The Bucket List Boyfriend (Boston Love #3)

Chapter 4

Max

THE BEST protection against risk is a well-laid plan. I pull up a spreadsheet on one computer monitor, and open a browser tab on the other.

Maya’s always teasing me about the fact that I have two screens for my home computer, but they really do come in handy for moments like this.

I’d never hear the end of it if she saw the four I have at work. No reputable network architect has just one!

Spreading the bucket list and a blank sheet of paper out on the desk in front of me, my eyes run over each item on the list.

I’m trying desperately to look at this as objectively as possible, ignoring the fact that my stomach is in knots just at the thought of doing some of these things.

Uncle Reggie did say that it didn’t have to be done in any particular order, which does offer some small comfort.

I write numbers one to ten on my paper, ready to arrange the list on a fear scale I devised—starting with least-likely-to-throw-up activities, and ending with most-likely-to-die activities.

Skydiving is definitely going to be the last item on the list.

Hiking is a pretty safe bet, so I write that in the number one slot. Maya will know some good spots because she goes hiking with our neighbor Axel now and then.

Not something I like thinking about. He is outgoing, athletic, and everything I’m not. Perfect for Maya.

And of course, who wouldn’t fall in love with Maya? She’s never said anything that even hinted at any interest in him, but it’s hard not to notice how well suited they are…and how I’m nothing like him.

For as long as I’ve loved Maya, I’ve also never felt like I was good enough for her. I’m not sporty or outgoing. I’m not a risk-taker. I like safety and rules.

But the reading of the will seems to have lit a tiny spark of hope in me.

Maybe, just maybe, this is my chance to show Maya and myself that I can be more than Max the STEM nerd. I can do this. I can be more adventurous.

One challenge at a time though.

I quickly pull out my phone and text Maya about some safe hiking spots.

I wonder if bear spray really works? Maybe I should add that to my shopping list.

My phone pings with a response almost immediately.

High Peaks Wilderness for sure. It’s awesome this time of year.

Feel like walking a dog with me after work?

I have no idea what that’s all about because Maya doesn’t own a dog, but abrupt subject changes are typical for Maya.

I imagine her brain as a complex network…something like the Open Systems Interconnection model I use for work, which separates the infrastructure into seven layers.

Except that with Maya, unlike the network infrastructure I deal with every day, I have no idea how each layer functions or the rules that govern the transfer of data. Her brain is an utter mystery to me.

Sure.

Griggs Park at 5. X

The fact that seeing her message signed with a kiss makes me blush is a little bit embarrassing.

It happens every time.

It was one of the reasons there was no point in lying to my brothers about having feelings for Maya.

I do a search on High Peaks Wilderness and discover that there is ziplining in the area too. I guess that can go second on the list, although it definitely falls into the likely-to-throw-up category.

High Peaks Wilderness looks beautiful but I’m surprised Maya wants to go so far. It’ll take us five to six hours just to get there.

After planning out the driving route, I look up bed and breakfasts along the way and am pleasantly surprised by the options. I save some links for Maya and add a note on my to-do list.

I spend the next few minutes creating a shared calendar so that it’s easier to plan when we’re going to do everything.

At least Uncle Reggie gave us plenty of time to get it all done. That gives me at least eleven months to work up the courage to go skydiving.

My planning is interrupted by my phone ringing. A quick glance at the screen tells me it’s Ethan.

“Don’t you have work to do?” I don’t bother with hello, because I know exactly why he’s calling.

“Now what kind of greeting is that for your favorite brother?”

“Who said you were my favorite?”

“Logic said so.” His response makes me roll my eyes.

“Oh yeah? How do you figure that?”

“Well, there’s no possible way a workaholic grumpy guy like James could be your favorite. I’m much more easy-going…ergo, I’m the favorite.”

“The answer is no, Ethan.” I decide to help him along, otherwise I’ll never get back to my planning.

“But I haven’t even asked you anything!”

“Ethan, you only ever call when you want something—”

“That’s not true!”

I ignore his interruption.

“—and considering what happened at Mr Carson’s office yesterday, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out exactly what you want. So no. I will not try to sweet talk Marley into taking on the renovation job on your behalf.”

“But she hates me! I don’t care what Mr Carson said. She hates me more than she likes money. I don’t think any amount of money in the world will make her agree to take on this job. Please, baby bro. You have to help me out here.”

“She more than hates you. I think she loathes you with the fire of ten thousand suns.”

“Way to make me feel better, Max!”

Ethan’s indignant wail on the other side of the line makes me feel a little bit bad.

But only a little. He absolutely deserves Marley’s wrath after what he did.

