The Marriage Mistake (13 page)

She cleared away her cranky expression and forced a smile. “No, just checking out Max’s flavor of the week. This one looks serious.”

“Hmm, I didn’t think he was bringing a date tonight.” Maggie stuck her head out of the kitchen and watched as the men chatted and Max made the introductions. “Oh, that’s Victoria Windsor. Her daddy is duke of something, so she’s some type of royalty. Max had a few dates with her before. She must be back in town.”

Carina blinked. Her hatred swarmed to monstrous proportions. “Oh.”

Her sister-in-law sharpened her gaze and her claws. “Want me to get rid of her? Just say the word and I’ll blame the madness on pregnancy hormones.”

A laugh escaped her lips. “No, of course not. I told you I’m completely over Max.”

A snort hung in the air. “Yeah, and next I’ll sell you the Brooklyn Bridge.”

“Why would I buy a bridge?”

Maggie waved her hand. “Never mind. I keep forgetting about our ridiculous American expressions.” She lifted the salad off the counter and carried it to the dining room. The huge open space held an oversized cherrywood table, with fashionable leather seats, and a matching china cabinet. The crystal gleamed underneath a dripping chandelier, and Maggie grabbed a few bottles of wine from the full bar in the corner. The formality was softened by the array of candles, dim lighting, and gorgeous watercolors of Tuscan landscapes adorning the walls. Fresh flowers made up the centerpiece. Feminine touches were scattered throughout her brother’s once bachelor mansion, and Carina loved the contrast of soft and hard, simplicity and lushness, that now shimmered through the house.

Alexa waddled in and groaned. “I want wine so bad I can taste it. You guys better bring me a bottle when you visit at the hospital. Who’s that with Max?”

“Seems to be the question of the evening,” Maggie drawled. “Name is Victoria, Max’s current date.”

Alexa shuddered. “She’s too skinny. I don’t like her.”

Satisfaction pulsed through her system at the declaration. Anyone who didn’t eat was suspect in the family. Maggie shrugged. “I met her once before though and she’s actually nice. Maybe it’s a sign.”

Carina gritted her teeth. Damn, if she’d known she’d be competing with a frikkin princess she would have at least worn a dress. She’d donned a pair of casual jeans, white tank, and Keds. Knowing she looked about twelve, she cursed her stupidity. Women who wanted to seduce men like Max needed to bring up their game. Round one to the bitch.

The clatter of heels echoed and Max appeared in the dining room. He made the introductions again, and nodded at her as if they never had their tongues down each other’s mouths. “Carina, this is Victoria. Carina is a close family friend.”

She cocked her head. “Yep. Real close. Nice to meet you, Vicky.”

The woman winced at the nickname, but Carina gave her credit when she nodded. “Lovely to meet Max’s family. The last time I was in town it was too brief, and we only did formal parties, right, darling?” Bloody red nails stroked his arm. “Hopefully this trip will be longer.”

Max smiled, but she saw the humor didn’t reach his eyes. He almost seemed . . . resentful. As if trying to prove a point that there’d never be anything between them.
Interesting. He refused to look her straight in the eye and reminded her of the stray dogs she used to pick up who would tilt their heads to avoid full contact. To avoid the truth of their circumstances. Denial was awesome in all species.

Nick strolled in with a platter of penne alla vodka. “Hope everyone is hungry.” Carina bit her lip as the women pointedly looked at Victoria’s twig figure, but she led the charge and rubbed her hands together.

“Bring on the carbs, boys.” Maggie and Alexa grinned and they sat at the table. Carina’s gut told her there was a damn good reason Max brought her to dinner, and she was about to find out. “So, Victoria, what do you do?”

“Mostly charity work at this point. I graduated from Oxford with a law degree, but found practicing wasn’t as satisfying as helping. I cofounded a children’s orphanage in London.”

Max straightened up in his chair as if about to make a presentation. “Victoria is both educated and street savvy. Her foundation helps hundreds of teens with nowhere left to go. Once they hit a level in the system, foster care can no longer help.”

Alexa nodded. “Yeah, like that Batman movie.
The Dark Knight Rises
, remember, Nick? The Bruce Wayne Foundation explained that problem. Quite impressive.”

Nick laughed at his wife’s ability to relate everything to books, movies, or poetry.

