Page 76 of Can We Skip to the Good Part?

“Not exactly,” Max said, her voice low.

Ella’s smile softened. “Well … I’ll say this. I’ve missed you. I’ve missed your words. I’ve missed your laugh. Your body.”

Max’s heart thudded, but she waited, needing to hear everything else Ella had to say.

“I’m feeling rather hopeful,” Ella continued, sincerity lacing her delivery. “Of course, I want to be sensitive to Rachel’s feelings. But I also really want to spend time with you.”

Max nodded, her voice steady. “I hear you. And I’m going to take it one step further.”

“Do,” Ella said, giving a gracious little take-the-floor gesture.

“I want us to give this a real shot. Officially. If I had my way, you wouldn’t be catching a ride home tonight. You’d be coming back with me.” She paused, studying Ella’s face. “But I get the need to take it slow. I do. Especially after … everything.”

“We were a twister,” Ella said, awe in her voice. “Tearing through everything in our path.”

Max smiled at the image. “Powerful and focused. That’s us.”

Ella inhaled like she needed a moment to ground herself. “I admit that it’s hard to focus on anything else when you’re in the room.”

Without thinking, Max reached for her hand and tugged it gently into her lap, lacing their fingers together. “I can’t recall much about the last few Weepers meetings we attended together. But I can tell you exactly what you wore and thought about each book.”

“Good,” Ella said, her grin returning. She leaned in. “Because I happen to have opinions, ma’am.”

“You don’t have to remind me.” Max’s chest tightened with the urge to close the space between them, but she held back. “So. About us. What I tossed out there.”

“You want to date me officially,” Ella said.

Max raised a finger. “And exclusively.”

“I love it when your hair’s down.” Ella’s gaze then dipped briefly to Max’s lips.

“Focus.”

“Sorry. Recurring issue, remember?” She gave a tiny headshake, as if rebooting herself. “Right. So ... in that case, we’dbe … an item?” She seemed to be turning the information over in her mind, employing a total poker face. That was new.

Max leaned her head against the back of the couch, her thumb brushing over Ella’s knuckles. “That’s kind of what I was angling for.” Her heart thudded, wondering what Ella’s response might be, nervous she’d say no. Nervous she’d say yes, because this was scary territory for the romantically cautious.

Ella searched her eyes for a long moment, then said simply, “I think we do it.” Ella nodded, agreeing with her own declaration.

Max felt the spark of anxiety beneath her happiness, but it was steadying as well. Because this was Ella. And there was no one else she could imagine taking this leap with. “Now we’re always going to remember this hard couch as the moment we decided to go for it.”

A pause. “You mean ourhardlaunch?” Ella asked, clearly over the moon with herself for that one.

Max laughed. “Are you sure you don’t want to come home with me tonight?” It was playful, yet sincere.

“I do want to come home with you. But slow, remember? We screwed things up royally by racing ahead last time.”

“Right, right. Vaguely remember that.”

“At least … for a little while.”

“I’ll follow your lead.”

She sat up straight and rolled her shoulders. “My lead says I should probably get some sleep. With so much pop-up planning this week, I’ve fallen wildly behind. I have three big deadlines looming.”

“Wow. So, business is still good?” Max handed her credit card to their server, who snatched it with a smile and a wink as she glided by.

“It’s booming and I’m getting several new inquiries every day.” She stared after the server. “She just winked at you. Why isthe world obsessed with you?” She held up a hand with a laugh. “Never mind. I know exactly why.” Then her brows pulled down.