Who Gets to Marry Max?

by Neesa Hart

  “Silas,” Max said bitingly, “is an incompetent fool.”

  “Silas,” Edward shot back, “had the inside knowledge of you and your company that I needed. Let’s not forget that he was married to that tramp you’re sleeping with.”

  A collective gasp filled the air. Lauren held out a hand toward her father. “Daddy, please.”

  Max’s temper snapped. The same rage he’d felt last night was now pouring through him. “Get out of my house, Fitzwater. The sight of you is making me sick.”

  “By the time I’m finished with you, you’ll be begging me for mercy.”

  Through clenched teeth, Max repeated, “Get out.”

  Edward indicated the file on the table. “Silas gave me everything I needed to prove just what you were up to. It seems your butler’s niece was good enough to fill him in on exactly how, where, and with whom, you like to conduct your shady little business deals. Using that knowledge, Silas gathered enough evidence about you to lock you up for twenty years. Face it, Loden. The day you started thinking with your crotch instead of your head was the day you handed that trollop and her ex-husband everything they needed to screw you.” He smirked. “I hope the roll in the hay was worth it, because I’m going to make you pay for this for the rest of your life.”

  “Get out,” Max roared, his temper now shredded beyond repair.

  Edward scooped up the folder. “I’m leaving all right.” He looked at Lauren. “And you’re coming with me?”

  Lauren looked from Greg to her father, then back again. “No, I’m not. I’m staying with Greg.”

  “Lauren,” Edward took a step forward.

  Max stopped him with an iron-hard grip on his collarbone. “The door is that way, Fitzwater. Use it now.”

  “This isn’t over, you know,” Edward blustered.

  “I’m counting on it.” Max ushered him toward the door. Paul pulled it open, and Max thrust the older man through it. “Take me on if you dare, but you’ll regret it. Don’t make the mistake of thinking otherwise.”

  Paul slammed the door in Edward’s face. Max stared at it for several seconds, struggling to regain control of his temper.

  “I have something to say.” The soft sound of Sidney’s voice struck him like a blow to the head. Max felt his heart stop beating.

  With panic racing through him, he turned to face her. “Sidney—”

  She shook her head slightly. Wearing a pair of dark pants and one of his shirts, she looked almost regal as she confronted them. The blue gown she’d worn last night hung over her arm. “I’m sorrier than I can say that this has happened,” she said quietly. She looked at Lauren. “I’m especially sorry your party got ruined last night.”

  Lauren wiped a tear from her eye. “It’s all right.”

  “It’s not,” Sidney said. “It never should have happened. And if it hadn’t been for me, it wouldn’t have happened.”

  Natalie rose to her feet. “Sidney, that’s not true.”

  “Yes, it is.” She indicated the blue dress. “I can borrow your clothes, Natalie, but not your life. That’s the thing, I guess. I spent most of my marriage trying to be someone I wasn’t. Carter wanted me to be a trophy wife. But I can’t do that, and I don’t want to. I like my life the way it is, and I don’t want to trade it for yours. I—I’ve known most of you for years. My uncle Philip cares about you very much. It’s true, I guess, what Mr. Fitzwater said about Carter’s knowledge of Max. It was heightened because of his marriage to me.”

  Max felt like his temperature was dropping to subzero levels. He had to say something, do something, but he could only stare at her. Sidney flashed him a sad smile. “I guess I was always a little more fascinated with you than I should have been.” She drew a shaky breath. “Anyway, there is one thing I think you all should know. No matter what Carter may have told Mr. Fitzwater, and no matter what evidence he has to the contrary, I can assure you that Max’s interest in Fitzwater Electronics didn’t begin until after the stock started to tumble. Uncle Philip and I had a long talk about it one day.”

  Sidney briefly closed her eyes. “Funny thing about butlers. People think they’re invisible, but the truth is, they generally know just about everything that’s going on. Uncle Philip has always made a practice of listening to Max conduct business—particularly investment business. What better way to build a retirement portfolio than to take stock tips from the best?”

