What the hell is my dad’s friend doing here?
“Hey Rach,” Max Wyndham says with a smile. “Long time no see.”
I gawk at the handsome man, stunned and shocked. Holy shit, did my gorgeous uncle just see what I did by the pool? My cheeks turn bright red when I contemplate the possibility. Oh god, oh god. When did he get to the cottage?
“I-- I didn’t know anyone else was here,” I stammer.
Max smiles mysteriously.
“I just arrived, but I’ll be honest: I thought I was going to have the place to myself. What are you doing here?” he asks.
I stare at him.
“My mom invited me. In fact, I thought I was going to be here by myself. Did you talk to Mina before coming?”
He shakes his head, still smiling. God, Max Wyndham is gorgeous. He’s my dad’s friend from high school, and although he and Maurice couldn’t be more different, they’ve somehow managed to stay the best of friends even after thirty years. But while my dad is portly with a balding head and a big tummy, Uncle Max is the opposite. He must be at least six foot three with broad shoulders, chiseled features, and blue eyes that are sparkling mischievously right now. Oh god, he must have seen.
“It seems our wires have gotten crossed somehow,” the older man says nonchalantly. “I’ve been overseas for a couple months now, so your dad offered me the cottage to unwind the last time we talked. Maurice said nobody would be here.”
I nod.
“Well, I guess my parents didn’t check with one another before offering the cottage because my mom told me that it was unoccupied. Well, it’s okay. I can leave and give you your privacy,” I say in a hurried tone, pulling the wrap closer around my curves. “I know you have a big-time career as a make-up mogul, so I don’t want to intrude.”
The handsome man merely cocks his head.
“No, it’s fine, honey. I have a career, but so do you, right? Do you still work as a midwife?”
My eyes widen a bit. “You know what I do?”
The older man chuckles at my surprise, revealing even white teeth. How old is Max now? Forty-eight? Forty-nine? He must be the same age as my dad, but his vibe is completely different. He’s sexy and compelling, and the strands of grey at his temple only make him appear experienced and worldly. This man is catnip for women, and he knows it.
Meanwhile, Max chuckles again, a low rumble that makes my toes curl. “Rachel, you have to know that your dad never misses an opportunity to brag about his one and only baby girl, right?”
He smiles knowingly, and I find myself returning the grin simply because he’s so damn handsome standing in the small space not ten feet away. I giggle a bit myself.
“I know Maurice talks about me constantly. It’s a little embarrassing, but it’s also very sweet, and I’m also my parents’ only child, so they have no one else to brag about. But back to basics, Uncle Max. I’m cramping your style here because the cottage is tiny and you’re here to unwind. I can be out of your hair by tonight,” I promise before striding to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. Is it my imagination, or do those blue eyes dilate as my arm reaches up for the water, lifting my full breasts into view?
But Max is completely normal when I turn back around.
“Listen honey, there’s no need to rush,” he says in a smooth tone. “Why don’t you get comfortable and take a shower? Get dressed. Do whatever you need to do as I make dinner, and then we can figure it out.”
I bite my lip and hesitate, but what’s the harm in just one meal? Smiling, I nod and spin on my heel.
“Sure,” I say. “But I didn’t know you knew how to cook, Uncle Max!”
The gorgeous man merely smiles, something unreadable glinting in those blue eyes.
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Rachel,” he says. “But you’re about to find out.”
With that promise, I skip up the stairs, my heart racing in my chest. Was there a subtle innuendo in those words? Of course not, the voice in my head chides. This is only your father’s oldest friend! But I can’t help the excitement coursing through my veins, and all of a sudden, my depression about Danny seems far away and definitely very insignificant. Now, Max Wyndham is front and center, and I can’t wait to learn more.