WRAPPED: The Manhattan Bound Series, Book Two

by Juliet Braddock

  “Well...what’s this all about?”

  “Just thanking Maxine for coming this weekend,” Declan said and winked at Maxine. “Now, listen to your mother—go have some fun here!”

  “Come on, little one,” Drew said, stealing back her hand. “Time to go play with the photographers...”

  “James Andrew McKenzie,” Jeffrey’s voice warned, “I do not like the sound of that. Maxine, I will remind you that you are under my employ…”

  “And under my spell for the evening,” Drew said. “Don’t listen to him!”

  Drew was on a mission, and Maxine knew full well that she couldn’t stop him. Giggling all the way—and sandwiched right between the two old friends—she felt as if she had an angel on one shoulder and the Devil himself on the other.

  Drew’s strides were long, only quickening as he tried to escape, leading Maxine so carefully through the masses. Every time he looked behind him to check on Maxine, even though he clutched her hand with all of his might, that smile was almost roguish.

  “Wanna clue us in here, Mack?” Jeffrey said, pounding alongside them.

  “I’m doing my duty and I’m paying a visit to the press tent,” he said. “And showing off my date.”

  “You’re ready to announce your relationship to the world?” Jeffrey asked. Oh, his undies were in such a bundle with Drew’s precarious behavior.

  “Oh, shit...Drew...” Maxine groused. “We can’t!”

  “We can and we are...”

  “Is this a part of my humiliation training?” she questioned from the side of her mouth as they made it outside into the fresh night air at last. “Are we playing right now?”

  “Oh, I’m playing,” he said, “but not with you this time, little one...”

  If Jeffrey heard that last bit of banter, he chose to ignore it. Shit, he knew people on the other side of those cameras. He didn’t need to have Drew pissing off the immediate world.

  “Mr. McKenzie!”

  “Hey, Mack—over here...!”

  The flashbulbs illuminated, blinding the three of them before they’d even stepped inside the makeshift pressroom. It was hot and crowded, and tempers were flying. These damn societal events, Jeffrey thought to himself, always dredged out the most cantankerous creatures in the media world. They were like vultures preying upon a wounded sparrow. This was the part of his job that he loathed the most. And dammit, if Drew didn’t seem to have plans to make their lives just a little more difficult that evening.

  All they really needed to do was stand in front of the sponsorship wall and pose. However, Drew was ready to address some questions that evening.

  “Just follow me,” Drew said and wrapped his arm around her to guide her through. “I’ve got this covered. And don’t trip on me like you did at that last event. I don’t want that to be the headline.”

  “Mack—look here. Look here...”

  “No, to the right—over to the right...”

  “Will you be singing tonight? Or saving your voice for Sunset Boulevard?”

  “Mr. McKenzie, is that the woman you were spotted with in the park?”

  When Drew opened his mouth to speak, Maxine halted; she could only imagine the captions in the papers the following morning.

  “Sure is,” Drew answered.

  “What’s her name? What do you call yourself, little lady?”

  “Her name is...” Drew stopped, making his pause oh so pregnant just to startle Maxine a bit, then said, “Penelope...Penelope...Lynn...Merry...weather...”

  “Penelope! Look here! Over here!”

  Those photos were going to be absolutely horrific, but Maxine couldn’t stop herself from laughing.

  “Can you spell your last name, Miss…?”

  “Oh, it’s M-E-R-R-Y,” Maxine chimed in, hoping that Drew was about to split his gut as he struggled to maintain his own composure.

  Meanwhile, at the exit, Jeffrey’s face colored like a beet. A gasket was about to blow. He could feel his breaths coming shorter and shorter. Panic overwhelmed him. He didn’t want to know what they might say next. Damn those two!

  “Penelope—tell us about yourself!”

  “Where do you work?”

  “K-mart,” Drew said nonchalantly.

  “K-mart!” Jeffrey coughed and poked his head outside the tent. Air. He needed air. Oh, he should have known better! Now they were about to piss off a major corporation!

  “I’m dying right now,” Drew whispered out of the corner of his mouth. “And I fear that Jeffrey’s already dead. Let’s make a run for it, little one...”

