Seduce Me (17 page)

“Driver,” he said, leaning forward. “Change of plans.”

* * *

N
ATALIE
HADN
’
T
EXPECTED
him to call. Not so soon. It had been tempting to let it go to voice mail, just as she had the first two times, but she didn’t want him bungling his big opportunity because he was distracted by her. She wasn’t angry and she didn’t blame him, not really. But she was sad. Horribly sad. And disappointed, but mostly in herself.

Huddling in her ratty old robe, she slipped under the covers. But then she realized she hadn’t turned off her cell phone and grabbed it off the nightstand. She didn’t think he’d call back tonight. He was too busy being wined, dined and flattered. But just in case he did sneak in a call, she didn’t want to choose whether to answer it or not.

Getting over Max was going to take awhile.

A lump formed in her throat and that was another perfect reason she shouldn’t talk to him again tonight. Her emotions were simmering too close to the surface. Maybe if she gave in and let herself have a good cry she’d feel better. Though she had a feeling there would be plenty of time for tears ahead for her. She lay on her side and touched his pillow. Then tugged it closer to see if she could smell his scent. It was there. Very faint, though.

Maybe she was making that up, too.

She turned onto her back but that position left no room for fantasizing that she was curled up beside him. God help her, what part of disappointed in herself did she not get?

She’d told them they’d talk, and she meant it. She wasn’t ready to write him off yet. At least he’d offered to come over, so that was something. He could’ve waited until the party was over, but he hadn’t. And the truth was, he might’ve been a tool for ditching her, but he’d never promised her anything beyond friendship. He’d even warned her about how little time he’d have after returning to work. She remembered once being irritated with him for mentioning it...again. She’d had to stop herself from telling him
okay, enough, I get it already.

Obviously she hadn’t gotten it at all.

It was up to her to be very clear that they were only friends, casual friends who happened to have great sex. And that arrangement would last for as long as it lasted, and that was it. End of story.

17

N
ATALIE
SHOULDN
’
T
HAVE
been surprised when her phone rang early the next morning. Max knew she had to work. What he didn’t know was that she’d be going in late. She doubted she’d gotten more than four hours’ sleep and an event that evening would keep her at work longer than usual.

“Hi, Max. How did it go?” Her voice was as light and breezy as she could make it, but she doubted he was fooled.

“Glad to hear you’re still speaking to me.”

“Stop it. Of course I am.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Better. Not a hundred percent, but better.”

He hesitated. “Can you stay home and rest? Get someone to cover for you at Omnibus?”

“Nope. In fact I have to stay later than usual tonight. But honestly, I’m fine.”

“Well, at least now I don’t feel so bad. I’ll be tied up, as well.”

Natalie’s heart sank. Which made no sense. What had she expected? For him to sit at home and mope every time she wasn’t available? That he’d never go out again without her?

His free evenings were numbered. He’d be returning to work in a few days, and even if he wasn’t busy with work, he’d still have his colleagues to meet and clients to talk to. Max would do whatever lawyers did after work, and he wouldn’t think twice about it. The thought hurt, and that was exactly the kind of crap she had to stop. He owed her nothing. “You have another interview?” she asked, as if it meant nothing.

“No. Dinner with my folks. I promised them I’d go over before I went back to work. Mike and I are meeting up and taking the train to Bridgeport.” Max sighed. “I almost forgot about it. Guess I’m an equal-opportunity jerk.”

“Hey, come on.”

“I’m so sorry,” he said. “I’m still embarrassed about my behavior last night. Leaving you alone like that. Jesus.”

Damn her traitorous body, but her eyes welled and closing them did little to help. “It’s okay. I swear. I knew you’d be busy.”

“And I knew you weren’t comfortable in big social situations. But you were gracious enough to overlook my callous disregard and come anyway. I can’t apologize enough.”

“Thanks, but you have. Really. It wasn’t all that bad. I met a very nice man, and we’ve even made plans to see each other again.”

The silence on the line was satisfying, in a bad-seed kind of way. Which wasn’t her style. “His name is Harry Ellerbach, and he’s the CFO for the firm. He’s only about sixty, but he lost his wife awhile ago. They used to come to Omnibus. He’s lonely, and I think I can help him meet some people he’d like.”

“You really had me going there, kiddo.”

“Did I?”

He sighed. “Yeah. As if I’ve got any business being jealous.”

That was the kind of stuff that would get her into trouble. He was right; he had no business being jealous. And she had no business being happy that he’d admitted it. “Look, I’ve got to get moving. I’m not ready for work yet.”

“Right. I didn’t mean to keep you. But any chance we can meet for lunch?”

