by Ali Parker
Max got up from the sofa.
I locked my phone. “I forgot I had spin class this afternoon.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Didn’t we just do cardio? Can’t you reschedule?”
I smiled. Him wanting me to stay warmed my heart. But I had business to tend to. “I’ve already paid for it. And I like it.”
“Nobody likes spinning.”
“I do,” I insisted. “I’d better get changed and head out, though. I’ll have to go home and get my workout clothes first.”
I made for the stairs and Max followed hot on my heels.
“Are you going to come back afterward?” Max asked.
My cheeks burned. “Do you want me to come back?”
“Yes,” he said simply. “We could take another shower together. Let me chase away the pain in those muscles of yours.”
At the top of the stairs, I turned to face him but continued walking backward toward his room. “You just know all the right things to say to get your way, don’t you?”
He gave me a devilish grin. “Sometimes.”
I rolled my eyes and retreated into the bedroom. Max followed. His steps were longer than mine, so inch by inch he closed the space between us as I went to find my clothes which I’d hung up to dry in his bathroom. They were still damp.
He nodded toward his dresser. “I guess you’ll have to go in my sweats.”
There were worse things than wearing the clothes of the man I loved out and about.
“I can drive you home,” he offered.
“I’ll take a cab.”
“Seriously, Janie. You don’t have to. Let me drive you. I can take you to your spin class too if you want.”
“No,” I said a little too quickly. His eyes narrowed with suspicion. I had to throw him off my scent. “You clean up the kitchen and nurse your hangover. I can take care of myself, and when I get back, we’ll have a clean kitchen to use to make dinner together. Deal?”
Max backed off. “Deal.”
Whew, that was close.
It was time to play Nancy Drew and I needed to make sure Max would be here, safe and sound in his house, while I went on a mission to investigate the woman trying to dismantle his life.
The taxi driver came to a stop in front of a resort-style condo about twelve miles from Max’s house. The complex was horseshoe shaped with a large gate across the front. On the other side of the gate was a well-manicured courtyard, and beyond that was a crowded pool for residents complete with several barbeques, picnic benches, pool chairs, and umbrellas.
The driver twisted in his seat and gave me an expectant smile. “Eighteen fifty, miss.”
I paid him in cash and slid out of the backseat. The sun broke over me and I regretted changing into some of my work clothes before I left my house. I had a plan to stick to and it required a professional look. My pencil skirt stuck to the backs of my thighs, and my silk blouse threatened to smother me, but I kept my chin up and pretended I wasn’t turning into a puddle as I approached the gate.
Much to my surprise, it was unlocked.
I pushed through it. My high heels clicked on the cobblestone pathway that led through the courtyard garden. On my righthand side was a small playground. Little kids ran up ramps and slid down slides before shooting across the pathway and leaping into the pool to join older siblings.
Birds chirped in bird feeders nestled into branches on trees that provided shade over one corner of the pool and part of the playground.
This was a nice place to live. If something like this had existed when Piper and I were trying to find a place (and it was within our price range), we would have jumped at it.
As I approached the pool, I caught a whiff of barbecuing hot dogs. My mouth started to water as I passed a man in an apron with a beer belly flipping wieners and toasting buns. He nodded and smiled, and I returned the gesture before reaching the end of the pool and shielding my eyes as I looked around.
And there she was.
Sienna.
She was easy to spot in her neon-pink string bikini as she lounged in one of the reclined pool chairs with one ankle crossed over the other. She wore a silver belly chain that glinted in the sun and matched the anklet on her left foot. Her sandals were tucked under her chair along with a pool bag, out of which I could see a rolled-up gossip magazine, a water bottle, sunscreen, and tanning oil.
Several men in the vicinity, including the man I’d just walked by at the barbeque, shot frequent glances in her direction.
I watched, transfixed, as Sienna reached for a drink on the table beside her chair. It was blended and tropical looking with a pineapple wedge decorating the rim. From where I was standing, it looked like a pina colada.
But pregnant women didn’t drink pina coladas.
It could be alcohol free, I told myself. Jumping to conclusions could be dangerous. I needed to find out for myself.
Wondering how Max was ever drawn to this woman, I walked around the edge of the pool and approached her chair. On my way, my bare legs were splashed by kids playing. The water was refreshingly cool.
I stopped at the end of Sienna’s chair. Her face was tilted up to the sun. Large sunglasses hid most of her cheeks and her eyes from view. Her fingernails were long and white and matched her pedicure.
I cleared my throat.
Sienna shifted in her chair, reached up, and nudged her glasses down the bridge of her nose to peer at me over the top of the frames. Her eyes were even more blue in the sunshine than they had been in the picture Holly sent me.
“What?” Sienna asked.
I squared my shoulders. “I’m sorry to bother you. Is your name Sienna?”
Sienna sat up a little straighter. “Who’s asking?”
I’d thought this whole thing out on the drive over in the back of the cab. I needed to find a way to get her to talk to me, and there was only one way I could think to do that in order to force her to tell the truth.
