Page 52 of Maximum Dare
Hewas here.
Max was chatting with an older couple. He’d told me he was flying back to São Paulo, but he hadn’t mentioned when exactly. His way of shaking me off, no doubt.
His tuxedo enhanced his already generous shoulders, fitting him so well he looked like royalty. His dark hair looked tousled, like he’d run his fingers through it in a moment of rebellion. And those eyes,God, those brown irises glimmered with good humor as they greeted those around him. Guests were just as enamored with him as I was, it seemed. They surrounded him, fawning over the man who stood out in the crowd; the brother of the star of evening.
Max was annoyingly gorgeous. The kind of distraction I didn’t have time for. If he saw me, he’d tell me to leave. Stepping back, I hid behind an enormous vase.
Oh, fuckadoo.
Max was walking in my direction.
I turned quickly and burst through a door, following a waiter down a long corridor teeming with staff—all of them dressed like me in black and white.
My humiliation was complete.
It wasn’t my fault. The last thing I’d been expecting was an über-posh event.
The staff swarmed around me, some carrying trays of food, others returning with empty glasses, everyone scurrying around looking busy. It was organized chaos in the kitchen as chefs prepared the food, shouting orders and sending dishes out on trays.
Two fingers clicked in my face. “I need you with it,” said a waiter.
“I…um…”
“This place may be filled with football royalty,” he snapped. “But you need to do your job.” He handed me a plate of hors d’oeuvres.
This wasn’t exactly the plan but being undercover as a waitress might be a great way to sneak around unseen. I improvised, heading out into the party and offering food to the party-goers, all the while scanning the room for Nick. It was kind of nice to nosy around and get a glimpse of Nick’s secret world.
Inside an empty sitting room, I took a few minutes to strategize. As soon as I saw Nick, I’d grab his attention and have him follow me to somewhere more private. We’d talk, clear the air, and I’d get the precious minutes I needed to make him see sense.
My jaw slackened.
There, hanging on the far wall, was a portrait that had apparently been taken a few years ago. David Banham stood beside his beautiful wife, Nick’s mum. Two proud looking parents posed with their children, Nick and Max.
Thiswastheir home.
Nick had grown up here.
The realization made me tremble with unease.
I’d never been good enough to be introduced to any of these people.
They’d had the money to throw at me. They’d used their authority to make me go away quietly.
Yeah, not so much.
I was the hero here and one day they’d come to see that.
I walked over to the tall glass window and stared out at the beautiful people having fun in the elaborate garden. Even their laughter sounded posh. The people out there knew Nick better than I did. It was the kind of crowd Morgan would feel at home in. The glamorous types.
I’d gone from loving my outfit to feeling frumpy.
I didn’t belong.
Never would.
Fresh air beckoned as I stepped out onto a stone patio. I rested the tray on the linen-covered table.
“What do we have here?” A middle-aged man was pointing at a table strewn with a selection of delicious edibles. “Recommend anything?” He offered me a warm smile.
