They’d barely made it through the door when one of the staff stopped Grady and informed him that supper would be at six thirty. A family meal. God, that was going to be hell. At least he had the memory of kissing Max half-dressed and looking annoyed to get him through. Shit, if that was the only memory of the man Grady would be left with when this was all said and done, it would be worth it.
Something had clearly changed Max while he’d taken an extra-long time at the store to get dressed and emerge. The distance that had grown between them since they’d had sex seemed to close slightly. Max stood nearer when he’d spoken to the clerk. Hadn’t flinched when Grady let his hand brush against Max’s leg. They were small changes, subtle, but welcome.
Grady was going to need every bit of warmth he could manage if he was going to get through the next few days before the wedding.
Max leaned in to speak, his hot breath tickling Grady’s neck. “Why do I get the impression that your idea of a family meal is a bit different from mine?”
“Because you’re a smart man.” His father had always been one to stand on ceremony and insist things be done the proper way, even if that wasn’t the easy way. “Father likes us to dress up. Full courses being served. Lots of fun.”
“So not pizza and beer while watching hockey. Gotcha.”
Grady couldn’t even imagine doing something so normal with his father. “I like the idea of your family meal better.”
“Mom is as big a hockey nut as my dad. We’d always watch the Flames play, even when we lived in Toronto. I think Mom liked ordering pizza just because it gave her an excuse not to cook.”
Grady missed his mom. She’d been one of the only people who’d been able to soften his father at all. “My mom was the opposite. She had to convince my dad to let her cook rather than have someone else prepare the meal. She’d grown up not as well off and loved preparing meals for us, even if it drove Father nuts.”
Max pressed his hand to the small of Grady’s back. “You miss her.”
“Every fucking day.” He’d hated everyone and everything for years after she’d died. It only made matters worse when Justin showed up, taking over a role of responsibility for Grady that he never should have. Grady hadn’t been able to control his anger, and got into trouble on more than one occasion as a result. Too many of his supposed friends realized that when he got angry, he would do just about anything.
To make matters worse, his family had noticed the same thing.
“I’m here to listen if you need a friendly ear.” With a gentle nudge, Max guided him to the stairs. “But for now we don’t have a lot of time before supper. I have a feeling jeans won’t cut it for this either, so I better change.”
He’d taken the liberty of picking out three more dress shirts and two more of the dress pants in different shades for Max, paying for them all before the stubborn man had a chance to argue. “Wear the jeans, but with the forest-green shirt. That will piss Father off to no end.”
Max shook his head. “You love to provoke him.”
“Every moment I get.”
“Have you ever tried simply getting along?”
“Hell no.” Grady had been in awe of his father as a little kid. He hadn’t needed to try hard to win his affection back then, receiving it whenever his father had been around. Everything had fallen apart the year before his mother had left . . . before she’d died. Grady cleared his throat. “He’d see that as a sign of weakness and swoop in for the kill. Better to keep him on his guard.”
It was good to get back to the relaxed nature of their friendship—because no matter how things started, Grady couldn’t see Max as anything less than that now—and their banter. Not that he’d say no to the intensity he knew Max had simmering beneath his surface. Those few stolen moments in the changeroom had been legendary.
He’d been about to suggest another round of kissing when Max’s cell rang. “I have to take this.”
“Sure.”
“Hey, Mom. How are you?”
Grady had come to accept life without his mother a few years ago, but it still hurt when he was reminded of the simple things. Like talking to her on the phone.
“How’s Dad’s arthritis doing?” They stepped into their bedroom, and Max wandered toward the bathroom. “What’s it called? Oh. What are the side effects?”
Grady didn’t know the first thing about medicine, not beyond the scary-ass TV commercials warnings about possible dry mouth, constipation, and death. Trying not to be too obvious with his eavesdropping, he quietly got changed for supper.
Max stopped moving. “Did you mention that to the doctor? Why not? Mom, yelling at you and slamming doors isn’t normal behavior for him. Look, I’m in Vancouver for a few weeks. Yes, I was. That’s why I called and left a message. A friend’s wedding. Yes, just a friend. Why? Fine. I’m going to come to Calgary once I’m done here. No. Yes. I’m still coming. Then he can yell at me in person.”
Grady had been so wrapped up in his own problems, he hadn’t stopped to consider Max had a life, one that was clearly as messy and complicated as his own. Jesus, he really was as self-centered as Justin had always accused him of being.
Looking over, he saw Max pinching the bridge of his nose, his head lowered and eyes closed. “Okay, Mom. Yup. I’ll call and let you know when I’m coming. Please let the doctor know. There might be other meds they can prescribe. No. Yes. I will. Love you.”
