Chasing Max: A Friends to Lovers Romance: Greyson Girls, #1

By Lexi Richards

Maximilian Greyson, a successful businessman, had always longed for a son to carry on his legacy. But fate had other plans, and all he was blessed with were three daughters: Maxine, Antoinette, and Samantha. These remarkable women possess strength, intelligence, and an unapologetic sassiness that can test even the most resilient of men. Enter their world and discover the chaos and love that surrounds the infamous Greyson girls!

Maxine, the eldest, believed she had it all - a loving marriage to her college sweetheart and a glamorous life in Los Angeles. But when her dream shatters into a painful nightmare of betrayal, she returns to her hometown seeking solace and a fresh start. Done with men and their deceit, she's determined to focus on herself. Little does she know that fate has a different plan in store for her.

Sebastian Reese, a man who has yearned for Maxine's love since their junior prom, has never been able to forget her. Despite an unforgettable drunken one-night stand and an unexpected pregnancy, they went their separate ways. Now, as fate reunites them, Sebastian realizes that the child they share might just be the key to unlocking their long-awaited happily ever after.

"Chasing Max: A Friends to Lovers Romance (Greyson Girls Book 1)" is an enthralling tale of love, resilience, and the power of family. Will Maxine find the strength to trust again and embrace the unexpected romance that awaits her? Can Sebastian prove that he is the man she needs by her side? Join the Greyson girls on their journey as they navigate the complexities of life, challenging societal norms, and discovering the true meaning of love.

If you enjoy heartwarming stories of family dynamics, fierce heroines, and unexpected twists, then "Chasing Max: A Friends to Lovers Romance (Greyson Girls Book 1)" is a must-read for you. Grab your copy now and get ready to fall in love with the indomitable spirit of the Greyson girls!

• Language: English
• Publisher: LadyAlex Productions
• Release date: Oct 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9798224479214

Book preview

Prologue

Inever thought my boss would let me leave early today. We’re closing on a big contract, and when I asked for today off three months ago, I’d been denied. It all worked out in the end. If I’d been keeping it a secret for that long, I wouldn’t have been able to surprise my husband.

This is perfect.

Since he has Fridays off, he’ll be at home, and he has no clue that we’re going to get a few extra hours to spend together on our anniversary.

Of course, every anniversary is special. We’ve always treated it as the perfect opportunity to remind each other how much we cherished one another and our marriage.

But this one…

Ten years.

I still can’t believe we’ve been married that long. It doesn’t feel like that much time has passed. We’ve been in Los Angeles, living our dream just like we planned.

It’s been perfect.

I can barely contain my giddiness as I park my car in the driveway. Can’t risk Greg hearing the garage door open. I can already see the look of surprise on his face. I can’t wait.

As quietly as I can, I open the front door and start looking around for my husband. I have to hold a hand over my mouth, so I don’t start laughing.

I look in the living room and the kitchen, and I don’t see him anywhere. I peek through the garage door to make sure he’s not there. The next place I look is the office that’s offset from our bedroom.

Ugh!

Freezing, I know something’s not right. Do you know that feeling? When you’re not sure what’s going on, but the pit is so deep in your stomach, you know you’re not going to like whatever you find out.

I can hear something like flesh slapping together. Oh, no! Greg’s not tied up in some kind of hostage situation, is he? Should I call the cops before they get me too?

But then, I hear something else.

Something that opens up that pit in my stomach so wide it swallows me whole. I’m weightless.

Oh, Greg! You feel so good inside of me!

A woman? But there shouldn’t be a woman here. Especially not with my husband, in my bed, on our anniversary. She has to know he’s married.

I can’t believe that bastard’s cheating on me!

Part of me wants to disappear forever, never letting that son of a bitch have the pleasure of seeing my face ever again. But he’s not getting out of this that easily.

Besides, I want to know who’s in my bed.

I ground myself as I come back to my body, fueled by the rage that’s bubbling inside of me.

I’m a Greyson, damn it. That name means something. I won’t let him drag me through the mud and run off crying.