“I’m a reporter for Businessmen and Bachelor’s,” I said, hoping she bought the fake magazine title. “There’s a rumor circling amongst my peers and other people in the tech industry that Max Fisher, the wealthy CEO of Apple, is expecting a baby with you.”
I waited for a hint of a reaction, but received nothing from Sienna, who continued to stare coolly up at me over her sunglasses.
I lifted my chin and pressed on. “It would be quite the story to write and a big opportunity for me. Mr. Fisher is one of the most renowned bachelors in Silicon Valley. I don’t have to quote you as a source if you’d rather keep things confidential but I’d love to know if it’s true or not.”
Sienna pushed her sunglasses back into place. “Why not ask Max?”
“He refused to speak with me and denied the rumors. I understand if you don’t want to talk to me. Time will tell. I mean, how long can you hide a baby for?” I laughed like this conversation wasn’t sucking out my soul.
Sienna pushed her sunglasses on top of her head this time and propped herself up on her elbows. Her tits nearly spilled out of her neon-pink bikini top. “Who said anything about hiding a baby?”
I licked my lips. “Nobody. But it’s not rocket science, is it? Eventually, you’ll start to show. I don’t want to rush your announcement or anything. I just wanted to beat the competition to the scoop. Reporting is a cutthroat business. I won’t bother you anymore.”
Sienna narrowed her eyes. “I’m not going to get fat.”
“Oh, I wasn’t saying you were. I just—”
“Because I’m not pregnant,” she said flatly. “I don’t know who spat out that little rumor but you can shut it down. I’m not ready to sacrifice these hips just yet.”
I tried to silence the anger swirling to life inside me. “How do I know you’re not just saying that to get rid of me?”
Sienna reached for her cocktail, pursed her lips around the straw, and drained half of it. “Would a pregnant lady drink that much rum? I don’t think so, sweetie.”
My heart raced. I wasn�
�t sure how to feel—relieved or furious.
Chapter 18
Max
The lingering fuzziness of my hangover clung to me even after I stepped out of the shower later that Saturday afternoon. The headache was still there, sharp and irritating, but I’d had worse.
I’d finished cleaning the kitchen and making the bed in an attempt to freshen the house up in case Janie stayed another night, which I hoped she did.
We had a lot to talk about.
I smiled at the memory of having her on the sofa this morning. All those familiar feelings and sounds had been so right. She was the woman I wanted. Even though life was messier than it had ever been right now, that didn’t mean I needed to push her away again. She’d shown up for me when I needed her, and I’d done the same for her.
It just made sense that we ended up together. And what great love story didn’t have obstacles?
Literally none, I thought as I shrugged into a navy-blue shirt and buttoned it up.
I’d just finished doing up my jeans when my doorbell rang. When I reached the top of the stairs and started descending, the door swung open and my sister let herself in.
She looked up and watched me come down the stairs. “Having a late start to the day, are we?”
My hair was still wet from the shower. I ran my fingers through it when I hit the bottom step. “A little. What brings you by?”
“I was in the neighborhood.”
I didn’t buy it. Holly never spontaneously stopped by. She usually had a motive. Sometimes, she wanted to borrow something, like my swimming pool to have some of her friends over or one of my cars. She always got what she wanted. What was the point of all this wealth if I couldn’t share it with family?
“Can I get you something?” I offered.
Holly followed me deeper into the house to the kitchen, where she slid onto a bar stool at the island and rapped her knuckles on the counter. “I could go for some lemonade.”
“Lemonade, it is.”
I poured us each a glass of iced lemonade and took the stool next to her.
She sipped her drink, swiveled to face me on her stool, and smiled.
I arched an eyebrow. “What?”
“You know what.”
“I assure you I do not.”
Holly rolled her eyes and swung her legs back and forth. “Why did Janie text me last night? Were you two together?” She pumped her eyebrows and winked.
“What are you talking about? She texted you?”
Holly’s eyes widened. “Well, yes, but—”
“About what?”
“Nothing,” Holly squeaked.
“Holly,” I said evenly, a note of a warning in my voice. “What is this?”
Holly slid off the stool and shook her head. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I thought… it doesn’t matter what I thought. It’s none of my business. Can you just forget I said anything?”
“No.”
“Max,” she half-groaned, half-whined. It was the same tactic she used when we were teenagers and she was trying to get away with something. “Just forget it, okay? You’re always saying I need to mind my own business. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
“You’re doing a shitty job of it. What did Janie text you about?”
My sister pouted. She knew she wouldn’t get away with this one. Where Janie was concerned, she couldn’t get away with anything. She sighed heavily. “She texted me last night asking where she could find Sienna.”
“She what?”
“I don’t think she’s actually going to go looking for her.” Holly laughed nervously. “Maybe she just wants to get a look at the bimbo herself.”
I shook my head and massaged my temples. This was not the kind of behavior I expected from Janie. This was my mess to sort out. She didn’t need to go injecting herself into my bullshit, especially where Sienna was concerned. The woman was unpredictable.
“What is she playing at?” I breathed.
