“Naw, nah,” Max said, waving a disapproving hand. He reached over his shoulder to discard his coffee on the end table, and hers too when she handed it to him. “I don’t want money. I’m not giving up the apartment either. I told him I’d go stay in his stinking house and give this a shot. But I’m not gonna fuck up my life in case this doesn’t work out.”
The guys exchanged looks with each other. Tally wondered if their thoughts were anything like hers. “You have to, man,” Robbie said. “If you don’t throw yourself into this all the way, your old life will always hold you back.”
“I’m guessing that’s why you’re ditching Tal,” Ryan said and the next expression they all bestowed on her was pity. “You want to check out your options.”
She widened her smile to convince them she wasn’t going to fall apart. “Guys, don’t look at me like that. Really, I’m fine.”
“And I’m not ditching her, she’s dumping me,” Max said.
Ok, this was going a weird way. “You guys don’t know what it’s like,” she said and sighed. “The temptation that’s out there…”
“Temptation,” Max said, and she was shifted a little when he rose from his slouch. “You think I’m gonna fuck around on you? You didn’t say that before. Babe, you were sure I’d bang that Blair bitch and she did fuck all for me.”
Tally exhaled. “I don’t mean that. You just… you’re going to have options, like Ryan said. There will be a lot of sexy, classy women throwing themselves at you and I guess… I want you to have the full experience.”
“And you don’t want to lose your job.”
“Is that so awful?” she asked. “Right now, keeping this job is the only way I can still be involved in your life.”
He got snarky. “Or you could keep fucking me, that’s pretty deep in my life.”
There was so much about his new life that he didn’t understand yet. “Being a Stretton mistress comes with all sorts of rules,” she said. “I don’t think it would work for either of us.”
“A mistress,” Mark scoffed. “Our buddy can have a fucking mistress.”
“Yeah, we just call them fuck buddies,” Ryan said, earning himself a laugh. “Guess when a guy has money, even his one-night stands get a title.”
“But hey, MG,” Robbie said, leaning over to poke her shoulder. “You’ll still come by Fitzpatrick’s, right? You’re part of the gang there now.”
He was sweet, they all were, and she hoped that he meant that and wasn’t just being polite. “You have my number,” she said. “And someone mentioned a party tonight, am I invited to that?”
“Sure thing,” Robbie said. “We can grab food first if you want.”
“Definitely,” she said. “I brought a change of clothes last night, so I’ll have an actual planned outfit to wear.” For maybe the first time.
Max drove his fingers into her hair, turning her toward him. “You knew you were coming home with me before you came to the bar last night?”
Busted. She hadn’t known for sure, but given how things usually went between them, she didn’t think it hurt to prepare with some extra panties, being that he did like to steal or rip them from her.
“Maybe,” she said. “We know what happens when you get me drunk in that bar. I thought it was best to be prepared.”
“Yeah, and I guess we’re all going to be on Tally duty from here on out,” Ryan said. “When Max is out of the picture, you’ll be fair game, girl. The guys are going to be lining up.”
“Out of the picture?” Max asked, offended and confused. “I’ll still be at the bar.”
That earned the biggest laugh of the day so far. Tally patted Max’s chest as Mark spoke. “Yeah, buddy, I doubt that. You’ll be off in your fucking mansion, drinking champagne, lining up sluts to fuck—sorry, Tal—” She dipped her head in a nod of acceptance and smiled. “You’re not coming back here.”
“Now that he’s rich, we should bet him on that. Squeeze out a few cents for the old neighborhood,” Robbie said. “One billion or two?”
They laughed. Max looked pissed, but they were right and that was how sure they were that he wouldn’t be coming back to this apartment or Fitzpatrick’s. Max was going up in the world and the rest of them would be left behind. It was nice that his friends were embracing this and weren’t expecting to be rewarded or being resentful.
“I’m not leaving the planet, just the neighborhood,” Max said, his snit getting hotter.
“Yeah, for a goddamn mansion,” Ryan said.
“Tal lives there now,” Max said.
She laughed and pulled another lump of bagel from the bag on her lap. “Yeah, in staff quarters,” she said. “It’s not quite the same thing.”
Robbie held up a hand. “Oh hey, if Max is keeping this place, we’ll have a permanent crash pad for you, Tally. You’ve got a key, right? One of us has a spare somewhere, we’ll get you it.”
How would she feel about sleeping in Max’s apartment without any prospect of sharing it with him? “Need to make sure Andy and his crew don’t know she’s up here alone though,” Ryan said. “He was muscling in last night. He’ll be the first to make a play.”
“But she’ll be single,” Robbie said. “She can fuck who she wants.”
Though that was true, she still had her tastes. “Not Andy,” she said, screwing up her face. “It felt really weird having him on top of me last night.”
“ ‘Cause you’re not used to it,” Ryan said. “Rob’s right. We’ll get used to seeing you with whoever… We’ll come up with a signal for if you need help.”
“Trey’s cute,” she said.
“And a business owner,” Robbie said, nodding like he approved.
“And a felon,” Ryan said.
“Ha, what the liquor board don’t know…”
“He hasn’t been in prison for years,” Mark said. “Yeah, he’s a good guy, and if they hook up, we might see Tally working the bar.”
