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Alexa waddled in and groaned. “I want wine so bad I can taste it. You guys better bring me a bottle when you visit at the hospital. Who’s that with Max?”
“Seems to be the question of the evening,” Maggie drawled. “Name is Victoria, Max’s current date.”
Alexa shuddered. “She’s too skinny. I don’t like her.”
Satisfaction pulsed through her system at the declaration. Anyone who didn’t eat was suspect in the family. Maggie shrugged. “I met her once before though and she’s actually nice. Maybe it’s a sign.”
Carina gritted her teeth. Damn, if she’d known she’d be competing with a frikkin princess she would have at least worn a dress. She’d donned a pair of casual jeans, white tank, and Keds. Knowing she looked about twelve, she cursed her stupidity. Women who wanted to seduce men like Max needed to bring up their game. Round one to the bitch.
The clatter of heels echoed and Max appeared in the dining room. He made the introductions again, and nodded at her as if they never had their tongues down each other’s mouths. “Carina, this is Victoria. Carina is a close family friend.”
She cocked her head. “Yep. Real close. Nice to meet you, Vicky.”
The woman winced at the nickname, but Carina gave her credit when she nodded. “Lovely to meet Max’s family. The last time I was in town it was too brief, and we only did formal parties, right, darling?” Bloody red nails stroked his arm. “Hopefully this trip will be longer.”
Max smiled, but she saw the humor didn’t reach his eyes. He almost seemed . . . resentful. As if trying to prove a point that there’d never be anything between them. Interesting. He refused to look her straight in the eye and reminded her of the stray dogs she used to pick up who would tilt their heads to avoid full contact. To avoid the truth of their circumstances. Denial was awesome in all species.
Nick strolled in with a platter of penne alla vodka. “Hope everyone is hungry.” Carina bit her lip as the women pointedly looked at Victoria’s twig figure, but she led the charge and rubbed her hands together.
“Bring on the carbs, boys.” Maggie and Alexa grinned and they sat at the table. Carina’s gut told her there was a damn good reason Max brought her to dinner, and she was about to find out. “So, Victoria, what do you do?”
“Mostly charity work at this point. I graduated from Oxford with a law degree, but found practicing wasn’t as satisfying as helping. I cofounded a children’s orphanage in London.”
Max straightened up in his chair as if about to make a presentation. “Victoria is both educated and street savvy. Her foundation helps hundreds of teens with nowhere left to go. Once they hit a level in the system, foster care can no longer help.”
Alexa nodded. “Yeah, like that Batman movie. The Dark Knight Rises, remember, Nick? The Bruce Wayne Foundation explained that problem. Quite impressive.”
Nick laughed at his wife’s ability to relate everything to books, movies, or poetry.
Victoria ducked her head and said to Max, “Darling, you flatter me. I had a safety cushion behind me. You worked your way up to the top, so you deserve all the kudos.”
Carina wondered if she’d get a cavity from all the sweetness between them. Yet, he never touched her. Max was always affectionate, especially toward someone he had feelings for. How many times had she watched him pet and fondle his escorts? But he kept his distance as if he dined with royalty rather than family. Hands flat on the table. Respect and admiration in his eyes but no sign of lust to tumble her. Hmm, interesting.
Victoria chatted a bit about her charity and made no move to touch him, either. They seemed more like companions than lovers. The spark of sexual attraction lay flat without even a twitch of interest between them. Any woman who didn’t want to dive into bed with Max had something else going on. Frigidity? Carina put on her Nancy Drew hat and swore to figure it out.
Maggie turned the conversation toward Alexa. “So, have you guys figured out a name yet for the babe?”
Nick nodded. “If it’s a girl, we’re going with Maria for Alexa’s mom.”
Carina sighed. “That’s so lovely. What about a boy?”
Nick shot his wife a warning look. “We’re still working on that.”
Alexa straightened up and plowed on. “If it’s a boy, we’re naming him Johan.”
Nick rubbed his forehead. A short silence fell. Maggie finally broke the polite pause. “For God’s sake, why? Where the heck did you get that name from?”
“Guess,” Nick said. “You know her better than anyone.”
Carina watched her sister-in-law sift through possibilities until she gasped. “Are you nuts? Oh, my God, you’re trying to name him after Johan Santana!”
Alexa pressed her lips together. “It’s a lovely name and has nothing to do with the Mets.”
Maggie let out a hysterical laugh and wiped at her eyes. “Bullshit. Santana pitched the first no-hitter in Mets history and you’re trying to re-create glory. I remember that frikkin night. You cried so hard I thought you’d go into labor.”
Carina remembered hearing about Alexa’s obsession with the New York Mets baseball team, and also the resentment toward Nick’s team, the New York Yankees. Thank God she wasn’t a sports fan. Seemed more stress than she needed, especially from the glare on Alexa’s face toward her best friend.
“Leave me alone, Maggie. It was a beautiful moment to appreciate. Our son should be proud to have that name.”
Nick snorted and refilled his wineglass. “Over my dead body,” he muttered. “Santana’s gone downhill since and hasn’t pitched a decent game in his last five starts. How about Derek for a name?”
Alexa slammed down her fork. “Absolutely not! No son of mine will be named after Derek Jeter, you—you—Yankee-lover!”
Nick sighed. “Let’s talk about it later, sweetheart. Did you try the calamari? I outdid myself this time.”
Alexa grumbled but went back to her meal, and Carina tried hard not to laugh at the absurd conversations the couple engaged in.
“Do you have a project going on in New York, or did you come to visit Max?” Michael asked Victoria.
“Daddy’s here for business and I thought I’d accompany him. I’d love to see a play or the opera if I can get Maxie to take some time off.” The nickname caused a few twitters around the table. “Poor thing has been working so hard on the new opening. Maybe I can con him into taking some time off this week if I get his boss’s permission.”