She bit her lip. It felt awkward between them—too much hesitation and his voice sounded wrong. Had they already made it to the regret phase? Please, not yet. Maybe if they saw each other in person, things would be better between them. She knew she couldn’t have him, but it didn’t have to end cold turkey. “Possibly. I’ll have to play it by ear. How about I call you?”

“Sure. If it works out, great. And if not, it’s only an hour-and-fifteen-minute train ride to my folks’ house. They aren’t night owls, so I won’t be back too late....”

His voice trailed off, letting the suggestion hang there. Until now he hadn’t had any trouble asking her to spend the night at his place, or if he could stay at hers. In fact, words had rarely been necessary.

“We’ll talk about that later, too,” she said, her voice softening. “We sure got off track, didn’t we?”

“I don’t regret it,” he said as if she needed convincing.

“I’m not certain what I feel.”

“Oh, God, Natalie. Don’t give up on us. There’s no question we have a transition to make, and I’m not saying it’ll be easy. But—”

“Max...”

“No matter what, I’m so glad I know you.”

The resurgence of the lump in her throat was inconvenient. She’d tried her best to be steady and strong, even when her emotions were tying her into a knot. After swallowing several times, she managed to say, “I really do have to go. We’ll connect later,” before she hung up.

She dropped the phone on her bed and pulled her robe more tightly around her. Sadly, the sensation made her think of Max and how many times he’d come from behind and put his arms around her and cradled her against his chest. She was going to miss those things so much....

All her years spent studying film had given her a very well-defined understanding of the difference between a happy ending and a tragedy. There would be no delightful twist, no deus ex machina that would save the day. What she wanted and what Max wanted were miles apart. The accident of their meeting and hooking up was remarkable given their personalities and their goals, but it was unsustainable.

Of all the movie tropes she’d studied, the one she’d never connected with was the ill-fated love story. It was heresy, but in her opinion Ilsa never should have left Rick in
Casablanca.
Even though he’d acted like a condescending jerk, they would have been brilliant fighting the enemy together.

And the hell with
Titanic
and
The Way We Were
and
Brokeback Mountain.
All of those manipulative tearjerkers. Why fall in love when it could only end in heartbreak?

She should have said goodbye after their first night together. But it was too late to rewrite that script. The only approach she could take to get through this in one piece was to remind herself that she was a sensible person. Well, she had been before Max. But then, a lot of things had been different about her life before him.

Good thing she hadn’t applied her makeup yet, because no amount of blinking could have stopped her tears. She just hoped she didn’t look like absolute hell when she got to work.

* * *

L
UNCH
HADN
’
T
PANNED
OUT
.
Max couldn’t say he was surprised. Disappointed, yes, but Natalie had sounded harried and there’d been a lot of background noise so he didn’t think she’d blown him off. They were still tentatively on for tonight after he got back from his parents’ house, so he was relieved that a plan was still in play. And frankly, while lunch with her would’ve shot to the top of his priority list, it would’ve required a lot of juggling.

Next week he had to go back to work, so he’d scheduled his last meeting for midmorning. It hadn’t mattered that it was Saturday. The partners of Goldstone and Bridges were happy to speak with him, and he’d thought squeezing in a meeting with the small law firm would help make his decision clearer. The partners had been great. He liked Sarah and Marissa. Their reputation was stellar. They were on solid financial footing, had an excellent support staff and he’d been very impressed with their values, right down to how they chose their clients.

But they couldn’t come close to matching the kind of offer he’d need to meet his most fundamental goals. He’d kind of figured that, but he was glad he’d explored the possibility.

Unfortunately, he’d left more confused than ever. On the one hand, he would love to spend his days with people who weren’t driven by the bottom line. Not only were they not sharks, they weren’t even trying to be. Goldstone and Bridges was a concierge firm. They only represented people and companies they respected. What they needed at the moment was precisely a person with his skills and talents. He’d end up putting in the same hours and commitment, but for less than half the money, and the only promise was a yearly bonus of indeterminate size.

The issues Max had to consider had changed a great deal since...well, since Natalie. That first week off, he’d been barely conscious and hadn’t been able to put two thoughts together. The second week had been squarely about maximizing his opportunity for a long-range win, knowing he’d face years of slavish work and that his sacrifice would be significant. But that was to be expected.

He was in this business for the long haul. Even if it meant putting some things on the back burner for now. That was the trick, wasn’t it? Everyone he knew was putting off having a family and buying a house in the suburbs. Who could do all that and still hope to make partner by fifty?

So he’d do his best. Work hard now and reach his goals. Then he would find someone like Natalie and go the distance, wherever that led.

No, not
someone like Natalie.
It was crazy to think he’d be lucky enough to find anyone close.

He felt as if he were living in an O. Henry story. He’d found the woman he wanted to build a future with, but in order to have that future, he had to give her up.