  “It’s true,” Natalie said. “Philip and I discussed it once. He’s always invested in whatever Max thought was sound.”

  Sidney nodded. “Yes. At last count, I think my uncle’s portfolio was worth around one and a half million dollars.”

  Max stared at her. He could feel her slipping away. She glanced at Max again and he almost fell to his knees. “He gives very good advice,” she said. “Anyway, the point of this is that Philip and I often discussed Max’s business affairs. And in this case, I know for a fact that the day Fitzwater stock began to fall was the day Paul and Max had their first meeting about the potential takeover.”

  “It’s true,” Paul said. He looked at Greg. “I can show you the meeting notes.”

  Greg muttered something under his breath. Sidney looked at Lauren again. “I know Max pushed really hard for you and Greg to get engaged, Lauren, but I also hope you’ll believe me when I tell you it’s because he wanted you as his sister-in-law. He confided in me the weekend of the house party that the merger was as good as complete whether you and Greg married or not.”

  Lauren looked at Max. “You didn’t tell us.”

  He shrugged. “It didn’t seem important.”

  Greg glared at him. “Like hell.”

  Sidney kept her gaze on Max. “So, that’s what I know. That, and the fact that nothing Carter Silas says is very trustworthy.”

  Greg swore. “You obviously thought he was trustworthy enough to marry.”

  Max took a step forward. “Damn it, Greg.”

  Sidney shook her head. “It’s all right. Really,” she assured him, then looked at Greg. “Yes, I did. It was a colossal mistake that had colossal consequences.” This time, the look she gave Max showed a world of hurt. “I had no idea you were so intimately aware of all those consequences.”

  “Sidney—” His voice sounded hoarse.

  “I should have known, I guess,” she continued. “It made sense. I just didn’t want to admit that not only had I gotten myself into that mess, but that someone else had to bail me out of it.” She searched Max’s expression. “I was just one more detail for you to take care of, wasn’t I? One more mess you had to clean up.”

  “No.”

  She looked at the group again. “In case any of you failed to realize it, your brother is an amazing man. He’s devoted his whole life to trying to take care of you. And most of the time, he gets condemned for it. Maybe he didn’t always go about it the right way, and maybe it was hard to understand him sometimes, but he never would have done anything to hurt you.” Her gaze turned back to Greg. “No matter what you think.”

  Max felt a shudder rip through his insides. “Sidney, please.”

  She didn’t look at him. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry about what happened last night. I’m sorry about the trouble Carter has caused. I never meant to hurt any of you. Especially not Max.” She glanced at him. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Sidney,” Natalie started toward her, “none of this is your fault.”

  “Yes, it is. I should have known that I was just visiting here. If I’d done what uncle Philip asked me to the weekend of the house party, and simply paid attention to Greg and Lauren, maybe I could have smoothed the way before this happened. I’m sure if uncle Philip had been there, he never would have allowed the confrontation to take place on Saturday night. Greg,” she looked at him, “you’ve been angry with Max ever since. You told me you were. You told me you felt manipulated the night you argued with Lauren—before you knew about Fitzwater.”

  Lauren gasped. “Greg—
”

  “It’s not what you think, Lauren,” Greg said. He gave Max a resentful look. “I just didn’t like having my arm twisted.”

  “I’m sure,” Sidney continued, “that uncle Philip could have handled it better than I did. I was too busy being distracted by Max, wishing for things I couldn’t have, to take seriously the job I was supposed to do. I was supposed to be there to help, and instead, I made the situation worse.” She sighed. “You’ll never know how sorry I am for all of this.” Her voice had dropped to a thready whisper.

  Max couldn’t stand it any longer. He crossed the room to her. “Sidney, listen to me—”

  “Not now,” she whispered. “I need to go home. You need to talk. All of you.” She looked around once more. “And please take my advice. Don’t leave here until you’ve worked this out. I learned from my uncle that family is the most important thing in the world. Sometimes, it’s all you’ve got. You’ll never forgive yourselves if you let this come between you.”

