I didn't want to spend a lot of time talking about our personal lives, so I said, "Are you hungry? Maybe we could order some take-out."
His expression perked up. "Thai? It seems like forever since I've had Thai food."
I nodded. "Thai food it is."
For the rest of the evening, we were able to avoid discussions about Kaley and Max. When he left, I got ready for bed, hoping that I'd be able to fall right to sleep. Of course, that didn't happen. Thoughts of Max and our annulment crowded my brain.
It seemed like I had just fallen asleep when my alarm went off at five in the morning. I didn't normally get up that early, but five in the morning out here was eight in the morning in New York, and I figured it was best to call Max first thing in the morning.
After getting coffee, I sat at the dining table and dialed Max’s office number. An efficient sounding woman picked up the line in New York.
"Is Max Clarke in, please?"
"He's not in yet today. Can I take a message?"
Crap. Should I leave a message? Maybe I should just try again later. But if I kept calling back, that might look suspicious too.
"My name is Amelia Dunsmore, with Dunsmore Media Management Services. I'm following up on a discussion we had while he was here in Las Vegas."
I practically patted myself on the back. No one would be suspicious of a business call. And it would make sense that Max would consult a social media marketing agency while entering a new market, right?
"Is there a number he should call?"
I rattled off my number, and she assured me that he would get the message. I thanked her then hung up and blew out a breath. For a moment, I tried to imagine him getting the message. Would he smile at seeing my name because he remembered the good times we had? Or would it irritate him because the issue of our marriage hung over him? I supposed I’d find out when he called me back.
While I waited, I went to work on my own business, doing my best to push Max and my marital status out of my mind.
CHAPTERSEVEN
Max
I woke up the morning after returning from Las Vegas hoping that it had all been a dream, or maybe a nightmare. Accidentally getting married in Las Vegas was something Sam would do. Or maybe my sister, Vivie.
Then again, it was hard to regret the time I spent with Amelia prior to waking up married. I couldn't articulate what it was about her, but whatever it was, it awakened something inside me. For a moment, I pondered whether I was missing out by not allowing myself to develop a relationship with a woman. But then I remembered Candace in high school cheating on me with a jock and Lauren, my college sweetheart, making fun of the adaptations due to my dyslexia that I needed in the classroom at college to be able to do well academically. And now, blacking out and waking up drunk married to Amelia. I'd been rip-roaring drunk a time or two in my life, but I couldn't ever remember blacking out. Of course, that was the issue. For all I knew, I had forgotten things while drunk. Still, I'd always been able to remember at least bits and pieces of the night before. But everything after the limo drive, up until waking up the next morning beside Amelia, was a complete blank.
I got out of bed, hit the shower, and dressed. I gathered the clothes to go to the dry cleaner, checking to empty the pockets. I pulled out the wedding band. When Amelia had gone to get dressed, I found it on the bed where I’d tossed it like it was the plague. I was trying to figure out what to do with it when she emerged. It felt rude to throw it out even though she didn’t want to be married either. It seemed like it might be construed as I was tossing her out, and that wasn’t the case. Yes, our affair was over, but still. Ah, hell. I don’t know what I was thinking. All I knew was that I shoved it in my pocket.
Once I’d taken care of my clothes for the dry cleaning service to pick up, I headed out. Instead of heading straight to the office. I went by my parents’ house. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I needed to check in with Mom to see what, if anything, she wanted me to do.
When I got to the house, I found my mom in the sunroom drinking a cup of coffee and reviewing something on her tablet. My mom had been a career woman when we were growing up, but once Vivie was born, she switched to working part-time and mostly from home. When Vivie was old enough that she could go back to a regular office schedule, she'd been so used to working from home that she decided to stay there. Today, working from home was no big deal, but she was a pioneer, one of the early work-at-home moms.
Her smile brightened when she saw me. "Oh, hey. You just missed your dad." She rose from her chair and gave me a hug. "How are things out west?"
"Well, an earthquake hasn't sunk it into the ocean yet."
She laughed. "How about I get you some coffee? You can tell me how Sam is doing."
I didn’t know how Sam was doing. I planned to stick with the no news is good news theory.
My mom returned to the sunroom having refilled her cup and getting one for me. I sat in one of the wicker chairs while she took her regular seat in a rocking chair. She got the rocker five years ago when Sam had come home after graduating from college with his ex-girlfriend, Sandra, and a baby. All was not as it seemed, but Mom and Dad took in Sam's ex and the baby as part of the family. Recently, the two of them had moved to Boston, and I imagined my mom missed them. Especially little Chelsea. Hopefully, things between Sam and Kate would work out and they'd be able to give Mom and Dad a real grandchild. Hell knew I wasn't gonna give them one. I had a flash of the other morning waking up next to Amelia and making slow, slow love her. Did I use a condom?
"Max?" My mom shook me out of my thoughts.
"Yes?"
"How is Sam doing?"
I shrugged. "Fine, as far as I know."