“I won’t talk to her for you, but…if she calls me after you’ve spoken to her, I’ll put in a good word. How about that?”

Ethan lets out an annoyed huff, but he knows I won’t do anything more than that. If there is any hope of Marley forgiving him, this is a battle he has to fight on his own.

“Thanks, I guess. Although I’m pretty sure it’s a lost cause. I might as well say goodbye to the money and the shares now.”

“What happened to my happy-go-lucky, cheerful brother? The one who’s apparently my favorite.”

Ethan gives a little chuckle. He puts on a good front, but the truth is, I don’t think I’ve seen the real happy-go-lucky Ethan since Marley dumped him three years ago. I don’t know that he’ll ever get over her.

I hope, for both their sakes, they can work it out.

“So…how is Maya? She must be thrilled about the bucket list.”

I guess the subject of Marley is closed. Not that I mind. Thinking about Maya makes me smile.

“She’s fine. And yeah, she’s amped.”

“Let me guess, you’re currently planning everything down to the tiniest detail?”

He knows me too well.

“Yes, and you’re interrupting me.”

Ethan laughs and we say goodbye so I can get back to the planning.

At a quarter to five, I close all the tabs I have open, pocket my phone, and take a brisk walk to Griggs Park.

Maya must have taken a change of clothes to work today because she’s dressed in tight leggings and an athletic-looking vest.

She beams at me, which makes my heart flutter like a schoolgirl with a crush.

I’m pathetic and I know it.

I’m trying very hard not to notice how the fabric clings to her curves.

Thankfully, I’m quickly distracted by a dead… thing at the end of the leash she’s holding.

At least, I think it’s dead, but I’m not really sure. It doesn’t really even look like a dog.

“Hi.” The ball of brown and black fur with a few limbs sticking out doesn’t even flinch at the sound of my voice. “Is that…uh…”

On closer inspection it does somewhat resemble a dog. A very unfortunate looking one. I’m sure it would win any Ugliest Dog Alive contest, hands down.

Or maybe not.

It definitely doesn’t look alive. I notice a tongue hanging out the side of the mouth.

Has Maya not noticed? Why isn’t she more alarmed?

“Is that thing alive?”

“Oh yeah,” Maya says with a laugh before giving me a hug. “This is Allen. He’s Viola’s dog. Her best friend Winnie is looking after him while she’s at some Grand Prix or other with Noah. I said I’d walk him for Winnie because she has a meeting with a client now. Isn’t that right you good boy?” she coos and bends down to scratch Allen’s tummy.

He growls but I notice his tail does twitch from side to side just a little. The mixed signals are confusing.

“What kind of dog is that anyway? Wait, is that the dog from Deadpool? He looks…” How do I put this without being offensive? “…a little odd in the head.”

“Max!” Maya covers the dog’s ears as if he fully understands what I just said. “Shhh. You’ll hurt his feelings. He’s a pavement special. Nobody really knows, but Viola did say there was definitely some Brussels griffon in there. He looks like Chewbacca and a gremlin had a baby and then he stuck his paw in an electrical outlet. But he’s still adorable.”

That’s a pretty accurate description. His wild fur does look like he’s gone a few rounds with a source of electricity.

Maya puts her hand out and I pull her back up so we’re almost nose to nose.

As much as I don’t want to, I have to take a step back so that her perfume stops messing with my train of thought. She always smells so good.

A gentle breeze blows a strand of hair into her face and I have to put my hands in my pockets to stop myself from reaching out and touching her.

This. This is the torture I’ve been dealing with for years.

“Hmmm. And is there a reason he’s playing dead? And growling?”

“Oh don’t worry about that.” Maya waves her hand in the air. “Totally normal for Allen, so I’m told. Viola says he’s a bit like a grumpy old man. He growls at everybody. Except Noah. And he plays dead whenever he doesn’t feel like going on a walk. Winnie hasn’t managed to walk him in three days so I offered to try today while she had her meeting.”

“Doesn’t look like you’re having much luck,” I say with a grin and glance down at the still dead-looking ball of fluff.

Maya holds up her phone.

“I just messaged Viola and she says I must just stick to the path which is pretty smooth and drag him along. Eventually he’ll get tired of it and start walking himself. But I feel bad. I don’t want to hurt the poor baby.”

Maya pouts and it’s adorable.

One of the many reasons I love her is because of her compassion for creatures great and small.

Even when we were kids, she’d never let my brothers kill spiders or bugs. She’d gently scoop them up in her hands and take them somewhere safe.

“Come on, let’s just try it. The paved pathway does look pretty smooth.”