“She’s not playing at anything,” Holly insisted firmly. “Get your head out of your ass. Janie cares about you. Did you really expect her to be able to sit back when she thinks someone is taking advantage of you? If Sienna is screwing with you, then Janie is going to get the truth for herself. And frankly? I think that’s a good thing.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” She nodded matter-of-factly. “At least Janie will get things sorted right away. She won’t worry and pace her living room thinking about what she should do, like someone we know.” Holly looked me up and down with accusing eyes. “She’ll handle her shit right away.”
I wasn’t sure if I should be flattered or concerned. I raked my fingers through my damp hair. “This is a mess.”
Holly shrugged and looked around. “Where is Janie, by the way? I figured she’d be here.”
“She went to spin class,” I said absently.
Holly snickered.
“What?” I asked.
“Are you actually that dense, Max? You know, for a guy who makes an obscene amount of money and runs the biggest tech company in the world, you have an uncanny way of missing the entire picture.”
I held up a hand. “Okay, okay.”
Holly planted her hands on her hips. “I’d bet money your girl went to track down your lying baby mama and put a stop to this nonsense once and for all.”
A pang of worry went through me.
Sienna was unpredictable. There was no way to know what would happen if Janie confronted her and things went sideways. How far would Sienna go to protect a lie? And how far would Janie go to protect me?
“I don’t like this,” I said.
“Janie can handle herself. I’m sure of it.”
“Sienna’s a loose cannon.”
Holly shrugged. “Well, if you want to hop in a car and drive down to Sienna’s complex, I’d be more than willing to join you.”
“I can’t drive. I’m still seeing stars.”
Holly grinned like it was Christmas morning. “You can ride shotgun.”
Chapter 19
Janie
Not pregnant.
The words chimed in my head like the first Christmas song of the holiday season.
Not pregnant.
There was no baby coming. There was no unborn child that would enter the world and belong to Max and this insane woman. There were no ropes binding him to her. No life-long commitment to stand by her and, as he had coined it last night, be a united front with a woman he didn’t even like.
Stress and pain melted off of me and the heat of the sun no longer felt like a punishment but a reward. The clouds in my heart had finally parted. I relished the heat of the sun on my back and, for good measure, rolled up the sleeves of my blouse and popped open a couple of buttons.
Sienna watched all the while with those pretty blue eyes of hers. “What did you say your name was again?”
“I didn’t,” I said.
She pursed her lips and peered up at me. “And you’re with what magazine?”
“I’m not a reporter.”
Sienna shielded her eyes from the sun before remembering her sunglasses were on her head. She pulled them down to rest on the bridge of her nose. “What are you talking about? Of course you are. What woman in her right mind would come to a pool on a day like this dressed like a soccer mom stuck at the office?”
Unable to help myself, I smiled at her.
Sienna sat up straight on the pool chair and swung her legs over the edge. “Who are you?”
“I’m a friend of Max’s. You know, the man you’ve been lying to all this time?”
If Sienna hadn’t been so tanned, I might have been able to see the way all the blood drained from her face. “You tricked me.”
“It was easy.”
“You sneaky bitch,” she spat. Sienna pushed herself up from her chair and stood in front of me. We were almost the same height, but I had about half an inch in my favor. She opened her mouth with her lips twisted in a sneer and I prepared for her
to light me up. I almost craved it. But she hesitated. Sienna took a step back and rolled her shoulders before regaining her composure. “I don’t know what sort of games you were playing at but I lied. I am pregnant. I just didn’t want some no-good nosy reporter to be the first person who knew.”
“You can’t save yourself from your own lies with yet more lies,” I said. “What reason do I have to believe you?”
“I don’t owe you anything.”
“You’re right. You don’t.” The heat was becoming so unbearable that I had to take the hair tie off my wrist and use it to gather my hair up off the back of my neck. “But you owe Max the truth. Do you know how heavy this has been for him to carry around with him? He’s been so confused and angry and lost. And I’ve been there, watching the whole time, trying to help him. But the only thing that could help him in the end was the truth, and now that I have it,” I paused to let out a villainous laugh, “he doesn’t have to waste a second longer thinking about you.”
Sienna’s nose scrunched and lines pressed into her Botox-stiff forehead. “What makes you think he’d believe you over me?”
“I’ve never lied to him.”
“Everyone lies,” she seethed. “Maybe it just means you haven’t been caught.”
“I also didn’t take a baseball bat to his car.”
Sienna shut her mouth.
“Look,” I said, “either you can call him and tell him the truth right now, or I will. It’s your call. If I were you, I’d take the opportunity to redeem a sliver of my soul and tell him. Then again, I don’t think you have a soul left.”
It was probably made of Botox and silicone, too.
“You think you’re clever, don’t you?” Sienna barked. She took a menacing step forward.
I held my ground.
Most of the other residents at the pool had noticed the tension between Sienna and me. More than a handful were whispering amongst themselves and pointing. Those with no self-awareness, like the kids in the pool, were staring wide eyed and not trying to hide their eager curiosity. The men, like the beer-belly guy at the barbeque, watched with the same unabashed glee as Sienna pointed an accusing finger at me.