“Ha, turnover would explode, Fitzpatrick’s would be standing room only.”
Glancing around as they laughed, she fixed on Max who was scowling at her. Tossing the bagel bag to the table, she turned to press her chest to his torso and touched her mouth to his.
“Our time isn’t done yet,” she whispered on his lips.
Max tipped his head back. “Ok, guys,” he called out. “We’ll see you at the bar later. Me and my girl need some alone time.”
“You can’t kick them out,” she said and sat up straight.
But the friends were already shaking hands and bumping fists with Max, each man kissed her cheek and then a minute later, she and Max were alone.
“I don’t want you sleeping with anyone else,” he said as soon as the door was closed.
Tally should’ve known the eviction of his friends was about more than them being alone. “Max,” she whined and pushed off him to get to her feet.
“I know, it’s hypocritical, you’re telling me to screw my way through all the daughters and nieces of society’s elite and I’m telling you to stay faithful, but—”
“It’s ok,” she said, crouching beside him. “It’s weird now, but believe me, once you get into the swing of the parties and get to know the women, it won’t be a big deal. You’ll forget about me, and the guys, and Fitzpatrick’s.”
Shaking his head, he shifted to open his thighs around her crouched form and doubled to cup her face. “I won’t forget. I don’t want to forget.”
“You heard how happy they were for you,” she said. “I told you they would be, didn’t I? That’s what I was talking about in the bedroom that time you accused me of using guilt as a motivator. I wasn’t. I just knew that your friends would want this for you. Just like you’d want it for them if it arrived on their doorstep.”
He exhaled, and she could feel his frustration. “I feel like… there’s this choice, either I go and work hard to really make this work for every person like me, the guys who have worked their whole lives and just never got a break. Or I stay…�
��
“And?”
“Marry the woman I love.”
Her heart slowed but only because it was overwhelmed. She didn’t know what to say. The man she loved was offering to fulfil her dream. A selfish part of her wanted to leap into his arms and say yes. But the practical part, the part she’d always been taught to embrace, took a deep breath.
Shifting onto her knees, Tally pushed her hands to his thighs to rise and kiss him. Stroking his face, she tried desperately to keep her tears at bay. “I’m not enough, Max,” she whispered. “If you give this up for me now, you’ll resent me in the long run. We’ll be fine and in love for a few months, maybe a few years, then we’ll start to struggle financially, and we’ll argue. We’ll forget about how we used to play in Fitzpatrick’s, or it won’t be as important anymore, and we’ll grow to hate the sight of each other.”
“Because if I give up this opportunity, you have to quit your job to be with me?”
“Blair already asked me if I thought you trusted me. I don’t want to be used against you. I don’t want us to be played off each other. If I’m still there and you’re not… they’ll blame me, and my life would be hell.”
“And you don’t trust me to look after you?”
“I don’t want you putting that pressure on yourself,” she said. “You go out to work all day and I’m left home alone and bored.”
“You can work, you’ll find another job.”
“Without a reference? If I don’t declare my history with Teddy, I’ll have to explain a huge career break. It will make employers suspicious,” she said. “I can’t even say I was raising kids.”
“Then we’ll have a kid,” he said, skimming his hands up and down her arms. “Anything you want, baby.”
She couldn’t believe they were really talking about this. It made no sense to give up all relationships with his family and all chances of inheriting a fortune just because they were infatuated with each other.
“You’re scared. That’s all this is. You said your mom wanted you to take him for everything you could. You’re doing this for her and for the guys.”
“So why can’t I get you out of my mind?” he asked. “If this is such a great idea, why am I so focused on losing you? I don’t even think about the money, babe. I know, it’s weird, but I… you’re what I think about.”
But, it made sense to her. “It’s abstract, that’s why,” she said. “Once you get there and see what this money does for you, then you’ll begin to understand and everything else will fade away. Put it this way, you’ll never know unless you try, right? What’s the worst that can happen? You have your apartment to come back to, and the guys will give you a job.”
“But you,” he said. “How long will you wait? How long before some other guy steals you from me?”
Going by her track record, she only had a boyfriend once or twice a decade, so the odds were good that she wouldn’t be hooking up for a while, not for a long while. Certainly, Max would be rolling in the hay with other women before she even looked at another guy.
Smiling, she kissed him again. “Didn’t we say we weren’t going to talk about this? This is our time to enjoy each other.”
Leaning forward, he hooked her thighs and stood up, wrapping her legs around him. “You’re right, Boss, sorry,” he said and carried her to the bedroom to fall on the bed, cradling her beneath him. “I’m taking advantage of you as often as I can… while I still can.”
And that was what she needed him to do because there were no promises to be made. Neither of them could predict what would come next for them. This was their time. The last time they had left.
The alarm began to buzz on Monday morning and then it stopped. When Tally blinked open her eyes, she saw Max’s face on the pillow beside hers, just an inch away.
“You didn’t hear that,” he whispered, picking hair from her cheek to tuck it away with her other locks. “It’s just a dream, go back to sleep, baby.”
Her voice was weak from sleep. “It’s Monday.”
