by Remy, Cate
“Congratulations.” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You worked hard to get it.”
“I don’t have it yet.”
“Oh.” He heard disappointment in her tone.
“I still need the papers to sign, and I’d like for you to be there for the groundbreaking ceremony in Harper.”
“I see.”
He shut down his laptop. “You’re stuck with me for just a little longer.”
She pressed her lips together and glanced at the breakfast bar where hotel patrons waited in line for pancakes. “Max, I was wrong for what I said last night. I know all rich people aren’t bad. I was thinking about Jordan when I said it. He cared more about making money than he did about Raymond.”
Now her reaction made sense. He couldn’t blame her one bit. “Say no more. Jordan never was the sharpest tool in the shed. No offense to you.”
“None taken.”
“What are you doing up early?”
“Getting tea and oatmeal. I want to take Raymond sightseeing in Times Square before we fly out tonight.”
“I’ll come with you. We can tour Broadway. I know a wax museum Raymond would enjoy. There’s a great blues club we can go to for lunch after-” Max stopped talking. It dawned on him how he was inserting himself into Angie’s plans. Perhaps she wanted some time alone. “I mean, that is, if you hadn’t planned on it being a mother-son day out.”
“You know your way around the city better than we do. Raymond would really like to have you come with us.”
What about Raymond’s mother? He didn’t ask aloud because he assumed he knew the answer. “Let me change and meet you both down here in an hour.” He began packing up his laptop.
“Hey, Max?”
He looked at her. “Yeah?”
She studied her Nikes for a second, then raised her chocolate brown eyes to his. “I heard you talk about your father. I think he’d be proud of you.”
Her sweet smile made him feel warm inside. “Thanks, Angie.”
He took the elevator upstairs, thinking of what she said on the way up to his floor. Maybe his father would be happy to know he was about to get the land deal. He just wouldn’t be proud to know his son resorted to using a fake fiancée to accomplish the goal. Max sighed as the elevator made a stop on a different floor. Angie was strong and kind. She took care of her family. What did he care about, his father’s legacy or his own reputation?
* * *
After seeing the bright lights on Broadway and walking through the busy, beating heart of Times Square, Angie understood why some considered New York City to be the center of the Earth. The city had its own rhythm. She appreciated Max giving her and Raymond a guided tour, even though she was reluctant to have him go with her and her son at first.
Hours later, with the day of sightseeing behind them, it was time to board the private jet back to Atlanta. Raymond fell asleep soon after the plane took off. His nanny thumbed through a magazine.
Angie smiled across at Max. “Ray is worn out. He had so much fun.”
She saw a tender expression cross Max’s face when he looked at her son. “I’m glad he had fun touring Times Square and Broadway. Did you?”
“I did, especially Broadway. I’ll never be at that level, but it made me want to get into theater again for fun.”
“You never know.” He focused his gaze on her face. “Do you think you’d like living in a big city?”
“If my grandmother had a good doctor and my son got into a nice school, I would.”
“You really care about them. I like how you put them first.”
“They’re my family and I love them. What else would I do?”
Max shifted in his seat and reached for his headphones. With everyone asleep, reading, or listening to music, Angie faced the window to look at the clouds beneath the plane. They must have had a relaxing effect because she soon dozed off and woke up when Max tapped her on the shoulder.
“We landed.”
She retrieved her carry-on. Max offered to personally drive her and Raymond home to Harper. She declined, but Raymond wanted to ride in the Jaguar. A little over an hour later, they cruised into the outskirts of town.
“You’re putting a lot of miles on this car with trips between Atlanta and your hometown,” she said.
Max acted like he didn’t care. “I like driving. It relaxes me.”
“Driving with a lead foot is relaxing?”
“Haha. I’m making sure to go the speed limit with you and Raymond in the car.”
