Page 90 of Boss from Hell

My heart went out to her. She really did love Max; she just didn’t know how to relate to him. “Maybe you should start by calling him Max.”

“Maximus is a beautiful name,” she protested.

I bit my lip and shook my head.

Her eyes danced with amusement. “Is it very ghastly?”

I chuckled. It dawned on me that I had also judged her unfairly. People carried all sorts of burdens, and Marilyn was no exception just because she was wealthy.

“Let’s just say it ranks up there with weird names.”

“We should go shopping the next time I come to New York,” she said. “Do the things I could have done with a daughter.”

I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I could be out of Max’s life for good at any time. “That would be nice.”

Chapter 52

Max

Ifelt I’d been in a fog the last three days, but even so, I was disgusted with myself when I looked in the mirror. I couldn’t believe I’d almost given the game away last night. I had nearly unraveled all the good work Chris had done. They could so easily pull out and we’ll never find who it was. After all this time of those bugs in my office driving me crazy.

Luckily, Lillian had not insisted and asked more questions.

I pulled on a pair of jogging pants and a white T-shirt and went downstairs.

Lillian and my mother were in the kitchen talking over coffee like old friends. It did something to me seeing them like that, but I dismissed that feeling as sentimentalism brought about by illness.

I sneaked a look at Lillian and warmth flooded me.

Not wanting to appear like a love-sick fool, I moved to the counter to pour myself a mug of coffee. I hadn’t had coffee in days and I was craving it. I carried it to the kitchen island and stood drinking it.

“I must say you’re looking a whole lot better after your little nap, Max,” my mother noted.

I stared at her in disbelief. “That’s the first time you’ve ever called me Max.”

An embarrassed expression came over her features, then she shrugged as if it was no big deal. “Oh well. If that’s the name you prefer...”

I grinned. “I’ve hated Maximus all my life, but it would be very weird if you stopped calling me that. You can keep calling me Maximus, Mother.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. There are privileges to being my mother.”

My mother flushed with quiet joy.

I turned to Lillian. “Did you sleep well?”

She smiled. “I did, thanks.”

Her politeness reminded me of the early days when she became my PA.

“I’m going to leave now that I can see you’re in good hands,” my mother said, standing up. “I’ve booked a car to the airport. Should be here in ten minutes. I’ll go get my things.” She came and kissed me then left us alone.

“Can you manage some toast?” Lillian asked.

“That would be nice… um… thank you.”

I would have given anything to know what she was thinking about as she toasted my bread. Just a week ago, I wouldn’t have thought twice about going to stand behind her and wrapping her in my arms.