by Tara Randel
“Hey, we always had each other’s back.”
“We did.” Max said with a grin.
“It’ll be great to catch up.”
Before Max had a chance to agree, another voice interrupted their conversation. “Max?”
He spun around to face Lilli, who was looking very put together, having abandoned her casual style of last night. Today she’d pulled her hair back in a sort of wispy updo and wore a flattering pastel-pink dress. Understated gold jewelry glittered at her ears and around her neck.
“Hello, Lilli.”
“I’m glad you could make it to my forum,” she said in a tight voice. On closer inspection, she looked a bit harried.
“I guess I missed your name on the sign out front,” he teased, hoping to lighten the mood.
She had the good grace to look chagrined. “The town forum. I planned it this year.” That explained Jewel’s earlier remark. “I’m glad Blanche called to reserve a space. Networking will be good for your company.”
As if just noticing another person present, Lilli smiled distractedly at Dane. “Good to see you, too.”
Dane only nodded. His glance traveled from Lilli to Max and back again.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have to be, um, somewhere,” she said, before hurrying to the back of the gymnasium.
“Something I said?” Max muttered.
Dane chuckled. “Still smooth with the ladies, I see.”
“Only the pain-in-the-neck kind.”
“Yeah, you always did go for trouble.” Dane shook his head. “Let me guess. She roped you into the Tie the Knot charity benefit.”
“Yeah. You, too?”
“I’ll be there in a tux, escorting brides. Barclay women are very persuasive.”
Didn’t Max know it.
“Look at it this way. We’re doing our civic duty. All we have to do is get into a penguin suit and show up.”
Which, as he sized up Dane’s fashionable clothes, wasn’t a hardship for him.
Max told Dane he’d see him tomorrow and made his way toward the nearest empty seat, wondering where Lilli had run off to. Telling himself it didn’t matter.
* * ** * *
LILLI STOOD BEFORE the restroom mirror, eyes wide, face flaming. Why had she reacted to Max Sanders that way? She didn’t begrudge him being here—he needed connections as much as the next business owner. Her reaction had to do with nerves, nothing more, she assured herself. She needed this day to go well. To wow her boss.
In the past few months, she’d put a lot of time and energy into making sure today would be a hit, hoping the success of the forum would go a long way toward getting her that promotion. She’d been in constant contact with Mr. Danielson, hoping to sway him to sign with KLC. She even stopped by the dealership this morning, checking in, making nice and keeping herself visible. He’d promised an answer by next week.
Now she had to wait and worry.
So she’d pasted on a sunny smile and greeted the attendees, using the nervous energy in a positive way. Until she’d laid eyes on Max.
Okay, this was selfish of her. She’d encouraged most of the town’s business owners to attend, so why wouldn’t she want the same for Max?
Because he flustered her? Brought out the prickly in her? Wrong, her inner voice taunted. Because you’re attracted to him. Which is a thousand times worse. She frowned at her reflection. Okay, she had to be honest with herself and admit that she was more than a little attracted to Max. Working with him for the fund-raiser excited her in a way she hadn’t felt in a very long time, even though he’d made it clear he wanted their relationship to be business only. Fine, really, since she had her own job to focus on. But still, she couldn’t deny the spark between them.
With a final shake of her head, she pulled herself together and retraced her steps to the gymnasium. As she crossed the room, her boss, Jim, pulled her aside.
“I made myself clear. No problems today.”
“There aren’t any.”
“Then how do you explain the entire town frowning at Sanders?”
“I don’t think you have to worry about Max.”
“You’d better be right,” Jim warned and headed in the other direction.
Great. She didn’t need Jim questioning her ability to plan and run this event.
Lilli made her way to her seat, noticing a tense buzz charging the room as the first speaker made his way to the podium. Not the kind of anticipation you’d expect for a speaker, though. More like a sense of pending disaster. She smiled and waved to people she knew as she crossed the room, but most seemed preoccupied.
Joining Jewel, she took a seat before noticing Max across the aisle, calmly reading a brochure. Did he feel the tension, too? If he did, his body language said otherwise. She had to admire that since her stomach had turned to knots.
As the speaker advised the business owners on better techniques to draw foot traffic into their shops, Lilli noticed people throwing looks over their shoulders. Concerned, she studied the movements, realizing the looks were for Max. Oh, no. This couldn’t be good.
Finally, time came for a fifteen-minute break. Lilli started to work her way to the front of the room when Mrs. Lyons, the shop owner from Milly’s Gifts and Things, stopped her.
“What is he doing here?”
Lilli stifled a groan and looked in the direction of the pointed finger at Max.
“Mrs. Lyons, this forum is open to all the businesspeople in town. Mr. Sanders is one of them.”
“More like a criminal element, I say.”
“No, he owns a business to stop criminals.”
The woman narrowed her eyes. “Are you in cahoots with him?”
Cahoots? She almost laughed. “No, we aren’t in cahoots.”