She took out her phone. She called her grandmother an hour ago after the plane landed. This time, she sent a text saying they were about fifteen minutes away. Angie looked forward to sitting in the living room and hearing how her grandmother’s weekend went.
“Mom, can I stay home from school tomorrow?” Raymond asked.
She turned to view him in the backseat as he played a handheld video game. “Why?”
“I want to stay home and play with the souvenirs you and Max bought me.”
At least he was honest. “I don’t think so. You’ll have plenty of time to go through your souvenirs after school.”
Raymond grumbled. Angie thought she heard Max chuckling under his breath. She stole a glance at him. The chuckling stopped.
They reached Angie’s street. Red and white lights flashed at the end of the block. Her heart began to pound. “Max, are those ambulance lights?”
“It looks that way.” He drove closer.
She saw she was right. It was an ambulance, and it was parked right in front of her grandmother’s driveway. Her blood ran cold. The ambulance’s wheels turned and it moved up the road, past the Jaguar. The driver turned on the sirens at the end of the street.
The assistant nurse Max hired for Angie’s grandmother came out of house. She hurried straight to the Jaguar. “Angela, your grandmother said she felt dizzy this afternoon. I called the ambulance after I took her blood pressure. It was high.”
“What’s wrong with G.G.?” Raymond began crying in the backseat.
Angie tried to soothe him. “She’s going to the doctor. They’re going to take care of her.”
“I want to see G.G.” Tears streamed down his face.
“I’ll drive you to the hospital.” Max put the car in reverse to back out of the driveway.
Angie consoled her son on the way to the hospital. Along the way, she silently prayed for her grandmother to be alright.
* * *
Max sat in the empty waiting room of the hospital’s emergency wing. His hands were clammy as he worried about Angie and her family. Minutes ago, the triage nurse allowed her and Raymond back through the double doors to see Angie’s grandmother. He waited for an update.
His phone vibrated and rang. He pulled it from his pocket to see Rob calling. He answered. “Now’s not a good time.”
“So you heard.”
“Heard what? I’m in the hospital. Angie’s grandmother was admitted.”
His attorney paused. “Sorry.”
“What is it? You have me on the phone now.”
“I just got off the phone with Jordan McKinney, the father of Angie’s son. He heard about your engagement. He’s flying out from California to talk to you and your fiancée.”
Max stood up. “Talk to us about what?”
“About his son.”
He considered why a deadbeat like Jordan would choose to talk to Angie after zero contact with her for seven years. “It sounds like he’s looking to get something.”
“It’s possible.”
“I’m not dealing with this clown. Tell him where to go if he tries to call again.”
“Max, I can’t. Unless Angie has full custody, he has a legal right to inquire about his child.”
He paced the floor, anger mounting. “Then I’ll tell him. I won’t let him put more stress on her.”
“You don’t get to make that call. She has to meet with him.”
Max clutched the phone in a hard grip. His
fiancée and her son were just beyond those doors. A sense of protectiveness came over him. There had to be something he could do. “When and where does Jordan want to talk?”
“He said he can meet you and Angie anytime in the next two days. Tell her about the call and keep me posted.”
He shoved the phone back in his pocket and kept pacing the floor. He went to the front desk. “Here’s my contact information.” He handed his business card to the nurse on duty. “I want all of Nadine Franklin’s hospital bills sent to me.”
The double doors opened minutes later. Angie and her son filed out. He went to them. “How is she?”
“The doctors managed to get her blood pressure down, but they want to keep her here for a couple days for monitoring.” Angie looked tired, but a little relieved. Poor Raymond’s eyes were still big.
“I’m happy to hear she’s doing better. Do you want me to get you something to eat?”
Angie rubbed her eyes. “I think Raymond and I should go home and get a little sleep before tomorrow.”
Max went outside to get the car. Angie and Raymond were exhausted. He couldn’t tell Angie the news about Jordan tonight, although he’d have to do it tomorrow. If he never started this pretend engagement with her, Jordan probably never would have come back around. Trouble entered Angie’s life, and it was all his fault.
