Chapter Four

       Jake sat across the table from his red-head friend and watched as she threw her head
back in laughter.  They were sitting in a booth on the side wall of Frankie's Diner. 
Frankie's was a small place with a warm atmosphere, that was decorated in retro style to
resemble a real fifty’s diner, right down to the uniforms the waitresses wore.  Situated a
convenient half block from the gym, it had become a regular spot for Jake and Max to
stop after their workouts.  They always sat in the same booth, which Jake had chosen
because of its proximity to the authentic juke box.  Today, just as any other day, he had
deposited his coin and requested the same song he always did.  Everything was exactly
the same as always was. And yet something was different!  Very different, and it had
everything to do with the  woman sitting across the table.
	It's just Max, he reminded himself, as he caught himself noticing the sparkle in
her eyes.  The same Max that sat in that same seat every time they came to Frankie's. 
The same Max that beat him at tennis and counted his reps when he lifted weights.  
	The same Max who, not an hour earlier, had asked him if he thought she was
sexy!
	And that had changed everything!  Jake studied her closely as she leaned her
elbows on the table and smiled.  After her shower at the gym she'd left with her hair wet,
as usual.  Max wasn't the type of girl who fussed over her appearance on a day to day
basis.  She wore it for special occasions, but for workouts and even for school, she
seldom used any.  Her hair, a mass of carrot-top curls, was either left to its own devises
or tied back in a ponytail at the back of her head.  She could get away with it.  In fact,
Jake couldn't think of too many other women he knew who looked as good as Max when
they hadn't a speck of make-up on, or for that matter, any who would dare go out in
public that way!
	Now,  though the mass of red curls was quickly drying, there were still a few wet
strands hanging around.  One curl in particular was dangling tantalisingly down the side
of her face, having escaped from the rest of her hair that she had simply pinned back on
both sides.  It wasn't the first time he'd seen Max's hair like that, but this time it seemed
to be toying with him.  It called out to him to reach over and touch it, to stroke it away
from her face and tuck it behind her ear.  It was just a renegade strand of hair, but he
found it — well,  sexy!  Incredibly Sexy!  In fact, ever since she'd popped her bombshell
question, he'd had a heck of a time keeping the word out of his mind whenever he
looked at her.  
	Looked at her? Damn! All he had to do was think about her and the word popped
up.  It had started the minute she'd skipped away into the shower back at the gym. 
That's when he'd known he was in big trouble.  The word sexy, followed closely by the
word shower had been his undoing.  He'd sat there staring at the door to the womens'
change room with thoughts of Max, naked and soapy, standing under warm running
water.  It had taken him several seconds to regain his composure and find sanctuary in
the mens' showers, and he'd been thankful there'd been no one else in there at the time! 
	Get a grip on yourself, Old Man, this is Max we're talking about! he'd  reminded
himself, and he'd thought he'd managed to shake the images pretty well, with the help of
a shower quite a few degrees cooler than his usual.  But as soon as he'd closed his
eyes to face the spray, there she was again.  This time she wasn't naked, and he'd been
thankful of that, at least.  No, this time she was dressed in black.  Yes, it was that black
strapless dress with the black stockings and heels that she had worn to the Charity Ball,
and she was ...
	Jake's eyes had sprung open and he had quickly spun the shower tap to the off
position and grabbed for his towel.  There was no way he was going to allow his
wandering mind to entertain thoughts of Max kicking off her strappy high heels and
sliding those sheer black stockings down her long slender legs!  The quicker he got
dressed and got the real Max in front of him — the one wearing sweats and running
shoes — the better everything would be!
	But apparently that wasn't working either.   He watched as Max leaned back to
allow the waitress to place her order on the table, and noticed the curve of her jaw as
she turned and smiled at the young girl in the retro uniform.  Her face  hadn't changed,
so why was he noticing it now? Why was his finger aching to trace along that jawline and
curl itself in that truant strand of red hair?  Why was it that every time she spoke to him
he didn't hear a word she said.  No matter what way her lips moved,  all he head were
the words  do you think I'm sexy?
	"Jake?"  
	The sound of his name penetrated his thoughts and he gave himself a mental
shake and straightened in his seat.  "What?"
