To the Max (10 page)

“Compromising? As in sex photos? Hollywood thrives on those kind of scandals. Since when does that get a movie production stopped?”

“When the pics are of an actor, whom half the women on this earth are salivating over, making out with another guy.”

Ahhh. That kind of scandal.

“We were in a nightclub, and when we realized several paparazzi were taking pics, we tried to get the cameras from them. It ended up in an all-out bar brawl. Apparently we missed one.”

Annie frowned. “But many people among the stars are coming out of the closet.”

“Maybe, but not sex symbols. The movie industry is ruled by the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy, like the military. You’re a young actor who aspires to a wide range of movies? Being openly gay is not a good thing. You won’t get cast for certain projects, and you do want to. Nothing kills a romantic movie faster than the lead actor banging some dude in the real world while professing undying love to a woman on the screen.”

It made sense, especially considering the übermacho men who were starring in the movie.

“Now the producers and the studio have put everything on hold until they can assess the scope of the damage,” Max continued. “They may decide to resume with the same actor or change him. Bullshit if you ask me. He’s a good actor. Who cares who he’s banging? But I don’t make the rules. In the meantime, I’m stuck here. Can’t go to the Rockies as I planned because I don’t know how long I have until I get recalled.”

And on that note… “Thank you very much for letting me stay while you were away. I’ll start packing today.”

His glare was beyond reproving. “Where will you go?”

“I’ll check in at the resort.”

He crossed his bulging arms over his chest, his jaw hard, his eyes stormy. “Oh. I see. You can get over your aversion to Tango and Cash and stay with two rats, but you can’t stand having me here?”

“Max, it’s not like that. Living together…people will talk. I’m ten weeks pregnant. What do you think they’ll say when I leave your place in a month and I start showing?”

“People can say whatever the fuck they want.”

“I’m much older than you are. And I sell candy. Bad, bad combination. They’ll be calling me sugar mama in no time.”

“Do you really mind what people will say?”

No. Not what they would say about her, but she worried what they would say about him. Before she could get a word out, he continued, “And, by the way, it’s a bit insulting that you’re ready to go into debt at that fancy hotel before living under the same roof with me.”

She lowered her gaze. “I can afford the club. It won’t put me in debt.”

“Really? What are you, a trust-fund kid?”

Annie fidgeted. She didn’t like talking about her finances. “Not a kid, no. But yes, my grandparents set up a trust fund for me. They’re…comfortable. I’ve never used the money, but it’s there.”

He pinned her with a hard stare, a shudder crossing her body at his intensity. “So you’ve saved it for a bunch of years, and now you’re going to waste it?”

He had a point there. She could stay in a hotel in Boston too. She would hate driving back and forth to go to the gym and the book club, not to mention she’d rather stay away from the city, but it was doable.

“Okay, so here’s the thing,” Max said with a tone and a stance that reminded her of Cole. “You’re not going anywhere. There’s enough space for both of us here.”

“But—”

“If you don’t agree, I will tell my aunt you’re dying to go live with Mrs. Wilkinson but that you’re too shy to ask. My aunt will take over right away. You won’t be able to shake her, no matter how fast you run. Good luck explaining to Mrs. Wilkinson your sudden passion for bacon and Nutella.”

Annie couldn’t believe her ears. “You’re blackmailing me?”

“Not at all. I’m laying out your options, which narrow to two: me or Mrs. Wilkinson. I have to think of my girls. I might leave in a week. They need company. And you’ve bonded already.”

Annie shook her head, laughing. God, such a lovely, manipulative wiseass. “You’re impossible.”

“You’ll be working at your office during the day. I’ll be at the gym or with my brothers. In no time, the studio will call for me and the crew to resume filming.”

“Won’t I cramp your style if I am here? What about your dates?”

“I don’t usually bring dates home.”

“Why? Is it because it’s easier to run away if you are at their places?”

He chastised her with a mischievous smile. “No. It’s because if I know where they live, I have an address to send candy the next day to thank them for a great date.”

“Ah, so that’s where you’ve been using my products.”

“I don’t kiss and tell.”

He wiggled his brows, and she laughed. She had to laugh. He was that outrageous. “Okay, but I take care of the utility bills.”