“Shh,” he said, stroking his fingertip on her cheek. “No, just close your eyes.”
But they were already watering. “I’ll never wake up with you again.”
“Shh, baby.”
But when he pulled her close into his body, she sobbed and breathed him in. They had to do this. They knew it would be impossible to be together when they were employer and employee, and she wouldn’t fit in as an equal of the Strettons; she didn’t want to.
But as she closed her eyes again and let her tears flow free, Tally promised herself that she would never settle for a love less than this one.
Max had given her so much, more than she could express to him, and the least she could do was bow out of his life quietly.
FIFTEEN
Blair had been a pillar for Max. In addition to Teddy’s only female confidante, Max was dating two other women. Tally made a real effort not to keep tabs on his love life. Being without him was hard enough without having to listen to every salacious rumor whispered around the Estate about him. But, it was difficult to be ignorant when everyone was fascinated by this new, secret Stretton family member.
It had been six weeks since he’d moved into the mansion and other than a few minor hiccups, she heard through the grapevine that he was doing well fitting in. Max had his own assistant, Mandy, who hated her, and he was driven to the office every day. There was always someone with him to guide him… and keep tabs on him.
The fact that the Stretton social calendar was full made it impossible for them to have any contact, which was probably for the best. Teddy wanted to show off his new heir. Keeping busy distracted the Stretton’s from dealing with actual issues like their familial relationship or Teddy and Kimmy’s grief.
Tonight, there was a function at the Stretton Estate. Kimmy had planned two for the month ahead. This one was a memorial for her mother; the family had started another charity in Laura’s name. Tally didn’t need to be at the party itself but was on the side-lines just in case someone needed something, so she had to make herself presentable.
In a black square-neck dress, she had a loose chain belt around her waist and her cell phone in her hand. Given that she was on call, she remained in the hallway at the top of the stairs, watching the rich and beautiful arriving at the house. Standing just at the edge of the upstairs bannister was her favorite spot. Hidden by the hallway wall, she could peek around and watch Max greet guests.
He, Teddy, and Kimmy stood with their backs to the stairs, shaking hands and speaking to guests as they arrived. Their dates stood with them. Max was with a blonde tonight, Anika. He seemed to have developed a thing for blondes in the last six weeks.
This woman was the daughter of a Stretton family friend. The couple had been out a few times; it was a good match. Tally said that in her head to remind herself this was what she’d expected to happen, but it still made her sick to think about his hands on Anika in the way they’d once been on her.
People always lingered with Max, he was the draw of society at the moment. Some judged this illegitimate child and his elevated position in the family. Some even spoke about him being favored over Kimmy and Heath, who was not enjoying the competition at all.
Her cell vibrated in her hand. Confused, she glanced down at the device. Given that she was on call for Teddy, and she was looking at him, it was impossible for him to be the one on the other end of the line, though he could have instructed someone else to call her.
“Hello?” she asked, answering the number that didn’t come attached to a name. The line was open, but no one said anything. “Hello? Who is this?”
“I know this is probably a bad time, but I need a favor.”
Surprise struck her. “Robbie?” she asked.
Tally had seen the guys, but Max hadn’t. He called a few times in the first week, but his calendar filled so fast that he’d had no time to breathe. His friends were disappointed, but not surprised, and she talked him up every chance she got. The last
thing she wanted was him losing friends.
“Yes, I… Tally, I need your help.”
Ok, so she had a new priority for the night. Whatever Robbie needed, she was going to make sure he got. “Tell me what you need.”
Another pause. “We need something from Max.”
Her mouth opened as she whipped around to look at Max, who was still at the bottom of the stairs with his back to her. “He’s with… people,” she whispered.
“Yeah, I figured. Look, it’s not him we need. It’s something he has… something he had. I don’t know if he’s still got it. But if he doesn’t, Bobby’s fucked.”
“Okay, slow down, what’s going on?” she asked, wondering how she’d pull Max away discreetly while he was the center of attention. “Where are you? I can tell Max—”
“No, he can’t know. This is… it’s not his concern anymore, you know? If he finds out about this, he’ll go postal. We don’t want to fuck up this good thing he’s got going, you know?”
Narrowing her eyes, she stepped back into the shadow. “What kind of trouble are we talking, Robbie? Are you in danger? Where are you?”
“We’re here, at the place, this fancy fucking house,” he said, and her mouth dropped open. They were on Estate grounds! “By the fountain thing with the weird wing thing on it.”
That was in the courtyard and far from where the guests would be arriving. “How the hell did you—”
“We were going to break-in. We called Cindy, she gave us directions, but… fuck, there’s this party and there’s fucking security everywhere.”
Tally knew little about Cindy’s affair with Teddy, but it stood to reason if it was more than a one-night stand, Cindy had been here and might remember her way around the place.
But, that wasn’t what was sending Tally into a daze. “You were going to break in?” she hissed. “Are you nuts? If Teddy found you, he’d have called the cops. Hell, you could’ve been shot! Why didn’t you call me?”
“Because it’s not your fucking mess either, Tal,” he snapped. “If Max knew I was involving you in this shit, he’d—”
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