His mother sucked in a surprised breath, her gaze shifting from Max to Addison and back again.
Addison glared at him. “It’s so sad that someone who matches couples for a living can’t even get herself a boyfriend on her own. I wonder how her clients are going to feel about this little scandal.”
Max narrowed his gaze at the evil woman standing in front of him, his hands curling into fists at his sides in pure anger. “You say a goddamn word to malign her character and I guarantee you’ll regret it.”
“Max!” his mother admonished, clearly appalled to hear her normally polite son threaten someone, but he was beyond worrying about being civilized.
“No, mom, I’m not going to let Addison hurt Hailey any more than she already has,” he said adamantly, then glanced at his entire family. “Yes, this started as a fake engagement, but I genuinely care for Hailey. Hell, I fucking love her.”
Addison gasped, and his mother’s eyes got as round as saucers. Beside her, Max saw his sister smirk in a way that told him she was totally impressed with his declaration, and she was giving him her silent blessing.
“That can’t be possible,” Addison said, her tone incredulous.
“It is possible,” he said to the bitter, spiteful and clearly delusional woman. “And I don’t expect you to understand true love because you can’t see anything beyond your own self-interest and hate.”
Everyone was silent, until his father finally let out a huff of breath. “Well, son, if you love Hailey, I suggest you go and tell her.”
Max almost laughed at his father’s response, so straightforward and to the point. “I plan to,” he said, then spun on his heel and headed in the direction he’d last seen Hailey run in.
By the time he’d caught up with the three girls, they were already at the parking area. “Hailey, wait,” he said, loud enough for her to hear. Despite her obvious need to leave, he wasn’t letting her go until she heard what he had to say. Until she knew exactly how he felt about her.
To his relief, she stopped and turned around, the devastated look on her face nearly gutting him.
“Give me a few minutes to talk to you. Please,” he said, imploring her to give him a chance.
Hailey said something to Brielle and Natalie, and while the two women walked away to give them some time alone, they didn’t go far and could probably hear their conversation. At this point, he’d take whatever he could get.
He closed the last bit of distance between himself and Hailey, and as soon as he reached her, she spoke before he could.
“I’m so sorry—”
“Stop right there,” he said, cutting her off. “You don’t have a damn thing to apologize for.”
She laughed but the sound lacked any humor. “How can you say that after what just happened in front of your family with Addison? We always knew this fake engagement was going to end at some point, but never like that,” she said, her voice rough with emotion, even as he saw her defenses rising. “Never in a way that would hurt your parents, who’ve been nothing but kind to me and don’t deserve to be duped. They probably think I’m some desperate woman trying to manipulate their son into a relationship, and I’m sure my credibility as a match-maker is ruined, which truthfully, is my own damn fault.”
“First of all, we both agreed to this fake engagement, so I refuse to let you take all the blame,” he said, hating that she was already putting her guard up and pushing him out, which meant he needed to put everything out on the table. Go big or go home. “And most importantly, I’m not ready for this, for us, to end. I love you.”
Her eyes widened in shock, then filled with a wealth of insecurities as she took a cautious step back. “You can’t,” she whispered in disbelief.
“I can and I do,” he said, aching to take her in his arms and hold her tight until she accepted the truth about how he felt. “There is nothing you can say or do that will make me feel any differently, Hailey. Nothing.”
He could plainly see all the what ifs swirling in her gaze, the doubts and uncertainties that had ruled her life for so long that those ingrained fears were second nature to her. Her resistance was a difficult battle to fight, and in the end, only she could change the ending to their story. Not him.
He braced his hands on his hips and hoped to God he was doing the right thing. “I’m not the kind of guy who walks away or gives up without a fight, Hailey. And I’m not leaving you now, either. But I am going to let you go home so you have time to think about everything we’ve shared together the past few weeks, and to realize that when I say I love you, I mean it, because I don’t say things I don’t mean and you should know that about me by now. When you believe it, when you’re ready to let me love you, I’ll be waiting for you and you know where to find me.”
Her eyes shimmered with tears and pain, and it was excruciating for Max to turn around and walk away, to give Hailey the time to process everything with a clear head, just as he’d promised.
Whatever happened next was up to her.
Chapter Twelve
Hailey methodically packed up her office, going through the motions but feeling empty inside. She should have been over-the-top excited that she was signing the closing papers for the Logan Square property this afternoon at Max’s office, but instead her stomach was in knots about seeing him again.
A week had passed since that awful day at the carnival with Addison. A week since Max had told Hailey he loved her, and left her standing in the parking lot, torn between wanting to call him back, and letting him go. In the end, her insecurities had won the battle, because cutting Max loose now was far less painful than it happening weeks or months down the road—all because she believed she’d never be enough for a man like Max. That one day, he’d realize that, too, and her heart would never recover from the rejection.
Except her heart already felt shattered, and she was coming to realize that it was her doing, not his. She was so concerned about protecting herself and her heart and her emotions, that she’d yet again deliberately sabotaged another relationship. Except this one meant everything to her.
