Along Came Mr. Right

by Gerri Russell

  “You good?” Max called out after riding over an area covered with cobbled stones.

  Other than the fact that her teeth rattled in her head, Olivia had to agree this was fun. “Yeah, as long as there are no more surprises ahead.” The words had barely left her lips when seven jumps appeared before her, ranging from a minor bump to a gravity-defying curl. With a squeal that was equal parts surprise and anxiety, Olivia opted for the bump.

  Max took the jump in the middle. He sailed through the air, then landed as though he’d performed that jump a thousand times.

  “Do you come here often?” Olivia shouted at him.

  “Never been here before. I wanted to come up with something new.” Pleasure and excitement rang in his voice.

  “Lucky me,” she cried as they came to a series of hills that were composed of dirt, concrete stones, and wooden boardwalk. She tensed through the first two hills, then forced herself to relax as the handling of the bike and balancing over the wheels became more natural.

  The second time around, Olivia took the second jump, which was three feet off the ground. An overwhelming sense of accomplishment moved through her when she landed with both wheels on the ground.

  The next hour and a half passed quickly, and when Max informed her they had to stop in order to pick Paige up on time, Olivia was surprised at the flicker of regret that rippled through her tired and abused muscles.

  Connor met them as they entered the parking lot once again. “How was it?”

  “What a way to challenge yourself on a Saturday morning. Wouldn’t you agree, Olivia?” Max asked as he surrendered his bike to Connor.

  Olivia dismounted. “It was fun,” she admitted, surprising herself. “Next time I’m going to try one of the more challenging jump ramps.”

  Max smiled. “Next time. I like the sound of that.”

  Olivia did, too.

  Exactly two hours later, Max and Olivia returned to the hospital where they had left Paige for her therapy session. Olivia could hardly believe the change in the girl as she slipped into the backseat of the car; Paige was smiling and agreeable.

  “Dr. Fisher is going to have an extra session for us on Tuesday night at seven.” Paige shut the car door and buckled her seat belt. “I can go, right?”

  Olivia and Max shared a look—a startled, what-just-happened look. “Sure,” Olivia said in a hesitant voice. “That sounds great.”

  “What are we gonna do now?” Paige asked in a bright voice.

  Max started the car. “I’m taking you both to lunch.”

  “That would be cool,” Paige said. “As long as we’re home in time for me to do my math homework. The teacher’s kind of a pain when we don’t come to class with our homework done.”

  Max laughed, the sound rich and warm. “We’ll make sure you get home in time so that slave driver of a teacher will be happy with you.”

  “Dr. Fisher told us today that it’s important to express ourselves and our needs. Not to fear losing our personality in the shadow of what others want,” Paige said, parroting back some of what she’d learned today.

  “You okay with lunch then?” Max asked with a smile.

  “Yeah, that’s what I want, too,” Paige joked in response, then put in her earbuds, leaned back, and listened to her music.

  Olivia turned to Max, slightly baffled by the whole exchange. “Paige had a meltdown this morning. Why is she in such a good mood now?”

  “There’s a boy involved,” Max replied with a shrug.

  Olivia gaped at Max. “How can you know that?”

  He smiled. “I’m a teacher. You don’t think I recognize the look of infatuation when I see it on a teenage girl’s face?”

  “A boy? From the therapy session?” Paige had denied having a special boy in her life this morning. “What if he’s a thug?”

  Max chuckled. “She’ll be fine. Most girls her age experience heartbreak and survive.”

  “Oh, God,” Olivia groaned. “Being her mentor is much harder than I expected.”

  “As a teacher, I’ve heard many parents say they eventually figure out how to survive the ups and downs,” Max said, turning his gaze back to the road as they made their way toward restaurants on the Seattle waterfront. “You will, too.”

  The following Monday, Olivia arrived at the school to pick up Paige early since it was a half day for a teacher in-service program. Max had given the teenager the afternoon off from tutoring. He was more than pleased with her progress so far. If her most recent test scores were any indication, Paige would pass all her classes and move on to her junior year of high school.