  “Penelope—one more! Are you two dating? Engaged? What’s the story? How’d you meet?”

  Away he swept her once more, carrying her through the darkness and scooting away from Jeffrey as quickly as his legs would carry them both. Once they managed to find a somewhat secluded area of the property, Drew helped her to stand and then collapsed against a tree, laughing so hard that he simply couldn’t catch his breath.

  “Penelope?” Maxine cackled moving ever closer. “Penelope?”

  “Oh, K-mart is going to hate our guts in a couple of hours...” Drew managed at last. “And I’m sure Jeffrey already does. But if nothing else, I think we just sent those hounds on a wild goose chase for a while...Penelope darling...”

  Slithering up toward Drew as he stood against the tree, Maxine reached up and nudged his face toward hers in the darkness. “That was fun,” she admitted, smooching just enough to tint his mouth with her mauve lipstick. “I love it when you're silly...”

  “Back to you, little one. You make me smile.” He rubbed his thumbs against her cheeks, stroking her skin so delicately. However, just as he was about to steal one more kiss, interruption presented itself again.

  Huffing and puffing, Jeffrey made it up the hill, bitching and bellowing all the while.

  “How fucking dare you, dumbass?” he wailed to Drew. “Fuck, they’re going to be out to get us all at D & D when this breaks. Now, I’ve got to explain this one away. How about you just met her tonight…and she said that she got her dress at K-mart, when you thought she said she worked at K-mart? No. That doesn’t work. You said it. Shit! And I have to fess up that she works for me! Oh, where the hell is Jillian when I need her most?”

  “How about a drink, Mr. Dawson?”

  “You know, Jeffrey, I find that saying fuckballs really loud often releases a lot of tension…”

  “I’m gonna give you both a drink and some fuckballs…”

  “Just don’t fire her, Jeffrey…” Drew said and offered Maxine his arm to escort her back down the lawn as she carefully lifted the gown of her dress. Luckily, she’d chosen thick heels that didn’t sink within the grass.

  “Oh, I’m gonna fire you, Mack—as a client!” Jeffrey said, endeavoring to keep up with them after his rather hurried rush up that fucking hill. “You hate the press. You never say a word, just to keep your privacy. And suddenly, you decide that tonight is the perfect time to play cat-and-mouse with them?”

  “Jillian will never allow you to get rid of me,” Drew observed. “Neither will my girlfriend…or my mother!”

  Pulling his hair, Jeffrey nearly skidded in his slippery patent lace-up spectator shoes. “Do I go back in there and explain your stupid ass? Or do I let the circus begin?” Jeffrey continued to fret. “You’re getting a bill from me, Mack. I wasn’t planning to work this evening. You know I charge by the hour! And we’re on overtime!”

  “But Penelope here so generously gives me her time for free!” Drew taunted.

  For once in his life, he just didn’t give a rat’s ass. In fact, he was rather relieved that he’d announced their relationship to the world. No more hiding. Even though he still had a few little white lies to explain.

  “Now, little one, back to business just for a little bit. I have another surprise in store...”

  # # #

  Before the meal was served, there were a few speeches—from the members of the board and from the administrat
ors—all offering glowing remarks pointing to Maggie’s selfless dedication and to her ability to balance her own life and family alongside her mission. Their heartfelt words of Maggie's work stuck with Maxine. She was just such a gentle soul all around, and Maxine hoped that in the coming weeks she'd have the chance to get to know her better.

  When Maggie took to the microphone herself to offer a thanks to each and every person in the room, there was no greater pride in her work than that which poured forth from the McKenzie’s table. Maxine took note of the timeless love that consumed Declan’s focused eyes as he listened to his wife’s speech. She’d often seen that same look in her dad’s eyes when he’d looked at her mother, and the notion filled her with warmth. Likewise, for Drew and Adam. They didn’t just love her as their mother—they admired her as a person. And both Maggie and Declan hoped that her efforts would carry on throughout the generations.

  When Maggie returned to the table, she embraced them with a kind word for all. Now, all she could do was hope for a successful event.

