CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

When the Wind Dancer returned to its slip, Max’s parents smiled and waved to the assorted crew from Thelma and Ed’s boat.

Max jumped down and met her mother on the wooden pier. She tried to keep her tears at bay, but they spilled down her cheeks.

“What’s wrong, baby?” her mom asked, holding her in a fierce embrace.

Congratulations! You’re going to be a grandmother. She rehearsed the words, but couldn’t speak them aloud. “I’ve just missed you so much.”

Her father stepped down and hugged her before reaching for Merrick.

“Willa, you’ve become a sailor,” her mother said.

“It’s so exciting,” Willa said as Merrick lifted her down to the pier.

Thelma waved them on board and Ed acted as bartender.

“What’s your pleasure, Max?” he asked.

“I’ll have a soda.”

“Let me fix you a real drink,” he insisted. “You deserve it.”

Willa spoke up quickly “No, we both just want sodas.”

Max wrapped her arm around Willa’s shoulder and gave her a squeeze.

“Your friend was here earlier, Max,” Thelma said. “I don’t know if he’s coming back.”

“My friend?”

“He said his name was Jon. Very handsome young man, in spite of that awful beard.”

Max and Willa looked at each other.

Max felt a surge of joy and Willa glowered.

She grinned at Willa. “He was here. He came looking for me.”

“He’s a two-timing weasel.” Willa growled.

Max shrugged. “A weasel with a beard.”

~*~

Merrick leaned back on his elbow, the wind ruffling his hair. It had been a great weekend. He’d earned a second place trophy for his class of boat. Not bad when most of his crew was brand new.

Max seemed to finally be out of her funk, but Willa was still playing nursemaid. Perhaps it was because of the stomach upset she’d suffered, but Willa was hovering over Max like a guard dog.

Mom and Dad drove Max back to her loft, so he had the rest of the weekend alone with Willa. She was asleep in his bunk, worn out after her first regatta. If the wind held they’d be in South Padre by nightfall.

Buying a run-down building hadn’t been on Merrick’s agenda but he was always open to new opportunities. He recognized that this was a risky venture, but he couldn’t stand by and watch Max lose her studio, not when she was finally enjoying the success she deserved.

He also wasn’t sure that Houston needed another art gallery, but he was willing to support Willa and Max in achieving their dreams.

His brows drew together in a frown. He didn’t know what was going on with Max and this Jon guy. They’d seemed so close until the night of the opening. Jon found out her name was Max and he disappeared from the face of the earth. What’s with that?

Since then, Max had been different. She was moody and distracted. He’d never seen her this way. At least, since they’d signed the contract to purchase the property she’d been in a more positive frame of mind. The sailing had put a little color in her cheeks, as well.

Give her some time and a new project and Merrick was sure she’d forget all about Jon.

As for Merrick, he was running downwind with Willa below deck and good friends coming to meet them in a cantina on the beach. Life was good.

~*~

“Baby, I love what you’ve done to the place.” Max’s mother, Lissa strolled around the loft admiring the changes. “Oh, look, Mitch the bathroom is almost enclosed.”

Max smiled. “It just needs a door.”

“Max, we’re finding more traces of a civilized lifestyle every time we visit.” Her father grinned broadly. “Next thing we know you’ll be voting Republican.”

“Not while she’s sleeping in this bed, she won’t.” Lissa clasped her hands, enraptured with the massive structure. “Where did you get this?”

Max stood beside her mother. She took a deep breath and stared up at the swan headboard. “It was a gift, from a friend...a former friend, actually.”

“Boyfriend?” Her mother’s denim blue eyes twinkled with interest.

“Yes. We were close.” She looked down at her hands as her brow puckered. She was determined not to spill any more tears over Jon Claude Donnell.

“Don’t you worry. If he wasn’t right for you, just move on.”

Max snorted derisively. “This piece of worldly advice from a woman who married her high school sweetheart while they were still in high school.”

Lissa gave Max a squeeze. “Don’t scoff at true love. Mitch and I were lucky to have found each other early on.”

Suddenly serious, Max turned to her mother. “How did you know it was true love? Dad was your first and only.”

Lissa cast a glance at Mitch. “I just knew.”
“And you got married when you were four months pregnant. Did either one of you ever feel trapped by the circumstances?”

Her father spoke up. “We were both underage and needed parental consent to get married, so we had to leap some hurdles. But we always loved each other and when Merrick was born, suddenly both of our parents stopped being angry. They took one look at that little guy and we all became a family.”

Max blinked against the sting of tears. “Nice story.”

“We’re still living it,” Lissa said.

Max swallowed the lump in her throat and jingled the keys. “Want to see the building we’re calling Foster’s Folly?”

They had just started the tour on the ground floor when Jon appeared in the open doorway of the future gallery.

Caught unawares, Max turned to him, unable to think of anything to say with her parents standing nearby. He looked different with a neatly trimmed mustache and a beard outlining his strong jaw line.

“I saw you yesterday,” he said. “On the boat.”

“Thelma said you were there.” Max couldn’t help feeling buoyant. She ached to run into his arms, but restrained herself, remembering that he’d been with Cherise Gilman during his absence from her. She wondered why he’d decided to show up now. Maybe Cherise was busy.

Max wanted answers, but felt constrained by the presence of onlookers. “Jon, these are my parents, Lissa and Mitch. They drove down from Austin to watch the regatta.”

Jon shook hands with each in turn. “You’re the drug pusher,” he said, looking Mitch in the eye.

Lissa laughed as Mitch shook his head, grinning. “Vice President in charge of sales. Lissa is a Pharmacy Consultant. We put each other through pharmacy school and now we’re working together in the same company.”

“It’s a terrible joke,” Lissa said.