“We split them,” he decided.

“Ha! Good luck with that. I’m a forensic accountant, remember? If anyone knows ways of moving money around, it’s me.”

Max didn’t seem to want to fight, because he nodded. “We’ll have to share the bathroom upstairs.”

“I’ll take the one downstairs,” she offered. No way could she use the same bathroom as Max the sex god. “I’m sure when you wake up, you look all rumpled and sexy. You do not want to see how I wake up.”

He smirked. “Much like today?”

“Sometimes worse.”

“You’re exaggerating, but if you aren’t comfortable sharing the bathroom, I’ll be taking the downstairs one.” He winked at her. “I’m young and you’re pregnant. You may need rapid access, and I so far have a tight hold on my bladder.”

* * * *

The first person they saw at the barbecue was Cole.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” he cursed as he reached for Max and embraced him in a bear hug. “Every time you go to California, you come back worse. LA’s full of weirdos, and it’s contagious.”

“Hey,” Christy complained, elbowing him when he released his brother. “We are not all weirdos.”

Cole lifted his eyebrow at his fiancée.

“Okay, most of us. But we are cool weirdos,” she finished and hugged Max.

“You found me the job, remember?” Max said to Cole, who just grumbled something in response.

“James, get over here!” Cole shouted in the direction of the house. “We’re being raided by Attila the Hun.” Then he turned to Max and frowned. “What’s with the split lip?”

“Nothing. A misunderstanding.”

Cole looked sternly at him. “A misunderstanding?”

Max nodded. “Which I didn’t start, but I finished. Standard fair fight.”

That seemed to appease Cole, for he let it go. “Is that brilliantine on your beard, you know, below the metal ring?”

Max winked at Annie and addressed his brother. “Nope, but we had coffee before we came. Messy. You should see me eating chicken soup.”

Yep, Max loved busting Cole’s chops.

James came out of the house, a big smile on his face. He was as tanned as Max, and his shaggy hair also had some streaks bleached from the sun. “Fuck! What has happened to you?”

He grabbed his youngest brother by the neck and hugged him, each clapping at the other’s back.

“Got Hollywoodized. Film’s postponed. Left the ax and came back right away.”

“Max!” Tate screamed from the patio doors and threw herself at him.

“Hi, beautiful,” he greeted. Annie knew there had been a special relationship between Tate and Max ever since the accident.

Tate kissed him on the cheek. “Max, you look…wow. We should move the barbecue inside, or the parade won’t let us eat in peace.”

“Too good a day to eat inside. Besides, nobody knows I’m here. And I’m incognito,” he said, taking his aviator sunglasses and putting them on.

Tate laughed. “Incognito? Dream on. You’re going to need a bag over your head for that. And not even then.”

“I agree,” Aunt Maggie said as she came out to the garden. Max took her in a hug, lifting the older lady while she complained in between laughs. “Put me down!”

He smooched her and complied.

“So good to have you back.”

James pointed at Max’s hair. “Are those fancy braids flammable?”

“No, not particularly.”

“Good, because we’re on grill duty, Goldilocks. Dad may get upset if we torch you by accident.”

Cole handed a beer to James and another to Max. “The braids may be salvageable. The beard? Hundred dollars say the second he leans over the grill, poof, it’s going up in flames.”

“You’re on.”

The three brothers walked to the barbecue, bantering and laughing, while the girls headed with Aunt Maggie into the kitchen to bring the food.

Christy leaned toward Annie. “I guess you almost had a heart attack when you saw him in the house, huh?”

“I thought he was a hologram from your super-duper e-reader. Angus the Highlander, actually.”

Christy let out a giggle. “Those things don’t exist yet.”

“What do I know? You’re the techie. From LA. That place full of cool weirdos?”

Soon it became clear what Tate had meant by “the parade.” Several girls passed by, waving at Max and greeting him. By the time they finished eating, half the female population of Alden had dropped by and brought welcoming pies, cakes, and other goodies, no doubt hoping to be invited to stay. Max had a smile for all of them but politely got rid of them, saying it was a family gathering and promising to see them around. Such a smooth operator. He basically kicked everyone out, but they all left very happy. He’d missed his calling. Forget being a stuntman; he should have been a diplomat in the Middle East. At the very least.

