I clicked save on my computer and then took off my glasses to look up to Max. It was my indication to him that I was giving him my full attention and wouldn’t be working on the computer.
“What the hell happened, Jack? You’ve been gone a week and I’ve not heard anything. The only reason I knew you were alive is because Greg saw you at family dinner on Wednesday.” Max crossed his arms over his chest and planted his feet, a stance that showed me he wasn’t leaving until he got the answers he wanted.
“I just needed some time.”
“Then you ask for it. You don’t just leave your deadlines for Marcus and fall off the face of the earth.”
“Sorry.” I truly meant the apology, only because I had left Marcus with all of my work to pick up, plus his own. My head just wasn’t in the right space to work though and I didn’t want to give any client half assed graphics on their books.
Max’s shoulders had been raised high with tension and at my apology, they relaxed. He moved his arms, placing his hands in the pockets of his slacks.
“Just tell me what’s going on, Jack. This isn’t like you.”
“Just had a lot on my mind.”
“Like Melanie?”
I didn’t meet his eyes but I could see him running his hand over his face, a nervous tick he’d had ever since he met his wife, Alexa.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You do. I saw the exchange at Apollo’s party.” The reminder of his son’s birthday party had me wanting to run out the door but at the same time, shake down him down for the details.
“What do you want me to say?”
I looked up and met his gaze this time. Where I expected to see anger, like I had years ago when I first ever met Melanie, but all I saw was pain. I wanted to know what was going on because none of what was happening was lining up.
“She doesn’t need this, Jack.”
“Need what? What is it that you think I’m going to do?”
Now it was my turn to have an attitude. I pushed out of my chair and walked over to Max. In size I was much larger but in height he had a few inches on me.
“Treat her like any other girl you’ve had your eyes on.”
“And when’s the last time you saw me with another woman, Max?”
I watched as he racked his brain and knew he would come up with nothing. I had meant it before when I said Melanie was the pedestal that I held every other woman too. Greg had tried to set me up with a few woman, but after the second, I told him to stop. I got bored easily and it all felt forced, rather than when I was with Melanie and it all seemed to click.
“You used to go after any girl you could lay your eyes on.”
“And that’s where you’re stuck at. That past tense, Max, because right now, you have nothing else to hold against me.”
“And what else do I need, Jack?” He shoved a finger at my chest and I stepped back a little, letting him have some power. As much as I wanted to take a poke back at Max, this was his sister he was talking about and I had to give him some room to defend her.
“You’ve been eyeing her since you met her and now that she’s back in town, I have no idea what you’re going to do.”
“She’s married so there’s nothing I can do.”
I crossed my hands over my chest, waiting to see if Max would spill more about what was going on with Melanie. I hadn’t seen a ring on her finger and if she had gotten divorced while she was away, I’d figure Max would lead with that.
“You should tell him.”
A small voice came from my office door. Max and I turned around to see Alexa standing there. For once she was by herself, normally she had one of her best friends with her, Lilly or Erica. Alexa was the head of our Romance division, while Lilly and Erica worked with my brother in finance. The last of the group was Chase who was in charge of Editing.
Myself though, well, I was a little bit everywhere, from graphics to publishing. I was where the stories ended at before they made it to readers hands. I loved it and it allowed me to get lost in my work easily but there was still a part of me that missed when it wasn’t so chaotic in this building. When we were still an up and coming publishing company, rather than publishing New York Times Bestsellers. It meant I had more time to work on projects, but I would admit, my creative freedom was far greater now. And that’s what I lived for each day.
“Tell me what?” I raised an eyebrow at Max and he shot Alexa a scowl. I had known Max since college, the same with Chase, and it just wasn’t like Max to keep secrets from me.