Another person in the group pointed to Max and said, “I heard he hired the pickpocket.”
“Doesn’t anyone around here use names?” Lilli heard Max mutter behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to find Max frowning at the group.
“Bart is my intern,” he clarified.
Surprised, she blinked, then turned back to the crowd. “Max is a guest today, just like every one of you.”
“I remember Sanders running with a bad crowd,” someone else added.
“He vandalized my home,” said another.
Lilli held her hands up. “Everyone, please. Mr. Sanders is not a threat to the community. As I pointed out, he has a security consulting business. If anything, we need his services.”
“Has anyone hired him?” Mrs. Lyons asked.
“Yes, as a matter of fact,” Max answered. “The Merchants Association, of which most of you are members.”
Mrs. Lyons frowned.
“And the historical society,” Mrs. Rumpold announced as she made her way into the throng. She batted her eyelashes at Max then spoke to the others. “We’re looking forward to having him spend time at the office.”
The entire community of business owners started talking at once. Lilli tried to calm them down, but couldn’t yell over all the arguing. She silently counted to ten.
“I warned you about this,” Jim said as he materialized beside her.
“It’s not like I planned it.”
“Get this thing under control.”
Before she had a chance, someone tapped on the live microphone at the podium.
“If everyone would quiet down, I’d like to say something.”
The crowd turned as one to find Max at the podium. Lilli’s stomach dropped. As a group, they all stood in the center aisle.
“Hello, everyone. I’m Max Sanders. Some of you remember me from my teen years. I’ll admit, I did cause some trouble in town, and for that, I apologize. Call it lack of guidance or a kid acting out. That would be both for me.
”
Lilli swallowed, her heart aching that Max had to stand there and prove himself. Proud that he did.
“But I won’t apologize for coming back to Cypress Pointe to start a business. I’m good at what I do and there is a definite need here. I also won’t apologize for taking Bart on as an intern. I haven’t seen one of you step up to help him instead of complaining. In time, I hope you find that I’m not mistaken, that Bart will become a vital part of our town, just as I plan to become an active part of the Cypress Pointe business community.”
He paused and when no one spoke up, he continued. “Most of you know my grandmother. And you all know the chief. They trust me. I’m asking you all to take a chance and know that Sanders Security is here to help you.” He held up the itinerary in his hand. “Now, let’s get back to business. Mr. Ronson is up next to talk about...” he paused, raising an eyebrow as he read from the program “...the town working together as a team.”
Lilli watched the townsfolk make their way back to their seats. As Max passed Mrs. Lyons, she stopped him. “I’ll be watching out for you.”
Max didn’t miss a beat. “Then you should have one of these.” He reached into his shirt pocket and extracted a business card before making his way back to his seat. As he passed Lilli he winked.
Lilli shook her head. Disaster averted, thanks to Max’s honesty and willingness to address the crowd. Another reason she admired his business skills. And his integrity.
As Mr. Ronson spoke, she noticed glances sent Max’s way, only this time the looks came from some of the younger, single women. Lilli ignored the tingle of jealousy.
“Awesome business forum,” Jewel whispered in Lilli’s direction.
Lilli rolled her eyes at her friend. Could this day get any more bizarre?
By the time the speakers had finished, it was four o’clock. Volunteers began to clean up while attendees mingled, exchanging ideas and business cards. Lilli noticed a group around Max and hoped they were asking about his services, not griping at him about crime in this town. Needing air, she gathered her things and headed outside to take a seat at a picnic table on the lawn beside the gymnasium. The temperature had warmed up, and it was another lovely Florida spring day. She didn’t want to be cooped up inside any longer.
Preoccupied by the many thoughts bombarding her, she stared into the distance for a while before fixating on the upcoming charity event. She had her lists with her, as well as some of the wedding magazine clippings, hoping she and Jewel could brainstorm after the forum.
She dropped her tote bag on the table and some photos spilled out. Gathering them together, she noticed a sticky note attached to the corner of one picture. One true love. She squinted for a moment, trying to remember why she wrote that. Then it came to her. Just before she’d dozed off to sleep a few nights ago, she’d gotten the idea to personalize the wedding theme. Take one great love story and feature it during the benefit. Let those in attendance get the feel of more than a fashion show. Let them experience a story of true love from a real couple.
A glossy picture cut from a magazine caught her eye. A couple, probably at their wedding reception, perched on a balcony with a gorgeous sunset as the backdrop. The bride’s veil lifted in the breeze. Her dress, a silk A-line gown, sparkled with embroidered sequin swirls dotted with seed pearls. The groom, in a dark tux, wound his arms around her waist, as if protecting her from the world. Together they would face whatever came, from that point on.
Fanciful thinking on her part. Even though she recognized a staged pose for a magazine spread, she couldn’t help but wonder what their story could be. What great love affair they might embody.
