Max shrugged, wiping his orange juice mustache off. “Don’t know. Woke up, couldn’t stop thinking.”
“About?”
Max shrugged again. “Everything. It’s been a weird year.”
“Sorry about that.”
Max laughed. “Sorry? Dude. This has been awesome. Super weird, but awesome. I have a robot trash can! Benji doesn’t have to work all those shitty jobs, so he’s around all the time to watch movies with me! You showed me thatawesomestuff at your job, and that lady said she would think about giving me an internship when I get older!”
“She doesn’t have to think about it,” Noah said. “Anytime you want an internship, you’ve got it.Afteryou turn sixteen.”
Max rolled his eyes, but he was grinning. “And people at school have stopped being so weird about you and Benji.”
Noah frowned. “Weird?”
Max waved a dismissive hand as he finished off the juice. “It’s gotten way better since that interview came out. And the people who only wanna come over just because they want to see a rich guy’s place have finally given up. And Dad’s finally stopped calling, I guess the restraining order really helped.”
“Glad to hear it,” Noah said slowly, still stuck on the middle schoolers being “weird.” He hadn’t considered that classmates would want to come over “to see a rich guy’s place,” or that they’d have much to say about him and Benji. It wasn’t like they werehugelypopular on social media.
Had Max mentioned this before? He might have brought it up to Benji, but Benji usually told Noah what was going on with his little brother.
Max snorted. “Dude, quit it with the face! Life is good. Even with all the weirdness, this is, like, the best year of my life.”
He rolled the empty juice glass between his hands. He looked uncharacteristically nervous, avoiding Noah’s eyes as he squirmed.
“Anyway, so. Thanks, or whatever. You’re… you know.” Max waved awkwardly in his direction, all stiff and uncomfortablebut determined to get it out, and for a moment, he looked so much like Benji Noah’s heart squeezed.
“You’re a good guy,” Max continued in a rush. “I’m really glad you’re marrying my brother.”
Noah watched him pad back down the hall, his heart full. He got his phone out of his pocket and sent a one-line email back to Desmond:
I’ll consider it.
He walked into the meeting room to a sea of bright smiles.
“The prodigal son returns,” said Ford Fordson, just as much of an eager kiss ass as ever. “First vacation in five years! How was it?”
A middle-aged woman called Sigourney John ran up to Noah with an energy that he hadn’t seen since she announced her divorce last year. “Forget about the vacation, congratulations on your engagement! Your Benji seems incredibly sweet.”
“Mazel tov,” said Greg Halbert, who was fresh out of college and too bold for his own good. “Plus, great to see the media storm is dying down. That wasnotgreat for our investments.”
Ford Fordson gave him a panicked look. Greg looked back at him, amused.
“What?” Greg said. “He never said we can’t talk about it. Or is it not allowed since Noah moved up in the world?”
“You can talk about whatever you’d like,” Noah said, unable to keep an icy current of threat behind his polite smile. “Unless it’s badmouthing my fiancé.”
“We would never,” scoffed Greg, with a glint in his eye that suggested otherwise. Then his smile turned into something more solid. “Seriously, boss. If he makes you happy, he could be a circus freak for all we care.”
Noah laughed and made a mental note to have a meeting with this guy as soon as possible about holding his goddamn tongue around the CEO. He liked to rib Noah before, which was fine. But making fun of Benji was another matter entirely. Noah wouldn’t stand for it, and it was time his employees knew that.
Ford Fordson made a noise like a warning alarm. At first, Noah assumed it was about Greg’s comment. Then he noticed Ford was staring behind him at the glass door.
Noah turned. His new assistant was standing timidly in the doorway, looking awkward. Security stood behind her, looking as severe as always.
“Um,” said Jenny, smiling apologetically. “Sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Stern. Your brother wants to see you.”
“Thank you, Jenny.” Noah kept his smile in place and turned back to the others, who were all avoiding his gaze. “I’ll be back in five minutes.”
