He prided himself on his efficiency, on how much he managed to achieve in any given day. But finishing the day with a family, when he’d started it as a footloose, career-focused bachelor, was a major accomplishment even for him. And one he wouldn’t have seen coming in a million years. He’d never intended to have a family of his own. He’d wanted to avoid the commitments and bonds that came with family. But just because it wasn’t what he wanted for himself didn’t mean he didn’t absolutely believe in its importance.
And Ethan—his son—would have it.
He looked at the boy trotting at his side.
Without a long drawn-out battle, he’d secured a permanent and legal place in his son’s life. And he’d served notice to Gillian that he wasn’t going to let her shut him out.
A driver stood at the waiting vehicle and handed Gillian and a chattering Ethan into the back. Max followed. She eased herself over to the far side of the wide leather seat. The bulky car seat between them provided a physical barrier, Ethan’s presence a barrier of another kind. It was probably for the best.
He was still in no mood to make nice to the woman who had deceived him, but he was getting there. There were moments, even aside from the kiss, when he forgot what lay between them and remembered the connection they’d shared, saw a glimmer of possibility for something new.
They were in this together now, and he was going to make it work.
On his terms.
She pulled a small box of raisins from her handbag and passed it to Ethan along with a slice of cheese. She looked up and caught him watching her. “You want some? I have more in my bag.” She almost smiled.
Worse, he almost smiled back.
They’d had good times once. “Do we need to stop somewhere for food, or can Ethan wait till we’re on the jet? There’s a fully stocked galley on board.”
“This will tide him over. And, Max.” The way she spoke his name brought back memories. “Thanks for asking.”
Max lifted a shoulder, feigning indifference. “I’ve only had close-up experience of one child’s meltdown due to hunger and tiredness. But it was more than enough. Trust me, it’s not something I’m in a hurry to repeat.” For the time being he would have to take her lead on all things relating to parenting. He adapted quickly to most any situation, but this one was so far out of left field that it was going to take some time.
Max pulled his phone from his pocket. He’d taken the first step to ensure he’d be a part of their lives. And now he had to integrate them into his.
There was one call he had to make.
He pressed speed dial. “Hi, Mom. Are you home this evening?” She started to tell him about her day. But there’d be time enough for that tonight. “If you don’t have plans I thought I’d stop by for dinner.” She always said he didn’t come by enough, especially that he now lived back on the west coast after a stint in New York. They claimed they still barely saw him. An exaggeration. They also claimed that they didn’t know what was going on in his life. Maybe not such an exaggeration.
He glanced at the seat beside him. “Oh, and I’ll have a couple of people with me I want you to meet.” While his mother gushed at the prospect of him bringing guests and mused over possible menus, he watched the boy studiously picking raisins from the box and chewing them one at a time. Surely it would take hours to eat that way. His gaze found Gillian, watching him, her eyebrows raised. “Don’t do anything too fancy, Mom. At least one of them likes his food fairly plain.” Gillian did smile then, albeit briefly. “Oh, yeah, and the other one’s a woman. And yes we’ll be staying the night.” He finished the call.
“Staying the night? With your parents? That’s not a good idea, Max.” In fact, she looked like the prospect terrified her.
“We’re going to be in L.A. anyway. May as well stop in and meet them. And let them meet their grandson. They’re set up to have kids from all the times my sister brings her two over. And it saves Ethan an hour and a half more in the car today getting back to Vista del Mar.”
She opened her mouth then closed it again. Whatever she’d been about to say, whatever excuse she’d been about to come up with, she’d realized it wasn’t going to cut it. That any grounds she thought she had for protest were shaky. Instead, a few seconds later she said, “You didn’t warn her. Tell her who, or what …” she lifted a shoulder in a shrug “… you were bringing.”
Ethan held a raisin, which looked suspiciously like it had already been chewed, toward Max. Possibly in child etiquette, if someone offered you some of their food the correct thing to do would be to accept it. Max wasn’t going there. Instead he smiled at his son. “You have it. I’m not hungry.” At which, Ethan offered it to his mother and when she shook her head, popped the mangled raisin back into his mouth.
Max returned his attention to his wife. The one he was going to have to introduce to his family in almost no time at all. “It was enough that I said I was bringing a woman. She’ll already be on the phone to my brothers, ordering their presence tonight. I thought the ‘wife’ news might be best done in person. Besides, if I wait till tonight when Dad and my brothers are there, I’ll only have to explain it once.”
“And how will you explain it?” She looked pale and tense. But he was not going to let himself care.
“Ethan’s not going to need a whole lot of explaining. They’ll know as soon as they see him that he’s my son. There’s a picture of me and my brother at about the same age hanging in the hallway. He’s the spitting image. The hair, the eyes. Although I’m fairly sure I never offered people my half-eaten raisins. And as for you, I’ll think of something.”
She twisted the gold band on her left hand. “I never met your family when we were dating. You scarcely even talked about them.”
“I know.” The omission had been deliberate. He liked to keep the different areas of his life separate. Introducing a woman to his parents could lead to her getting the wrong impression. And vice versa. He’d never brought any of the women he’d dated home to meet his family.
His parents had a good marriage and were keen for their children, and particularly Max, to have that same emotional closeness with someone else. So keen that Max had learned at an early age not to even let on when he was dating someone. Particularly when he’d never had any intention of making it serious. Because as fervently as they wished he’d find that bond, he avoided it. They wouldn’t like the fact that he’d just married a woman that not only had they never met, but who he didn’t love. It would only upset them. “They’re not to know why we’ve married.”
“You mean your ultimatum?”
“Or your willful deception.” That took the wind out of her sails. She looked out the window, seemingly intrigued by their approach to the Las Vegas airport. “I want them to think ours is a real marriage.” He watched the back of her head. He’d always liked her hair, liked running his fingers through it. “A marriage based on love.” Her spine stiffened.
She turned back to him. “And what you want, you get?”
She’d always challenged him. Apparently, unwillingly, he still admired that about her.
“Mommy?” Ethan’s voice was plaintive.
“It’s all right, honey.” She stroked their son’s curls back from his forehead. “Don’t worry, Max,” she said quietly. “You’ll get no argument from me. At least not in public. But just so you know, I’ll be doing it for Ethan’s sake, not yours.”
“I expected nothing more. You’ve made it clear that my feelings aren’t something you take into consideration.”
She drew in a sharp breath. “Max, I …”
He waited, curious to see whether she’d