Summer Kisses (269 page)

“Fantastic pay, great schedule, enormous creative latitude,” he told Roger, saving the best for last. “If I take it, they even agreed to let me hire my own team. You know any resourceful shooters who’re interested in moving to the big time?”

Roger’s double take sent the van veering into the next lane. “Any shooters? Like me?”

“That’s right. What do you think?”

The cameraman mulled it over while they crossed the bridge into the city. “Nah, I couldn’t leave Cincinnati.”

The response had Max scratching his head. “Why not? The work will be challenging, and the money’s good. And it’s network, man.”

Roger looked embarrassed. “Me and Ginger are kind of serious. I’ve been thinking about settling down, maybe even starting a family.”

“They allow families in New York, too, you know.”

“Do they now? And how would you know?”

“It’s something I’ve been thinking about myself.”

“You kidding me?” With another sharp swerve to the right, Max held his breath while they almost sideswiped a semi before Roger returned the van to his own lane. “Mad Max Williams settling down? How long have you been thinking about this?”

“Awhile.” Only ten or twelve hours, but Roger didn’t need to know that. Max wasn’t all that comfortable with the details himself yet. Go figure.

This morning, instead of signing on the dotted line, he’d asked for a deadline extension, because he knew he couldn’t leave Cincinnati if that meant leaving Annabel, too.

“Which brings us to why I asked you to pick me up. I need another favor.”

By Friday, Annabel’s spirit had sagged down around her ankles like granny panties with a snapped waistband. Max, the rat, hadn’t bothered to call her back. Or he hadn’t bothered to leave any messages on her voicemail if he had. On Monday, he’d sent one cryptic text that left her edgier than ever.
In NYC. Crazy busy. Surrounded by suits. Lots to talk about when I get back. C U then. Take care.

Really?
Take care?
Was that the best he could do? Wasn’t that something he’d say to his niece or his sister or his grandmother? Was that his way of distancing himself from her? Telling her she wasn’t important to him?

She’d spent more time fretting over and decoding Max’s text than she’d spent considering her own life and career opportunities. Of course, she couldn’t make up her mind between the LA offer or the biker video. She wanted to do them both, but neither one seemed just right.

Nothing about either decision hinged on Max Williams. She didn’t need him. Not for her motorcycle piece, not for her peace of mind, not for anything. She wanted him, yes. She loved him, yes. But life would go on without him. Not happily, but then, when had that ever been an option?

She shouldn’t be disappointed at the way things had turned out. She was the one who’d set the rules when he left her the other night. She just hadn’t expected him to follow them. Unless it suited him to do so. And it must have suited him not to call her. If she had to start getting over him, she could damn well start today.

Maybe he wouldn’t even show up for the taping. That would be the ultimate humiliation, but she wouldn’t let it show. She’d keep her head high, her hands steady, and her eyes dry. And her heart hidden under lock and key.

So fine. Returning from another unproductive meeting with Howard and more vague responses to his request for details on her new project, she picked up her phone to obsessively check for messages or texts from the elusive Max. And of course, there was one that had been left an hour ago right after she went to Howard’s office. Just her luck. Damn Howard and his no-cell-phones-during-meetings policy.

Holding her breath, she listened to Max’s message, thrilled to hear his voice again. I’m back in town. Hoped to talk to you before this afternoon, but maybe it’s better if we don’t. Have been strangely turned on by omelets and trench coats all week. I blame you for that. See you soon.

Her breath whooshed out. Okay, that sounded good. Probably. Mostly. At least she now knew he planned to show up to recap their dates. And that omelets and trench coats reminded him of her. In a good way. She could live with that. But how could it be better if he didn’t talk to her before the show? That sounded a tad ominous. Maybe.

By the time she arrived at the station and deposited herself in the makeup chair for Voila, the manic elf, to transform her from drab to dazzling, Annabel was on the edge. She perked up her ears when she heard Max and Roger’s voices in the hall. Giddy relief erased her anxiety.

“Did you give Tess’s producer the new video?” Max asked.

“Sure did,” Roger rumbled. “Everything’s all set.”

“Thanks for your help, man.”