* * *
Angie got up the next day and took Raymond to school after making sure he had a good breakfast. He slept like a baby last night. She wished she could say the same for herself.
Max called to check in on her. She told him she was taking the day off to do some housecleaning and recharge. “Do you want me to send a cleaning service out so you can rest?” he asked.
“No, thanks. Dusting helps me clear the cobwebs in my head.”
“I’d like to call later today to check on you again.”
“That would be fine.” She appreciated him being thoughtful. Why did he sound tired, though? Maybe he didn’t get enough sleep either last night after taking her and Raymond home and then driving himself to Atlanta.
“Try to take it easy, Angie.”
“I’ll try.” She got off the phone with him, and then called in to work to ask for the day off. The stress from seeing her grandmother get taken to the hospital yesterday gave her a throbbing headache. She took aspirin and proceeded to clean up around the house.
Twenty minutes later, the doorbell chimed over the hum of the vacuum. Angie shut it off and answered the door. It was Trina. She stood holding a cardboard cup holder with coffee and a paper bag from Sweet Emma’s Diner.
“Hi, Angie, one of your neighbors came into my store today. They said an ambulance took your grandmother to the hospital last night.”
“Yes, the doctors are keeping her there for a few days to get her blood pressure under control.”
Trina nodded, shifting in place. She gestured to the coffee. “I didn’t know if you had a chance to eat breakfast so I brought egg sandwiches and coffee.”
“Thanks, Trina.” She stepped aside so she could come in. “That’s really kind of you.” She closed the front door and led Max’s sister into the kitchen.
Trina set the food and coffee on the kitchen table. “I wasn’t always kind. Sorry for how I acted the last time I was here.”
Angie pulled out a chair. Her legs thanked her for taking a seat. “You were surprised your brother and I were engaged.”
“Still, I was on my best behavior.” Trina reached for one of the coffee cups. “I can tell my brother really likes you.”
She unwrapped an egg and bacon sandwich. She felt weary about keeping up an act. She and Max did their act well in public, and she was bound by contract to keep her mouth shut about the truth of the engagement. “Max is a great guy,” Angie chose to say. “He took my son and me to and from the hospital last night after driving us home from the Atlanta Airport.”
“He sticks by people he cares about. I should know.” Trina fiddled with the protective sleeve on her coffee cup.
“Of course you know. You’re his sister.”
“That’s not what I mean.” She kept turning the sleeve around and around the cup. “This is embarrassing, but I got addicted to pain pills for three years. Max stayed out in California with me while I was in rehab. He couldn’t make it to your brother’s funeral because of me.”
Angie listened, stunned. Max told her he had a family issue that kept him from the funeral. All this time, she thought he was making excuses. She put down her sandwich because her mouth was full with her foot stuck in it. “Trina, no. You shouldn’t feel embarrassed about getting help. You should be proud.”
Trina gave a tiny smile and dabbed at a tear in her eye. “Thanks. It’s been rough. Sometimes I snap at people. I’m a work in progress, you know?”
“We all are. Trust me.” Angie picked up her sandwich again, feeling better. “I’m glad you stopped by.”
“I am, too.”
Angie ate with her and talked. At least something positive happened today. She looked forward to telling Max about the time she had this morning with his sister. It might put him in a better mood, too.
Chapter Fourteen
Angie expected to get a call from Max. He showed up at the house late in the evening instead. “Max,” she said, opening the door to let him in. “Wow, your sister came by this morning. I guess surprise visits run in your family.”
He looked agitated and a little confused, rather than amused, by her joke. “I have to tell you something. I needed to tell you in person.”
“Alright. Raymond is asleep so we can talk in the living room.” She closed the door and went into the living room to shut off the TV. The tension Max carried into the house was so thick she felt stifled. “Um, what’s going on?”
“You might want to sit down first.”
