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Sox seemed happywith the agreement she’d reached with Max; the teenager had come in to say goodbye before heading back home. Angelica left the shop and went to find Max. He was on the phone when she came in but waved at her to stay and gestured that he’d only be a minute. She didn’t listen to his conversation; instead she just listened to the rumble of his voice.
She had been telling herself she was falling for him, but the more time they spent together she was beginning to see that was a lie. That she had already fallen for him. And it concerned her that she didn’t really know that much about him. Though she’d rather he tell her about his family himself, maybe she should do an internet search and just see what his family was like. She was curious about why he was so closed off. She was starting to fall for him and she didn’t want Max to be another big mistake. As much as she was starting to feel like herself again, where Max was concerned she was vulnerable.
Anything that was on the internet was sort of public domain, right?
He finished his call and got to his feet. “That was a productive afternoon. Now let’s go and get your Christmas tree.”
“Glad it was productive. I’m a bit miffed that you took our artists but not really. I mean Sox is going to get so much more exposure than she would have in the back. Did you agree to the licensing?”
“I did,” he said. “Do you have someone who can guide her through that?”
“I do have a few people we’ve used in the past. Also I thought we could get Nico involved when she’s ready to do a brand push,” Angelica said. “But I’m not sure that’s really something that Sox is interested in.”
“I’m almost positive it’s not. She’s so intensely private,” Max said.
“Not unlike you,” she said. She wanted him to trust her enough to talk to her. And she knew that he’d confided in her about his brother but she wanted more. She was hungry to know everything about Max and didn’t really want to have to wait to find out.
“True. I think it’s easier to be open when life is good,” he said.
She cocked her head to the side as she studied him. “Are you trying to tell me your life isn’t good?”
“It’s very good—I’d look like a fool if I said otherwise—but my family…it’s not. It’s just not. And I don’t want to—”
“I’m sorry. You already said that. I respect you enough to let this go. Let’s go find my tree,” she said. “And then we can go back to my place and I’ll cook you dinner.”
He looked almost like he wasn’t going to let her change the subject but instead he inclined his head in acknowledgment of her apology. “So far you keep saying you’ll cook but have ordered pizza and taken me for barbecue.”
She started laughing. “You’re right, but this time I mean it. My dad dropped off some Italian sausage he made and I’m going to make you my famous sausage and mushroom pasta dish. You’ll be begging me for the recipe.”
He laughed at that. “I don’t cook, remember?”
“I do remember, but it’s that good,” she assured him. They kept up a teasing banter until they got to the tree lot.
She led him up and down every aisle of trees and Max held each one out in the aisle for her so she could decide on the best one. She finally made her selection and they paid for it and went back to her town house. When they got there, Max told her he’d take care of the tree.
“Go make this dish that’s going to make me wish I could cook,” he said.
She took the small cooler bag that had the sausage in it and went inside to start cooking as Max hauled the tree in and set it up in the corner of the living room that she and Cosima had cleared out for it a few days ago.
She had Christmas music playing through her in-home speakers and as soon as she put the olive oil and garlic in the pan, it smelt like home and Christmas and she remembered last year when she’d been so lost and felt so alone in the middle of Jock’s wedding with all of her family around her.
She looked over at Max working on the tree and her heart felt full. She knew that there were still questions and thing she didn’t know but this felt right. This felt like something she hadn’t realized she was still searching for. He felt like the thing she’d needed but hadn’t realized was missing.
He looked over at her, tilting his head to the side. “How’s it look? I’ve never put one up before.”
So many firsts for Max with her and she couldn’t help but think for a man who had everything he’d missed out on a lot.
“Perfect. Are you staying tonight?” she asked.
“I was thinking about it, why?”
“Then do you want to pour us some wine while I cook?” she asked.
He nodded and went into their dining room where they had a wine fridge and bar area. She worked on dinner and thought about how right he felt. And she knew that even if it might be considered an invasion into his privacy she was going to do that internet search. She needed to make sure that her gut was right about him. That she wasn’t following him down a path just because he was different than every other man she’d ever met.
She knew her instincts had been off since New Orleans and she wouldn’t let herself make another mistake. Not that she thought Max was one. In fact she was pretty sure he wasn’t, which was why she needed to know more about his family. Why didn’t he talk about them?