  In addition to her new good grades, whatever it was that’d had her in such emotional turmoil last week seemed to have vanished. Was it because she was finally starting to have confidence in herself thanks to her new therapy sessions, or did it have more to do with the boy she’d met there?

  Olivia didn’t have to ponder that question long. When she stepped out of her car, she saw Paige standing near the front steps of the school with a boy who could only be that boy. They were holding hands. Paige looked at her as she approached with a too-bright smile that masked a sharp desperation in her eyes.

  Olivia steeled herself as a million scenarios flashed through her mind. “What is it, Paige?”

  “Olivia, this is Brad. The guy . . . ,” she said, raising her brows as though the words clarified everything.

  Then suddenly they did. The guy. The thug. Only he didn’t look like a thug. He looked like your everyday boy next door. But Olivia knew looks could be deceiving. “Oh, Brad.” Olivia held out her hand to the young man. “Nice to meet you.”

  He took her hand and gave it a firm shake. “Nice to meet you, Miss Tyler.”

  Olivia had to give him credit for a proper handshake.

  “Brad asked me to the spring fling dance at our school. I already asked Mrs. Miller and she said yes, but because of our Gals and Pals connection, I wanted to ask you, too. Your opinion is important to me.” The words spilled out, one on top of the other until Paige sagged against the railing at her back.

  Would the surprises ever end? “Isn’t that a dance for juniors and seniors?”

  “Brad’s a junior. Please say yes. We really want to go. Together.”

  Brad grinned sheepishly, although he waited, body tense, for her answer. “I’ve never been to a dance and I’d really like to take Paige.”

  Paige dropped Brad’s left hand and steepled her hands as though in prayer. “Mr. R. is chaperoning. Maybe you could, too. Please?”

  “Sure,” Olivia agreed with a laugh. She’d never seen Paige this excited or this happy. “When is spring fling?”

  “This weekend. On Saturday,” Paige said. “Maybe we can go look for a dress sometime before then?”

  Dress, shoes, a purse . . . all the things Paige didn’t own and would need. Then there was figuring out how girls wear their hair to school dances and all the other things Olivia didn’t know because she’d never been to a dance during her own high school years.

  “All right,” Olivia agreed. Hopefully she and Paige could figure it out together.

  Paige said good-bye to Brad and walked with Olivia back to the car. The sun was out, and despite the chill in the afternoon spring air, the day was perfect for shopping. “How about we go right now and look for a dress?” Olivia asked.

  “Yes! Where are we going?” Paige asked as she slid into the car.

  “How about Nordstrom? Or maybe—” Olivia broke off at the sudden welling of tears in Paige’s eyes.

  “What is it, Paige? What’s the matter? Have I said something wrong?”

  “It’s just that . . .” Paige batted at her cheeks with the back of her hands, wiping her tears away. “It’s been a while since I’ve had new clothes.” An odd thread of tension pulled at her voice. “And suddenly I missed my mom, even though she was the worst parent ever.”

  Unable to do anything more while driving, Olivia reached over and took Paige’s hand. She squeezed he
r fingers. “I understand.”

  “I know you do,” Paige whispered. “Nordstrom, really?”

  “I’m paying for everything you need.” Olivia squeezed the teenager’s hand once more before releasing her fingers. “You’re going to the spring fling dance. You need to look your best.”

  Paige laughed. “Good luck with that. I’m a skinny teenager with big feet.”

  “You’re lovely. Just you wait and see. When I’m done with you, you won’t recognize yourself.”

  “As long as Brad will still know who I am, I’m cool with that.”

  “He’ll know, as will everyone else at the dance.”

  Paige leaned back against the seat with a dreamy smile.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  “Max, what’s wrong?” Annalise asked as they sat in two wrought iron chairs at the front of Borracchini’s Bakery in South Seattle, tasting seven different types of frosting for their wedding cake.

  What wasn’t wrong? He was sitting with a woman he didn’t love, thinking about the woman he did. Max frowned but remained silent while a mother and her two children walked past.

