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"Pretty ue because ht now

"You're fucking a," Max says quietly and my heart seems to squeeze for one intense moment, then it relaxes into utter cal so

"Thank you for saying that," I murmur, appreciative of his validation andmy hand Just that tiny bit of affirmation does wonders to help my confidence and almost makes me believe I can actually do this

Is it bad that there's a part of me that just wants him to lean his head a little farther toward ainst mine? Just a little touch?

Instead, Max releasessmile on his face "Okay, that's our quota of heavy shit for the night"

"Agreed," I say with a sone

"So what's the deal with that painting hanging in your rooet so like that for inals"

My face actually starts to burn and I can iine how red my cheeks are I duck ers underme back up

"What?" he asks curiously, his head tilted to the side

I have to fight to look him in the eye when I say, "UmI did that"

His hand falls away and his eyebrows shoot sky high "You painted that?" he asks incredulously, but not in a rude way-awe kind of way

"It's a hobby," Ihotter

"That is not a hobby," he says inflexibly "That is so?"

I shake h school, and just dabbled here and there"

Max shakes his head in an a way "You are just one surprise after another"

Okay,and I can't stand it anyh "Well, that's all "

Max's lips quirk up and he shakes his head slowly again, totally not buying that for so you have layers upon layers, Jules I look forward to peeling them"

And GodI hope he cannot see the full-body shiver he just produced with those words

"Do you have any s?" Max asks

My eyebrows knit together "Uot some stored at my dad's house back in Fayetteville"

"You could sell them," Max says confidently

"No way," I disagree

"Yes, you could," he says even more firmly "In fact, I have a friend that works in a really upscale florist shop in Chapel Hill and I know he'd hang them there for sale"

Oh, fucking no way The thought of soht of people hating it? I could never--

"Jules," Max says in a low voice "You could as station Have some real money to take care of those kids"

Okay, that catches my attention

My voice is hesitant though when I ask, "You really think so?"

"I know so," he says with so much belief in those words, it ive me what you have here, I'll take them over there What do you have to lose?"

"Wellnothing, I guess," I say guardedly,to my lap

"Jules," Max says, and ood and I' to you about that"

I can't help it A rush of euphoria and hope rushes through me that maybe I can be more than what I am, which isn't for me but for those kids, and I smile at him "Okay, thenI'll try it"

"Excellent," he says then stands froto head out so you can get a good night's sleep"