Paige perched her hands on her hips. “Look, lady, I’m not stupid. Everyone knows you should never get in a car with a stranger.”
Annalise twisted around. A horrified look came over her perfect face. “I’m no stranger. Everyone knows who I am.”
Paige arched a brow. She had to give her that. “That might be true, but I know you’re a liar.”
“You have no right to talk to me like that, you little—” The words hung suspended when Annalise looked up to see not only Max but Mrs. Miller standing in the hallway, watching her with interest.
“You were saying Max sent you?” Paige taunted as she took a good look at the woman before her.
“Max,” Annalise said, her voice trembling. “I had no idea you were here.”
“That much is obvious,” he said in a calm voice laced with steel. “I came over to pick Paige up for her counseling appointment.” He moved toward her. He held his body erect, his anger palpable between them. “How dare you try to undermine my relationship with a student.”
“I was only trying to help. The truth is you will be busy.” Annalise gave him a soft smile, as if doing so would soften her prior words. “I’m prepared to give this little girl the best tutor money can buy. Who are you to deny her that?”
Paige snorted inelegantly. “I don’t want another tutor, thank you very much. I like the one I have.” Paige stepped between them. “You know, I don’t know anything about you, but from what I’ve overheard from Mr. R., I’d say you need to stop blaming others for your mistakes. Blame is a waste of time. If you want to change your life, it’s up to you and no one else.”
Annalise’s smile vanished. “You don’t know anything about me or my situation.”
“No, I don’t. Hey, I have a great idea,” Paige said with a sly smile, continuing what she’d started. “Why don’t you come with me to counseling? You’d be the oldest person there, but I’m sure you’d learn a lot.”
With an angry jerk on the door handle, Annalise Ellington vanished through the doorway, leaving them all behind.
Mrs. Miller came forward and enfolded Paige in a hug. “You were magnificent, sweetie. The things you said to Annalise, where did you learn all that?”
“Counseling.” Paige gave her foster mother an apologetic look. “I’m sorry I lost my cool. It was wrong to push her buttons like that, but I knew she was lying.” She turned to Mr. R. “Why would you send me to a tutor when you showed up to take me to counseling?”
Mr. R. laughed. “You know I’d never send you to another tutor without talking to you first.”
“I know,” she said, warmed by his honesty. Her smile vanished a moment later when she noticed something shiny on the floor near the open door. She bent to pick it up.
“What is it, sweetie?” Mrs. Miller asked.
“A mirror.” Paige held it up to the light and noticed the engraved initials AE on the back. “Annalise must have dropped this when her purse fell.”
“I can take it back to her,” Max said, accepting the mirror. He tucked it in his pocket.
“Can we go pick up Olivia now?” Paige asked impatiently. “I can’t wait to tell her what happened.”
Max watched Annalise leave through the door she hadn’t bothered to close. He would have gone after her had he not needed to leave with Paige to pick up Olivia. Annalise had an ulterior motive for visiting Paige this morning. His ex-fiancée knew they were through. So what was she up to? He’d known Annalise long enough to suspect she was up to no good.
As soon as Paige’s counseling was finished and he’d dropped both her and Olivia back at their respective homes, he’d find out.
“Let’s go, Paige,” he said grabbing his keys, eager to get started. He’d waited all week to spend the next two hours with Olivia, alone. No one was going to get in the way of that, especially not Annalise.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Saturday had become Olivia’s favorite day of the week. She and Max had developed a routine. They would drop Paige off for her counseling session at the hospital; then the two of them would fill the next two hours with some new adventure.
Today was no exception. Anticipation ached in her chest while she leaned back and enjoyed the ride to wherever Max was taking her. He wouldn’t tell her a thing. It wasn’t until he stopped his car and killed the engine that she had any clue at all. They had arrived at what looked like an airfield, except a beautiful hot air balloon rested on the tarmac.
“Will you fly with me?” Max asked as he helped her from the car.
The nine-story balloon stood ready, its vibrant orange and yellow and red colors softly glowing in the morning light. “Yes, Max.”
He took her hand in his and pulled her toward and into the waiting gondola basket. The burners ignited, carrying them upward. Her stomach did a little flip as she stared out across the shrinking landscape. “Why a hot air balloon?” she asked Max.
“Mostly for the escape. No photographers can capture us doing this while we’re up here.” He pulled her into his arms and gave her a long, deep kiss that left her breathless. When he pulled back, he didn’t release her. Instead, he turned her around, settling her back against his chest, his arms wrapped around her in a protective hug. “When we first met, you told me you were a feet-on-the-ground kind of girl. I wanted you to know the thrill of letting go, of getting your feet off the ground and allowing an element of surprise into your life.”
Simply being in his arms was a thrill. The balloon rose high up over the earth for a picturesque view of the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges. Mount Rainier stood out as a jewel among the Seattle skyline. Beneath them, farmland filled the Snohomish Valley.
Olivia felt as light as the air on which they traveled and yet, behind her joy, lurked the ever-present reality of his engagement. She pulled out of his arms to face him. “Your wedding is two weeks from now,” Olivia said, breaking the idyllic moment. “I’ve loved every stolen moment, but we can’t pretend anymore.” She reached up and touched his cheek, saw him savor her touch.