  Judging his silence as more than it was, Annalise reached out and touched his arm. “Isn’t this great?”

  “What are we doing here?” Max asked, staring down at the cake slices in front of him, wondering how he’d let things get this far away from him.

  “We’re finding the perfect cake for our wedding.” Annalise crossed her arms in front of her and gave Max a harsh look. “Why are you being so difficult?”

  He leaned toward her, not bothering to hide his irritation.

  “A fake wedding needs a fake cake.”

  She looked away, but not before he saw a flash of hurt in her blue eyes. It was all for show. He wouldn’t give in to her. Not this time. “This has all gone too far—”

  “Get a grip, Max. We’ll order the cake, then cancel the order. We need to make this look real.”

  “We have to put a stop to this. Today.”

  Annalise shook her head. “I need you, Max. You’re supposed to be my best friend. You promised you’d help me.”

  Max reined in his temper. “I have helped you.”

  “It’s not enough.” She pushed the plate of delicate white cake away from her with a pout. “Daddy’s suspicious.”

  Max swore colorfully but silently to himself. “Then perhaps it’s time to tell him the truth.”

  “He’s not ready to hear it yet.” She directed her tear-filled gaze toward him. “I need just a little more time.”

  Max blew out an exasperated breath. “Will he ever be ready? Maybe it’s time to simply present him with the problem and let things happen.”

  Annalise smoothed her hand over her abdomen. “I’m the one who has everything to lose here.”

  “And this problem is all yours, Annalise. I’m not really part of any of this,” Max said caustically. The look in her eyes held determination, not remorse, as he’d hoped.

  “Yes, I’m at fault here, but it will be the baby who pays. Please, Max, give me more time. I can fix this whole mess, unless you’re prepared to pay me off immediately. I’m sure a million dollars will help me solve a lot of my problems.” Annalise spoke in a calm, matter-of-fact voice.

  “And if I break things off anyway? What will you do?” He knew he shouldn’t have spoken the words, but too late.

  Annalise’s eyes narrowed, and a sly smile curled her lips. “I’ll sue you for the rights to your app, the one I paid for, the one that’s technically mine until you either follow through with your commitment to me or deliver those funds.”

  Max knew in that moment he’d lost the argument again. He didn’t have $1 million to buy his freedom yet. Tamping back his anger, he reached inside his coat and pulled out several sheets of paper. “All of these men are perfect matches for you. Do the first selfless thing you’ve ever done in your life by releasing me from a promise I no longer want to keep.”

  “I can’t. I won’t,” she said, her voice low. Instead of looking at the papers, she turned back to the white cake with Bavarian frosting she’d pushed away earlier. “This is the cake and the frosting I want.”

  He stood, not bothering to hide his disgust. “I don’t have the means to end our agreement just yet. But mark my words, that day will come soon; then I’ll have no reason to continue this charade of a wedding.”

  Annalise’s face paled. “Until then, you will. And even after that, you’ll still take responsibility for my pregnancy, right?”

  “Wrong. If you want a father for your child, I suggest you either contact the real father or pick one of these men to help you.”

  “You don’t mean that.” Shadows haunted her eyes. “Apologize.”

  Max wasn’t about to apologize now, or ever. He headed toward the door. “I’m through with this whole sordid mess.”

  “You can’t leave me here,” she said, a desperate plea in her voice.

  He paused halfway out the door and twisted back to face her. “We took your Rolls-Royce here, Annalise. I’m sure your driver would be happy to take you wherever you want to go. That is what you pay him for.” Saying no more, Max continued out the door.

  “Max!”

  He kept on going. It was time to stop pretending.

  It took Max more than an hour to walk the distance between south Seattle and Belltown until he stood before Olivia’s condo. With each and every step a sense of exhilaration built inside him. He was finally walking away from someone who took away his peace and sanity and toward someone who felt like home.

  Hoping to find Olivia, Max entered her building after getting past her vigilant doorman. He knocked on her door. When she opened, she looked more puzzled than pleased. “What are you doing here?”

