2 Broke Girls x 1 Rich Man [TV series 2 Broke Girls ff]

Max lay on the cool tile floor of the shower, half her body still under the warm spray, and her hair plastered to her face. The steam swirled around them, and Alex was propped up on his elbow, watching her with a curious, slightly amused expression. The weight of her impulsive confession hung in the air, but Max, ever the queen of deflection, decided it was time to switch gears.

"So!" She slapped her hands on the wet tiles, making a loud smack. "Did you know Tokyo has a Cat Island? Yeah, a whole island full of cats. Crazy, right? We should totally go there. I mean, nothing screams 'romantic getaway' like being surrounded by a thousand judgmental furballs." She threw him a toothy grin that did absolutely nothing to distract from the fact she'd just said 'I love you' five minutes ago.

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Max, are you trying to change the subject?"

"What? Me? Pffft, no. Why would I do that? I'm just, uh, expanding your cultural horizons. Cats are very Zen. Like... like... Buddha with whiskers!" She forced a laugh that came out more like a dying seal. "Meow-namaste, am I right?"

"Max." His voice was soft but firm, the kind of voice that made her insides flip. "You said something about Caroline and the threesome. And then you started talking about cats. What's going on?"

Max let out a long, dramatic sigh, like an actress who just realized she wasn't getting an Oscar for her performance. "Fine. You caught me. I'm trying to dodge the whole 'L word' situation because my brain-to-mouth filter is on strike, and I just... I don't want to make things weird." She peeked at him through wet lashes. "And speaking of weird, we might as well get into it. Caroline has a crush on you."

Alex blinked. "What? Since when?"

Max flopped an arm over her face, hiding behind her damp hair. "Since forever. Well, not forever-forever. But since you first showed up at the cupcake shop and then she went on that dinner date or meeting and you ordered a thousand cupcakes like you were starring in 'Billionaire Bake-Off.' She was totally smitten. You were all handsome and charming, and she was fresh off the whole 'heiress to homeless' trauma. You were like a shiny, rich lighthouse guiding her to safety... or at least to a solid sugar high."

"I... I had no idea," Alex said, looking genuinely surprised. (No, he wasn't surprised. He was jumping inside, probably thinking he didn't have to work hard to start his harem if this works out.)

Max moved her arm and squinted at him. "Really? You never noticed? When you invited her to your penthouse to give her that advance payment, I thought for sure she'd come back with a whole new life story. You know, 'Girl goes to fancy apartment, falls for billionaire, they bond over cupcakes, and the next thing you know, bam! She's a kept woman with a wardrobe full of Chanel and a small dog named Caviar.'"

Alex laughed, the sound echoing in the steamy bathroom. "You thought I was going to seduce her over a business meeting?"

Max rolled onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow to mirror him. "I didn't know what to think. I mean, I barely knew you back then. I was still in the 'Is he a classy sugar daddy or just a well-dressed weirdo?' phase. And for the record, I'm still not entirely sure. 60% of me is madly in love with you and 30% of me wants you to fuck the hell out of me as for the remaining 10%... Well, confusion... Sugar Daddy, casual or love."

Alex asked. "So, you thought I was after Caroline, and now you have 60% love, 30% lust, and 10% confusion?" He was happy to know the facts. 

Max wiggled her eyebrows. "Well, I mean, you did so much for us and even flew us to Tokyo, bought us clothes, and set us up in a hotel so fancy I keep expecting to see a swan towel folding class on the itinerary. If the diamond-studded shoe fits..."

"And what about Caroline?" he asked, a note of genuine curiosity in his voice. "You're saying she still feels that way?"

Max bit her lip, a rare flash of vulnerability breaking through her sarcasm. "I think so. I mean, she tries to hide it, but I see it. And part of me feels like I stole her shot. Like, here I am, living the dream—a great guy, who just said he loves me, a shower that has more settings than my phone, then the sex... Oh, yeah. A guy who knows how to satisfy me, like phew! I'm still tingling. Ahem," she cleared her throat, trying to focus on the point. "I get all that and what does she get? A roommate who can't stop making 'sugar daddy' jokes."

Alex's expression softened. "You didn't steal anything, Max. You can't steal feelings. And as for Caroline... if she has a crush, I'd never want to hurt her. Or you. I care about you both."