  Max put a hand on her shoulder. “Please don’t leave.”

  She turned to Natalie. “I’ll have the dress cleaned and get uncle Philip to return it to you. Thanks for lending it to me.”

  “God, Sidney.” Max reached for her, but she eluded him.

  “Please take care of Max,” she told them quietly, and then walked out of his life.

  FOUR HOURS LATER, Max stood at the plateglass windows in his apartment, staring at the sheeting rain. He felt hollow. The terrible, aching loneliness he’d lived with for so long was back with a vengeance. Only now, it felt worse—intolerable, even—because he knew what it felt like to love Sidney Grant.

  “Can I get you anything else?” Philip asked from the doorway.”

  “No.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes.” He didn’t turn around, but he sensed Philip’s continued presence in the room. “I want to be alone,” he said firmly.

  “Really?” Philip sounded almost amused.

  Max turned on him with an angry glare. “Really. This isn’t a game, old man.”

  “I know.” His eyes registered deep concern. “I’m well aware of that.”

  Max studied him for long seconds. “Just what in living hell am I supposed to do now? Or was this part of your plan, too?”

  Philip lifted one shoulder in a casual shrug. “I never doubted that the two of you would be volatile. In many ways, she’s as stubborn as you are.”

  “She left me,” he said. The words almost doubled him over.

  “Sure about that?”

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  “Are you certain she left you, or are you merely jumping to conclusions based on what you would have done in a similar situation?”

  “She walked out of my life.” He glared at Philip. “What other conclusion am I supposed to draw?”

  “Has the thought occurred to you that perhaps Sidney merely went home to give your family some time to sort things out?”

  It hadn’t, of course. He didn’t even dare hope for that. “Just where the hell were you when this was going on?”

  “I took the morning off. I thought you and Sidney might enjoy the time alone.”

  Max ground his eyes shut in silent agony. “I see.”

  Philip continued to watch him from the doorway. “I’m sorry I missed the spectacle.”

  Max’s eyes popped open. “Edward is out of control.”

  “I’m certain your lawyers will handle it. You aren’t concerned, are you?”

  “No,” he admitted. “We didn’t do anything unethical or illegal. Edward’s pride is smarting. I could kill him for bringing in Silas. He’s going to feel like a fool when he realizes that Silas has been lying to him.”

  “Carter deserves whatever happens to him because of this. I’m sure Mr. Fitzwater will want, er, compensation for his trouble.”

  “At the least.”

  Philip nodded. “So the dust should settle, then, by early next week.”

  “I think so.” Edward would be effectively defused within days. Whatever Silas had given him, it wasn’t accurate. The entire mess would simply go away. Except, of course, for the mess in his personal life, he mused, which was probably irreparably damaged.

  “Excellent. Just in time for your press conference.”

  Max scowled. He’d forgotten about that. With the Fitzwater deal complete, the AppleTree Toys division of Loden Enterprises had moved forward with its marketing and development campaign. Max was scheduled to introduce the prototype of the animatronic addition to the Real Men collection at a press conference on Wednesday. Now, the thought made him swear. “I forgot about it. I can’t do it.”

  Philip’s eyebrows lifted. “You must do it, if you ask me.”

  “I didn’t. Ask you, that is.”

  “I see you’re feeling surly as ever.”

  “Well, hell yes, I’m surly.” His life was falling apart. Why couldn’t Philip understand that?

  The older man gave him a knowing look. “If I may be so bold—”

  “Oh, for God’s sake, Philip, spit it out.”

  His lips twitched, which Max found incredibly aggravating. “I was going to suggest that if Sidney is really worth the effort to you—”

  “You know damned good and well she is.”

  Philip merely nodded. “Then you may wish to employ that skill you have for strategy and determine how to let her know that. At the moment, my guess is that she’s feeling rather superfluous.”