Jon’s lips smiled but his eyes didn’t. “Yes, it is.”

“But we just keep on telling it,” Mitch said. “What do you think of the kid’s new project?” He gestured to indicate the room in which they stood.

Jon looked at Max, questioningly.

Max spread her arms, indicating the space. “It’s going to be a gallery, Jon. Willa and I are opening it. What do you think?” She held her breath.

Jon gave her an appraising look, then a tightly controlled smile. “Well, Max, I think you are an amazingly talented artist. I always have. I’m sure you can pull off anything you set your mind to.” There was a barb behind his words.

Stung, Max turned away. Tears filled her eyes, but she bit her lip to keep them from spilling over. “We thought we’d give your girlfriend a run for her money.”

Jon remained silent, but Max refused to look at him.

He cleared his throat. “The last time I checked, you were my girlfriend.”

Max couldn’t speak without breaking into tears.

“We can talk later,” he said. “Mr. and Mrs. Foster, it was a pleasure to meet you.” He glanced back at Max and left.

“He’s a very nice looking young man, Max,” Lissa said. “I’m sorry you’re not getting along.”

She drew a ragged breath. “We don’t seem to be getting along lately.”

“Is he the one who gave you the bed?” Lissa asked,

She nodded. “Let’s continue the tour, shall we?”

~*~

Jon gripped the steering wheel as he drove away from Max’s loft. An art gallery! When did that happen? He wondered how many more secrets and lies were waiting to be uncovered.

And what was that reference to Cherise? He supposed it had to do with the ruined painting. Alright, he knew Cherise still had feelings for him, but he hadn’t dreamed she would behave so badly. Cherise hadn’t known Max’s real identity either.

One glance at the speedometer and Jon realized he was going way too fast. He lifted his foot, letting the T-Bird coast to a slower speed. He took a deep breath and relaxed his grip on the steering wheel.

In spite of everything he wanted to work things out with Max. Seeing her and not being able to touch her had been torture.

When he’d told her she was still his girlfriend she’d said nothing. She wouldn’t even look at him.

Her parents were so young, probably close to twenty years younger than his parents. Max favored Lissa, especially the eyes, but she was taller, like her father.

Jon entered his apartment and slammed the door. He started to pour himself a drink, but thought better of it. In the mood he was in, he’d wind up with another hangover and he couldn’t afford that. He knew he was on a sort of probation at his office, while his clients and employees determined if he was sane and stable. His brush with the law had given an edge to his reputation. One wrong move could push him into a grey area where he wouldn’t be able to come back.

He turned in early, gazing at Max’s portrait until he finally slept, still aching for her.

~*~

“Good morning, Mr. Donnell,” Courtney greeted him when he arrived at his office the next morning. She seemed inordinately cheery. “Your friend is here.”

“My friend?” Jon looked around.

“I let her wait in your office,” Courtney said. “She’s been here since nine.”

Jon entered his office space and froze when he saw Max standing in his studio beyond the open door. She was by his work table.

He walked toward her, a shaft of pain ripping through his heart. She was the last person he thought he’d see this early in the morning.

She raised her head, smiling matter-of-factly. “These are beautiful, Jon.” She held up one of the sketches he’d done of her. Her gaze held him in thrall, bound by his deep affection for her.

Jon cleared his suddenly husky throat. “I had a beautiful subject.” He tried to swallow the boulder that had formed in his throat. “To what do I owe the honor of your unexpected presence?” He tried to keep a tight reign on his emotions. He wanted to grab her and shake some sense into her. He wanted to grab her and kiss some sense into her. He just wanted to grab her.

She placed the sketch he’d drawn of her wearing the blue robe back with the others. “I was hoping to hire you. I don’t know how these things work, but I don’t think anyone else could design the interiors with your imagination. If you’d agree to work with me, I know my project will turn out the way I want it to.”

He stepped closer to her. The fragrance of her shampoo reached him, tied knots in his gut. “Are you talking about your gallery?”

“More than that.”

Her fingers were gripping the edge of his table.

Jon realized she was as nervous as he. He pulled out a stool for her and gestured for her to sit down.

She shivered when he allowed his fingertips to graze her arm.

“Merrick and I bought the building,” she said in a rush. “I invested the money from the show.”

“You bought the lofts?” He pulled up a stool close beside her. “Doesn’t that take months to pull off?”

She flashed him a little grin. “Apparently, not for Merrick. He knows how to make things happen.”

“Ah, yes,” Jon said with a sigh. “Merrick.”

“It needs a lot of work but Merrick is taking care of the electrical and plumbing.”

“What do you want with me?” He held her gaze, willing her to tell him that she wanted him.

She looked down at her hands and swallowed. “I want you to design the lofts so we can lease them out. Only four of the twelve have tenants and that includes me. We have to get the rest ready for occupancy soon.”

“I see.” He knew he’d do anything she needed, but he wanted to keep her there. “I’ll have to check my schedule. If you’re going to be home later, I’ll come by to see the lofts.”

Nodding, she slipped off the stool and stared up into his eyes. Her lower lip trembled.

He cupped her cheek in his palm and slowly leaned forward to kiss her. He invaded the sweetness of her mouth, resisting the urge to crush her against him.

A little whimper escaped her throat as she tore her lips away. “I’ve got to go,” she whispered.

Jon felt a surge of panic. He didn’t want her to leave him. “Are you sure you don’t want to go to lunch?”

Her face split into a wide grin. “Jon, it’s not even ten-o’-clock yet.”

Jon watched her leave, the ache in his heart close to bursting his chest wide open.

“Later,” he called to her after she was gone.

He took a deep breath. Suddenly, his whole day looked significantly brighter. Max had been waiting for him and he would see her later.