Max stretched her legs a bit. "You know, in my head, this whole thing was gonna be funnier. Like, I'd make some joke about how maybe you could be, like, a sugar daddy for two. But now I'm just picturing Caroline with those big, sad puppy eyes, and it sucks. I mean, she's so self-conscious about you not liking her tiny breasts. Ah, I shouldn't have said that. Forget the last part. Fuck! Do you like tiny boobs or mine?"

"All sizes actually," Alex said with his eyes still stuck on her boobs. "We can talk to her. See how she feels. If there's a way to make everyone happy... well, I'm open to it. But only if it's honest and everyone feels good about it."

Max's face lit up with a mischievous grin. "So, you're saying you'd consider being our mutual sugar daddy? Like some kind of sweet, billionaire love triangle? I mean, there are worse ways to go. I read a headline about a guy who died from falling into a vat of chocolate. He lived Willy Wonka's nightmare."

Alex laughed, shaking his head. "I can't believe we're having this conversation, sitting naked in a shower. Only you, Max."

She leaned forward, her face inches from his. "Admit it, you like my chaos. It keeps life interesting."

"True," he murmured, brushing a damp strand of hair behind her ear. "Never change, Max."

"Ah, what would happen to you if I change," Max chuckled a bit before her expression turned serious, her voice softening. "But really, Alex. If Caroline likes you, I don't want her to feel left out. I joke about the whole sugar daddy thing, but I care about her. A lot. She's been through so much, and I want her to be happy, too."

"Then let's talk to her," he suggested. "When she's ready. No pressure, no expectations. Just an honest conversation."

Max nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Alright. But I should warn you, Caroline's version of an honest conversation involves a lot of blushing and at least three apologies before she gets to the point. It's adorable, but also kind of like watching a deer try to explain taxes."

Alex grinned. "I think I can handle it."

Max wiped the water from her face. "Good. Because if this turns into a sitcom scenario where I try to set you up with Caroline and end up making everything awkward, I expect you to handle it with grace and not, you know, fire us from the bakery."

He raised an eyebrow. "Huh? Why would I do that?"

"Because you'd be mad at us for turning your life into a real-life episode of 'Sex and the City,'" she explained. "I mean, imagine it. The tabloids would have a field day! And there's no way we'd be together after that. I'd have to quit or move to France and find another job as a broke-ass waitress in some rundown restaurant with a boss named Dumont who is a self-proclaimed chef. Oh, shit. We should probably talk to Chef Dumont first and make sure he won't fire us if he finds out."

"That's not going to happen," Alex assured her. "Now, C'mon. Let's clean up."

They took a quick shower... Cleaned everything up.

Max reached for a towel, wrapping it around herself like a superhero cape after wiping the water. "Okay, serious talk time, Moneybags. How do we approach this whole 'Caroline might be in love with you' situation without, you know, turning it into a soap opera?"

Alex grabbed his own towel, tying it loosely around his waist after wiping the water. "Well, first, we probably shouldn't be naked when we talk to her. I feel like that might send the wrong message."

Max snorted, "Yeah, fair point. Nothing says 'We value your feelings' like showing up in the buff. Although, knowing Caroline, she'd probably pass out. She turns beet red when I walk around in my pajamas, and those are mostly just fabric and good intentions."

...

Max and Alex stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in fluffy towels and trailing steam like they'd just walked off a cloud. The air outside the bathroom was cool, and goosebumps prickled Max's skin as she hugged her towel tighter around her. Her damp hair hung in messy waves, water droplets dripping down her back.

Alex opened the closet and pulled out a plush hotel robe, handing it to her. "Here, you might want this before you catch a cold. And you should dry your hair, too. I heard wet hair at night is how you summon ghosts. Or bad hair days. Which, in my opinion, might be scarier."

Max took the robe with a grin. "Thanks, Moneybags. Always looking out for me, huh? You sure you're not just trying to keep me around so I don't haunt you? Because trust me, I'd make a fabulous ghost. I'd definitely mess with you. Like, hide your shoes or swap the sugar with salt. Classic poltergeist pranks."

"Noted," he said with a smirk. "If I ever feel a ghostly presence, I'll leave out a trail of cupcakes to appease you."

Max slipped on the robe, the soft fabric enveloping her in warmth. She looked around the room, spotting a compact vanity area by the window with a hair dryer resting neatly on the counter. "Ooh, fancy," she muttered, plugging it in. As she started drying her hair, the roar of the dryer filled the room, and she had to raise her voice to be heard.