Taking advantage of my emotions, I force myself to throw the door open.

Greg is being a little bitch like always, laying on his back and letting the woman do all the work, so that’s no surprise. They both jump when they hear the door hit the wall and spin to face me.

It hurts worse now.

I know the woman on top of my husband.

Stacey? I hate how weak my voice sounds. I refuse to be taken advantage of. I have to be strong.

The look on my best friend’s face is a hard one to decipher. Never for a second did I think either one of the people who I trusted the most would do this to me.

In a second, my entire world is flipped on its head.

Greg throws my best friend off of him like I hadn’t already caught him red-handed. He jumps out of bed and covers himself. Somehow that’s as betraying as the actual cheating. I’m his wife, and I’m the one who he can’t be naked in front of?

It’s not what it looks like!

I back away from my husband as he tries to grab me. There’s no way I’m going to let him touch me ever again. Not after this.

Without warning, a crazed kind of laugh spills out of my mouth. How did I know you would say some stupid shit like that?

I lean to look around him at my best friend, who’s using my silk sheets to cover her naked chest. Too late, girl, I already saw them, I tell her with a mocking frown. Oh, and by the way, when you asked me if the surgeon messed up on your nipples, I lied.

Mentally, I burn my entire life in LA to the ground as I turn a murderous gaze onto my soon-to-be ex-husband. Now, take your little girlfriend and go. I need to pack.

Chapter One

Both of my sisters offered to give me a ride home. I said no. My dad offered to send a driver, and I refused.

Moving back home as a grown adult after a failed marriage is humiliating enough. I don’t need anyone in my face the moment I get off my plane asking me a bunch of questions.

I know I made the right choice because the drive was made in blissful silence. My peace won’t last much longer. I can tell we’re getting closer to the estate by the way the driver keeps asking me if we were still going the right way.

Dread curls uncomfortably in my stomach as we go up the long driveway. This place has always been a little too over the top for my taste, but my dad says he likes it like that.

Thankfully, there’s no one outside. I specifically told them to not make a big deal out of anything, but I’m surprised that they’re listening to me. That’s not normally a thing in my family. I’m grateful they respected my wishes.

I already lost everything, and I don’t need a reminder of that.

Thanks, I say to the driver once I unpack my two suitcases from his trunk. I didn’t bring much with me. Figured it was better to start completely over than have too many reminders of Greg.

Watching the stranger’s sedan go back down the way makes the realization strike me all over again. I’m stuck here for the time being. Maybe it won’t be so bad. I hope. There’s not much of a choice. No matter what, this is the start of the newest chapter in my life.

One I never saw coming.

I blow out a breath as I grab both of my bags and head up the grand stairs to the huge doorway. Not much has changed in the past decade I’ve been gone. It’s still hard to believe it’d been that long, and everything fell apart in a second.

Maybe that’s just my way of lying to myself. Don’t we all do that sometimes? Ignore all the signs that are basically thrown in our faces and then act all shocked when the inevitable comes out and greets us openly?

Sure, Greg and I had our problems, didn’t every married couple? But that doesn’t mean I expected to find him in bed with Stacey on our anniversary.

My hand brushes the gold handles, but the door swings open out of my grip. I’m shocked to see more than three people standing there. I should’ve known better than to think my family would listen to me.

There are balloons and streamers everywhere like this is a fucking birthday party. A step through the doorway reveals a ‘Welcome Home’ banner. Does no one understand that this is the opposite of what I wanted?

I try to keep the tears of frustration and the look of fury off my face. Forcing a smile on my face, I let someone take my bags out of my hands. I go through the motions, greeting and hugging everyone in sight without much thought of anything.

It’s not fair to everyone else who came here to see me.

I’m pulled back into the moment when I come face to face with someone I’ve tried to push to the darkest corner of my mind for the past ten years. Sebastian greets me with a smile like a day hasn’t gone by without each other.

Hey, stranger, he greets while my attention is nearly solely focused on his dimple that has come out to greet me too.

