stupid.”
“I don’t believe that for a second. You’re one of the most savvy businesswomen I’ve ever met.”
“I slept with Max.”
“Ah,” Devon said cautiously.
“What do you mean, ah?”
“I’m not surprised, that’s all. You said you’d known him before. So what happened?”
Telling Max about Aunt Jesse earlier today had caused a crack in her self-imposed isolation. She’d felt better, lighter, after sharing her struggles in the aftermath of her father’s death. Drawing on Max’s strength had helped make the memories less painful. No matter how much she isolated herself, she wasn’t alone. Telling Devon about Max could provide the same sense of relief.
“He and I met five years ago in Alabama.”
The whole story poured out of her. She explained about her affair with Max. She talked about her financial problems with Brody. She told Devon about keeping everything from Hailey and about her slashed tires. Max’s offer of help and her subsequent refusal.
“I understand everything,” Devon said. “Except the part where you won’t tell Max about the trouble your ex-husband is causing.”
Rachel dabbed at the tears that had overflowed onto her cheeks. “My being married to Brody is what caused Max to despise me the last time. I don’t want him involved in case Brody sets the loan shark on him.”
“So, all your problems stem from the fact that you’re trying to keep your sister and Max from worrying about you and pushing them away in the process.”
“That’s not fair.”
“But it’s what you’re doing.”
“So, what am I supposed to do? Explain to Hailey that I stayed married to Brody even though he was stealing from me to pay his gambling debts? That I was then so desperate to get free that I let myself agree to a ridiculous divorce agreement that compelled me to pay back the hundred thousand dollars it cost for her college education? And that I’m being harassed by Brody and whatever goon he owes money to?”
“For starters.”
“I can’t. I’ve spent my entire life protecting her. Don’t ask me to stop now.”
Devon shook his head. “She was a kid back when all the bad stuff happened. She’s an adult now. Tell her the truth and let her be someone you can lean on.”
“She’s getting married. She’s starting a fresh new life.” Rachel shook her head and dried her eyes. “I don’t want her to have to worry about the past.”
Devon blew out a breath. “I can see why Max got angry with you.”
Despite his neutral, slightly sad tone, Rachel felt as if she’d been slapped. “He wanted nothing from our relationship except sex.”
That was a cop-out. She didn’t really believe that’s all she and Max had. But it was more comfortable to cling to that notion than to open herself up to hope and end up getting hurt.
“He invited you to his parents’ anniversary party.”
Part of her longed to believe Devon’s optimistic take on her and Max. Spending time with him made her happier than she’d ever been. But he’d insisted from the start that he wasn’t with her for the long term. And his track record bore that out.
“He’s between women at the moment.”
Devon stared at her for a long time. “Or maybe he’s found the one he wants.”
“Or maybe,” she countered stubbornly, “he hasn’t. And he just likes to stick his nose in where it doesn’t belong.”
“You don’t really believe that’s all there is to it.”
“I can’t afford to believe anything different.” Despair was close to swallowing her unsteady composure.
“So, you’re going to push him away?”
Rachel picked up her pen and twirled it. “After what happened last night and today, I don’t think I’m going to have to.”
To her surprise and despite their rocky week, when Saturday night rolled around, Rachel found herself at Max’s side as they ascended the steps of his parents’ home in the western suburb of Houston, a gated community with wall-to-wall mansions. She had no clear idea how she had arrived at this moment. Sure, she’d given her grudging acceptance that morning in Gulf Shores so he’d stop torturing her body with seductive caresses that got her motor revved up, but took her nowhere.
But after their argument at her house and how disinterested he’d been about her leaving Case Consolidated Holdings …
She figured he was done with her.
Then late Wednesday night, he’d shown up at her office with the sea glass bracelet he’d bought her five years earlier. When she’d gone back to Mississippi, she’d left the bracelet behind because it was a talisman representing hope and joy. By returning to her marriage, she didn’t believe she deserved such a keepsake.
She couldn’t stop wondering why Max had kept the bracelet all these years. Did it mean he’d never stopped caring about her? What if it had no significance at all? Every question battered the armor surrounding her heart. Sleep came only after hours of tossing and turning. Her appetite had dropped off. She caught herself daydreaming at work while Devon worked harder than ever.
And Brody called her often to remind her how impatient he was.
Her life felt like it was spinning out of control and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could hang on.
“Stop fidgeting,” Max advised. He set his hand at the small of her back, his touch soothing. “You look fine.”
Rather than let him see how ragged her emotions were, Rachel retreated into sarcasm. “Fine?” She glazed the word with contempt. “What makes you think any woman wants to be told she looks fine?”
To her intense annoyance, his lips twitched. His relaxed mood made it hard to keep her glare in place. Why did the man have to make her so damned happy?
“You look gorgeous.”
Her harrumph resulted in a full-blown grin.
“I really shouldn’t be here,” she said for about the hundredth time. “This isn’t a business associate or a group of friends, this is your family.”
He’d never given her a satisfying answer about his true motive for badgering her to accompany him. In the end, she’d let him convince her to attend the party, but dug in her heels when he insisted she also be there for the family-only renewal of vows that had taken place earlier that afternoon at the church where his parents had originally been married.
“You’re here because I didn’t want to go through this alone.”
His explanation made perfect sense. She was a stand-in because he was between
