Simple.
Classic.
Just like Max.
I glance down at my hands still gripping his tie. “You know what these loose ties do to me.”
A sexy smirk lifts the corner of his mouth. “Exactly.”
The drive to Denver is charged with sexual tension that makes it feel stuffy in Max’s SUV when in fact, the A/C is on full blast. Last weekend, Max hit me out of nowhere with talk about our future. At the time, I felt cagey and had to force myself to stand there and reassure him. It wasn’t easy.
The truth is, I’m still learning who Max is. Yes, he has surprised me by not being as consumed by his work as I expected of a CEO at his level to be, but I don’t know what that means for him long term. I know he has some big merger coming up that I struggle to hear him talk about because it feels triggering to me. But will he be able to manage all that and still be the man beside me right now? I sure hope so. Because when I saw him in his tux tonight, it was impossible for me not to picture him as a groom. And the woman walking down the aisle toward him in that fantasy was one-hundred-percent me.
I know it’s crazy early to be picturing our future already, but I have been flexing my imagination all summer long with Everly and this was an involuntary daydream I fully enjoyed. Zaddy Max is marriage material for sure. I just hope he continues to prove that to me.
As we pull up to the valet and the grand hotel where the event is being hosted, Max hands his keys off to the attendant and laces his fingers through mine to lead me inside.
“Will any of your friends be here tonight?” I ask, looking up at Max as he leads me through the grand foyer of the hotel toward the event room.
“No, but my brothers come every year,” Max replies, head nodding to someone we pass.
“Your brothers?” I repeat with a smile. “Big, burly mountain men at this kind of event? I bet they are wildly popular.”
Max narrows his sexy eyes and pulls me in close, his hand wrapping around my waist. “You better not be calling my brothers attractive or I’m going to find a coat closet to remind you who is number one in the Fletcher family.”
I laugh and shake my head. “Oh, trust me, I already know…Zaddy.” Max’s deep laugh gives me goose bumps just as we round the corner and enter the event room.
My lips part at the stunning display in front of me. People dressed to the nines float around an elegant ballroom that’s teeming with color. Large round banquet tables are adorned with bright, feathery centerpieces and giant crystal chandeliers hang low and reflect rainbow lights swirling throughout the room. It’s like an elegant nightclub and mardi gras had a baby in here. There’s a singer dressed in drag up on the stage, filling the room with the sweet sounds of Alicia Keys.
“Drink?” Max offers, placing his hand on the small of my back as he ushers me over to the long bar. We both select one of the pink signature drinks with gummy bears floating inside and clink our glasses before turning around to enjoy the view.
“Max, this is…so impressive,” I say, eyeing a long table of items that look like they’re set up for a silent auction. On the opposite side of the room, there’s a runway where models are showcasing various outfits that I expect must be created by LGBTQ+ designers. “How involved are you in planning all of this?”
Max clicks his tongue. “I’m more the money than the creative vision, but we all have our roles to play. Jessica and I joined the board when Everly was five so I’ve learned over the years that I’m most helpful on the financial side of the charity. Jessica is usually a big part of the event planning.”
“You do all this with Jess?” I ask curiously.
Max nods. “Yeah, she joined first and then hit me up for a donation, and after that I was pulled into the fold.”
“That’s amazing,” I sputter, realizing that with Jessica gone all summer I haven’t really had much of a chance to see Max and Jessica interact. “You two must get along well.”
Max nods again. “We’re not perfect by any means, but I told you in Aspen that it’s important for me to support Jess and her wife and be a part of this community in a real way…not just…I know someone gay way. You know?”
“Yeah, I know,” I reply, and take a fortifying sip of my fruity drink wondering once again how Max Fletcher is even human.
My eyes widen when I spot Max’s brother waving at us from a table up by the stage. “Shoot, your brother is coming over,” I murmur into Max’s shoulder and feel my body start to twitch. “We should have talked about this. What do I say?”
“About what?” Max’s sexy brows furrow down at me.
“About why I’m here,” I respond quickly, knowing there’s no way in hell Max told his brothers about us. They see Everly every week, they can’t be trusted with this highly secure information. “Should we tell him your Aspen girl got sick and I’m filling in?” Excellent plan, Cozy.
“Oh…um…” Max gets a funny look on his face as his brother appears beside him and gives his shoulder a playful shove.
“How are you late to your own fucking party?” Calder says, looking at me and shaking his head knowingly as he stretches past me to grab a signature drink off the bar.
My cheeks feel hot as I stealthily pull away from Max who’s just draped his arm on the bar behind me. I take in Calder’s tattooed wrists peeking out of his sleek, black tux. It’s quite a sight with that pink martini drink in his hand.
I open my mouth to give him my stellar excuse for being here when Max’s warm hand touches my back. “Calder, you remember my girl, Cassandra, right?”
My girl?
Did Max just refer to me as his girl?
Calder smiles and winks at me. “Oh yes, I remember you. You had my brother’s panties all in a wad on poker night.”
“What?” I croak, feeling my stomach literally fall out of my ass. I glance down to check. “I didn’t touch his panties.”
“No panty touching that night?” Calder frowns and looks at Max, who appears completely unphased by this interaction. “Dammit, I owe Luke five bucks.”
“He doesn’t even…I mean…I wouldn’t…” I’m stuttering like a moron, and I need to close my mouth.
“Relax, Cozy,” Max laughs and touches the top of my head as he kisses me on the temple. “I texted my brothers last week and told them you and I are together.”
He props his elbow on the bar and rakes his eyes over my body like he’s internally enjoying this entire moment. What the hell?
I slap my hand over my artful makeup that took me an entire hour to apply. “You could have mentioned that to me before I started stuttering like an idiot.”
He licks his lips and waggles his brows. “I never miss an opportunity to watch you squirm, sweet cheeks.”
My face heats at that sexy look in his eye when Calder deadpans, “Okay, I’m not drunk enough for this.” He downs the last of his pink drink and pushes between us to grab another one.
Wyatt and Luke join us at the bar a second later, and I’m greeted by Luke with, “I called it first, just so you know.”
“Called what?” Max asks, narrowing his eyes on his youngest brother.