Vivian Arend - Turn It On

He loved watching Maxine. She floated in and out of conversations, rescued children from precarious positions on the furniture and railings without a qualm and doted on her Gramma. Laughter rang loud and long throughout the house, and suddenly something inside Ryan pinched tight and he found it hard to breathe.

He’d never attended this kind of function before. He’d never experienced the swell of confusion and love racing through the old building like a tornado. The only family he remembered were grim-faced, judgmental people. And now he had Carl, who couldn’t have sat in this chaos without working himself into an emotional frenzy at the noise and chaos.

Perhaps they had more in common as brothers than he first realized.

He slipped away to calm his jangling nerves and stepped into the master bedroom to use the can before turning down the hall. Slow footsteps descending the small stairwell from the servant’s level caught his attention. It was the dark-haired cousin who’d brought Max’s ex with him.

Ryan’s fingers twitched with the urge to pound the man’s face.

Maximilian jerked to a stop, his momentary expression of panic quickly exchanged for a smirk. “So, enjoying your day with the clan?” He skittered to the side, tucking his hand into his pocket surreptitiously.

“It’s been fine so far. Great place for a gathering this size.”

“I’m sure.” Maximilian rolled his eyes and snorted.

Ryan eyed the man with derision. “You’ve got something to say to me? I don’t think we’re the type for small talk, Mill.”

The cousin held out his empty hands and shrugged. “Plain talk? Fine. I don’t know what a nice girl like Maxine is doing with someone like you.”

“Someone like me? You claiming to know all about me and you’ve found something lacking?”

“Not sure you’re the right guy for her, that’s all. Just out of the service, new company. Gotta wonder if part of the reason you’re with her is for the nice digs. Since I understand you’re now an item.”

Maximilian had the balls to sneer at him and Ryan counted to ten. Maxine would understand if he broke her cousin’s nose, wouldn’t she? He counted to ten again, to be sure his mouth would work faster than his fists.

“You’re pretty cocky for a cousin. I’ve already been cleared by her dad and her brother, so fuck off, your opinion means very little to me. In fact, the only person’s opinion I give a shit about is Maxine’s and she’s pretty damn happy as far as I can tell.” A door creaked behind him and Ryan spun to watch Jamie exit the master bedroom. “What the hell were you doing in there? How did you get in?” he demanded. Less than a minute had passed since Ryan had exited the empty room.

Jamie retreated. “I was looking for Maxi. I…poked my head in. She’s not there.”

Ryan narrowed his eyes. What the fuck was going on? “If you need to speak to her I’d appreciate it if you’d look in more public places than her bedroom.” He stalked closer to the blond and grabbed the front of his shirt in a fist for a second before smoothing it carefully. He straightened Jamie’s shoulders and tapped him casually on the cheek. “You don’t want me to get the wrong idea about your intentions, do you?”

Jamie shook his head rapidly before nearly leaping down the stairs to get away.

“Wow, that was a manly display of uber-arrogance. Maxine must love you for your gentle, debonair ways, right?” Maximilian taunted.

Ryan leaned back casually on the wall, his arms crossed in front of him. “I really don’t like you, dickhead, so if you’re done, I suggest you rejoin the rest of the clan before I give in to the urge to maximize my pleasure and rearrange your teeth for you.”

The slimy little weasel snuck past him. Once he stood at the top of the stairs with a clear path to safety, Maximilian paused. “I always assumed one of the things a real man did was provide the home. You’re too modern and sophisticated for that. Besides, leeching is more productive with a girl like Maxine and a place like this one. Have a nice day.” He turned tail and ran.

Ryan stared after him in confusion. The asshole had run off at the mouth for a reason, but what the hell was it? There was no way he believed the jerk was actually concerned about Maxine or brave enough to issue a serious challenge.

He slipped into the master bedroom and took a long, hard study of his surroundings. Nothing appeared to be disturbed but it had bothered him greatly to see Jamie exit the room. Screw the man’s excuse, he hadn’t “poked his head in”. Jamie had walked out.

When had he walked in?

Ryan carefully paced the walls, examining them closely, but spotted nothing out of the ordinary. Perplexed, he made his way upstairs to check out Maximilian’s mischief. Maxine had locked the doors along the top hall as a precaution to keep the younger family members from hiding and getting lost, but now Ryan hit a brick wall. If Maximilian had a key, which Ryan had to conclude was a possibility, there was no way to know which room the ass had entered. No way to figure out what he’d been doing wandering around away from the rest of the party.