He managed to keep his mouth shut for all of five seconds before going to Max. “Everything okay?”
It was strange to see the not frustration so much as sadness on Max’s face. “I think so. My dad’s switching his medicine and it’s not reacting well.”
“That sucks. But he’s got a doctor looking after him.”
Max snorted. “As much as anyone can look after him. He likes to be in charge.”
“Are you two close?” Now that he’d thought about it, Grady had a million questions he wanted to ask Max, wanted to know about his life. “It sounds like you are with your mom.”
“Mom and I are good. Dad and I used to be, but things changed a while back and it’s been a bit hard for a while. I’ve done my best to move past things, but he still can be prickly about it.”
He used the same tone that Serena did whenever someone asked her about her family. The one that screamed, I’ll tell you if you really want to know, but trust me it’s better if I don’t. Grady had learned the hard way not to ignore that.
“If you need anything while you’re here, or time to go and call so you can check in, just let me know. There’s no point in being wealthy if you can’t spend some of that wealth on your friends.”
Rather than brushing him aside the way Grady had expected him too, Max instead offered him a small smile. “Thanks.”
Once again, Grady couldn’t help but feel this attraction to Max. Maybe because he was the first man in Grady’s life that didn’t want something, didn’t try to control him, or didn’t try to protect him. Max was just Max, there because Grady had asked him to be, doing what Grady wanted.
Except for the sex thing. He wanted way more of that.
“I better change my shirt and jeans if we’re going to make it down to supper on time.”
Grady whimpered when Max stripped off his shirt, a complete change from a few hours earlier. “You’re trying to kill me.”
“Not at all. I’m just playing my part.”
Hateful man. “Father will think we had sex if I go down there looking flushed.”
“No, he’ll think that you’re frustrated because your fiancé left you wanting. He’ll probably get a kick out of it.”
The striptease didn’t go as far as he wanted, nor lasted as long as he liked. Max walked over to the bag and pulled out one of the new dress shirts and put it on.
“We should get that washed and ironed for you before you wear it.”
“Are you even a real man?” Max shook his head. “Tell me you’ve worn a shirt out of the package before.”
“Not once.”
“You’re spoiled.”
“A given.”
“One of these days you’ll have to get a place of your own and try slumming it with the rest of us.”
“What makes you think I haven’t had my own place?” He hadn’t, but there was no way for Max to know that.
“A condo that your father pays for doesn’t count.”
Grady waved him away. “Let’s go. I’m starving.”
By the time they finally made it to the formal dining room, Grady realized two things. The first was that they were the last to arrive and all eyes turned to them when they entered the room. And second, for this being a family meal, there were three extra people in attendance—Les Bouchard, his wife, and his son Ryan.
Shit.
“Hello, everyone. Sorry we’re late.” Grady slipped his hand into Max’s, who gave a squeeze of solidarity.
There were two spots available for them to take, but they weren’t side by side. From the look of satisfaction on his father’s face, it had been his doing. “You kept our guests waiting. Take your seat, son.”
Ryan had been placed next to the chair that was normally reserved for Grady. Creatures of habit, he’d sat there since before his mother passed away. His father loved to make matters worse. Max led him by the hand to the other empty seat, which happened to be next to Justin, pulled out the chair, and waited for him to sit. “There you go.”
“Thanks.” Grady was a firm believer in staying with the devil you know. While he and Justin barely got along on the best of days, he’d be far better than being forced to make small talk with a young man who was little more than a pawn in their fathers’ schemes.
Max smiled down at him before walking around the table to take the remaining chair next to Ryan. “Hi. Max Tremblay.”
“Ryan Bouchard.”
Before his father had time to complain, the staff brought out the first course.
When an avocado and strawberry salad was placed before him, all Grady could do was shovel the spinach leaves into his mouth and hope he wouldn’t choke on his indignation.
“That’s quite the perceptive man you have there.” Justin spoke soft enough that no one other than Grady would hear. “I’m surprised he knew what game your father was playing.”
“Father’s always playing games, and I told Max as much. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.”
“Still.” Justin nodded toward his father as he took a bite of food. “He’s got class and tact. Nice to see you with someone like that.”
Grady looked over long enough to see the death glare Father was leveling at Max. “That won’t go well later.”
Dinner conversation began stilted and formal and eventually morphed into awkward pleasantries. Mrs. Bouchard peppered Serena and Lincoln with questions about the wedding. Father and Les discussed business reports, punctuated with grunts and snorts. And Grady mostly took to glaring at Max and Ryan and the jovial conversation they seemed to be having. When Ryan laughed at something Max said, Grady actually growled.
“Careful,” Justin teased. “You don’t want to cause a scene and embarrass your fiancé.”