“I told Annalise we’re through,” Max said.
“Her behavior this morning with Paige is proof that she isn’t ready to let you go, no matter what you tell her. The fact that we’re still hiding our relationship from the world in this balloon is evidence that you aren’t ready to reveal the truth either,” Olivia said with a catch in her voice.
“Until I sell my app, I am stuck between the truth and a lie. I won’t deny that. Annalise expects that I’ll pay back what I borrowed. Give me a little more time. All this will be over soon. The week after next, I have a meeting in New York City on Wednesday and Boston on Thursday.” He touched her arm, his eyes begging her to trust him.
She removed her hand from his cheek. Her faith was starting to fail her. “Some things aren’t meant to be.”
“You’re wrong. What we have is too special, too real. It is meant to be.” The pain on his face struck at her heart.
“I’ve allowed myself to be carried away by you. But the truth is so obvious a blind person could see it. You really do care what happens to Annalise and her baby, or you wouldn’t have let things go this far.” Olivia rubbed her temples, forcing back the rush of a throbbing headache. “You don’t have to sell your app before you break things off with her. If you really wanted to break things off, you would have done it already.”
“She’ll sue me for the rights to my app.”
“Any charges she brings against you will take forever to actually make it to the courtroom. You’ll have plenty of time to sell your invention and settle any litigation between the two of you.”
By the surprised look on his face, she could tell he’d never considered that as an option. Why was someone who was so good with math so terrible at the little nuances of life?
“I’m close to a solution without taking things to court,” he replied. “Why change the plan now?”
“Because I love you.” Her angry words echoed in the silence of the morning.
Ma
x drew a sharp breath, then closed his eyes, hiding his emotions from her. When he opened his eyes, he said, “All of this craziness will be over soon. I promise you. All I ask is that you trust me. I know what I’m doing is right.”
She could hear the rawness in his voice, feel his frustration. Yet the words weren’t the ones she’d wanted to hear. He hadn’t responded with his own declaration of love, just another excuse. Her headache pounded behind her eyes. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at him. “Take this balloon down. I want to get off.”
“Olivia—”
She drew back, turned toward the pilot. “Land this balloon now, or I’ll jump out of it.”
“No need for that, miss. I’ll have you down in a few minutes.” The pilot picked up the radio to signal the ground crew. Olivia could see the chase vehicles in the distance, heading toward a wide-open field.
Olivia studied her sneakers to avoid Max. At least if she ended up walking some distance, she was prepared, although that hadn’t been in her thoughts when she’d dressed that morning.
“Olivia.” Max touched her chin, tilted her face, and forced her to meet his gaze. “I’ll talk to Annalise,” he said in a soft voice. The look in his eyes said he knew he’d hurt her, but he still didn’t say the words she longed to hear.
Instead of words, he drew her to him. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, taking in that soft orange scent that lingered on his skin, finding comfort in the familiarity. He stroked her hair and rocked her gently as the balloon descended and finally bumped along the ground several times before coming to a stop.
Thanks to the chase team, Max’s car waited for them alongside the roadway just off the field. The driver brought Max his keys before joining the ground crew in securing and deflating the balloon.
“Where do you want to go now?” Max asked, looking down at her. For a heartbeat she thought she saw love in his eyes. He looked away.
“Let’s go get Paige and go home,” she said simply. “All three of us have unfinished business.”
The next week was the longest of Max’s life. He’d tried to see Annalise three times, but she kept eluding him. She had to know he was done playing this game, which was why she’d made herself so scarce. He’d decided to try again on Saturday morning—a time Annalise knew he usually spent with Olivia. He hated to miss out on their weekly date, but Olivia had been distant all week during Paige’s tutoring. He knew why. Olivia had declared her love for him. The words still echoed in his brain, his heart. He’d had to bite the inside of his lip to keep himself from responding. The pain had been enough to nearly cripple him. But he refused to give in to his need. It wouldn’t be fair to Olivia to declare something he still didn’t fully control. She was right to say that the two of them could never fully commit while he still, even in some small way, belonged to another woman.
He raked his fingers through his hair, then knocked on the door of Annalise’s suite. Olivia had put down a challenge for him to break things off with Annalise for good. He knew she was right. It was time for Annalise to start owning up to her mistakes. He’d seen through Paige that true change was possible. If anything, by maintaining the lie about their engagement and her pregnancy, he was not allowing Annalise to grow and change herself. She was about to be a mother—time for her to start thinking of others besides herself.
And no matter what his own algorithm said, he wasn’t ready to say good-bye to the one woman whose very presence sent his heart racing.
It was time for the battle of his life.
Annalise cracked the door, then opened it wider at the sight of him. An angry scowl greeted him instead of a smile. “Why are you here? Have you come to apologize for not defending me against that little ruffian?”
Max stepped inside and with an effort swallowed back a spike of anger at her bad-mouthing Paige. “I’m sorry Paige hurt your feelings. We need to talk.”