“My pleasure.” The cameraman chuckled. Annabel heard them exchange slaps on shoulders, that masculine substitute for a hug. “In fact, I’m gonna stay for your segment.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

This time Roger burst out in a full-bellied laugh. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Annabel’s nerves pinched tighter than her new shoes. Despite Max’s preference, she’d be more relaxed if she had a private word with him before their on-air meeting. When Voila finished fluffing her hair, Annabel took a deep breath, removed her cape, and started to open the door.

“Max, darling!” a sultry voice crooned.

Annabel paused with her hand on the doorknob and stayed out of sight.

“Hey there, Tess.”

“I hear congratulations are in order!”

Annabel’s stomach turned over as she listened to a lip-smacking kiss. Her heart lurched at the confirmation of Max’s departure from Cincinnati.

“And you’re going to make the announcement on our little show,” Tess continued. “I’m so honored.”

Maybe jealousy over Max’s success was the reason for Tess’s catty tone.

“Well, don’t be. This whole thing might blow up in my face.” He sounded much more nervous, much less confident than she’d ever heard him.

“Not a chance,” Tess purred.

“Is Annabel here yet?”

“Don’t know. Let’s find my producer and check.”

Swallowing her disappointment, Annabel peeked out. Tess tucked her hand cozily around Max’s arm, and they disappeared into a room down the hall.

“Anna!” Carly rushed up from the other direction. “Ohmygosh, I’m so sorry. Last time, you were almost late. This time, it’s me. The traffic from school was terrible. You look fabulous in that color. Are you ready? Was that Max going in the opposite direction?”

Annabel laughed at the breathless exuberance. “Relax, you have plenty of time.” She struck a model’s pose and turned from side to side to show off her clingy new dress. “I’m glad you approve of an outfit I picked out for myself for a change. Yes, I’m ready, and yes, that was Max.”

Carly’s continued chatter settled Annabel’s jitters better than a tranquilizer. The routine this time seemed almost familiar as she waited to take her turn in front of the camera. She marveled over how her life and feelings had altered in the two weeks since their first on-air appearance.

She supposed due to Max’s celebrity status and coming announcement, their “date review” was scheduled as the final segment of the program. In the green room, she fidgeted through video reports and live post-mortems on the other couples’ hits and misses. But almost before Annabel knew it, she and Carly took the stage.

“So,” Tess began, grinning broadly. “Tell us how things went with you and Max.”

Annabel wouldn’t admit she’d fallen in love with someone who was leaving the city and didn’t love her back, but she couldn’t pretend there’d been no attraction, either. She offered up a carefully prepared neutral comment. “I’d say we hit it off pretty well.”

“Great! That means we’re ‘pretty’ good matchmakers, doesn’t it, Carly? Let us in on the details about the first date, Annabel. Where did you and Max go? What did you do? And most importantly, how did it end?”

“We had a wonderful dinner at Ernesto’s. Afterward, we went to the symphony at Music Hall. We didn’t have very much in common, but Max turned out to be a lot nicer than I expected.”

“Nicer?” Tess repeated on a laugh. “You went out with Max Williams and thought he was
nice
?” She raised her waxed eyebrow at the studio audience. “I know Max pretty well myself, and it must have been a low blow to his ego if you thought he was just nice. Most women think he’s great, sexy, exciting, gorgeous, or the most wonderful man they’ve ever met.”

Annabel wanted to thunk the talk-show queen in the head with her imaginary tiara. What did Tess hope to accomplish with this line of questioning? She hadn’t grilled the other guests this way. “He’s some of those things.”

“And what about the end of the evening? You didn’t tell us if you kissed.”

“We shared a friendly kiss.” Annabel feared that Tess would probe past Annabel’s comfort zone if she didn’t disclose at least that much.

“Let’s watch and see.” Tess pointed to the monitor. “Here’s what Annabel and Max’s date looked like.”

It hurt Annabel to relive Max’s arrival on her doorstep, to see how utterly endearing he looked over dinner and how sweet he’d been about escorting her to Music Hall. Her cheeks burned when the video got to their kiss! Their good-night kiss, the hot, carnal one she had told Roger absolutely not to use, played out for all to see.

The audience loved it and so did Tess. “You call that friendly?” she asked, and everyone laughed.