Annie had a great time. Excellent weather. Fantastic food. Even better company. They spent the afternoon eating and laughing and, in spite of the groupies, enjoying themselves.

“Guys, I got something to tell you,” James said after desert had been served. He had Tate on his lap.

Annie and Christy looked at each other. They’d spoken with Tate yesterday; they knew what was coming. By the looks of it, nobody else did.

“Tate came back to her senses and divorced you in Italy?” Max suggested.

James punched him on the arm. “No, you asshole. Tate’s pregnant. We’re having a baby.”

The whole group erupted in cheers, congratulations raining left and right on the happy couple. Aunt Maggie was on the verge of tears. Happy tears.

Annie glanced around, and her throat closed. So this was what an awesome family looked like. Her parents had divorced when she was small, but she remembered very well that their household hadn’t had anything to do with this relaxed, loving atmosphere. For one, showing emotions hadn’t been acceptable, and two, the only occasions they were together was for unavoidable formalities. It was a miracle her mom, with her free spirit, had lasted any time before taking her daughter and moving to Alden. Even now for Annie, going to her dad’s house or her grandmother’s was like stepping into the Arctic, never mind how high-class everything was or how well everyone behaved. Heck, the Bowen family had talked and showed more affection during this barbecue than all her paternal family had in the last decade.

She’d come to terms with that, but she was damn sad her baby was going to miss out on this too. On having a terrific, supportive family. The part of the nutty grandparents was covered by her mom and Larry. And Annie was going to love her or him wholeheartedly and try to be the best possible mother. As for the rest of the baby’s family? She had serious doubts.

* * * *

Annie had been lying on the hammock for a while before she heard Max coming in. He’d been intercepted by one of his fans right at the door on their way back from the barbecue, so she had gone in and left them chatting. Well, him talking, her swaying her hips so exaggeratedly she was going to displace them.

“What are you doing out there?” Max asked from the patio doors.

“Watching the stars.” After that display of family affection, she needed…alone time. She was feeling a bit blue.

He had other plans. “Scoot over,” he said, already sitting down.

“You are not going out? Today’s Saturday.”

“Nah. I had an early start. I’ll watch some movie and hit the sack pretty soon.”

“Your groupies are going to be so disappointed.”

He turned to her, a playful smile on his face. “They’ll get over it. What about you? Any plans?”

Annie shook her head. “I’ll put some music on and continue with the puzzle.”

They lay in the hammock for some time before Max talked again. “What’s wrong?”

“What makes you think something’s wrong?”

He snorted. “Please. That blonds-are-stupid thing is just a myth.”

He was going to think her a petty, egotistical person, but she blurted it out. “I’m jealous.”

“Tate and James, right?”

His response surprised her. “How did you guess? Oh God, don’t tell me it showed.” She was very happy for them, but whenever she saw James’s hand on Tate’s belly, which was pretty much always, Annie’s gut clenched.

“No, it didn’t, but I’m observant. I’m not a buff who’s all fluff.”

Annie smiled. No, he wasn’t. “It’s not only Tate and James. It’s the family togetherness. That, at your aunt’s, was amazing, Max.”

“That was because with the commotion, my aunt forgot to take out the Trivial Pursuit and torture us with it. Everything that glitters isn’t gold.”

She ignored him. She knew he was just kidding. “You are very close to your aunt and your brothers.”

“I am. Aunt Maggie is like a mother to me. To the three of us. Cole and James are a serious pain in the ass on the best of days, but I love those fuckers. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for them. Or my dad.”

It showed. They had each other’s backs. These people had down pat what a family should be like.

“I was fucking ecstatic when Cole came back home for good,” he continued. “I actually thought he would never leave the Marines.”

“You were in the Marines too, right?”

He nodded. “Marine recon. At the end of the tour, my unit was ambushed. I didn’t re-up. Cole was there for twelve years. I don’t have a frigging clue how he managed that. Guys like him are made of a different material than the rest of us humans.”

The air had gotten heavier, so she changed the subject. “You’re going to be an uncle. Are you excited?”