  “Superflu—Are you serious?”

  “Completely.”

  “That’s insane.”

  “Max,” Philip said patiently, “how many truly rational women do you know?”

  “Good point.”

  “If Sidney feels that her, er, association with you has hurt you in any way, she’ll not come back to you unless you make it clear that having her in your life is more important than the obstacles your relationship presents.”

  “What obstacles?”

  “Don’t be obtuse,” Philip told him. “Whether you like it or not, there’s a grain of truth in Sidney’s concerns. She’s not going to change for you—and you shouldn’t expect her to. But there are lots of Edward Fitzwaters in your circle. It will be difficult for both of you.”

  “I couldn’t care less what people think, Philip. You know that.”

  “I do. But Sidney cares very much what people think of you. She always has. If she suspects that her relationship with you is hurting your reputation, in any way, she won’t come back to you.”

  Max scrubbed a hand over his face in frustration. “There are plenty of women who would be perfectly happy to sully my reputation if they could get their hands on my money.”

  “So there are. I notice you’ve never sulked over one of them.”

  Max shook his head. “Sidney’s different. She makes me feel—”

  “Valued?”

  “Cherished,” he said quietly. “I can’t explain it. She doesn’t want anything from me.”

  “Except your heart.”

  “I don’t have one. Haven’t you heard?”

  Philip’s eyes twinkled. “Then what’s that pain you’ve had in your chest since early this morning?”

  Max hesitated, then nodded. “I didn’t know it was there until she ripped it out of me.”

  “Maybe,” Philip said quietly, “if you ask her, she’ll give it back.”

  Max turned to stare at the rain once more. “God, I hope so.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Stubborn as mules, both of them,” Philip said as he accepted a cup of tea from Gertie. They sat in the kitchen of Max’s Manhattan penthouse. “He’s sulking. She’s crying. And neither of them will make the first move.”

  Gertie clucked her tongue. “You knew it would be difficult.”

  “I did.” He took a sip of his coffee. “But I didn’t plan on them being irrational.”

  Gertie’s warm laugh chased away some of his sour mood. “Good heavens, Philip. You’
ve known Max all his life, and Sidney for most of hers. They’re headstrong and independent, and once the two of them have made up their minds, there’s no talking them out of it.”

  “They’re both miserable.”

  “I know. Max does nothing but brood.”

  Philip sighed. In the three days since Max’s confrontation with Edward Fitzwater, the situation had gone from bad to worse. Max’s attorneys had rapidly dispatched with Edward’s complaints, but both Max and Sidney had refused to make the first conciliatory move toward each other. Sidney had tearfully confided in Philip that she felt her fears had been validated by the fiasco. She could never hope to be anything but a liability to Max.

  Philip had been forced to grit his teeth to keep from delivering a blistering lecture on the folly of believing anything Carter Silas had ever said to her. His own sister, he knew, was more than partially to blame for Sidney’s fears. Since her mother had sent her away, Sidney had heard from her only four times. Despite Philip’s pleas, his sister had turned her back on her daughter. And in the back of Sidney’s mind, the knowledge that her mother had considered her a liability had taken firm root. After her disastrous marriage to Silas, it was only natural that Sidney would fear placing herself in that position again.

  Now, Philip met Gertie’s gaze across the table. “I don’t know what to do,” he admitted. “I’ve always known what to do for her, but now, I’m not sure.”

  “Have you talked to her.”

  “I’ve tried. She won’t discuss it with me.”

  Gertie slid her hand across the table to squeeze his fingers. “You can’t take care of her forever, Philip. You know that.”

  “I do. I don’t like it, but I know it.”

  “You tried. You did everything you could for them.”

  “They need each other.”

  Gertie nodded. “I think so, too.”

  Philip exhaled a slow breath. “I think I’ll go see her today. Maybe I can talk some sense into her.”

  “What about Max?”

  “I don’t know about Max. He seems—preoccupied.”