“Lucy Dare” she said, extending her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Anthony slid his hand over hers and held on. “Such a beautiful woman. You couldn’t possibly be with Sebastian.” He dropped the insult with a slick smile and enough sweetness toward Lucy he could turn to Max with a grin. “You know I’m kidding.”
Sebastian visibly vibrated with anger.
And Max spoke up as soon as the other man shut his arrogant mouth. “Actually she’s with me,” Max said, pulling Lucy off of her seat and into the protection of his body.
Lucy stiffened, obviously surprised, but she made no move to edge away from his embrace.
Anthony’s smile dimmed as he took in Max’s proprietary stance, and to his surprise, he took a step back. “I hear you boys are having some permit issues, and it’s holding up construction on your restaurant.”
“You heard wrong,” Sebastian said, lying. But Max was glad he wasn’t giving anything away to the competition.
“We’re doing just fine,” Max added.
“How about you worry about your own job and restaurant,” Sebastian said, no longer feigning friendliness. “And keep your nose out of mine.”
Meanwhile, Lucy snuggled in closer, and Max was more than ready to get the hell out of there and go home to finish what he’d started.
Chapter Eight
Lucy finished up a busy day at work, marveling at how much her life had changed. Another four weeks had passed since she’d moved to New York. She sat at a big desk in her own office in Midtown Manhattan with its own sitting area. She’d even begun to decorate it and make it feel like hers, adding her favorite O’Keefe paintings and bright splashes of color, both in the pillows on the black leather sofa and chairs and the Orrefors vase and silk flowers in the center of the table. If a client came in, they would definitely sense her style.
As for Max and Sebastian, construction at the restaurant was well under way, and she had a small roster of her own clients at the firm already. She fit in well with the architects and designers there, met them for drinks, and worked on joint presentations as if she’d been there for years, instead of only two months.
Her life in New York was busy. It was full and fun. Everything she hadn’t had in L.A., including and especially family. On Sunday they were due to head over to Amanda and Decklan’s apartment, and Lucy was excited. Although she’d seen Gabe, Isabelle, and Noah, Decklan and Amanda had been pretty much secluded since the wedding. Amanda claimed to have a stomach virus that just wouldn’t go away. Lucy had a hunch it was more than that, and she was waiting for them to break the happy news. She just wished she was happier herself.
Oh, she was thrilled that her brothers were expanding their families. There was just that little voice inside her, the one she lived with, that told her nothing good lasted forever. That voice hadn’t been around when her parents were alive. When Lucy was younger, she’d been much more easygoing and caref
ree. Nothing had bothered her, and why should it have? She’d been fortunate enough to have parents who loved her, brothers who looked out for her, and they didn’t want for anything. But Lucy had taken everything for granted, including and most especially life itself.
Then, in an instant, her sense of safety and security were gone. Her parents, a memory. Her brothers had done their best to cushion the blow, but they couldn’t minimize the loss of their parents or replace them, no matter how hard they’d tried or how much they loved her. Ever since, she’d anticipated bad news and loss, living life on the edge instead of fully immersing herself and being involved. This time back in New York was the closest she’d come to normal.
And she didn’t trust it. She was waiting for the other proverbial shoe to fall. Yet every move she’d made in the last month had brought her closer to Max, bound them even more emotionally. He seemed to understand her. And maybe he did, considering he’d lost his wife the same way.
If she wanted to get inside his head too, all she had to do was ask him to explain. But that would bring them even closer, bind them more emotionally.
How much closer could you get? a little voice in her head mocked. She was already in so deep with the man. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to change a thing. Not when they had a built-in expiration date anyway. When Savage in SoHo opened, Lucy and Max were over.
* * *
Max sat in the family room of Decklan and Amanda’s one-bedroom apartment that Decklan had rented before he’d met his wife. Lucy had decorated for her brother and Amanda, choosing light, soothing colors that suited Amanda’s personality. The room was small for a family gathering, but it was their home, and they were obviously happy.
They’d already been there for a while, sharing jokes, watching football, and enjoying a lazy, relaxing day with friends and family. Now the men sat in front of the television, football played on the large screen, and Gabe was talking. But Max’s attention was more on the women in the kitchen… his woman in particular.
Lucy had seemed distracted all weekend, since she’d come home from work on Friday. She’d said she had a headache, and they’d stayed in, ordered food, and watched a movie on TV. Her mood had lasted all weekend despite the fact that she said her headache was better.
“Max, buddy, how’s it going? I see you’re making progress with my sister. You moved in almost immediately after my wedding,” Decklan said, his gaze steady on Max.
“Really? I thought you wanted us together,” Max said, not understanding Decklan at all. “Didn’t we talk about this on the phone two months ago?” Because of course the minute Max had moved in with Lucy, Decklan had called, playing big brother.
Decklan groaned. “Sorry, man. Amanda hasn’t been feeling well, and I’m on edge.”
Max leaned forward, worried. “Is she okay?”
“Yeah.” Decklan shook his head and laughed. “She’s great actually. Look, I’m all for you and my sister being a couple, but if she gets hurt, I might have to kill you. Then I’d be out a best friend.” His tone was mild; the deadly warning look in his eyes was not.
Max grabbed the back of his neck and massaged the stiff muscles there. “If you have to worry about anyone getting hurt, it’s me,” he said, revealing more about his fears than he’d meant to.