	Max laughed, and it was all he could do to keep from sliding back to that place
she had just awakened him from.  "Jake, have you even been listening to a word I've
said?"
	"I — uhh — "  He stared at her, wide-eyed.  There was no way he was going to
be able to bluff his way out of this one.  He definitely hadn't heard a word she'd said, not
even enough to muddle his way through.  He gave her a pathetic, puppy-dog look, and
she laughed again. 
	Wrong thing to do, he thought quickly, and cleared his throat.  Don't make the
woman laugh. Under any circumstances, you must not make her laugh!  When she
laughed, it just made everything worse!  If he was going to survive this evening, he was
going to have to be as serious as possible, which wasn't going to be very easy, since
most of the time he spent with Maxine McGreggor was usually spent with them laughing
at one another. 
	"I'm sorry, Red." he said, trying to sound as serious as he could.  "I must admit, I
didn't hear what you said.  I guess I was miles away.  Lot's of things on my mind lately,
since becoming full partner, you know.  I'm afraid I'm more tired than I thought I was."
	Max frowned immediately, and Jake stifled a groan as she gave him a sincere
look of concern.  Damn!  Was there any expression this woman could put on her face
tonight that wouldn't set warning bells off in his head and conjure up the word sexy? He
shifted in his seat and turned away, reaching over the back of the booth to slip another
coin in the juke box, randomly stabbing a finger at one of the buttons.  
	"I'm sorry, Jake," Max was saying when he turned around again. "You should
have told me how tired you were.    I shouldn't have dragged you out to the gym tonight."
	"Nonsense, it was just what I needed," Jake argued, while in his mind he added,
there's no way on earth I'm going to let you come to the gym by yourself with that guy
James hanging around.  Not if I can help it!  Then, startled at the thought, he stared
across the table at her.  Why was it so important to keep an eye on James anyway?
Why should it matter to Jake? Max was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, she'd
proven that with the guy already.  
	"Why, Jake, you look like you're falling asleep right here in the Diner!"  She
shook her head.  "I should have known something was up when you fell off the treadmill! 
You poor thing!"
	Now that was enough!  Jake grabbed his sandwich and shoved a large portion of
it into his mouth and glared at her.  It just wasn't fair!  If Max was going to bring up the
treadmill incident, the least she could do was razz him about it.  All this concern was just
so completely out of character, and just would not do at all! She's better start teasing
him soon, or he'd think aliens had abducted his friend and replaced her with —  well —
with a sexy vamp!  This thought made him pile another huge bite of sandwich into his
mouth.
	She looked down at her own plate and frowned.  "We can just go home if you
want, Jake? I don't really need this anyway.  You really look like you need to get into
bed."
	Jake's eyes widened and he nearly choked on his sandwich before he realized
his brain had muddled up the words she had used and she had not actually said you
need to get me into bed.  Her eyes narrowed in concern as he sputtered but he waved a
hand towards her and her plate and she relaxed somewhat and picked up her own
sandwich.  
	"Alright, if you insist," she said, picking up her own sandwich, but still eyeing him
cautiously.  "But as soon as we're done eating, I expect you to go straight home to bed!"
	Jake stifled a groan behind his food, and closed his eyes.  Why did she have to
keep mentioning the word 'bed'!  His head was spinning with all the mixed feelings that
were bombarding him.  It just wasn't right to be thinking those kinds of thoughts about
his friend.  Hopefully, after a good night sleep he'd be able to see this whole evening for
exactly what it was — something funny that happened between friends.  Maybe some
day he'd even share with her what her question had done to him. 	He glanced across
the table just in time to see Max wipe a drop of mayo off the corner of her lip, then lick it
off her finger.  
	Then again, he thought, maybe not!
	
	Jake lay in bed with his ceiling fan on full blast and his pillow over his head. 
There was something wrong with him.  Something terribly wrong!  No matter how hard
he tried, he just could not shake the images of Max that kept dancing through his head. 
