HANDLE WITH CARE (The Ludzecky Sisters Book 5) (12 page)

He was chuckling when the door opened. Sofia came out last, bidding the others good-bye, again with hugs. When they left, and she caught sight of Max, her face bloomed like a flower in the sun. And his heart leapfrogged. Yep, he was a puppy, all right. She wore her normal
yoga clothes, tonight paired with a long-sleeve purple shirt that accented her coloring. Her hair, in a braid, had some strands escaping, and he tucked them around her ear. She moved in a little closer and grasped his wrist. Held it, as if she wanted the contact. “I’m glad you came.”

“Are you? I didn’t call. But I’ve been thinking about you all night.”

“Did you enjoy your dinner with the
guys?”

“Yeah I did. We went to Bailey’s Irish Pub in the Village. How come you didn’t tell me the former First Lady is your sister’s in-law?”

She blushed. How adorable. “I don’t like to use the family like that.”

“To do what?”

“I don’t know. Brag, maybe.”

“Okay.” Might as well take the leap. “But I think it’s time for me to meet all of them.”

“If you want to.”

“Now”—he
held up the magazine—“there’s an interesting article in here about good sex and yoga.”

“Yeah? It’s the latest issue. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet.”

“No? Then I can teach you something. Let’s go up to the bedroom.”

As they went upstairs, Sofia experienced a whole host of emotions. When she’d seen him waiting for her in the reception area, her reaction had been
intense. He’d come to her because he had to see her.
Had
to. She felt the same. And he seemed embarrassed about his feelings. So, as soon as they got inside, she said, “Sit down for a minute.”

With a wary expression, he sat. “I’m gonna preempt you, sweetheart. I can tell my showing up wasn’t all right with you. You look, I don’t know, overwhelmed. So forget I came.” He started to stand. “I’ll
just get out of here.”

She stayed him with a hand on his shoulder. And straddled him.

“Oh, God,” he said, “I won’t be able to leave if you keep doing things like this.”

“Max?”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up. Let me talk.”

He nodded.

“I am overwhelmed, but not that you showed up without calling. By the fact that I wanted to see you, too—badly. I had trouble concentrating all night
during my classes, wishing we’d made plans for tonight.”

“You had trouble
concentrating
? Wow.”

“I know. I’m very, very glad you came.”

He blew out a heavy breath and leaned his head into her chest. She cradled his neck, held him to her. Neither spoke, both digesting what had just been declared.

Sofia and Max had arranged for her to work with the team on Friday of that week, which happened to be two nights after the tender moment they’d shared when he’d come to the studio unannounced. She still got all mushy when she thought of what they’d confessed to each other, and all heated up when she thought of the sex afterward. Gentle and sweet, there had
been no barriers between them.

“Hi, guys,” she said to the players assembled in the weight room. The windows were open, letting in some air, which was needed in this much-used space.

Most of the team seemed happy to see her. A small group of guys in the back, the same ones who weren’t happy on Monday, frowned, but they were quiet.

“Let’s do some stretching. Then we’ll start the first
pose.”

She spent only five minutes, out of the twenty she had, warming up. Again, she noticed the inability of many guys to extend certain areas of their bodies.

“The first pose will cover making those elusive moves on the field. It’s called, appropriately, Lying with Opposite Arm, Opposite Leg. This pose is amazing to warm up the hip and shoulder sockets. Syncing the breath with the movement
is crucial for full range of motion.”

Silence. Was that good or bad? She looked to Max. He nodded. “Now, everyone, down on your back. Put your arms overhead and your legs straight.”

Slowly, they all lay down. “It’s all right if you can’t stretch your legs out fully. Keep your knees bent. And don’t be embarrassed. You should have seen Coach do this the first time.”

Some chuckles around
the room.

“Take some breaths. In and out, easy. Now lift your right leg into the air. It doesn’t matter if it’s bent or not.”

She watched as they attempted the pose.

“That’s right. Take your left hand and touch your toe with it.”

Grumbles, moans.

“No way.”

“This is crazy.”

“I’m not even close.”

One of the naysayers called out, “Nobody can do this.”

“All right,
everyone sit up.”

Calmly, Sofia dropped to the mat, followed her own instructions and easily grasped her foot with the opposite hand.