Hi, Seb, I say, looking away to distract myself. I’d known coming back home meant there would be a possibility I could run into my childhood best friend again, but I thought all the confusing feelings would be gone.

He hands me a cocktail like he can read my mind, but that’s how I’ve always felt when I’m with him. I gratefully take the drink, and I don’t waste any time downing half of it.

When Toni asked me to come to a party to celebrate you coming home, I knew it was a bad idea, he admits with a smirk, seeing through my mask.

Then why didn’t you stop it?

He chuckles. You really think I could’ve done that even if I tried?

I push myself out of the throng of people, Sebastian naturally coming with me. I’m sure if I try hard enough, I can fade into the background, and everyone here will forget all about me.

You could’ve warned me, you know? I tell him bitterly. I thought he would still have my back after all this time.

And miss out on all this fun? he asks with a cocked brow. I don’t think so.

I roll my eyes. You’ve always liked to watch me suffer.

I wouldn’t put it quite like that, he says, trying to defend himself.

Yeah, because you don’t want to think you’re a jerk.

He laughs. Okay, you got me there. Truce?

I smile because I can never stay mad at him.

Max. We’re interrupted by Toni, the one who can push my buttons a lot easier than Sam can. Can I steal you for a moment?

I’m going to say no, but Seb answers for me. I’ll leave you, ladies, he says before turning his attention specifically to me. Max, I’ll find you later.

Frowning, I nod before he turns and leaves. Between the two of them, I can’t get anything to go my way.

What do you want? I ask my sister.

She sniffs, turning her nose into the air. Is that any way to thank the one who put all of this together?

Yes, actually, it is. Considering I specifically asked you not to make a big deal. I tell her, standing my ground.

She rolls her eyes like I’m being dramatic. Oh, honey. I didn’t make a big deal out of it! This is only our friends and family. If I would have made a big deal, this would’ve been a black-tie event.

Well, in that case, I guess it’s not any trouble to be thankful for the little things.

You’re ridiculous, I tell her as I take another sip. Are you going to get to the point or not?

Oh yeah, I need you to come to the bathroom with me, she says casually.

Ew, no. What the hell? Why would I want to go to the bathroom with you?

Toni stares at me like she’s waiting for me to start laughing and say I’m joking. My confusion turns into irritation.

That’s why you interrupted my conversation with Sebastian? You do realize that’s rude, right? I snap. The first time my best friend and I come face to face in a decade, and my sister doesn’t even have a good reason for ruining it all.

For a moment, she continues to silently stare at me. I’m about to lose it on her when she finally answers. You don’t have very many friends, do you?

Her question throws me off for a moment. Only ones that sleep with my husband, I mutter bitterly.

Toni’s mouth quirks up in the corner. A little dark, don’t you think?

I shrug my shoulders innocently before knocking back the rest of my drink. What? It’s true.

My sister rolls her eyes as she loops her arm through the crock of my elbow. Which means she’s going to drag me with her if I don’t come willingly. Come on.

Toni moves confidently through the throng of the crowd, taking me with her. It would’ve taken me twice as long to get to the other side of the room. Despite Toni denying she’d not made a big deal, there are a lot of people here.

She doesn’t take me to the closest set of restrooms. No, we learned our lesson with that when we were young. Instead, she leads me to the restrooms I used to call my spot away from everything.

It seems silly looking back on it now. How can a restroom be some kind of safe haven? But it was always the best spot to hide away from everyone and everything in the Greyson Estate.

That is until my sisters found out about it.

Toni turns to me the moment the door closes. Her eyes are pink as she looks me up and down. Okay, spill it.

Spill what? I ask, raising a brow. Are you not going to go to the bathroom?

She laughs like that’s not the whole reason why we came in here together in the first place. I don’t need to go.

Then, why are we here?

My sister looks at me like this is the moment she realizes I’m really not kidding. Hasn’t one of your friends ever pulled you into the restroom so you can gossip together?

"No, never. What’s