Annalise sighed, then stepped forward and kissed Max on both cheeks. “Apology accepted. I’m glad you came to your senses about that woman. We have several decisions still to make about the flowers and the music for the wedding. It’s only one week away. We’re so behind on all of the important decisions.”
“There won’t be a wedding in a week or any other time.” Max closed the door.
Annalise’s lips pulled down in a frown. “Why are you fighting me on this?”
“A real wedding wasn’t in our contract.”
“Things have changed for me, Max. Pregnancy changes a woman.” Annalise brought a hand down to her abdomen, gently stroking a nonexistent mound. “You and I have always been so compatible. I’ve realized in the past few weeks that I can’t raise this baby alone. I need more from you than a fake commitment. I need a real one.”
“You can’t buy a husband. And you certainly can’t buy me.” Needing a distraction, Max turned away from Annalise. From the marble floors to the wall of windows, buttery cream leather furniture, and exquisite wood cabinetry, everything about the penthouse spoke of great wealth.
Annalise came to him, turned him back to face her. “I’m not trying to buy your love. I’m trying to help you be a success with your Matchmaker algorithm.”
“Are you really? Or are you protecting yourself from your father taking all this away?” Max gestured around the room.
“Fine!” Annalise cried. “It’s true. I worry about what my father will do. I’m not like you, Max. This is all I know. A degree in fashion design isn’t going to get me very far.” She walked to the plush leather sofa and sat down. “I’ll be destitute without you.”
He joined her on the couch. “There are other options besides marrying me.”
She turned to him, her eyes full of tears. “None that I like.”
“We don’t always get to like the things that life brings our way.”
Her tears spilled onto her cheeks. “I used to be able to control everything. If I didn’t like something, I hired someone to change it.”
Max reached for her hands, wrapping them in his own. “Obviously you know who fathered your child. I doubt a woman could forget that kind of thing. Talk to me.”
Annalise’s lips tipped up in a bitter smile. “That’s the worst of it. I really do care about the guy, but if my father knew who he was, he’d fly into an absolute rage.” She shivered. “You’ve never seen him that angry. I have. It was a few years ago. He’d become angry over the idea that one of the employees was stealing from him. And they weren’t! He simply imagined it because he likes to get angry at people.” Her eyes widened, her fear obvious. “If I tell him about—about the baby’s father . . .”
“If you love this guy . . .”
Annalise shook her head. “Daddy had a hard enough time accepting you as the father. But because of our families’ connection, he finally decided it was somewhat acceptable.”
“The truth doesn’t change the baby’s bloodline.”
She looked away. “I can protect my child from the truth if you agree to act as the baby’s father even if we don’t get married.”
“I’ve already told you I won’t. Regardless, the truth always has a way of coming out.”
Her gaze snapped back to his. “Is that why you want to know about the father? So you can leak the story to the press?”
Max stood, no longer able to keep his frustration still. He paced back and forth in front of the couch. “Would I do that? I was trying to be a friend. You used to tell me everything. I kept your secrets then. Why would I do anything different now?”
“Because you’re desperate to be free of me.”
“I won’t lie. I’m in love with someone else.” Max smiled. It was the first time he’d said the words out loud. Just the thought of Olivia sent a surge of warmth through his blood.
Silence fell between them. It was a long time until Annalise spoke. “Love isn’t real. It’s an illusion. You should know that better than anyone else. Didn’t your father used to say he loved you and your sister? Wouldn’t a man who loved his children do anythi
ng to make certain they were happy? And yet look what he did to Clarisse. He paid off the boys she was in love with because they weren’t good enough for his daughter. One hundred thousand dollars each sent those boys away for good.”
“My father’s actions in the past have nothing to do with the here and now.” Max bit out the words.
“Don’t they?” she asked, defiance glittering in her eyes. “If Daddy finds out who the real father of my child is, how inferior he is, he’ll disown me. Or worse, because I think my father and his anger are entirely capable of murder.”
“Now you’re being ridiculous.” Max stopped in front of her. “Your father has a great respect for life. He would never resort to that.”
“You don’t know him—”
“No.” Max held up his hand. “I think it’s you who doesn’t know your father. You’ve manipulated things around in your own mind to make the situation more dramatic than it truly is. Talk to the man. Tell him the truth. And while you’re at it, tell the baby’s father the information he has every right to know, no matter how inferior you think he is.”
Annalise shot to her feet and slapped his face. The slap reverberated in the silence of the room. “Take that back.”
His cheek stinging, Max stepped back, out of her reach. “It’s over, Annalise. What you do now is up to you.” He turned and headed for the door.
“I’ll sue you.” She laughed, but it was a cold, angry sound.
“Then sue me.” He opened the door.
“You don’t love her. You can’t.”
Max silently shut the door. He loved Olivia more than anything else in this world. He needed to show her his love, not just say the words. There was power in action. Max drew out his cell phone and placed a call to the potential buyer of his app in New York as he made his way to his car.
A man’s voice came through on the other end. “I hope whoever this is knows that it’s Saturday. I don’t do business on Saturdays.”
Along Came Mr. Right Page 17