Silence again.

“Yeah, but can Coach do it?”

“With help. I have a way to achieve the pose like he does.” From her bag, she took out straps she’d brought from the studio. Walking over to Max, she gazed down at him. He’d worked all day, and his hair
was damp from it. His eyes, though, were almost liquid. “Do your thing, Coach.”

He winked at her, took the strap, put it on his foot and raised his leg.

“Isn’t that cheating?” Brad asked. Max had said he was an overachiever.

“There’s no such thing as cheating in yoga. You can have all the assistance you need. One word of warning. Never overstretch to prove you can do it. You won’t
be able to play football if you do.”

Mumbles again.

“Can it, guys.” Max’s voice was stern. “Nobody’s gonna get hurt if you follow directions.”

Sofia went around and handed out belts. “I put what I thought would be the appropriate size of loops for you guys.
Do not
tighten the loop until I say you should do that.”

She’d been right about several guys. The loose loop was fine for
most of them. Brad’s, of course, needed to be shortened. “I been practicing,” he told her.

Like coach, like student
, she thought.

Saving the players who weren’t so enthusiastic about yoga till last, Sofia made her way to them. To the rest, she said, “Now hold this position and concentrate on breathing in and breathing out. Don’t hold your breath.”

She knelt down in front of four of
guys. She said softly, “I know you don’t want to do this, but give me a chance. If you really hate it, don’t see any benefit after a few times, I’ll ask Coach Walker to excuse you.”

“Fair enough,” one said.

“What are your names?”

When they’d given them, she said, “Now, let’s try this again…Kirk, you need a little more belt…Joey and Tim, try not to hold the strap too tightly. Your legs
are strong from all your training. Their muscles can hold you up…”

When the timer she’d brought went off, every single player had accomplished the pose. “See, I knew you all could do it.”

Young teenager egos beamed in their faces.

She gave instructions for coming out of the pose. “Gently,” she warned. When they were all seated, she gave them a big smile. “You did just great, guys.
It’s a pleasure working with you.”

A variety of thanks were offered, making Sofia feel good about what she’d done. One of the reluctant boys called out, “When you coming back, Ms. Ludzecky?” And her mood shot to the sky, complete with a few tiny fireworks popping out.

The next weekend, the Ludzeckys gathered for a picnic on Memorial Day, which had dawned warm and sunny.
Wearing his best dressy shorts and a white golf shirt, Max pulled up to the curb in front of Paulina and Adam’s house. He took a deep breath before he got out of the car. He wished being accepted today didn’t mean so much to him, but it did. And he remembered her warnings.

Luke will give you grief. The other guys shouldn’t participate, because they’ve been through this. Matka usually takes
a standoffish attitude at first. It depends on my sisters’ moods. Elizabeita will be the worst, of course, but I had a talk with her. Jared, Ana’s husband, will be your best ally.

Shaking his head, Max forced himself out of the car to go beard the lions—and lionesses—in their den. He carried a gift of creamy cheesecake his mother had gotten for him at a swank place. Big oak trees shaded the
front lawn, and the house was mammoth, one of those old stone buildings with three levels. He could tell the outside had been cleaned and treated. He knew Paulina’s contracting company had renovated almost everything about the place.

Since he heard noise in back, he took the slate-paved walkway around the side to reach the yard.

And there they were. All the sisters, with their shining
blond hair highlighted by the sun. The men of varying heights and builds, dressed casually, as he was. He recognized Aidan O’Neil. And kids. Good. Max had a way with kids.

Luke saw the big guy, carrying a bag, standing at the entrance to the yard, and strode over. He folded his arms across his chest. Max Walker was bigger than he was, but if he had to, Luke could hold his own. “So,” he said
neutrally. “You must be the football coach.”

He held out his hand. “I am. Max Walker.”

Luke glared at him. But Walker didn’t squirm. Finally, Luke shook his hand. “I’m the big brother, Luke. Be careful with my sister, Coach. We all watch out for her.”

Warning #1.

