And here it comes, Lucas thought.
“She has nowhere to go, and I’m not throwing her out on the street.”
“She can come live with us.”
“She has a job in Manhattan. It’s easier for her to live in the city than to commute from as far out on the island as you are. Besides, Dad, she barely wants to be here. She hates leaning on anyone. She’s not going to want to burden you or Mom.” Not that Lucas would let her leave here. “She’s settled and it’s fine.”
“Of course it’s fine for you. You’ve always been in love with her, but she’s your brother’s wife.”
“Widow, Dad. And Keith did not do right by her. At all. I’m not saying there’s anything happening between us, but if something ever did, it’s none of your business.”
“Whatever he did, Keith was still your brother, and you owe him some respect. That’s his wife,” his father said again.
Lucas leaned against the granite counter, his hands clenched in frustration at his sides. “Someday, I will explain to you exactly who your son was, and you’ll listen and understand. Or maybe you’ll choose to go on seeing him as he never was. A saint who could do no wrong. But if you do that, you’ll lose me too. Because I can’t live my life in denial like you are.”
The words came out strong, but they hurt, and Lucas feared his father wouldn’t listen.
“Justine!” Bryce called out, his face red with anger. He pushed past Lucas and stormed out. “Let’s go!” he yelled for his wife.
A white haze of disbelief settled over Lucas as Bryce didn’t even struggle to accept what his other son had told him. Grief, Lucas tried to remind himself. Bryce was grieving, and he couldn’t cope with the facts. But the sad truth was, he hadn’t seen who Keith had been even when he was alive. Not as a child and not as a man.
Lucas ran a hand over the top of his head and slowly made his way out of the kitchen and back to his parents, who were already at the front door. His father was rushing his mother out.
“Lucas—”
“Go, Mom. We’ll talk when everyone’s calm.”
He glanced at Maxie, who was pale and shaken.
“But—”
“Justine!” Bryce barked out.
“It’s okay,” he mouthed to his mother. At least she wasn’t as furious as his father. That gave him hope for the future.
Not, he thought, that he’d change his life to suit what his parents thought was right. Especially when it came to Maxie.
* * *
By the time Lucas’ parents left, Maxie was shaking. She headed straight for her bedroom and pulled out the suitcase from beneath the bed and began throwing clothing into it.
“What the hell are you doing?” Lucas strode in and slammed the top shut, leaving her holding a handful of underwear.
“I can’t stay here.” His parents were too upset, and she couldn’t handle being the cause.
Lucas took the clothes out of her hands and laid them on the bed, neither mentioning that it was her panties he was holding.
He grasped her now free hand. “We didn’t do anything wrong. I’m helping you out. Once they calm down and get over what they learned about Keith, they’ll refocus their disappointment where it belongs.”
She narrowed her gaze. “You don’t really believe that.”
A sad smile lifted his lips. Lips she’d been kissing not thirty minutes before. Her body tingled all over again.
“I don’t care what they’re thinking or how they’re really coping; we’re adults. They can’t influence what we do,” he said.
That’s where he was wrong. “They were my in-laws, and they’ve always been good to me. And they’re your parents. I don’t want them hurting, and I won’t be the cause of a rift between you.”
He frowned. “And they don’t want you suffering, regardless of how they reacted tonight. So you aren’t moving out. Just take a deep breath and get some sleep. Give them some time to deal with things.”
She blew out a slow breath, knowing he had a point. She had nowhere else to go anyway, which was why she was living here now. “I overreacted.”
“No, you’ve just been through a lot.”
She nodded. “So have you.”
“I’d like to think we’re out the other side and on our way to better things.”
She smiled, appreciating his optimism. “I should get some sleep,” she said, well aware if he remained in the room, talk would turn to what they’d been doing before his parents’ surprise visit. And if they talked about it, she wasn’t sure she could stop herself from repeating it.
And if his family was against her merely living here, she didn’t want to imagine their reaction to her and Lucas being involved in any way. Despite what her body wanted, and there was no doubt she wanted Lucas, it wasn’t a good idea for them to pick up where they’d left off. Now, as before, the timing wasn’t right for them.
She was beginning to think it never would be.
* * *
Maxie threw herself into work, determined to prove to her new employers that they’d made the right decision in hiring her. She didn’t want anyone to think that she didn’t pull her weight or that she had it easy just because Lucas Monroe had made a phone call. She made it a point to get in early in the morning and stay later than most in the evenings. Civil litigation was far different than criminal law, and she worked hard to learn fast and fit in. She enjoyed the work and the people and felt comfortable there.