Each day apart from Max didn’t ease the ache like she’d hoped. No, it was starting to feel like a huge desolate hole in her chest, and as though an integral part of her was missing and she was lost without that essential piece.
She missed seeing him. Talking to him. Laughing with him. She missed his sexy texts and how he so effortlessly made her feel special and beautiful—always. Not out of obligation, but because he was the kind of man who meant what he said, and what he did—and had proved that statement from the very beginning, time and again. What man went through that kind of effort if what he felt wasn’t real?
She’d made such a mess of things in so many ways, and had hurt people she hadn’t intended to. She was certain her business was going to take a hit when and if her fake engagement went public, as Addison had threatened. But so far, that hadn’t happened, and she was grateful. But she had called Maureen to apologize and to explain why she’d fabricated the whole fake engagement pretense. There really was no excuse for the deception and she should have come clean the moment Maureen had called Max out as her fiancé that day at lunch. The other woman had been surprisingly understanding, though at the end of their conversation she’d made the comment that for a relationship that was supposedly all an act, Max certainly had seemed genuinely taken with her.
Not just taken with her, he loved her. God, those words caused both pleasure and pain, and she absently rubbed at the left side of her chest to ease the ache inside. Not for the first time, she questioned her decision to let him go, because there was no doubt in her mind that she’d fallen in love with him, too.
When you believe it, when you’re ready to let me love you, I’ll be waiting for you and you know where to find me.
More than anyone, she trusted Max. He’d never given her any reason not to, and she realized that she had one of two choices to make. She could cling to the fears and insecurities that had paralyzed her for mos
t of her adult life and be miserable and lonely, or she could be brave and fearless and confront all those doubts that had stolen so much from her already.
One thing she knew for certain, this relationship was different. Max was different. In the past, she’d pushed men away before things turned serious in order to protect herself, and every single guy had let her go without even so much as a fight, leading her to believe she wasn’t worth the effort. But despite her many hang ups, there was nothing that Max hadn’t been able to handle. He’d conquered so many of her doubts, had given her the confidence to believe in herself . . . because she was worth the effort—something she needed to believe, too.
And ultimately, that day at the carnival, he’d made himself vulnerable by laying himself bare emotionally, confessing his feelings, and risking her rejection.
And that’s exactly what she’d done to Max. She’d let him believe she didn’t want him, that he wasn’t worth the effort, or important enough to fight for. After a week apart, was she too late to change all that?
“Hailey, someone is here to see you,” Brielle said, startling her out of her thoughts as she came into her office.
Hailey turned around from the book shelf she was clearing off, a tiny spark of hope flickering inside her. She had no client appointments scheduled for the rest of the day, and there was only one person she wanted to see right now.
“Max?” she asked, speaking the name out loud.
The look that Brielle gave her was to the point. “No. That’s up to you, remember?”
Hailey winced at her friend’s direct reply, but it wasn’t anything she didn’t already know, or that Brielle hadn’t already said before. Many times. Any change had to come from Hailey, and while she was afraid and nervous that Max might have given up on her after a week of silence, she was coming to realize that their relationship was worth risking her heart.
“I’ll send the person in,” Brielle said without giving a name, then she was gone.
A few second later Max’s mother, Grace, walked into her office, and Hailey’s initial shock was followed by a dozen different thoughts scrambling through her mind. After the scene with Addison at the carnival, and her fake engagement to Max being exposed to his family, she had no idea where she stood with the woman now standing across the desk from her, and Grace’s carefully composed expression didn’t give her a clue, either.
“Mrs. Sterling,” Hailey said, greeting her politely. “How are you?”
“I’m good, dear. My son, not so much,” she said, the hint of sadness in her voice genuine and real. “And didn’t we agree you’d call me Grace?”
Hailey nodded, but she was immediately concerned about Grace’s insinuation that her son wasn’t doing well. “Is Max okay?”
A faint smile touched Grace’s lips as she sat down in one of the chairs in front of Hailey’s desk. “Physically, Max is absolutely fine,” Grace assured her. “But emotionally? I’ve never seen him so upset and unhappy.”
Knowing that she was the direct cause of Max’s misery made Hailey’s chest ache. “I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt him.”
“The only thing hurting him right now is the possibility that he’s lost you for good,” Grace said, surprising Hailey with her reply. “And I’m here because I want to make sure that doesn’t happen, because despite the fact that the two of you perpetuated a fake engagement, I saw for myself at my husband’s birthday party just how much Max cares about you. And now, having seen him this past week, I know without a doubt he loves you.”
Hailey slowly sank down into her own chair, and went to turn the engagement ring on her finger, only to remember that she’d taken it off a week ago. “You’re not angry that we . . . lied?”
“Well, it was definitely a shock to find out the engagement wasn’t real, but I understand why Max did it. I had no idea Addison was so . . . persistent,” she said, and Hailey knew Grace was trying to be diplomatic about the other woman’s personality.