As Jared came up to Luke and Sofia’s guy, he saw the fear in Max Walker’s eyes. Not fear, exactly, but wariness
about what all these people were going to do to him. God, when he and Ana were trying to get back together, he’d been terrified of how they’d treat him. “I’m Jared. Don’t mind Luke. He has to play big brother. I’m a teacher, like you. I’ll stick by you. Come on, I’ll take you into the fray, so to speak.” The man put his arm around Max’s shoulders. “It only hurts for a little while.”

Adam Armstrong
watched as Jared brought Max to him. The poor guy was trying to put up a good front, but he recognized the traces of anxiety on his face. Adam remembered his own first meeting with her family. He and Paulina had split up by then, and he’d thought Nia might do some damage to him that night. Paulina had said Sofia was serious about this man, so he gave Max a warm smile. “I’m Adam Armstrong
and this is my home. Welcome, Max.”

“Thanks.” He held up a bag. “This is for you.”

A blonde sister joined them. “I’m Paulie. One of the twins.” She studied him. “Sofia hasn’t told us much about you.”

He frowned. And where the hell was Sofia? he wondered.

Adam handed her the bag.

“What’s this?”

“A gift for the hosts.”

“You buy it?” Luke asked, still by his side.

“I paid for it. My mother picked it out.”

“So he can’t be all bad if he lets his mother coddle him,” Luke added.

Paulina leaned in closer to Max. “This will make you feel better. She’s never brought a guy to meet us before.”

“No shit?” He realized what he’d said. “Sorry.”

“Nah, don’t worry about language. I work in the contracting business.”

Sizing up the situation. Rafe jogged
over, with Sal on his shoulders. “Hi, Max. I’m Rafe Castle.”

“The painter?”

“Uh-huh. Didn’t Sofia tell you about us guys?”

“No. But you…you were Jonas Crane’s son…or surrogate son. I read it in the
Times
when he died. I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thanks. Jonas was a wonderful person.”

“He has prints of Jonas’s work on his bedroom walls,” Sofia announced when she joined them.
She stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. Geez. Was she trying to make this worse?

“And how do you know that, missy?” This, of course, from Luke.

Sofia slipped arms around Luke’s waist. Gave him a hug. “I asked you not to intimidate him.”

Luke kissed the top of her head. “I know. I had to, just a bit.” To Max, he said, “Welcome.”

“So, is the baptism by fire over with?” Poor
Max, Logan thought when he reached them. He’d never had to go through this because he’d been in the family long before he and Magdalena got together. “I’m Logan Price. I belong to Magdalena. The beautiful woman over there with twin boys around her.”

“They yours?”

Sadness flitted through him. “No, I wish, though. They’re Adam and Paulina’s.”

Logan watched as the matriarch crossed to
them.

“Hello, Max. I am Donuta Ludzecky. The mother of all these wonderful children. I will be kind to you, but until I know you and find that you make Sofia happy—which she says you do—I will not give my blessing.” She arched a brow. “That is, if you want it.”

“Oh, I want it, Mrs. Ludzecky, very much.”

“Now, go meet the rest of the girls and try to enjoy the day.”

Sofia leaned
into Max and said, “Brace yourself.” She led him over to one. Elizabeita.

Poor Max
, Logan thought.

Hope he’s man enough,
Jared worried.

Rafe shook his head.
Oh, boy, close your eyes, Sal.

We’ll see what he’s made of now
, Adam thought, smiling.

And Luke laughed. He wouldn’t want to be in Max’s shoes.

Sofia texted Max the week after Memorial Day. Grateful that he’d gotten along with her family last week, she wanted to deepen the relationship.

Come over to my place for dinner tomorrow night?

Would love to.

You have homework, though.

You gotta be kidding me.

Nope, not kidding. Here’s a list of websites you have to go to. Take notes. Be
prepared to be tested when you get here.

A little while later—he’d probably checked the sites—he texted her back:
You’re killin’ me, babe.

The doorbell rang at precisely six o’clock. She’d had time to shower and change, and tonight was all theirs.

When she went to let him in, he was leaning against the doorjamb, arm braced on the wood, in that macho way men leaned against doorjambs.
“I gotta say, sweetheart, the no-orgasm part makes me skeptical, but I’ll give it a try.”

“Now, Max. It says climaxing isn’t necessary to achieve sexual fulfillment. We’ll just delay it as long as we can.”