The Ideal Man

TWENTY – TWO

Max was standing in the living room waiting for Ellie when Annie motioned to him from the hallway.

“Could I speak to you in private?” Annie asked. Since he was the only one in the room, he thought the question odd. “Yeah, okay.”

“In your office?”

He laughed. “My office. I guess I’ve been using it a lot, huh?”

Annie nodded. “Ellie and I know what you’re doing. You’re hiding from Ava and John. I like the man, but oh God, he’s boring. I shouldn’t have said that, I know, but he really is.”

Max followed her to the office. She went in first and held the door. Once he was inside, she shut the door and leaned against it. Her complexion was green. Max reached under the desk for the trash can and held it out to her.

Annie noticed the leery look in his eyes. “I’m okay,” she said.

“You don’t look okay.”

She patted her cheeks, trying to get some color back. “It’s the smell of coffee. It makes me sick to my stomach.”

Max set the trash can down but kept it close just in case.

“I’m sorry about throwing up last night. I hope that didn’t gross you out.”

“I’ve got six brothers. Nothing grosses me out.”

“I’m also sorry I didn’t finish our conversation. After I ran upstairs to brush my teeth, I was having second thoughts.” She looked uneasy and tentative.

“Would you like some fresh air? We could go out on the porch to talk.”

She shook her head. “Ava’s waiting in the drive.”

As if on cue, they heard a horn honk.

“She can be impatient,” Annie said.

“Uh-huh.”

“About the favor…” She hesitated.

“Yes?”

“Can you find someone for me?”

“I can try.”

“I don’t want him to know I’m looking for him. I just want to know where he is because… because…”

The tears started, and Max was at a loss as to what to do or say. “Oh, don’t do that,” he implored. “Come on, don’t… Let me go get Ellie or your mom. Don’t cry, Annie. I’ll find him for you.”

He didn’t know how to comfort her. He went to her, thinking he could guide her to her sister, but as soon as he touched her shoulder, she leaned into his chest, and the tears turned into gut-wrenching sobs.

What the hell? Max put his arms around her and held her. “It’ll be okay,” he promised. “It’ll be okay.”

Ava was honking the horn nonstop, and Ellie went looking for Annie while her mother ran outside to tell Ava to stop making so much noise.

Ellie opened the office door and saw Max trying to console her sister. He was patting her back as she cried all over him. Ellie quietly pulled the door shut. Then tears came into her eyes. How could she not love this man?

Ava could damn well wait.