“Say what?”
“Just wait for the invite. There’ll be directions. Having the wedding here isn’t one hundred percent confirmed, by the way. We’re considering other options to make it easier for his parents.”
“You met them.” Larry lowered his voice, as though they were trading secrets. “What’re they like?”
“Exactly like you’re expecting,” Ethan said, laughing. “Seriously, though, they’re good people. Max is precious to them, so I want to make sure they get what they want from this wedding, too.”
“Better not hold it here, then,” Larry said dryly. “Trust me, if you’re dealing with high maintenance, you can’t fight it. Gotta give in and save yourself the headache later.”
“I’ll take it under advisement.”
“Ethan! Ethan! Get over here! Quick!”
Bob’s hollering interrupted conversations at the tables around them. Ethan cringed.
“I’d better go find out what he wants before he gets us kicked out for disturbing the peace.” He slid out of the booth. “You need anything?”
Larry waved him off, his attention shifting to the game on TV. “Go tell him to shut his trap or he’s fired.”
Happy that nothing had really changed when it came to his old boss, Ethan made his way through the gaming area, weaving between the video game cabinets, air hockey tables, and hoop games until he reached the source of the commotion.
Bob was clinging to a gaming motorcycle, his gut squishing sideways over the body of the bike while the machine jolted him from side to side as he navigated the course on screen ahead of him. The lights reflected off the top of his bald head. Beside him, Max sat on his own motorcycle.
Ethan drew up short, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. Max. On a motorcycle. Max’s designer jeans were pulled taut over his hips and thighs. His strong back curved in a graceful arc over the bike. His shoulder muscles bulged beneath his sweater as he maneuvered the handlebars.
Max. On a motorcycle.
“Guh,” Ethan said.
Max and his motorcycle tilted smoothly from side to side. Ethan managed to drag his eyes off his ass to check his progress on the screen.
“Of course you’re good at this,” he said. “Of course you are.”
Max must have heard him, for he sent a smirk over one shoulder.
We might need that Hampton Inn after all, Ethan thought. Because there was no way he wasn’t going to get his hands on this man tonight.
Forcing his horniness down for the time being, he stepped up beside the motorcycles.
“So, who’s winning?”
“Don’t ask,” Bob snarled as he hunkered down further over his bike. Or at least tried to. His stomach was in the way.
“But you were screaming like a maniac for me to come over just a second ago.”
“I thought I finally had him,” Bob muttered.
“He did not,” Max said, his voice thick with amusement.
Ethan was afraid he was going to spring a boner right there. “Glad you’re having fun,” he said tightly.
“Don’t worry,” Max said, his eyes on the screen, “you’ll get your turn to ride later.”
“Ha! I’ll beat you then, Ethan!” Bob crowed.
Ethan didn’t spare him a glance. He all but panted to Max, “Yeah, I look forward to that ride.”
Max just smirked.
Chapter Eight
“It's been really good seeing you again, Ethan.” Frank patted him on the shoulder, his hand resting heavily on him as they stood near the entrance of the restaurant. “You look good. Happy and healthy.”
Ethan reached up and squeezed the older man’s elbow. “I couldn’t be happier. My life is pretty terrific.” He patted his own abdomen. “And I’m keeping fit, so yes, great all around.”
“Wouldn’t have thought another job would suit you better than the FBI, but you’re proof that you found it.”
“I really did. Funny how things turned out.” He and Frank watched Bob arguing with Max beside the ticket dispenser. Actually, it was Bob who was heated. Max only nodded politely, as though listening to someone ranting over a parking ticket they viewed as unfair. “Not sure when Max and I will be back in Indiana. It’s not easy for us to get away. Him, especially, now that we’re expanding overseas.”
“Well, if you two ever decide you need another domestic location that’s a bit rural, you’ve got two guys who may be interested in helping out.” Frank leered. “Assuming the compensation is reasonable. We’re highly skilled pros. We don’t come cheap.”
Ethan laughed. “I’ll let him know.”
“Ah, guess they worked it out.” Frank shook his head as Bob and Max headed their way. “Five bucks says Bob claims a ticket malfunction is the reason he doesn’t have a single one of them.”
“No way. I’m not taking that bet.”
“Damn.”
“I was robbed,” Bob declared loudly as he joined them. He was red-faced and some of the thinner hair on his head stuck up as though he’d rubbed it out of frustration. “Something’s wrong with all their machines. They’re not registering wins and paying out tickets.”
Ethan nodded guilelessly. “You don’t say.”
Frank wasn’t as diplomatic. “You’re an embarrassment to Winnaker Security, Bob. Why did I see Maxmillian handing a stack of tickets to some little kid earlier? Why’d he’d get paid out but not you?”
“The machines stopped working after that! Right when I started winning!”
“Someone should do something about that,” Ethan said, straight-faced.
“They should! It’s not—” Bob clamped his mouth shut when he realized Ethan and Frank were both struggling not to laugh. “Oh, bite me. I know what I know. I was robbed.”
“It certainly seemed like you should have won something,” Max deadpanned.
Ethan felt like he was going to explode with laughter and humiliate Bob even more, so he said, “We have to go. We have an appointment at the wedding venue.”
“Don’t let us hold you up.” Frank shook Max’s hand. “Thanks for putting up with us. Be good to Ethan. He’s one of ours.”
“Always,” Max assured him. He shook Bob’s hand next. “Until the next time.”
“Things’ll be different,” Bob claimed, but he gave Max a hearty slap on the arm. “Good to get to know you. Like Frank said, take care of our boy here.”
“Enough of the weird hillbilly shovel talk,” Ethan groused. He gave his friends each a hug. “I’ll keep in touch.”
Max had already covered the bill and waved off Frank and Bob’s half-hearted protests over the fact, so Ethan and he went straight to their rental car.
“I feel like if I stop and lie down, I’ll pass out,” Ethan said as he climbed into the passenger seat, “so let’s not stop until we’ve done everything we need to.”
“Agreed.”
Ethan’s mother had given them the address of the venue and the name of the event planner who’d agreed to meet them at the site. Ethan had invited his mom to come along, but she insisted that he and Max experience it for themselves without being colored by her opinion. Ethan thought it was silly. His mom wasn’t the kind of person to force anything on anyone, but he ceded to her wishes. Max plugged the address into the GPS and they were off.