Ignoring the strange looks we’re getting from other dog-walkers, Maya tucks her free arm into mine and we start our loop around the park.

Every thirty seconds Maya looks back worriedly at the lump of flesh we’re dragging behind us.

Thankfully it doesn’t take long for Allen to roll over onto his feet. And the side-eye that he sends our way makes me absolutely certain he was messing with us.

His looks are deceiving. He’s not mentally challenged. He’s an evil genius.

While we walk between willow trees blowing gently in the breeze, I fill Maya in on the planning and the shared calendar.

“That sounds amazing, Max.” She gives my arm a squeeze. “I heard about a new karaoke place that’s opening in a week, so I’ll book us a table and put it in the calendar. Maybe we can go with everybody from work. It will give you a chance to meet them.”

“Sounds like a good plan.” I guess karaoke is going to be third on the list then.

Maya hasn’t been working at Pied Piper for long, but she’s already told me all about her coworkers. They sound nice.

Even though I’m a textbook introvert, they’re important to Maya so I’m looking forward to meeting them.

“Yay! It’s going to be great.”

That’s what she thinks. I don’t think she’s ever heard me sing though. She might change her mind fast.

“You’ll have to block off any dates on the calendar that don’t work for you. If it’s not blocked off, I’m going to assume you’re free.”

“Okay. About the bed and breakfast…those links all looked great. You can just pick whichever one you’d prefer. Are you sure I can’t pay something for it?”

“No, don’t worry about any of that. Uncle Reggie specifically set aside money to pay for all the expenses involved in this bucket list.”

“Dear Uncle Reggie!” Maya says fondly. “I miss him.”

She spent so much time at our house when we were growing up that Uncle Reggie was like family to her too. He adored her too. I’m certain the only reason he didn’t leave anything to her was because she already has a massive trust fund that will last her a lifetime. That’s what happens when you have old money grandparents and a professional athlete father.

Maya pulls us towards a bench and we take a seat with our arms still looped together.

Allen immediately lies down, only lifting his head now and then to growl every time somebody passes.

“How are you doing, Max? You haven’t spoken about Uncle Reggie much since he died.”

Her brow is scrunched in concern and every cell in my body wants to reach out and smooth those worry lines. I don’t want her to worry. Ever.

“I’m fine. I promise.”

“I just worry about you Max. First you lost your parents, and now you lost the only other parental figure you had. That has to be hard. You know you can tell me if you’re not doing okay, right?”

I pull my hand out of my pocket and put my arm around Maya and squeeze her closer so that her head is resting on my shoulder.

“I know I can, Maya. You’re the only person in the world I have no secrets from.”

I swallow a lump in my throat because that’s not quite true.

In fact, I’m lying through my teeth. She knows everything about me except the fact that I’m madly in love with her.

“I promise you, if I’m struggling, I’ll let you know. But I really am feeling okay. I still have you and my brothers, so you don’t have to worry about me falling apart. I miss him, of course. Even his crazy pranks.”

I smile at the memories that flood me.

“Yeah.” Maya laughs. “Remember when he wrapped everything in Ethan’s room with Christmas paper? Everything.”

That makes me chuckle.

“Or when he hooked up my computer to a wireless mouse and it took me two days to work out why my cursor was moving on its own. I thought my mouse was possessed.”

“Or when James went away to college and Uncle Reggie wrote ‘ call James for a good time ’ with his number on the wall of a gas station bathroom. Remember how confused and then furious James was?” Maya is giggling so much she can hardly get the words out. “Men and women calling him day and night asking how much he charged for a good time.”

I burst out laughing at that memory.

To this day, James still rolls his eyes any time we ask him if he had “a good time” somewhere.

Allen must be allergic to joy or something because he gives us the stink-eye and starts growling at us while we laugh until our bellies hurt remembering all the funny things Uncle Reggie got up to.

Maya wipes a tear that is leaking from her eye. I’m not sure if it’s from joy or sadness.

She puts her head back on my shoulder and sighs.

“At least we’ll always have those happy memories.”

“Yeah, we will,” I agree. “And we’ll make some more with this bucket list and make Uncle Reggie proud.”

Maya lifts her head again and gives me a broad smile.

She’s breathtaking.

“Look at you being all positive about these adventures!”

I scoff at that. “I wouldn’t exactly say positive. I’m still dreading doing most of them.”

Maya elbows me playfully and laughs. “I know you are. But at least you’ll have me there with you to hold your hand.”

I know she’s speaking about metaphorical hand-holding, but that’s a thought that makes my heart sing.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”