“Max, you’re starting to scare me. Just say it.” She perched on the edge of the couch.
He sat down on the couch with her. “My attorney got a call yesterday from Jordan McKinney. He found out we’re engaged and now he wants to talk to you about Raymond.”
At the mention of Jordan, air went out from Angie’s lungs. She didn’t think she’d ever hear about him again. She gathered a breath. “Max, he never spoke to me again after I told him I was pregnant. He doesn’t care about Raymond.”
Max took her hands. “I believe you. I won’t let him try anything, but Rob says he has a right to ask about his son.”
Angie sat forward. “I should’ve gone to court years ago. Jordan never said anything to me, so I didn’t think I needed to. How could I be so dumb?”
“Stop it. You’re not dumb. You’re a great mom to Raymond.” Max stood up with her.
Tension forced Angie’s shoulders to draw in and upward. She struggled to relax her muscles. They remained rigid despite her efforts. “When does he want to do this?”
“He’s ready. He’s waiting on us.”
“I want to get this over with ASAP.”
Max agreed by nodding his head. “I’ll tell Rob to set up a meeting here at the Kleghorn in one of their private conference rooms tomorrow morning.” He put his hand on her shoulder again.
“Thanks. It means a lot.” Angie was grateful for Max making the meeting arrangements. “It’s past time for me to handle my business.”
“Remember, you’re not doing this alone.” He patted her shoulder before getting up to leave.
The tension returned to her as soon as he left. She had to rest in order to deal with tomorrow. Angie headed in the direction for upstairs, knowing she probably wouldn't sleep.
* * *
At five to nine the following morning, Angie drove her car into the parking lot of the Kleghorn Hotel. Max waited outside in his convertible. She parked beside him.
He got out wearing a midnight blue suit and dark tie. “Hi. I could’ve met you at the house again.”
“No. I had to take Raymond to school first, anyway.” She removed her sunglasses and tossed them onto the
seat before shutting the car door. Max studied her face. She wanted to look away. She knew dark circles were beneath her eyes. Makeup couldn’t hide a full night of tossing and turning. She smoothed wrinkles from her blouse and capris. “Ready if you are.”
They walked into the hotel together, past the front desk, and to the conference rooms. A door to one of the smaller rooms was open. Through the window, she saw Jordan McKinney seated at the head of a table, impatiently checking the time on his phone. His suit jacket stretched over a slightly protruding belly. His hair had thinned out a little near the edges.
They went inside. Max closed the door. Jordan raised his head, took one look at Angie and Max and sneered. “The happy couple has arrived. How are you doing, Angela? Have a seat.”
She remained standing. “I don’t want to be here long, Jordan. What do you want?”
“I haven’t seen you since high school. Is that any way to greet me?”
“It is when you haven’t been in your son’s life for seven years and now suddenly show up out of the blue.”
Jordan kept a thin-lipped smile on his face as he moved his head to view Max. “Hey, man, I heard about your career-ending leg injury at Georgia. It must have sucked, but you still didn’t do too bad for yourself.”
Max folded his arms. “Answer her question, Jordan. What do you want?”
“I came to visit you two. Where’s the kid?”
Angie bristled at Jordan referring to Raymond as “the kid” as though her son didn’t have a name. “Raymond is in school. I decided to talk to you first before I let you see him.”
Jordan waved a hand in dismissal. “I don’t want to see him.”
“Then why are you here, wasting our time?” Max demanded.
Jordan laughed. “Did you just say, ‘our time’? Stop playing, Max. Angela’s got you fooled. What did she say or do to make you put the chunk of ice on her finger?”
Angie couldn’t believe the rude, hateful things coming from his mouth. In high school, she thought he was fun and rebellious. He was nothing but a bully. “I thought you had something to say to me. If this is it, I’m not listening. Bye.” She pivoted to head to the door. Max was in her way. Jordan’s mocking voice rang out behind her.