He had no reason to be jealous. Max was being gracious by entertaining Ryan, they weren’t actually engaged, and therefore Grady had no reason to be jealous at all. Not to mention the fact that maybe Max and this man had a genuine connection happening. This might be a budding romance that Grady had been responsible for facilitating, something that would bring Max happiness for the rest of his life.
He growled again.
“Grady, how about you?” Mrs. Bouchard turned her attention his way, sending a jolt through him. “Anyone special in your life?”
The air immediately seemed to vacate the room, and everyone froze. Lincoln and Serena’s eyes both widened at the same time; Justin stiffened, and his head snapped to Grady. For his part, Grady squeezed the life out of his fork and tried not to jump across the table to stab his father.
“Actually, Mrs. Bouchard, Grady and I are engaged,” Max said as calm as could be, held up his glass, and smiled. “We didn’t want to spread word around too much with respect to Serena and Lincoln’s day. It just didn’t seem right.”
The blood drained from his father’s face as Les Bouchard set his fork down and leaned forward. “You didn’t mention that, Theo.”
Before Father could say anything, Max interjected once more. “In all fairness to Mr. Barnes, we hadn’t said anything ahead of time either. It was recent, and again, Grady didn’t want to do anything to overshadow Lincoln and Serena’s big day. I’m sure Mr. Barnes would have mentioned things tonight.”
It was weird how Max had been able to position things to not only avoid any awkward conversations for Grady, but still managed to save face for his father. Grady wouldn’t have been that generous.
For his part, Les seemed to accept the reason at face value. “Well. That’s unexpected.”
Mrs. Bouchard leaned forward and smiled brightly at them all. “But congratulations! That’s so exciting for you. Theo, I know how you worried about Grady ever finding the right person.”
His father still said nothing.
“Well, I’m thrilled that we don’t have to keep the engagement a secret anymore.” Serena got to her feet and held up her glass. “To Max and Grady. May you always have one another, in sickness and in health. For better or worse. Pretty much all the damn time.”
“Hear, hear.” Everyone chimed in and drank.
Grady drained his glass. “Thank you.”
“I’m sorry to hear you’re off the market.” Ryan smiled, not to Grady but to Max. “I guess I’ll have to set my sights on someone else.”
Justin snorted and took another sip. “Looks like you have competition.”
Thankfully, the next course came and conversation took another turn to less intense topics. Grady couldn’t help but keep his eyes locked on Max and on how Ryan, despite now being armed with the revelation that Max was taken, continued to flirt shamelessly with him.
When Grady’s father pushed away from the table, conversation screeched to a halt once more. “I need a smoke.”
“I’ll join you.” Les dropped his napkin to the table.
“Sweetheart, you know what the doctor said.”
But Les brushed his wife’s concern away. “We’ll be back before dessert.”
Lincoln leaned in on his opposite side to whisper. “That could have gone worse.”
“Pardon?” Justin leaned back.
“Wanted to know if Grady wanted a smoke too. I had a pack hidden in the other room.” Lincoln never smoked, so he knew that was bullshit. Justin would too.
Mrs. Bouchard, bless her, soldiered on. “So Max, what do you do for a living?”
“I own a club, ma’am.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful. What kind of people does your club service?”
Max smiled as Grady choked on his steak. “It’s actually a nightclub. A gay bar if I’m being specific.”
“Oh. Of course.” She blushed.
Serena leaned over Max’s other side and slipped her arm around his. “Max was telling us the other night that Frantic is one of the best nightclubs in Toronto.”
“Toronto? So you’re not from around here?” Ryan looked as though someone had kicked his puppy.
“Yes. My mom and I moved from Calgary when I was fifteen, and I fell in love with the city. When she eventually moved back home, I stayed put.”
“I don’t think I could handle it if Ryan moved away from Vancouver. I’m too used to having him around.” Mrs. Bouchard was a lovely enough woman, and a seemingly odd match for her scheming husband. “Why did your mother move from Calgary? Work?”
Grady might not have known Max long, but he’d become an expert in reading his expressions in the short time they’d been together. So seeing the spark, the joy, bleed from his face made Grady’s stomach turn.
Max took a drink of wine and smiled. “Yes.”
That was the biggest lie he’d ever heard in his life, but this wasn’t the time or place to call him on it. “How are you liking your steak, Mrs. Bouchard?”
“A bit rare for my liking, but I’ll power through.”
That seemed to be the theme of Grady’s life these days. Nothing was going the way he’d hoped or planned, but he continued to power through. Faced with this new mystery, he knew he wouldn’t rest until he discovered what had happened to Max in Calgary.
Because if he recognized anything, it was when another person had been through hell and come out the other side.