Annabel laughed along with them. What else could she do? “Well, that’s friendlier than I remember it.”

“Let’s see how Max remembers it. Come on out, Max.”

Annabel’s heart pounded as Max came on stage as directed. She would carry this off with aplomb if it killed her. She crossed her legs and adjusted the hem of her dress. She’d slept with him the last time they’d met, sure, but no one else knew that. It wasn’t as if she’d been assigned a scarlet letter.

Tess kissed him on the mouth, and he pecked Carly’s cheek. Then, he kissed Annabel’s hand. The remote, formality of the gesture left her cold, but the extra little squeeze he gave her fingers sent heat waves zinging straight to her heart. The accompanying look he gave her was hot enough to melt rock and bold enough to strip her naked.

He pressed a lacy bouquet of violets into her hands, and winked a silent message that gave her more hope than she’d had all week. “Why didn’t you call me, damn you?” she wanted to shout, but pressed her lips together instead. They’d have time to talk privately later. She’d make sure of it.

Tess patted the chair farthest away from Annabel’s for Max to sit in. “Now, tell Tess all about it, Max,” she began as if the two of them were sharing private confidences over a drink. “What did you think of your first date with Annabel?”

“It was boring as hell.” He directed his mega-watt smile straight at the camera. “I hate quiet dinners, I’d never been to the symphony, and letting a guy follow me around on a date with a camera practically guaranteed nothing steamier than hand-holding.”

Of all the nerve! The old Annabel would have shrunk from the unfavorable review, but even with her heart nearly breaking, the new Annabel prepared words of retaliation.

“That’s pretty harsh,” Tess interjected, sliding Annabel a sly look. “Was the date a complete bust from your perspective?”

“It sounds like it, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, but we saw the footage. There were enough sparks flying between the two of you to light up the sky over the river on Labor Day weekend.”

“There sure were,” Max drawled. “And that’s when I realized, if we were generating that much heat on what had to be the world’s worst date, what would happen if Annabel let her hair down?”

“Did you find out?”

“See for yourself.”

The monitor revealed another montage of shots. Annabel and Max clinking champagne glasses. Annabel and Max on the Harley. Max flying out of the swing and into Max’s arms. Annabel and Max kissing in the field behind the Blue Moon. Annabel and Max entering the award ceremony arm in arm. Annabel and Max tackling their assailant on Saturday night.

She couldn’t believe how good she looked, how alive, how perfectly suited to Max. Whatever happened next, she had to get a copy of this video. She’d never again let herself or anyone else dismiss her as lackluster and boring!

Next came a shot of Max alone, dressed in jeans and a denim shirt, relaxing in a chair behind a desk in a cluttered office.

“Until two weeks ago, this,” the digitally-recorded Max said, pausing to gesture around the room at the awards and photographs, “represented the most important part in my life. I wanted recognition for my work, the respect and the admiration of my peers, and the financial reward I thought I deserved.” The camera followed as he moved to stand in front of his desk. “For the past few years, Annabel Morgan was nothing more than an annoying blip on my peripheral radar. I’d known her for years. I’m willing to acknowledge she both intrigued and irritated me, mostly because she found me so completely resistible. When fate and her stepdaughter threw her in my lap, I almost threw her right back.”

Annabel’s fingernails cut into her palms as he continued, terrified about what his words might or might not mean.

“Like most guys, I’m dumb as a stump when it comes to women, so it took me a little while to figure it out. By the end of our arranged date, I no longer had a choice. I couldn’t live without her now if my life depended on it. And I think it does.” He smiled then, and through the camera’s lens, he looked directly at her, love shining in his eyes. “Annabel, I’ve never said this to anyone who wasn’t already related to me, but I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, showing you the endless ways in which we’re exactly right for one another. What do you say to that, sweetheart? Want to take a ride on the wild side with me?”

The studio audience oohed and aahed. Somewhere in the background, Carly squealed with delight. “Yes!” she crowed, pumping her fist. “Way to go, Max! Go for it, Anna!”

Tears stung Annabel’s eyes. Her heart pumped hard enough to burst through her ribs. Too stunned to make much sense of Max’s declaration, she lifted her hand to her lips, afraid she’d misinterpreted the whole thing and would blurt out a string of nonsense.