Page 85 of Lovers Like Us

“He told me to tell you something.” He stopsthere.

“Getting better. Keep going.” I wave himon.

Maximoff now looks thoroughly irritated, and I’d smile if the subject matter weren’t skewed towardsserious.

“He said,” Maximoff continues, “that if you complete your year residency, I’d be able to have one of the best physicians. Someone that I could trust. Someone that’s even better thanhim.”

I roll my eyes in a dramatic circle.Seriously.I almost can’t believe that my father took it there. He’s consciously fucking with my boyfriend’s life just so I’ll return tomedicine.

It’slow.

Anddesperate.

Maximoff adds, “But I told your father that you’re not going back. That’s not what you want. I think he just wants me to convinceyou.”

I let out a short laugh. “I can’t believe him.” My face contorts through a series of emotions that I can’t name. If he really wanted me to be a practicing doctor, he should’ve tried repairing our torn relationship first, not destroying the lastshreds.

I look up at Maximoff. “And he thinks me being your doctor is somehowlessof a conflict ofinterest?”

“Strangely, yeah. I don’t want you to do it, but in an alternate universe where you did, I still wouldn’t have a concierge doctor for a full year while you did your residency. He’s leaving me with little options, and he knows it.” Maximoff gestures to me with his soda. “I even asked him if he could recommend a new physician, and the only name he could give me wasyours.”

“That’s fucked up.” I run a hand along my jaw. Calling my father back won’t change his mind. He only wants one thing, and it’s notwords.

Maximoff nears and hooks a couple fingers in my waistband. We draw closer, and his stoic gaze thunders against me, the heady beat saying we’re dealing with this shit together. Notapart.

I grip the hem of his shirt, but he takes over and lifts the gray fabric off his head. Knowing I’m examining his muscle again. He has swimmer’s shoulders, really used to being stretched and rotated. Especially with the butterflystroke.

There’s no bruising and the swelling is gone.Better.“How does it feel?” Iask.

“Just sore,” he says. “I haven’t been swimming as much while on tour, and I think maybe I’m just tight. I need to stretchmore.”

I nod. “I’ll keep an eye onit.”

He tucks his shirt in his back pocket. “I know I’m making it worse—the friction between you and yourdad.”

“It was never going to getbetter.”

Maximoff offers his Fizz Life, and my mouth rises as I accept the can. Taking asip.

“That’s kind of how I feel about Charlie and me,” he says, his large hand on my waist, pulling me closer. Our legs knock, and neither of us shiftsback.

I hold the curve between his neck and good shoulder. “Have you ever talked to him aboutHarvard?”

He shakes his head. “Even if I wanted to, I can never get that far. He makes it impossible.” Maximoff frowns at a thought. “I know I don’t make it any easier, either. It’s just…” His brows scrunch. “…some people aren’t meant to be friends. Maybe that’s justus.”

20

MAXIMOFF HALE

Chicago,thankGod we’rehere.

We’re alive and breathing and no one’s been punched, in case you wereconcerned.

So at 3:00 a.m. in our hotel room, Farrow got a call. Spoiler Alert: it’s not a bad one this time. Akara invited him to the hotel bar for drinks. All the bodyguards are there,off-duty, while my cousins are safeasleep.

As soon as Farrow hung up, he turned to me and said, “You’re coming along, wolfscout.”

I was already wide-awake. Sending out work emails and trying not to think about tomorrow’s meet-and-greet. And I wasn’t about to reject a rare offer to hang out with Security ForceOmega.