Victoria ducked her head and said to Max, “Darling, you flatter me. I had a safety cushion behind me. You worked your way up to the top, so you deserve all the kudos.”

Carina wondered if she’d get a cavity from all the sweetness between them. Yet, he never touched her. Max was always affectionate, especially toward someone he had feelings for. How many times had she watched him pet and fondle his escorts? But he kept his distance as if he dined with royalty rather than family. Hands flat on the table. Respect and admiration in his eyes but no sign of lust to tumble her. Hmm, interesting.

Victoria chatted a bit about her charity and made no move to touch him, either. They seemed more like companions than lovers. The spark of sexual attraction lay flat without even a twitch of interest between them. Any woman who didn’t want to dive into bed with Max had something else going on. Frigidity? Carina put on her Nancy Drew hat and swore to figure it out.

Maggie turned the conversation toward Alexa. “So, have you guys figured out a name yet for the babe?”

Nick nodded. “If it’s a girl, we’re going with Maria for Alexa’s mom.”

Carina sighed. “That’s so lovely. What about a boy?”

Nick shot his wife a warning look. “We’re still working on that.”

Alexa straightened up and plowed on. “If it’s a boy, we’re naming him Johan.”

Nick rubbed his forehead. A short silence fell. Maggie finally broke the polite pause. “For God’s sake, why? Where the heck did you get that name from?”

“Guess,” Nick said. “You know her better than anyone.”

Carina watched her sister-in-law sift through possibilities until she gasped. “Are you nuts? Oh, my God, you’re trying to name him after Johan Santana!”

Alexa pressed her lips together. “It’s a lovely name and has nothing to do with the Mets.”

Maggie let out a hysterical laugh and wiped at her eyes. “Bullshit. Santana pitched the first no-hitter in Mets history and you’re trying to re-create glory. I remember that frikkin night. You cried so hard I thought you’d go into labor.”

Carina remembered hearing about Alexa’s obsession with the New York Mets baseball team, and also the resentment toward Nick’s team, the New York Yankees. Thank God she wasn’t a sports fan. Seemed more stress than she needed, especially from the glare on Alexa’s face toward her best friend.

“Leave me alone, Maggie. It was a beautiful moment to appreciate. Our son should be proud to have that name.”

Nick snorted and refilled his wineglass. “Over my dead body,” he muttered. “Santana’s gone downhill since and hasn’t pitched a decent game in his last five starts. How about Derek for a name?”

Alexa slammed down her fork. “Absolutely not! No son of mine will be named after Derek Jeter, you—you—Yankee-lover!”

Nick sighed. “Let’s talk about it later, sweetheart. Did you try the calamari? I outdid myself this time.”

Alexa grumbled but went back to her meal, and Carina tried hard not to laugh at the absurd conversations the couple engaged in.

“Do you have a project going on in New York, or did you come to visit Max?” Michael asked Victoria.

“Daddy’s here for business and I thought I’d accompany him. I’d love to see a play or the opera if I can get Maxie to take some time off.” The nickname caused a few twitters around the table. “Poor thing has been working so hard on the new opening. Maybe I can con him into taking some time off this week if I get his boss’s permission.”

“Sure, as long as everything’s going smoothly he can take a few off. Carina can cover.”

“How sweet. Isn’t it wonderful to work with a close family friend?” Her smile was genuine beneath gleaming white teeth, and guilt nipped at Carina. How dare she judge people on surfaces? Victoria seemed like a nice, savvy woman who just happened to have the appearance of a supermodel. Was that her fault? No. She decided to back off. If Max wanted to pursue her, maybe it was for the best. His constant need to date women who were wrong for him fascinated her, and he seemed intent on proving he’d changed.

Victoria chattered on about a friend of hers she was worried about. “Richard’s been my rock for years now. Our fathers are best friends, and we grew up together. Poor man is going through a tragic divorce right now. Married the wrong woman. I’m doing everything possible to try and get him through it.”

Maggie and Alexa made sympathetic noises.

Carina caught the raw longing on the woman’s face as she uttered the name.
Richard
.

“What a shame,” she said, forking up a piece of pasta. “He’s very lucky to have you.”

A twinge of regret gleamed from Victoria’s eyes. “Yes. I keep telling him that.”

Bingo.

