Just Business

Events started to get easier my bank account got bigger. I did my part at parties and the more I realized, some of them were actually really fun. I met new people and learned things about what Max does for work and I kind of enjoyed being there with him.

“You look beautiful tonight.” He said as he guided me out to the dance floor for a dance.

I smiled. “Oh please, you always tell me that every time we come to one of these things.”

“Well, that’s because it’s true.” He said with a smile.

Sinatra was playing, I loved Sinatra more than anything. I learned to appreciate music through Daddy. Besides being handy, he had a set of vocal chords. Daddy used to sing to Momma all the time and to us when we were kids, one of my favorite memories of him.

I started to hum along with the music as we danced and he raised an eyebrow.

“You like Sinatra?” he asked.

“Like? I LOVE Sinatra.” I said and began to sing a little just loud enough for him to hear me.

“Wow, and you can sing. Is there something you’re not good at?”

“Hmm, honestly I really don’t know.”

His hand was on the small of my back as he guided me across the floor. We danced for a while longer before I felt his grip tighten on my back and he tensed up.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“My parents are here. Remember what I said, don’t let them intimidate you.”

I turned to see a man with salt and pepper hair mid 50’s and a woman at his side and who I’m guessing were his older brothers and sister.

“Max! Sweetheart we didn’t know you were coming. His mother said kissing his cheek. She looked at me and smiled the most fake smile I have ever seen in my life. “And you brought friend.”

“This is Eloise St. Claire, she works in my office.” He said.

I smiled. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Oh that accent, where are you from?” His father asked with a grin. It was the same as Max’s only scarier it made me nervous so I just held onto Max’s arm tight.

“Texas sir.”

“Wow, Max not bad. Not bad at all.” His brother said and winked at me. “I’m Jacob, nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

His sister gave me a sweet smile. “Hi, I’m Selene. Come on, let’s get a drink.”

I looked up at Max and he smiled giving me the okay. And I walked away with her. He began to talk with his parents and brother and when we got to the bar she ordered us both a vodka and cranberry.

“Sorry about that, they always do that to Maxies girlfriends.” She said sipping her drink.

“Oh, no I’m not his girlfriend. I just work for him.”

She laughed. “Honey seriously, I won’t judge you if you’re sleeping with him it’s all good. You wouldn’t be the first one anyway.”

I was starting to get annoyed now. “That’s great to hear but I’m not sleeping with your brother.”

Her facial expression changed. “Shit, I’m sorry. I really am. Look we just get concerned with him, he likes to bounce around and I just didn’t want you to get hurt. You seem like a nice girl.”

“Your parents didn’t seem to think so.” I said glancing over towards in their direction.

“They don’t like anyone Max’s brings home. That’s just how they are. Look, just be careful with him okay? Keep your guard up.”

She smiled before walking towards the bathroom and Jacob came up to the bar.

“So, how much is he paying you?” he asked.

“Excuse me?” I asked.

“How much is he paying to be with him? Cause I can give you more if you come home with me tonight.”
He said his fingertips grazing my arm.

I smiled and moved closer to him and whispered. “Listen to me closely sweetheart, no amount of money can ever make me go home with a guy like you. You have no class and my Momma raised me better than that.”

He was mad when I said that, he defiantly wasn’t expecting me to come back at him like that and I really pissed him off.

“Whatever, you’re just a slut, just like the others. I want to see how long it takes before you’re replaced.”

“Bite me asshole.”

I walked angrily walked back to Max, tears brimming in my eyes he looked at me and his facial expression changed panic and worry in his eyes.

“What happened?” he asked.

“I want to go home now.” I said.

“What did he do to you? What did he say to you?” he demanded. “I’m going to kill him.”

I grabbed his arm. “Please Max, just please can we go home?” I begged.

He looked at me and sensed that was all I wanted. He put his arm around my waist and walked me out the door. The valet boy brought his car around and Max opened the door for me as I got in. I stayed quiet the whole way back to his apartment and he would often look over to try to look at me.
In the elevator, he leaned against the bar and I crossed my arms over my chest. I walked fast out the doors towards his apartment and waited for him to unlock the doors.

“Eloise.” He said calmly.

I ignored him and kicked my heels off going towards the bathroom. He followed behind me.

“Eloise.” He said again.

I opened the bathroom door going in taking out my makeup bag and walked by him again to get my bag of clothes from the spare room to shower. Usually I wouldn’t sleep here, but tonight no one was home and I didn’t want to be alone. But after tonight, I wanted nothing more to be home in my own bed.

“Can you please just tell me what happened?” he begged. I looked at his desperation in his eyes.
Seeing him worry back at the party and now, this was a totally different Max. This Max was sensitive and a total stranger.

Tears began brimming in my eyes. “Your sister thinks I’m sleeping with you. Your brother had the audacity to ask me how much you pay me to come home with you and that he would pay me more to go home with him tonight. Oh, and that I’m just another one of your sluts. Max, no one has EVER disrespected me like that.”

He was furious. His became red with anger and his fists tightened turning white, if Jacob had been standing right next to him, I think he would have broken his jaw.

“Max.”

I walked towards him and touched his hands and they automatically loosened and his eyes met mine.
“I’ll be okay.” I said giving him a small smile.

He sighed and stepped back. “I’m so sorry. I knew this was going to end bad. Go shower and get some sleep, I’ll see you in the morning.”

He walked down the hall into his room closing the door behind him. I could tell this bothered him a lot. He was raised by a family who thought they were gods because they had money and Max was trying to be different.

He doesn’t want to be like them and I saw that tonight. I showered and hung my dress up in the closet in the spare room and got under the covers. I think I tossed and turned for a couple hours before I got up and went out into the kitchen. Max was sitting there in his boxers with a drink on the counter.

“You okay?” I asked.

“I told my brother if he ever approached you like that again, I would break his teeth.” He looked up at me, he was still bothered by what I had said to him.

I went over to him and hugged him. This was the first time I had ever had this type of contact with Max and he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me.

“Thank you. Thank you for standing up for me.”

He let go of me and smiled a little and touched my cheek gently. “You’re worth it.”

I stepped back a little and smiled. “Get some sleep. Goodnight Max.”

“Goodnight Eloise.”

“Just El.” I said.

“What?” he looked confused now.

“From now on, just El.”

He nodded and smiled. “Alright then. Goodnight El.”

I walked back to the spare room got back into the bed and closed my eyes. That night I dreamed of Max, I was running towards him but no matter how man I ran, he got farther away.

Then Henry got closer.