Authoress' Note: The song "What Can You Lose?" is from Dicky Tracy, sung by Mandy Patinkin and Madonna, written by Stephen Sondheim. It's very pretty and bitter-sweet.

. . . . . . .

Chapter 1

Zoey peeked over the edge of her open laptop at her best friend at the desk across from her. Besides security, they were the only two left in the building, putting in overtime on a project they were spearheading together.

Max had not sung to her in a month. Which meant his relationship with Autumn must be going well and he's moved on.

Zoey had got what she wanted; she got to keep her best friend and do the boss thing with minimal personal distractions.

No harm, no foul.

. . . Then why did her heart ache?

Had his romantic for her been that shallow? All he had needed was a roll in the hay and that was it?

"Are you sure you're not jealous of Autumn and Max?" Mo's voice echoed in her head.

"I'm not!"

Because if she was, that would suck, because she created this situation.

"You're 'not' what?"

Zoey looked wide-eyed over her laptop at Max. He was half-way out of his chair and looking at her concernedly.

Did I say that out loud?

"I . . . I was just . . . reacting to a text message . . . from my brother."

Max chuckled. "Oh, really? What did he say?"

Zoey blinked at him as she desperately tried to think up something. "Just stuff . . . you know how he is."

Max slowly sat back down. "Yeah. He does know how to push your buttons."

Zoey gave a sigh of what sounded like long-suffering to Max but was actually of relief for Zoey. "Tell me about it!"

Silence reigned again, only broken by the clacking sounds of keystrokes and mouse clicks.

"Gosh, I'm getting the munchies," Zoe said to break the silence which seemed uncomfortable only for her. "I'm gonna go grab something from the cereal bar, want some?"

Max did not break his focus on his computer screen. "In a minute . . . I'm on to something here . . ."

"Okay."

Zoey pushed away from her desk and made her way up over to the tubes of cereal. She grabbed a spoon and began to tap her lips as she surveyed the choices.

Suddenly the faint notes of a piano came into her head. Her gaze snapped down to Max, who she could see between the cereal tubes.

He was looking up at her intently.

Zoey dropped her spoon and the loud clatter it made did not seem to disturb him.

"What can you lose?

Only the blues.

Why keep concealing everything you're feeling?

Say it to her, what can you lose?

Zoey's breath hitched when he slowly rose from his chair and stepped over to her, taking long strides with soft foot-falls, like a dancer. But when he got one foot on the short set of stairs that led up to the cereal bar dais he stopped, his expression went from achingly hopeful to being full of doubt. He leaned back a bit.

"Maybe it shows?

She's had clues which she chose to ignore,

Maybe though, she knows

And she just wants to go on as before?

As a friend nothing more,

So she closes the door . . .

Max kept his eyes on her but backed down from the step and started making his way back to his desk, his hands in his pockets.

"Well, if she does,

Those are the dues . . .

Once the words are spoken

Something may be broken . . ."

Max pivoted back to look up at her, a sweet grin on his face.

"Still you love her,

What can you lose?"

He came back to the bottom of the stairs, leaning forward with both hands on the railings.

"But what if she goes?

At least now you have part of her . . .

What if she had to choose?"

Max bowed his head and gave it a shake. He then pushed off from the railings and turned away.

"Leave it alone,

Hold it all in,

Better a bone, don't even begin,

With so much to win . . ."

Max paused to sit heavily back down in his chair, rubbing his eyes then pushing that same hand through his black curly hair.

"There's too much to lose . . ."

"I'm not hearing any crunching, did you not find the cereal you wanted . . . Zoe?"

Max looked up at Zoey up to see her hastily wiping tears from her eyes.

"Zoey?" he rushed up the stairs and automatically pulled her into a hug. "Hey, what's wrong?"

His warmth and solidity spread throughout Zoey's body and she had the urge to bury her face into his soft sweater.

"David's text must've really got to you. I'll hold him and you punch, how's that sound?"

Zoey managed a watery chuckle and gently nudged herself out of his embrace.

"No, it's not that." I'm not sure why I'm crying. Zoey sniffed and wiped her nose with the pack of her hand. Max fished out a linen handkerchief from his pocket.

"Thanks."

"Remember I got those from your Dad that first Christmas? Told me a gentleman never leaves the house without one."

Zoey smiled at the picture that conjured up. She gratefully dabbed her eyes and nose. She did remember her Dad always having them on him, white with a blue border and monogrammed - from Mom . . .

Now Zoey started crying over her Dad.

"Hey . . . hey, now . . ." Max crooned, cupping her face and wiping the tears away with his thumbs. He leaned in closer to pin her with a concerned look. "Seriously, Zoey. What's going on?"

Her heart suddenly slammed into her chest and a wave of heady heat swept through her.

"Is it . . ." Max winced and lowered his voice as he did not like to ask this question: "is it that time of the month?"

That helped cool a little of the sensations Zoey was experiencing but did cause her to blush from a different emotion. She stepped out of his reach.

"No! No. I don't know what's wrong with me. I think I'm just tired. I've been working on this project too long."

Max put his hands on her shoulders. "Then go home, get some rest. It's Friday."

"But - "

"I got this."

Zoey looked up at Max's sweetly sympathetic expression and saw the underlying strength.

She sighed. "Okay."

. . . . . . .

On Monday Max let Zoey know that he and Autumn broke up. When Zoey asked him why, she couldn't get a straight answer.