Why had she gone and asked him that stupid question anyway?  Things had been just
fine between them until then.  He'd been comfortable with their friendship, and he was
pretty certain she had been too.  Sure, he'd felt a warmth towards her, and he'd always
known how attractive she was.  And there was that feeling of protectiveness that made
him keep his eye on James at the gym, he reasoned, but they were just friends.  He
didn't want anything to put that relationship in danger.   
	When he'd seen her all dressed up at the Charity Ball he'd definitely been aware
of her beauty.  And, yes, her sexiness too, but it hadn't been until she'd spoken the word
out loud that he'd felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. His first reaction had
been to hunt out that stupid Ethan character and give him a knuckle sandwich between
the eyes to help his eyesight, but he really wasn't the punching kind of guy.  Then the
thoughts had started.  
	Thoughts of Max in sexy, provocative scenes, that he just couldn't shake.  Oh,
he'd known all along that Max was the kind of woman any man would be glad to have in
his bed, but he'd always known that wasn't the kind of relationship they had.  Now he
was laying awake in the middle of the night unable to get her out of his mind. 
	This can't be happening, he told himself.  He and Max were friends, and that was
the end of it.  He enjoyed her company, her joking and her laughter.  They had
everything in common, and they even thought the same way.   He felt as much at home
eating the fries off her plate as he did having her trounce him on the tennis courts, and
he didn't want anything to change!  He was comfortable with Max in his life, and he
couldn't imagine what it would be like without here there.  And it was Jake's experience
that, when you let lust, and sex, get in the way, things did change.  Everything changed! 
	It wasn't that Jake Forrester was against marriage, or commitment, or long-term
relationships.  It was just that, as far as his own first hand knowledge was concerned,
they just didn't work.  Maybe for someone like Reese and Mikki, who were perfect for
each other, but not for himself.  No, it just wasn't for him, he'd already been in deep a
couple of times.  A couple of times too many, he thought to himself, as he tossed the
pillow across his bed.  
	The summer after his senior year of high school he had fallen for a girl named
Laura.  They were young, but he'd thought the feeling was mutual. But Laura had her
sights set on a school hundreds of miles away and the relationship hadn't lasted once
she'd gone.   He'd supposed, in retrospect, that he shouldn't have been surprised when
she'd written him two months later to break things off.   They'd had completely different
interests — unlike him and Max.  Laura had been interested in theatre and longed to be
on the stage.  It had been all she had ever talked about, while it didn't interest Jake at all.  
	Years later he'd found out that she actually had managed to become a stage
actress with a minor production company.  In fact, he'd gone to see her in action once,
and thankfully, it had been the catalyst he'd needed to get her out of his system. He'd
stood in the shadows at the back of the theatre and watched her perform.  She was no
Katherine Hepburn, but she was good.  Afterwards, he'd hung around as if he thought
she might want to see him.  When she'd emerged from the stage doors, laughing, and in
the arms of her co-star, she looked like a completely different woman than the girl he'd
thought he'd loved all those years before. 
	For one thing, she'd looked drunk!  She'd been leaning all over the man at her
side, and as they'd walked past Jake she'd barely noticed him. He'd called her name,
but then felt instantly stupid for doing so.  She'd stopped, and looked at him through
squinted eyes, and asked him if she knew him.  He'd just been about to shake his head
and walk away when recognition dawned on her face.  Perhaps he'd meant as much to
her as she had to him afterall, he'd thought.  But when she'd spoken, all hopes of that
were dashed forever, along with his fantasies of her.  
	"Why, I do know you!" she'd slurred.  "You're name is — is — "  She'd giggled
uncontrollably, and muttered something to her companion about getting it eventually,
then finally squinted at him again and pointed a well-manicured finger shakily in his
direction.  "You're that kid Jared, aren't you!"
	Jake had just been about to correct her and tell her his name was Jake, when
she'd continued, nodding.  "That's right, you're the kid I spent the weekend with at my
uncle's cottage that time I told my boyfriend I was going to summer camp!"   
	Jake had felt blood run through his veins.  He'd remembered the weekend
perfectly, though obviously not the same way she had. 