Victoria was in love with Richard and the idiot male probably didn’t even know it. No wonder she was trying desperately to make it work with Max. Max never demanded much from his dates. Maybe there was pressure for her to settle down? Or did she want to try to make this Richard jealous? Empathy pulsed in her gut. Victoria struggled with the same damn situation Carina had. Mooning over a man who looked at her like a younger sister. Pathetic. Well, the least she could do was cut her loose from Max and save her from making a tragic mistake.

“Where’s Lily?” Max asked as he spooned a few bits of salad onto his date’s plate, then was told to stop. A black
olive rolled off the side and onto the table. Victoria made no move to spear it with the fork. The woman’s lack of food appreciation saddened Carina.

“Sleeping at Nonni’s house. They spoil her rotten and Nick thought we’d try to have a grown-up night.”

Nick pulled on a corkscrew curl and winked at his wife. “Yeah, maybe we’ll both make it past ten tonight. Dare to dream.”

Carina chuckled. “Parenthood changes you.”

“Damn right,” Michael piped up. “That’s why you need to enjoy yourself when you’re single. Max and Carina are in the twilight of their lives.” He winced when Maggie treated him to her powerful right hook on his arm. “Kidding,
cara
. You tortured me enough before we got married. I wouldn’t change a thing, but must admit that life seems just about perfect.”

She nodded and he lifted a hand to press a kiss against her palm.

Raw need rose up and choked Carina. She stuffed her mouth full of pasta instead and hoped it would feed at least her physical hunger. Victoria tapped her fork thoughtfully against her Botoxed lips. “I can’t wait to have children,” she announced. “I’m exhausted from the endless dating and partying. Don’t you agree, Max?”

A flush crept to his cheeks as everyone stared. Carina held her breath. “Sure.” She seemed as if waiting for him to expand. “I’m looking forward to settling down in the future.”

Victoria cocked her head. “Future? What does that mean? How far into the future? You know Daddy needs me to marry soon, right?”

Alexa and Maggie put down their utensils. Even Nick and Michael leaned forward to catch his answer.

Max cleared his throat and reached for his wine. He took a sip but the silence still pulsed around the table. Like a trapped wolf, his gaze scurried in panic around the table, then locked with hers.

Pure heat blazed from blue eyes and stung. The truth hit her full force. He wanted Victoria to be The One. But she wasn’t. He also had no clue she was in love with another man. Perhaps he sensed her obvious distance and decided she’d be another safe bet.

Slowly, Carina relaxed and began to enjoy the show. “Max adores children,” she said. “His mother has been wanting him to settle down for a while now. But where would you guys live?”

A strange sound emitted from his throat then died.

Victoria jumped in. “Oh, we could work that out. I need to be in England for a few months of the year, but the rest of the time we can be in New York. Of course, we’d visit Italy so I could meet Max’s mother. Doesn’t that sound wonderful, darling?”

“Yes, of course. One day.”

“When?”

Carina tamped down on a giggle. She’d finally seen
a full fledged-male panic attack. “Soon.” Max grabbed a napkin, wiped his mouth, and rose from the table. “Umm, excuse me for a minute. Be right back.”

He launched himself down the hall and disappeared. Victoria drew back in surprise.

Carina rose from the table. “If you’d excuse me for a second, I’ll be right back.”

She followed.

•   •   •

Max closed the door to the house’s library. What was wrong with him?

He fisted his hands and pressed them against his eyes. Victoria was the perfect woman. She was beautiful, smart, and wanted to settle down and raise a family. He always enjoyed her company when she came to town. Proving Carina wrong was important. Her words mocked and danced in his head like an evil joker gone wild.

You always pick the wrong women
.

Impossible. Sure, she had great examples, but Victoria finally proved her wrong. So why was there no real connection or any desire to take the relationship to next level?

The image of his fingers diving into wet fire shimmered before him. The sharp pain of her heels in his back. The sweet, sassy taste of her mouth and the smell of her arousal. Pushing that postage stamp skirt up her thighs had been the
sweetest fantasy come true. If they hadn’t been interrupted, he would’ve laid her back on the desk and dived in.

Jesus, one time could be forgiven. Barely. Twice?

He needed his own carved slot in hell.

A light tap at the door was his only warning.

His nose twitched as the clean scent of cucumber and melon rose in the air. Awareness prickled down his spine. The relaxed, scholarly air of the library suddenly crackled with electricity. The soft soles of her Keds masked her progress, but her body heat burned right behind him. Damn her for screwing up his head.