He sighed as he realized he’d been walking blindly since he left the interview. It was already twelve-thirty, and he was supposed to meet Joey in half an hour. He’d meant to walk to the coffee shop near the Legal Aid office, but now there wasn’t time.

Instead of a cab, he took the subway. As tempting as it was to keep rehashing his dilemma, he used the ride to read his email and check up on the news.

Joey had gotten them a small indoor table. With his venti americano, Max joined his friend. Well, not quite friend. What might have turned into a good friendship wouldn’t ever get a chance to grow. “Having problems getting the family to cooperate with your plans?”

Joey shook his head. “Not really. Trying to decide on a date is the biggest issue. Lviv is closed on Mondays, so that’s looking like the best day for everyone to come. Around two or three in the afternoon. Is there any chance that could work for you?”

“Actually, that sounds doable as long as it’s in the late afternoon. I have an important meeting at ten-thirty.”

“Terrific. Natalie will be there, which will help. Everyone looks up to her.”

Max nodded, wondering why she hadn’t mentioned it to him. It was ridiculous to feel as if he were the one being edged out of her life. Especially given what had happened last night. But this sit-down that Joey was arranging was the type of thing she would’ve talked to him about.

“That’s not the only reason I wanted to meet.” Joey studied his coffee for a minute before meeting Max’s eyes. “I think I’ve decided what I’m going to do after I’m finished with Legal Aid.”

“Oh?”

“It’s radical. But the more I think about it, the more I like it.”

“You’ve got my attention.” Max drank some coffee, barely noticing he’d forgot to put in his sugar. Thankfully, there were a few packets on the table, so he grabbed one.

“I’m going to start my own firm.”

Max stopped tearing the packet open. “Really? Your own firm?”

“Yep. I know I need experience, and that’s why I’m going to need a partner. Someone who has a track record, and could give the firm the kind of credentials we’ll need to make a real go of it.”

“And, I’m assuming, a hell of a bankroll?”

Joey looked down at his hands. “Actually, money isn’t the problem.”

“Oh.” Max wasn’t sure what to say. He hoped Joey had done his homework and given this decision serious thought. Understanding that he needed a partner with experience since he had so little wasn’t enough. It made more sense for him to use his Harvard degree to put a high-profile firm on his résumé than have to ride a partner’s coattails. “Where are you thinking? Manhattan?”

“Yeah. Maybe Brooklyn. Probably Brooklyn. I’ve got money. I’ve invested well. I could work for someone else, learn the ropes in a more traditional way, but honestly, that’s not my thing. Working at Legal Aid has been enlightening. Combined with my two years being an intern at Goulston & Storrs, I know that I’ll do better with my own team, without having to worry about fitting in at an established practice.”

“That’s a huge undertaking,” Max said.

Joey grinned. “I know. That’s what’s got me excited. I like a challenge. I mean, I thrive on that kind of thing. To start with, though, I need to be damn sure about who I want to partner with. Or to be more accurate, who’d want to partner with me. You wouldn’t be interested, would you?”

Max made a point not to laugh. “It sounds exciting,” he said, and it was the honest truth. “But I can’t see that happening. Sorry. I’ve just reached the sweet spot, you know? Where I’m being sought after. I think I’d enjoy working with you, but man, you’re talking about a hell of a risk.”

“Not with the right people. I’m not going to jump into something until all the pieces are together. Fortunately, I’ve got the means to do that. There are a few other people on my short list. I’m not just looking for one super attorney, but to create a team. I’ve already put a lot of effort into the business plan with the help of my financial advisor. Anyway...” He finished off his coffee in two gulps and checked his watch. “I’ve got to head back to the office.”

“Go ahead. I think I’ll get something to eat while I’m here.”

Joey got to his feet. “I wish I had more time. I’ve been wanting to pick your brain about what you’ve gone through. Maybe I can buy you a meal or something, when I don’t have to run off so fast.”

“I’d like that,” Max said.

“Great. I’ll give you a call about the time for Monday’s meeting,” Joey said, backing away. “If something comes up and you can’t make it, let me know.”

“I’ll be there.” Part of Max wanted to tell him to forget about the whole business. No one did that, fresh out of school. It was crazy and reckless and he’d probably lose all his money, and those were only the first things that came to mind.

The other part of him was jealous as hell. The audaciousness of the plan alone had Max rubbing his hands together. To dare something so outrageous was damned impressive. He’d be in charge of clients. Of structuring the firm to suit the team’s talents. Knowing what he did about Joey, Max figured he’d be too busy to breathe for the next year or so. But in the end, Joey could do a lot of good for a lot of people. He was clearly smart as hell, and if he could build enough equity to put a plan like his together, imagine what he could do to build his firm? Damn. If Max were a betting man, he’d back the kid.