  Maxine had also noticed a transformative shift in Drew’s mood. The silly, carefree boy who lied to the press just an hour ago had disappeared into the shadows, had transcended into a man focused on his work for the evening. She found it quite ironic that it was he who refused to eat, but he preferred to sing on an empty stomach. He’d made everyone at the table nervous with his careful watch of the time on his phone, too.

  Just before dessert was served, though, Drew swiped a quick kiss from her lips as he stood from the table. “Showtime, Penelope…”

  Caressing his cheek then giving it a tender pat, she whispered, “Break a leg, Kind Sir.”

  With a wink, he said, “You’re my good luck charm…”

  Maxine’s eyes never left him as he meandered his way through the tables, trying to quickly but graciously address everyone and anyone who tugged on his tux jacket to say a quick hello.

  “Crap!” Adam said suddenly as he bounced from his seat and nearly spilled his beer when he tipped the table. “I gotta go introduce him. Enjoy the show. And you still owe me a dance tonight. Maybe sometime after Lorna!”

  Naturally Jeffrey and Ben took advantage of the open seats on each side of Maxine. Aunt Frannie’s nurse had her covered for the moment. They certainly didn’t want her wandering off like she had the previous year. Eventually, they found her in the basement bar at the main house with the last bottle of Sherry in her hands. However, having served on the search committee, Jeffrey didn’t want a repeat performance. He’d already suffered enough stress that evening at the hands of Drew.

  In truth, Maxine was quite surprised that Drew actually allowed his brother to introduce him. She had no idea what he might say, and she found herself a bit anxious for Drew’s sake. While Adam was certainly a funny guy, she could easily spot that he was one to take a prank too far, and that troubled her. She almost wanted to bite her nails, but she didn’t dare chip that perfect French manicure she’d had that afternoon with Maggie.

  Yet when Adam stepped on stage, she’d noticed a sudden change in his demeanor as well. For the first time since she’d met him a mere twenty-four hours ago, he bore a serious look upon his face. If she dared to think about it, Adam almost didn’t seem like himself.

  When he took the microphone, Maxine discovered a presence in him that she hadn’t noticed before—thoughtful and commanding but jovial. That was the man who led several start-ups to success, not the frivolous dude in Birkenstocks and white socks who terrorized his family with horrible jokes.

  “I know you’re all anxiously awaiting my big brother’s performance here this evening,” Adam began, “but I just have a few more words to impart to everyone before he makes his grand entrance…”

  “Is that really Adam?” Ben leaned over Maxine to ask Jeffrey.

  “He’s actually quite good at this sort of thing,” Jeffrey answered. “Listen…”

  “First off, as you know, The McKenzie Foundation for Missing and Exploited Children began with a woman’s plea to find her own son. That woman was my mother, Margaret McKenzie,” he continued. “My brother was taken from her arms, literally, from the hospital…never to return to her until many years later. But Drew was one of the lucky ones. Far too many children won’t ever find their way home. And many families just don’t have the means to engage in costly searches and continued efforts to find their loved ones. Those children…and sometimes adults…who are reunited with their families…require so much more than the love that brought them home.

  “I know this with my own family. My brother was broken. There were days when my parents wondered if he’d ever have a fighting chance to sustain an ordinary life after his experience. However, they refused to give up on him. With their love—their nurturing—and intense support of therapists and doctors and educators in our community, my brother received that second chance at life.

  “While my parents pulled out a gallant effort to find my brother, my mother envisioned helping other families who didn’t have the means or connections to seek help. When Drew was taken from us—and I say ‘us’ even though I wasn’t even yet born—missing children were a mere afterthought. Today, a missing child is the lead story on the national news. People post their photos on social media. There are alerts and search teams at the ready. Thirty-two years ago, when the world wasn’t so technologically or conscientiously savvy, families had nowhere to turn.

  “However, those costs to find a missing loved one can add up. Quickly. Families can find themselves in debt in no time, with no guarantee of a positive outcome. And then…then…there are the rehabilitation efforts that must be in place if that child returns home. As I said, every kid deserves that chance. And I’m so very thankful that my brother had his.