  “I was in the neighborhood.”

  She stepped aside, allowing him in. At the sight of her, a burning wave of desire scorched him. What was it about her that made him unable to look at her without wanting to kiss her? To feel her warm body in his arms?

  “I’m glad to see you,” she said, leading him toward the couch. “I was going to call you this evening. There’s something I wanted to ask you.”

  He sat beside her, pleased by the warmth of her greeting. “What’s that?”

  “I need a date to the spring fling dance.”

  He arched a brow. “Is this a weird way of you telling me you’d like to take the Matchmaker test again?”

  “No,” she said with a laugh. “I’m trying to ask you to be my date.”

  “To the spring fling?”

  She nodded. “Brad asked Paige, and since you’ll be there, I thought maybe you’d like some company. And”—she hesitated—“I trust you. If you say you’re not engaged, I believe you. I know we still need to be careful until you can pay back Annalise, but maybe, if we’re careful, we can give old-fashioned dating a try?”

  He let the words pour over him, filter through him. He knew Annalise wasn’t done with him. She would try her best to make things difficult between him and Olivia. If he thought the press was problematic before, he’d best prepare himself for an onslaught now. Annalise controlled the paparazzi. But even the photographers who might chase him couldn’t fault him for chaperoning a dance at the high school where he taught.

  “I’d love to be your date to the dance.” Raising Olivia’s hand, Max placed a kiss on her fingers. He wanted to kiss her on the lips, but if she wanted old-fashioned dating, he could work with that.

  “It’ll be a double date with Paige and her boyfriend, Brad. You were right. There was a boy involved.”

  Max released her fingers. “And he’s not a thug, is he?”

  “He’s a normal boy. In fact, he reminds me a lot of you.”

  Max raised a brow. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “You should.”

  Saturday night, Olivia, Max, Paige, and Brad arrived at the high school gymnasium. As soon as they entered the event, Brad and Paige headed toward a group of teenagers lingering near the sn
ack table.

  A DJ took up the stage area, playing popular songs Olivia recognized from the radio, though the music was hard to hear over the buzz of conversation.

  The big utilitarian space had been converted into a scene from the streets of Paris. “As Time Goes By” read the sign over the doorway. Beneath it a cobblestone pathway drawn on butcher paper led into the darkened space lit only by twinkle lights and old-fashioned street lamps made of papier-mâché. A twenty-foot-tall Eiffel Tower with a serious lean took up one corner of the room. A model of the Arc de Triomphe took up another corner, and balloon arches filled in the spaces in between. Luminescent stars hung overhead.

  “Wow,” Olivia said, turning to Max. “The kids did a splendid job setting the mood for tonight. It feels like we might actually be in Paris.”

  Max looked around the room, then brought his gaze back to hers. “I’m inspired to take you to Paris sometime very soon.”

  “Just how much will you sell your matchmaker algorithm for?”

  His gray eyes filled with humor. “Enough to take us to Paris.” Max took her hand, and Olivia felt a sense of indescribable well-being come over her. He led her to the snack table and accepted two glasses of punch from another teacher who was manning the bowl. He handed a glass to Olivia.

  “What are our duties tonight as chaperones?” she asked.

  He took a sip of his punch before answering. “We keep an eye on the kids, making sure they are all on their best behavior.”

  Olivia sipped her punch as her gaze wandered casually over the crowd. A number of kids were clustered near the Eiffel Tower, waiting to get their pictures taken. A few were on the dance floor. Paige and her date lingered at the edge of a group of kids. Brad casually reached for Paige’s hand. The young girl startled, then smiled, folding her fingers in his.

  Paige looked so much more at ease since she’d allowed Olivia to dye her hair back to its natural brownish-red color. Paige’s transformation had had an effect on Brad as well. The young man couldn’t seem to look anywhere but at her. She was a vision tonight in her short, cobalt-blue dress, with her hair pulled back out of her eyes in an artful arrangement of curls. Her three-inch-heel silver shoes had been a compromise from the six-inch stilettos Paige had wanted.