That was the idea she wanted to focus on for her love story. Well, not her story, of course, since she didn’t have one, but the theme threaded throughout the benefit. She couldn’t decide between using a fictional couple or a real-life couple. She didn’t know any real couples who fell into this category, but a fictional couple wouldn’t give the same feeling of intimacy.
She’d drawn several question marks on the sticky note when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned to look over her shoulder.
Max stopped beside the table. “Should you be working on the charity thing when you have the entire business community of Cypress Pointe inside?”
“My part in the forum is over. Besides, I can’t get my mind off all I still need to do.”
He took a seat beside her, looking very suave dressed in business attire. He cleaned up nicely, and while she should be impressed with his transformation, she realized his usual casual look had slowly grown on her.
She shook her head, thinking, I’m in trouble here. His very nearness stirred a blend of delight and apprehension. He said he only cared about getting his business off the ground, so why did he still hang around?
A gust of wind caught the edges of the pictures, and Max grabbed the glossy images before they fluttered to the ground. As he handed them back to her, their fingers brushed. Warmth spread up her arms and settled in her heart. She wondered what it would be like if they were a real couple, going on dates or hanging out with friends. Doing daily things couples did together.
Lilli shifted her thoughts to a safer topic. “So, Bart?”
A ghost of a smile curved Max’s lips. “On a trial basis. I’m trying to help him make better decisions.”
“As your intern?”
“Someone needs to give him a chance.”
With those words, Lilli’s admiration for Max grew even more. His piercing gaze captured her eyes. She couldn’t look away.
After several long, charged seconds, Max craned his neck to look at her pile of photos. “So, what are you up to?”
Jewel was clearly still busy, so why not get a male perspective? She needed a sounding board and he’d asked.
“The event date is getting close and I have some loose ends.”
“Like what you’re going to wear on our date?”
Why would he care? It’s not as though he really wanted to attend the event. “You mean our arrangement?”
“Whatever you want to call it.”
“Honestly, I haven’t gotten around to finding a dress. Between work and the fund-raiser, I’ve been busy.” And she’d scoured several stores and couldn’t find anything she liked.
He chuckled. “Right.”
“And what about a tux?”
“I’ll get one. When you tell me you have a dress.”
“I have too many other important things on my mind.”
“Like?”
Like, did her “real love story” idea point in the right direction or was it too hokey for words?
“I’ve been going over the info for this vintage wedding idea, but I feel like a piece is missing.” She pointed to the picture of the young couple decked out in wedding regalia, gazing into each other’s eyes. “I mean, it’s wonderful to showcase all these fabulous dresses and have couples model, but what ties it all together? I’ve been racking my brains and then it hit me— what about one personal love story to weave the wedding theme around? A strong thread to connect it all?”
“So you’re looking for a great love story?”
“Exactly.” She felt her cheeks heat. “Is that lame?”
He picked up the photo, regarding it for long moments before shooting her a cheeky grin. “I guess everyone enjoys a good love story.”
“Even you?”
He slanted her a glance. “If it’s the right one.”
She let out a shaky breath and turned away. “Well, um, I haven’t sketched out all the details yet. I guess I wanted to say it out loud and see where the idea goes.” She glanced at him slyly. “Any chance you’re a secret wedding planner on the side of your security business?”
He visibly cringed. “No way.”
“Then I’m out of luck.”<
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He shrugged. “I don’t get to many weddings, but what you’re trying to accomplish makes sense.”
“The only problem is I don’t know whose story to use.”
“Have you contacted any local people?”
She told him she hadn’t, because she couldn’t think of a couple who inspired her. And while the idea of featuring a romantic couple from fiction or cinema would work if all else failed, she hoped a real love story would elicit heartfelt emotion as well as drawing a few tears.
“What about your love life?” he asked.
“Mine?”
“Sure. Haven’t you had that one great love?”
Was that interest or sarcasm in his question? She scoffed, covering her insecurity with this man. “Hardly. That’s why I need someone else’s.” She paused for a moment. If he was fishing for information, why not return the favor? “Got a love story you want to share?”
“Personally, no.” He stared down at the photo once again, rubbing his chin. “But I think I know someone who might be able to help you.”
“That would be great.”
He glanced at her. “Are you free now?”
She nodded, her curiosity getting the better of her.
“I’d like you to meet someone.”
At his serious expression, she found herself growing even more curious about the man. As much as she tried to convince herself otherwise, she wanted to get to know Max. What better way than to go listen to this mystery person’s story, with the side benefit of maybe finding a solution to her problem? Nothing wrong with that, right? “Sure. Let’s go.”
Max stood, holding his hand out to help her up from the bench. “Besides, the sooner you wrap up loose ends, the sooner you can concentrate on finding a dress for our date.”
She shook her head even as her heart lifted. This man spelled trouble with a capital T.
CHAPTER NINE
“SO WHERE ARE we going?” Lilli asked after they’d settled into Max’s truck.
“My grandmother’s house.”
He drove them to an older section of town, away from the swanky, expensive homes to smaller, older, more down-home ranch-style houses.