17. Max
CHAPTER 17
MAX
A s Max held out his arm to walk Billie downstairs, he couldn’t help feeling a little apprehensive. The kiss they’d shared had been amazing, even better than he’d imagined. Holding Billie in his arms again had felt magical. Her soft lips, the press of her body against his, that peppermint smell… it had all been perfect.
Yet now she wasn’t feeling well. It was terrible timing — unless it wasn’t. Perhaps the kiss had made Billie uncomfortable, and she’d decided to create a reason to leave early. The last thing Max wanted was to make Billie uncomfortable.
She took his arm and smiled up at him. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes.”
“You look a little worried.”
“I just want to make sure you’re all right.” They walked back inside. “Are you sure you don’t need to go to the doctor?”
“Definitely not.” Billie shook her head, then winced. “I just need to rest and have some fluids. I’m sure I’ll be fine by tomorrow.”
“Okay.” They crossed the room, nodding and greeting a few people as they passed. By the elevator bank, Max pressed the button to call the elevator. “I just wanted to say, if anything about tonight made you uncomfortable…”
“Not at all.” Billie fixed those beautiful brown eyes on Max’s. “I’ve had a wonderful evening. And I hope we can continue our conversation as soon as I’m feeling better.”
“Absolutely.” They stepped into the elevator, which whisked them downwards. They waited in the lobby for a few minutes until the cab arrived, then Max walked Billie out and opened the car door for her. “Text me when you get home, all right?”
“Of course. Enjoy the party and don’t let your inner Scrooge take over.”
“I’ll do my best.” Max winked at her, then gently shut the door and tapped the roof of the cab. It drove away, leaving Max alone on the sidewalk. He stood in the cold for a moment, watching the cab disappear down the street. Hopefully, Billie would feel better shortly. Hopefully, she really did want to continue their conversation the next day.
Because now that Max had kissed Billie again, now that it seemed there could be a real connection between them, he didn’t think he could let her go. The same problems were still there. He wasn’t sure how to manage a relationship while being the best CEO for Bluebell Diner that he could be. He wasn’t sure how to love a woman as wonderful as Billie. Yet Max was confident that, if she cared about him, too, they could figure everything out together.
She’d been right. It was time to pave his own path, instead of following in his father’s footsteps, and Max was certain that Billie was part of his path. Maybe, with her by his side, he could begin to imagine a new kind of future — one where he wasn’t always waiting for his father’s approval. One where he could enjoy the holidays as much as she did. One where he could care for, even love, Billie without hesitation.
Whistling to himself, Max went back inside and headed up to the party. He was ready for a festive evening.
Unfortunately, the scene that greeted him when he reemerged into the office space was hardly festive. Jim Grayson was standing in the center of the room with Stephanie, their arms crossed as they faced off against each other. Several of Max’s employees and partners had stopped to see what was happening.
“PR,” Jim scoffed. “In my day, hard work was enough — we didn’t have to make it look like we were doing things.”
“That’s not what PR is,” Stephanie replied calmly. “It’s about showcasing the things that make a company great.”
“Well, it seems to be about pouring money into charity and sacrificing your CEO’s time to — what — grocery-shop and decorate trees?” Jim scoffed. “No wonder this quarter saw lower profits than the last.”
“The amount we donated to the charity was a fraction of a percent of quarterly earnings,” Stephanie replied. “And Max didn’t give any time he didn’t have to volunteering.”
As Max listened to them argue, a strange feeling came over him. He’d been deeply against Stephanie’s suggestion to volunteer with Billie’s charity when she’d first brought it up. And he’d been resentful of her insistence on posing for photos and her seeming lack of interest in Billie’s cause. Yet now, he felt defensive of her and her work. Had he been as bad as his father when he’d talked about how neither charity nor PR were very useful?
Max stepped between Stephanie and Jim.
“What are we discussing?” he asked.
“Mr. Grayson and I were discussing the ins and outs of PR,” Stephanie replied smoothly. Max admired her ability to spin the conversation into something positive.
“That sounds interesting,” Max said. “Stephanie, I’m not sure I mentioned it, but I appreciate you encouraging me to pursue charity work this holiday season. Working with Billie has been very positive for me and for the company.”
Stephanie looked a little surprised, but she smiled. “Thank you, Max.”
“And now you too, huh?” Jim asked Max. “You’d rather spend your time volunteering with a beautiful woman than putting in an honest day’s work.”
Retorts bubbled in Max’s chest, but he didn’t voice any of them. This was already turning into a scene, so the best thing to do was shut it down as quickly as possible.
“Dad, it’s starting to get late,” Max said calmly. “You might want to head home.”
Jim’s eyes widened. “Are you kicking me out?”
“Not at all. But I do think it’s time for you to go.”
“Fine.” Jim stomped out of the room, leaving all eyes on Max. He gave everyone a reassuring smile.
“Shall we continue with the party?” he asked. “I think it’s about time for dessert.”
Slowly, everyone returned to talking and eating. The atmosphere in the room eased now that Jim was gone. Stephanie thanked Max once again, then drifted off to join a few PR colleagues. Although Max and Stephanie would probably never be friends, Max’s time with Billie had taught him to appreciate the value of everyone’s work, even if it was different from what he’d do.
Speaking of Billie… Max pulled out his phone and saw that she’d sent him a text.
Home safe. Have a nice evening. XO
Max’s heart warmed at the kiss and hug at the end of the sentence. It might not mean anything, but knowing Billie, it also might. More surprising was the fact that he wanted it to mean something. He sent Billie a quick text back.
Glad to hear it. Hope you feel better soon.
After a moment’s hesitation, he added his own X and O to the end of the sentence before pressing send. Then he put his phone away and went to mingle with the other partygoers.
It wasn’t quite as fun or as festive without Billie by his side, but Max still enjoyed himself. He chatted with employees, strategized with partners, ate several Christmas cookies, and watched as some brave (or possibly inebriated) souls danced to the string quartet’s Christmas music. When the evening rolled down and everyone began to head home, he stayed behind to help the caterers clean up before making his way back to his apartment.
Max had always loved his apartment. It was large, modern, and comfortable, with wide windows that looked out over the Chicago cityscape, and it had every modern appliance. Yet today, as Max tossed his keys into the bowl and toed off his shoes, he couldn’t help feeling like something was missing. He wished he had a Christmas tree, or even a sprig of mistletoe, to bring in a little holiday cheer.
Then, with an excited jolt, he realized that he did have something Christmassy — the plane Billie had given him as a gift. He ran back out to his car to grab it, then spent an enjoyable half an hour flying the plane around his lofted living room. If only Billie could have been here, too.
Max was going to need to get her a Christmas gift as well. Not because he felt an obligation to give one — she’d clearly given him the plane simply because she thought he’d enjoy it rather than because she wanted something in return. No, Max wanted to give her a present because he wanted her to feel the same warm happiness he felt on this cold December night, knowing that Billie had thought about him and that she cared about him.
By the time Max had taken a quick shower and climbed into bed, he had the perfect gift in mind. He’d just need to go out and buy it the next day. Better yet, getting a gift would give him a good excuse to see Billie again as soon as possible.
He was still in a good mood when he drifted off to sleep, despite the altercation with his father. This was already turning into the best Christmas he’d had, and it wasn’t even Christmas Day yet.