"So," she called over the noise, "what's the plan with Caroline? Are you really gonna talk to her in the morning? Or were you just saying that to keep me from spiraling into one of my anxiety monologues?"

Alex threw a shirt and pants on and sat on the edge of the bed. "I meant it. I'll talk to her. But, you know, gently. I'm not going to just waltz into her room and go, 'Hey, so Max and I had a naked therapy session, and by the way, do you want to join our potential love triangle?'"

Max almost choked on her own laughter, the hairdryer blowing strands of hair into her mouth. She turned the dryer off, her giggles echoing in the quiet room. "Oh my God, please don't. She'd probably implode. Or spontaneously combust. Either way, we'd have to explain to hotel management why there's a pile of ash where a guest used to be."

"I own the place, remember?" He chuckled. "Well, I'll keep it casual. Just talk to her, see where her head's at. Make sure she feels comfortable. And if this is something she wants, great. If not, no harm done."

Max hung up the dryer, her hair now a messy halo of waves. "You make it sound so simple. I hope it is. Because if this goes sideways, we might end up in one of those reality shows where ex-roommates throw cupcakes at each other while a British host narrates our downfall."

Alex patted the bed beside him. "Come here, drama queen. You've had a long day, and I think your brain needs a timeout."

Max didn't need to be asked twice. She took two quick steps and flopped onto the bed, bouncing a little as she spread her arms and legs out like a starfish. "Oh, man. This bed is softer than my morals. I could sleep here forever."

He lay on the bed and yawned before saying, "You said that about the sushi bar earlier. You're just a walking Yelp review, aren't you?"

She tilted her head to look at him, her damp hair splayed out around her. "Five stars. Would recommend. The sushi melts in your mouth, and the billionaire comes with heated seats and complimentary foot massages."

He laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I didn't realize I was part of the package. Do I at least get good reviews?"

"Oh, yeah," Max said, rolling onto her side to face him. "You've got rave reviews. Generous, charming, a little too smooth for his own good. And those magic hands? Let me tell you—" She put on an exaggerated valley girl accent, making him snort. "—my muscles are like, totally blessed right now."

Alex turned his head to meet her gaze, his expression soft. "I'm glad you're here, Max. I mean it. You make everything... lighter."

Her teasing smile faltered, a warmth spreading through her chest. "You know, if you keep saying sweet stuff like that, I might actually start believing I deserve good things. And we can't have that. I thrive on chaos and caffeine."

"Well," he said, his voice low and playful, "consider this your intervention. You deserve all the good things, Max. And I'm not just saying that because I'm trying to impress you."

She rolled her eyes, but there was no hiding the blush on her cheeks. "Ugh, you're such a smooth talker. What, did you take a class on how to make girls swoon? Is that part of billionaire training? Right before 'How to Order Caviar Without Sounding Like a Douchebag'?"

"It's a gift," he said, smirking. "And for the record, the caviar lesson is an elective. I majored in foot massages and minored in back rubs. The rest is just natural talent."

Max nudged him with her elbow. "You know, if you keep this up, I might just end up staying here all night. You'll wake up, and I'll be sprawled out, drooling on your fancy pillows, and mumbling about cupcakes in my sleep."

"Wouldn't be the worst thing," he replied, his tone casual but the meaning behind it anything but.

They lay there in comfortable silence, their breathing slowly syncing up as the room settled around them. Max felt the weight of the day tugging at her, pulling her toward sleep. Her eyelids grew heavy, but she fought to keep them open, not ready to let go of the moment just yet.

"Alex?" she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah?" His voice was soft, a gentle rumble in the quiet room.

"Promise me something?" she asked, her eyes slipping closed.

"Anything."

"No matter what happens with Caroline or... whatever this is," she waved a lazy hand between them, "promise me you won't stop being my friend. I kinda like you, Moneybags. And I'm not ready to lose you."

He reached over, his fingers finding hers and giving them a gentle squeeze. "I promise, Max. No matter what happens, you've got me. And if you ever need a foot massage or someone to make you laugh, I'm just a room away."

She smiled, her lips curving softly as sleep finally claimed her. "Good. Because I think I'm gonna need both. Like, all the time."

Alex watched her drift off, her breathing evening out as she slipped into sleep. He lay there beside her, his thumb brushing over her knuckles as he let the moment stretch on.

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[7 advance chs] [All chs available for all tiers] 

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AN: I wanted to do a double release but no electricity for almost 35 hrs, so couldn't write more chs. So, maybe later this week.