  “But tonight…we honor that grand lady, Maggie McKenzie, and her lifelong efforts to help other families who face similar situations that we endured. And before I bring that brother of mine on stage, I just want to say that for every single dollar donated this evening…I will personally match it, buck for buck…”

  Without thought, Maxine stood from her seat, igniting the round of thunderous applause that rippled throughout the tent. Tears stung in her eyes—for Drew, for their family as a whole, for others who had the same battle to fight—and while she trembled, she discovered a new admiration for the McKenzies all over again.

  Ben slipped his arm around her waist, and Jeffrey followed suit. All of the stupid madness with the press and the battle over Aunt Frannie and Adam’s thoughtless shenanigans seemed moot at that point. They were all there for one reason, and that was to support this wonderful family in their determination to help others.

  “Don’t cry, Cap,” Ben held her tighter. He almost felt as if they were back at Judy’s funeral, and he was holding her up over the casket.

  “I love you, Ben,” she said to him. “I love you. Remember that.”

  Even Jeffrey couldn’t stop himself from crying. The friendship that Ben and Maxine shared was an extraordinary one. He quite liked that young gent and seeing the goodness within Ben through Maxine’s eyes just reinforced every emerging emotion he harbored.

  The McKenzies brought a lot of good too many lives, and with Maxine at his side, Jeffrey was confident that Drew could continue on with that legacy.

  “So…now that we’ve taken care of business…” Adam began, raising his voice in the microphone to settle the audience. “…I present to you…the one and only…Drew McKenzie. Do us proud, bro!” With that he raised the beer he’d been holding since he stepped on that stage and made his exit so that Drew could take over.

  No one would have ever guessed that he’d panicked for days over his set as Drew slapped on that smile and reached for the mic. For Drew, aside from sex, there was no greater rush than the response of a live audience. On stage, he was at home. He thrived upon the immediate reaction, the sound of the applause, the cheers. Occasionally, he caught the occasional grumpy groans, and once in a while, people booed. However, he wouldn’t
trade his stage work for a film career for anything.

  And Maxine couldn’t shake the feeling that she was twelve all over again, seeing a very young Drew on stage for the very first time. She was that fangirl once more, swooning in her seat before he even opened his mouth to sing.

  Honed to perfection, his glorious tenor voice filled the room like the smooth sounds of a saxophone, breezing through the standards “Teach Me Tonight” and “Witchcraft.” While she wanted to think that he was signing every single lyric to her personally, Maxine knew those were two songs that Drew always performed in his cabaret show, but she could pretend. When he stopped to take a breath and introduce his pianist and dear Lexi Tate, a longtime colleague who volunteered her time to sing back up, he also thanked the audience. He then dedicated a song to his parents, Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes off You.”

  From there, he carried on with some jazzy showtunes—“When I Get My Name in Lights” from the colossal flop Legs Diamond and Grand Hotel’s “Who Couldn’t Dance with You” in duet with Lexi. Disappointment struck Maxine when he stopped to chat with the audience again. She could have easily sat and listened to him sing all night.

  “So…I have one more song for someone very special to me,” Drew began, and Jeffrey nudged Maxine with his elbow to her ribs. “There’s a sweet little lady who’s not been in my life for long, but I hope she sticks around for a while. And every day she reminds me that I’m a better, stronger person just by her presence alone. Maxine, my little one, this one is for you…from the world’s longest-running musical…”

  Everyone at the surrounding tables turned suddenly to try to see her face in the darkness, but Maxine couldn’t move…couldn’t react. So stunned and touched, she could feel the tears filling her eyes. Her mouth just gaped in awe as the pianist began to play the intro that familiar song, the keys twinkling as Drew took a breath.

  “Try to Remember,” the almost haunting love ballad from The Fantastics, bore all of the emotion of a new young love budding in the early autumn, brimming with memories that would be cherished long into the depths of a dark and cold winter. For Maxine, the song conjured the images of those three smoldering weeks of discovery they’d spent together. That single song encapsulated their entire relationship so far with promises of remembrances to come.