cade chose that moment to glance toward them. Even at this distance, Max saw his expression darken and his jaw tighten before long strides brought him to Max’s back door.
He looked at Sky for some indication of how she wanted this to go down. All he saw was apprehension and resignation. Max opened the door before Cade knocked.
“Hello, Cade.” Max worked hard to keep his animosity hidden. “What can I do for you?”
“I wanna to talk to Skylar.”
His sharp, clipped tone swung Max into protective mode in a heartbeat. He glanced to where she leaned against the sink, hands braced on either side. “Sky?”
She looked from one man to the other, then folded her arms across her chest. “About what, Cade?”
“I’m freezing my ass off out here.”
Max hesitated, dark eyes focused on the man who had made his high school years a living hell. “Watch your mouth,” he barked as he stepped aside for him to enter. “Maddie’s here.”
Cade didn’t glance at Max as he entered the small kitchen and addressed Sky. “Can we talk in private?”
Sky glanced at Maddie, who watched with nervous eyes. “Maddie, honey, why don’t you go start your homework. I’ll be there in a minute.”
The child looked from her mother to Max, who gave her a slight nod of encouragement.
“You may have one cookie and some milk before you do your homework,” said Sky.
