Jayded (5 page)

Max jumps in.
“
Where would you like to go if you left here?
”

After here, as in this bar? I would love to take you back to my place so I could have my way with you all night long. I give her the more appropriate answer:
“
Somewhere warm, that
’
s for sure!
”

She laughs.
“
Yes, coming from South Carolina
’
s warm, salty air, I can understand that.
”

“
So why leave?
”
Jonathan sweeps in to ask Max.

I hear a pause, or maybe a stall, as she quickly tries to answer.
“
I needed a change and, of course, there came an offer I might not be able to refuse,
”
Max says, smiling at my mother.

“
Shots!
”
Jeff yells. Thank God! He sets the tray down on the table gently and begins to hand out the clear shots of Patr
ó
n. Straight man-juice. It puts hair on the chest and grows balls for the weak
—
just what the doctor prescribed in a room full of night-prowlers.

My mother raises her shot glass, and we all follow.
“
To prospering relationships and new ties that may bring us great wealth and much happiness. To Maxine!
”
she finishes and throws back the power liquid.

“
To Maxine!
”
we all follow in unison.

The Patr
ó
n glides down my throat, leaving a trail of blazing fire behind. I feel warm and tingly inside. I glace over to Max, and her cheeks are now a light pink. She looks slightly embarrassed
—
or maybe just a little warm from the liquor.

Max and I lock eyes for a split second, and then she looks away. I glance around to see if anyone saw it, but it doesn
’
t seem so.

“
Maxine, I
’
m Jeff,
”
Jeff says, holding out his hand across the table with his most charming smile. What a dick. I see he
’
s already trying to ruffle my feathers.
“
I
’
ve been part of the Saunders family since middle school. I hope to have the chance to work under you. I
’
ve heard some good things from Kyle here.
”
He gives me a noogie, purposely trying to embarrass me. I am
so
beating his ass for this.

“
Have you?
”
Max asks, bemused. She looks to me with a sexy ass grin, and I think my cheeks have now turned a light shade of pink.

I wrap my arm around Jeff and squeeze his shoulder extra tight.
“
Don
’
t mind Jeff, here. He
’
s a major brown-noser. A kiss-ass, if you will.
”

Jonathan laughs out loud and takes another swig of his beer.
“
These two boys are something else. Hey, Kyle, I see Beth over there. It looks like she
’
s trying to get your attention.
”
He turns to Max.
“
Throw a bunch of kids together in a workplace and, in no time, they couple up,
”
he tells her.

What the fuck is this dude
’
s problem? I clench my teeth together in order to keep myself from opening my mouth.

He looks at me.
“
How long have you two been dating now?
”
he asks me.

My whole body stiffens.
“
We
’
re not.
”

Jonathan chuckles.
“
Man, I forgot how it is to be twenty. When I was your age, I was blowing through women, too.
”

“
Is that right?
”
Max asks him.
“
They say some things never change.
”
She shakes her head, and my mother laughs along with her.

Way to go, Mom. Way to stick up for your son!

“
No, you
’
re wrong about that. It only takes one woman to come along and change a man
’
s ways,
”
Jonathan says to Max,
clearly
trying charm her. Well, his charming sucks!

“
That must have been what your wife did, huh?
”
I throw in there.

He sneers at me, completely catching on to what is happening.
“
That
’
s
ex
-wife, and yes, it was something like that.
”

Jeff grabs my shoulder and squeezes.
“
I think it
’
s time for another shot, bro. Come on, it
’
s on me. Let
’
s go to the bar.
”

“
Nah, I
’
m good.
”
I know he
’
s just trying to get me out of a situation before I insert my foot in my mouth. Jonathan still has seniority at work and is technically one of my bosses.

“
I need another drink, son, before I call it a night.
”
My mother raises her glass with one brow lifted as to tell me to leave
—
now. I take the hint and walk to the bar.

CHAPTER FOUR

Max

I watch Kyle walk away with his friend Jeff, and I start to feel a little unsettled and a little curious. I could feel the testosterone building up between him and Jonathan. It
’
s sort of entertaining to watch. Kyle gets hot-tempered quickly when he
’
s feeling threatened. Whether he feels threatened by Jonathan because of me or just in general, that
’
s still to be determined.

