The Billionaire Playboy's Regret (Lark and Max) novel Chapter 28

Max took a seat next to Lark and across from Ollie and Johan near the window of the restaurant knowing damn well, his security, Ollie’s security and their father’s security teams would all be losing their minds over the seating arrangements.

He didn’t care. This window faced the best view of the water, and it was pretty and romantic. It might not be a true date with Lark, but he was going to let his imagination run wild with the thoughts it could be.

Ollie’s phone chimed and she checked it and made a face and he found himself wondering for the umpteenth time what his sister was hiding from him. He knew her better than she knew herself. He knew there was a guy back in Houston she ran away from two years ago. She never said anything but he knew when his sister was licking her wounds from a failed relationship. He never pushed her too hard because he knew the more you pushed her, the further she retreated. He was suspicious the person she left behind was the guy she’d called to deal with Doug the Douche. Her comment to Doug when they’d been in the yard was, she knew someone in Houston who would make sure he kept his mouth shut and she’d been acting strange ever since. He knew it was a matter of time before she confided but he hoped it wasn’t going to end in more heartbreak for her.

Johan was looking around the restaurant curiously, checking out every woman and despite the way his friend bragged up his date the evening before, the fact Johan was still looking around told him the cowgirl wasn’t the one for Johan. He watched as Johan’s eyes widened as if he recognized someone behind him and gave Max a warning glance, but he was confused as to the why.

He looked up when the sound of his name being called caught his ear and then he groaned internally. s**t. This was what Johan was warning him about.

“Max?”

“Oona,” he rose from his seat offering a tight smile. “What are you doing here?” He could feel the curious glances from the table as he blocked their sight to the woman.

“I’m looking for you. I went to all the places you normally go on a Saturday night.”

“Why?” he was surprised to see her considering he’d blocked her on every conceivable way for them to connect. “You didn’t call Max.”

“I didn’t say I would,” he said bluntly.

“Are you on a date with someone else?” she leaned past to look at Lark who was sitting next to him.

“Nope,” he shook his head as he looked at Lark for any sign, she was upset with his denial of them being on a date. His heart skipped a beat when for the first time in his life, he realized the expression on her face wasn’t irritation at being linked to him but because he was denying it. There it was in living color. Disappointment. “In my wildest dreams it would be a date, but I’ve been friend zoned. I’m working hard at getting permission to date her though.” He saw the way Lark’s lips twisted in surprise as if she were trying not to smile at his comment. How had he gotten it so wrong back then? He really had been blind.

“If you’re not on a date, why didn’t you call me back after last week?”

“Again, Oona, I don’t recall saying I would call.”

“Are you angry I left so suddenly? You knew I needed to go to Atlanta to see my Dad at his office there.”

“Not in the least,” he shifted under his jacket aware Lark, Ollie and Johan were hanging onto their every word. “I was glad you left because I needed to work.”

“I told you I was going to catch a flight early, Max.”

“Yes, and I told you when I’m dating someone it’s supposed to be exclusive yet the minute you touched down in Atlanta, your tongue was down the throat of your father’s security.” When she blanched, he eyed her coolly, wondering how he thought this blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman would ever live up to the standards of the woman intently watching the conversation. “Oona, I don’t know what you expected approaching me here when I’m out with my friends but if you thought I was going to be polite and friendly or not call you out on your s**t in a public setting, then you clearly don’t know me well. Leave now before I become irritated.”

He noted the way Oona leaned towards Lark sneeringly and braced himself for whatever was going to come out of her mouth.

“He’s a liar you know. He’s going to make you think you’re his girlfriend and then he’ll f**k you and then dump you like he did me.”

“Who the f**k are you?” Lark suddenly asked. “I’m pretty sure I just heard him say you were supposed to be exclusive, yet you were making out with someone else.”

Max rocked on his heels in surprise at Lark’s comment. Feisty as ever.

“I’m the girl he f****d last Thursday night, all night and who blew him under his desk Friday morning before he ghosted me. And I didn’t have my tongue down my security guard’s throat. We exchanged a greeting which was a simple peck on the cheek.”

“Really?” Lark snickered and looked to Ollie, “she must be the one he said was beneath him.”

Max groaned as Ollie and Lark exchanged a high-five across the table. Did Ollie tell everyone this?

“Oona, please leave.”

“I didn’t cheat on you Max. You ghosted me.”

He grabbed his phone from his pocket and then played a video making sure the volume was up. The video started and the audio was loud causing a few of the other diners to listen in.