“About Addison, I apologize if this whole situation caused any kind of problems between Douglas and Addison’s father,” Hailey said, because that was something she’d worried about this past week, too. “I know he’s an important client, and Max was concerned that it might hurt their working relationship.”
Grace shook her head. “When it comes to business, men don’t react on an emotional level like women do. Douglas has already reassured me that nothing has changed in his relationship with Tate Brooks. As for Priscilla and myself, well, things are a bit strained because of course she’s going to side with her daughter in all this, but I honestly don’t need that kind of drama in my life.”
Hailey smiled for the first time since Grace had walked into her office, her own relief palpable.
“I should have listened to Max when he told me he wasn’t interested in Addison, but all I wanted was for my son to be happy and settled with a woman who loves him as much as he loves her.”
“I do love him,” Hailey said, the words absolutely true.
Grace smiled, an insightful twinkle in her eyes. “I know you do, and that’s why I’m here. Because the two of you belong together, and it would be a shame for Max to lose the best thing that’s ever happened to him.”
An overwhelming sense of gratitude filled Hailey. Max had an incredible mother, both parents were wonderful, and it really helped to know his family didn’t hold the whole situation against her. Now all she had to do was figure out a way to let Max know she loved him too.
* * *
Hailey arrived fifteen minutes early for her appointment at Premier Realty to sign her loan documents, hoping to get a few moments alone with Max before everything shifted to business.
Hailey stopped at Olivia’s desk and smiled at the other woman. “Hi, Olivia. I know I’m early for my meeting, but I was hoping to see Max first, if possible?”
“Oh.” Olivia’s gaze shifted to the phone on her desk. “Looks like he’s on a call right now, but I can get you seated in the conference room and let him know you’re here and would like to speak to him before the appointment.”
“That would be great. Thank you.”
She followed Max’s secretary to the spacious room and seated herself at the table. With every minute that ticked by, the nerves in her belly increased and she started to overthink the entire situation with Max. What if Olivia told him that Hailey was waiting to talk to him and he wasn’t interested? What if Max changed his mind and decided that she wasn’t worth the effort? What if . . .
She abruptly shut down her depressing train of thought, because she refused to believe that Max would give up on her after only a week’s time. He’d told her that day at the carnival that there wasn’t anything she could say or do to make him feel any differently about her, and ultimately she trusted that Max was a man of his word. But knowing that didn’t make it any easier to sit and wait for him to arrive.
Unfortunately, the escrow officer showed up first, killing any chance that Hailey might have had to speak to Max alone. Max walked in a few moments later. He greeted both of them with a courteous smile, then settled into a chair besides Hailey.
For the next hour, the escrow officer presented her with so much paperwork it made her head spin, and she was grateful that Max was there to explain things more thoroughly before she signed each document. From the tone of his voice, to his mannerisms, to his body language, everything was impersonal and businesslike and straightforward, as if Hailey was just another client and this was just another sale. By the time she finished, her stomach hurt as did her heart.
When it was finally over, the escrow officer shook her hand and told Hailey it typically took a couple of days for the loan to be funded after the signed paperwork was returned to the lender, but if everything went smoothly, she’d have the keys for the Logan Square property in her hand by the end of the week.
Once they were alone, Max turned toward her with a smile she couldn’t quite decipher, but there was no mistaking the weary, tired expression on his face. As if
he hadn’t slept well the past week, and she understood the feeling. But despite all that, he was still gorgeous and the one man who gave her so much hope for the future. For their future together.
“I suppose congratulations are in order,” he said, his dark hazel eyes searching hers as he pushed his hands into the front pockets of his pants.
“Thank you,” she said, and closed the door to the conference room before he could escape and she lost both her nerve, and her chance, to make this man hers.
Then again, she already knew that she was prepared to fight for him, for them, as long and as hard as it took. She was done doubting herself, done questioning if she had what it took to keep a man like Max interested. He’d already proven, more than once, how he felt about her, that he wanted her. The proverbial ball was in her court.
The first words that came to mind were I’m sorry, but she’d been saying that an awful lot lately, and she knew it was time to get past the hurt and blame and say something much more significant and meaningful. Something that would leave no doubt in his mind that she wanted a future with him.
She leaned against the back of the door and looked him in the eyes, her heart expanding with so much emotion she didn’t know how to contain it all.
And so, she didn’t. “I love you, Max Sterling.”
The corner of his mouth twitched, and his head tipped to the side, the faintest hint of humor replacing the uncertainties she’d seen in his gaze. “Are you absolutely sure about that, Ms. Ellison? Because I’ve been waiting an entire fucking week to hear you say those words, and now that you have, I’m not going to let you take them back.”
She bit her bottom lip, and shook her head. “I don’t want them back. I want you. Forever. It just took me a little longer to trust in the emotion.”
With an audible groan, he closed the distance between them, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her so long and hard and deep that by the time he lifted his head again she was dizzy and breathless and unbelievably happy.
The Book Boyfriend Series Box Set Page 33