Without realizing it, I am watching Kyle intently at the bar. He
’
s already glanced back at me a couple of times. I get butterflies in my stomach each time our eyes connect. As I stand in deep thought, Jonathan is trying to get my attention.
“
Uh, Maxine?
”
I can hear in the distance.

I snap out of it.
“
Yes?
”

“
How long will you be here in town?
”
he asks.

“
Yes, are you planning on heading back as soon as your decision is made?
”
Connie chimes in.

“
I thought I would stay a couple of weeks. If I decide to stay, I
’
ll need to go house shopping before I head back and pack up.
”

“
Well you let me know if you need any help. I know a couple of great realtors,
”
Connie offers.

“
Actually, I have a really good friend that shows houses, and I would be more than happy to take you around to look. I
’
m sure you
’
ll need more than just one day to get the lay of the land,
”
Jonathan offers.

I take a sip of my beer. He
’
s actually really sweet for offering and kind of cute, too, in that Clark Kent sort of way. Not quite my type. Maybe it will be nice to have a friend that I
’
m not attracted to.

“
Okay, sounds great, Jonathan! Thanks to both of you for offering to help. And Connie, this welcome has been warm and thoughtful. Everyone at the agency is very nice.
”

“
I am so glad to hear that. Greg is so happy to have you here. He
’
s been a pain in my ass getting everything perfect for you,
”
Connie admits with a smile.

My eyes drift to Kyle quickly, and I see Beth leaning into him, extremely close and intimately. This time Kyle doesn
’
t look so disinterested. He actually looks intrigued and willing to take the bait. I snap my eyes off of him and look back to Connie.

I
’
ve only just met Kyle today. He
’
s still a child for Christ
’
s sake. Why in the
hell
do I feel burned and slightly jealous of the sight of them together? This is freaking ridiculous! Of course he has a couple drinks and is interested in the first thing that strolls up and puts her chest in his face. He
’
s  freaking twenty-something! That
’
s what boys do at that age, and the fact that I am even contemplating this is insane. He
’
s nine years younger than me.

My phone rings. I look at the caller ID; it
’
s Cody. My heart drops. Cody is my ex-fianc
é
who I left in the dust. I didn
’
t even tell him I was leaving. I know that was wrong; I feel some guilt over that, but I also feel free. I can breathe now. I immediately ignore his call. It
’
s not the time or place to answer.

“
Well, tell Greg I said thank you. I really appreciate it.
”

“
Greg
’
s a good man. Whatever you need, he
’
ll get it. I
’
ve known him personally for a while now. He actually recruited me just like he did you. Of course, I didn
’
t have my own agency, but I worked for one of the best,
”
Jonathan explains.

“
Oh yeah? What agency were you at?
”
I ask.

I look back toward the bar and see Jeff conversing with the bartender, but Kyle and Elizabeth are no longer there. I glance around the rest of the bar, and they
’
re nowhere in sight. My gut drops just a little with disappointment. Oh well, time to move on from this little crush. Just get over it, Max.

“
I was at the Bailey Agency.
”

I finish my beer.
“
Wow! The one in New York City, right?
”

“
Yup, that
’
s the one.
”

“
They have two others, right?
”

Connie jumps in.
“
Yes, there
’
s one in Los Angeles and one in Miami. I think they
’
re expanding even more and heading internationally, from what I
’
ve heard.
”

My eyes pop.
“
Really? Greg must have given you the deal of your life to give up a spot in that type of booming agency,
”
I say with a laugh.

Both Connie and Jonathan chuckle as well.
“
Back then, it was just the New York agency. They hadn
’
t expanded yet. That happened about two years ago,
”
Jonathan says.
“
I was already well-invested in the Saunders Agency,
”
he finishes and lifts up his beer toward Connie.

“
Well, since my son seems to have disappeared and never brought me my drink, I think it
’
s time for me to hit the road. I
’
m sure Greg is still at the office, so I
’
ll have to do some convincing to get his butt home,
”
Connie jokes.

We say our goodbyes, and she heads out the front door. Jonathan offers me another drink, so I take him up on his offer. Why not? I
’
ll just be heading off to an empty, lonely hotel room.

“
So, Kyle said you
’
re married or, I
’
m sorry, you
were
married
—”

I watch as he ponders a moment. In the background, I can hear the jukebox playing Hinder
’
s
“
Better Than Me.
”
The words bring Cody to my mind; he loved Hinder. But as fast as I can blink, he
’
s removed from my thoughts.