	"Sorry, no.  Wrong guy.  I never really knew you at all, I just wanted to say — you
put on a good performance," he'd said, and wondered exactly which performance he
was talking about.  The one on stage that night, or the one she'd put on for his personal
benefit after coming home from 'camp' so many summers before.  As she'd giggled and
gushed over his compliment, he'd turned and walked away, the sound of her laughter
ringing in his ears, and he'd never looked back. Laura had lost her hold on his heart
forever, but it had been replaced with a scepticism that would stick with him through the
rest of his life.  Especially since this brief encounter with Laura had happened to soon
after Carol Ann.
	Ah yes, Carol Ann. Laura had held a special place in his heart for many years.
Long before he'd met her outside the theatre, however, he'd understood that he'd been
much too young when they'd been together.  So he'd played the field for a while, not
interested in anything long lasting, just having fun, with no strings attached.  But Carol
Ann had been different, and he'd known that the minute he'd laid eyes on her.  Not only
different from all the girls he'd casually dated, but very different from Laura.  Carol Ann
had  wanted him, and  wanted him bad, and he'd fallen under her spell immediately.  
	But once she had him, everything seemed to fall to pieces.  Six months after
they'd met,  they were engaged, and two months after that the whole thing was over.  It
had all happened so fast that he still had to blink when he thought  about it. 
	But that was years ago now, and he'd been doing just fine with his
no-strings-attached attitude ever since.  He'd gotten so used to the idea of being a
confirmed bachelor that it didn't  bother him one bit when Reese teased him about
spending all his time with Max.  He knew that, with Max,  there was no danger of
anything happening between them, and he was perfectly comfortable with that.  Even
when he'd seen her all dressed up for the Charity Ball,  he'd been able to appreciate her
attractiveness without having to worry about fighting the urge to get her into his bed. 
	At least, that's what he'd managed to make himself believe up until now.  Now he
wasn't so sure.  Had he wanted her that night? Had that been why he had hesitated
outside her apartment after dropping her off?  No, he shook his head, it couldn't have
been.  Surely it was just that damned question giving him doubts!  And if he could just
get some sleep, he'd get over it, and everything would get back to normal.  It was all too
fresh in his mind, that's all. In the morning, everything would be back to normal.
	Yes, that had to be it. It was just that he hadn't been with a woman for such a
long time, so it was natural for the question to have stirred something in him.  In fact, he
hadn't been around any other women at all lately, except for Ester of course,  so Max
was just a convenient face to put to the urge.  
	Not to mention her body.
	Jake groaned and rolled over, punching the discarded pillow.  It was going to be
a long night!

	"You look like something the dog dragged in," Reese commented, one side of his
mouth curled upward in a teasing grin.  Jake shot him a warning glance and slouched
into the nearest chair.   With a frustrated groan he rested his head against the backrest
and closed his eyes. 
	"Seriously,"  Reese continued.  "You look like hell, partner.   What happened to
you?  A wild date with a hot lady last night?"
	Jake groaned louder.  "Cut it out, Reese.  I just couldn't sleep last night."
	Reese walked casually by and gave his friend a playful shove in the shoulder
with his fist.  "Anyone I know?" he asked, with a wink.
	Jake opened one eye and glared at him.  "For your information, I was not on any
date last night.  It was gym night with Max."
	Reese let out a wolf whistle, followed closely by a wicked laugh.  "Its about time
the two of you got together."
	Jake sat up like a catapult and grabbed the first thing he could find, which
happened to be the phone book, and tossed it at Reese's head.  The intended target
dodged sure-footedly to the left and watched as the book fell on the shop floor.
	"Hey! Watch it, that's company property!"  he said, but the gleam was still very
much in his eyes. 
	Jake raked his fingers through his hair and rested his head on his hands, elbows
on his knees.  "I need sleep," he groaned.
	Reese shrugged, and retrieved the phone book and tossed it back on the desk. 
"Hey, if it's that bad, go on in the house.  You can pass out on the spare bed. Mikki won't
mind.  She's having coffee with Max and ..."
	"No!"
	The objection was out before Jake had time to think, and he could have kicked
himself for sounding so disturbed about the prospect of seeing Max.  "I mean, no, I'll
never get any work done that way," he added.
	Reese looked at his friend.  "You're sure that's all it is?  For a minute there it
almost sounded like you and Max had a falling out."
	Jake groaned louder.  "We did not have a falling out.  We're just friends.  Friends
don't have falling-outs."
	"Right,"  Reese nodded.  "Then what's got your shorts in a knot?"
	"Nothing! I just didn't sleep well last night," he shot his partner a warning stare,
"and I'll be damned if it's any of your business anyway!"
	"Oh, touchy," Reese folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the
counter.  "So what is it that you and Max didn't do that didn't keep you awake last night
and isn't making you act like a complete bear this morning?"
	Jake looked like he was going to throw something at his partner, and it wouldn't
likely be the phone book this time.  But Reese stood his ground, and finally Jake wilted,
and shook his head.  "The woman's got my head all in a mess," he said.
	Reese nodded.  "Women do that," he agreed. 
	"No," Jake shook his head. "You don't understand.  I'm serious when I say Max
and I are just friends.  It's just that — damn!" he shook his head.  "See, she had some
trouble with that guy, Edward, or whatever his name was, that she went to the Charity
Ball with."
	"Ethan," Reese corrected, and Jake groaned.  "So what does that have to do
with you not sleeping?  Jealousy keep you awake?"
	Jake’s expression might have silenced a lesser man, but Reese just laughed
and waited.  Jake went on through gritted teeth.  "I am not jealous of anyone over Max!"
he spat at his friend, trying to ignore the image of James that popped into his head. "It's
nothing like that at all.  It's just that, the guy upset her, and she asked me what I
thought."
	"About what?" Reese might have thought it was like pulling teeth getting the story
out of his partner, but he had no intention of stopping.   
	Jake stood up and wandered around the shop, running his hands through his
messy black hair  and rubbing at his tired eyes.  At last he spun on his friend and blurted
out his dilemma.  "The guy told her she wasn't sexy, and she asked me if I thought she
was."
	Reese burst into laugher, nearly doubling over.  "You mean to say Max asked
you if you thought she was sexy?  I hope you gave her the right answer!"
	Jake rolled his eyes.  "I skirted the issue, but apparently my response eased her
mind," he said. "But dammit, Reese, I haven't been able to get these thoughts of her out
of my mind ever since!"
	Reese leaned closer and pretended to look extremely interested. "Thoughts?
What kind of thoughts?"
	"Reese!"  Jake glared at him.  
	Reese straightened and crossed his arms again, but continued to sputter with
laughter.  "Well, the way I see it, there is only one cure for — having those kinds of
thoughts about a woman,"  and he winked at his partner.
	"I am not going to — to — "
	"Get it out of your system?" Reese offered, and dodged quickly as the phone
book went flying past his left ear a second time. 
	"Max and I are just friends!" Jake reminded him, and Reese just nodded. 
"Something like that would just ruin everything!"  he continued.
	"Uhu," Reese nodded again, and Jake looked around the desk.  "Okay, Okay,"
Reese held up his hands in defence. "Don't throw anything else at me!  The rest of the
stuff on that desk might actually hurt!"
	"I think that's the whole point," Jake glared, and Reese moved toward the door. 
	"Well, I think I'll leave you to figure out the solution to your problem by yourself. 
I've got work to do.  So do you, for that matter, but just remember, that spare bed is
always available, all you have to do is ask.  And it looks like Max's car is still in the
driveway..."
	Reese slipped through the door and pulled it closed behind him just as
something hard made a loud noise bouncing off the wall beside him and fell with a thud
to the floor.  As he headed toward his truck the sound of his laughter rang in Jake's ears.  
Jake sat down and sunk his head into his hands again.  He should have known better
than to expect any sympathy from Reese Kincaide.  Afterall, he hadn't given Reese any
when he'd been wild with jealousy over the thought that Mikki was dating another man. 
One named Max, in fact!  Jake and Luke had had a field day with that, so  he supposed
pay back was due.  
	But it just wasn't the same thing, he insisted.  Reese had been so head over
heels for Mikki that he hadn't been able to think straight.  Everyone on the job sites had
suffered over that one.  With Max, it was different.  He and Max were just friends, with no
romantic interest in each other whatsoever.  And it was his responsibility to keep it that
way!