Giving up in frustration, he returned to the second floor, stopping to stare down into the life-filled main-floor room from his high vantage point. The house was filled with loud voices and enthusiastic noises, and he wasn’t sure where he fit into the picture. The past week he’d been trying his damnedest to simply let go and trust his relationship with Maxine had a future. They came from vastly different backgrounds. Fuck, hers was something from a Waltons rerun, but most of the time they fit together well.

The chemistry between them was undeniable.

While they were happy together as a twosome, she was obviously a more social creature than him. Would she be willing to give up some of the liveliness surrounding her to be a part of his world, with his commitment to include Carl in his life? Was it fair to ask her?

He spotted her crossing the living room. She looked up and their eyes met. The sweet smile she bestowed on him made his body tighten and his heart pound. Yeah, there were no easy answers, but as he descended the staircase toward her he realized there was no way he’d willingly throw away what was developing between them. Not without giving it his best damn shot.

She slipped her hand into his elbow, falling into step with him easily. “You okay?”

He nodded briskly. “Where’s Tweedledee and Tweedledum?”

Maxine guided their steps around a couple of kids playing jacks on the floor and chuckled quietly at his quip. “If you mean Mill and Jamie, I think I saw them leave a few minutes ago. Why?”

“Did either one of them try to talk to you before they left?” he asked, stroking her fingers where they rested on his arm. She shook her head. “Good. I said Jamie was an ass, but Maximilian comes close to beating him for the title.”

She turned and straightened his collar, smoothing her hands down his chest before sliding them around his body to hug him close. “Everything okay? You seem a little quiet.”

He laughed. “Sweetheart, I could be shouting and I’d still seem quiet amidst this bedlam. I’m fine. In fact I was just about to go see if your father was serious about challenging me at cards. You don’t mind if I beat him, do you?” He kissed her cheek chastely before heading to join the men at the table. It looked like a bit of research into Maximilian and Jamie was in order when the weekend was over.

“They’re all a little intense, aren’t they?”

Maxine smiled at her old roommate. “Well, you know guys and their deep inner need to dominate. Playing Risk lets them give in to the urge to be Supreme Commander of the Universe or something.”

Valerie shrugged. “I hope they don’t mind getting their butts kicked by a woman. Natasha is doing her usual ‘poor me, don’t pick on me’ routine. I figure she should have them all beat in another three rounds.”

They laughed together as they grabbed an armload of drinks and chips to deliver to the living room where the game was underway. “You’d think Junior would know by now his wife is a wiz at these games, but he still falls for it.” Maxine held the kitchen door open with her hip to let Valerie enter the living room first.

Contentment filled her as she snuck up behind Ryan. Friends and family lounged around the large coffee table, those remaining in the game intent on the action of the dice. Natasha had a smug little grin starting to appear and Maxine suspected her sister-in-law was up to her usual tricks.

She slid in beside Ryan and he curled an arm around her, tugging her close, without losing concentration on the game. “I think your family should all sign up for a tour of duty. I’ve never played with such cut-throat, sneaky bastards before in my entire life,” he whispered in her ear.

Maxine giggled softly. “Skills honed by years of competition within the family. There’s always someone willing to beat you, at whatever game you want to lose.”

“I don’t like losing.”

A round of groans burst out as Natasha eliminated another opponent and laid down her third set of cards in one hand. “Looks like you have no choice tonight,” Maxine teased.

Ryan grumbled good-naturedly and scooped up the dice to defend himself. She squeezed his arm and rose to let him play. Movement outside the window caught her eye and she wandered over to gaze at the yard.

A large flock of crows was visible in the light from the porch. Maxine wondered what had drawn them, but she was distracted as baby noises rose from the monitor on the side table.

Maxwell leapt up. “And that’s my cue. Tasha, stop playing with your victim and just kill him already. It’s time to head home.” He dropped a kiss on his wife’s cheek and headed to the main-floor bedroom to gather his daughter.

Ryan’s deep laugh filled the room. “I concede.” He held out a hand to Natasha and they shook, the rest of the party heading toward the food and drinks. “You’re a good player.”

Natasha winked at him. “It’s all in getting to know your opponent. Next time I won’t be able to pull the same moves on you.”

It wasn’t until after the party slowed down and the final guest left that Maxine remembered the crows. She walked the porch hand in hand with Ryan.

“Are you staying tonight?” she asked. They’d spent more and more time together but they hadn’t spoken of any formal commitments. There was no way she wanted to leave her house, and she wasn’t sure how Ryan would react if she asked him to move in with her.

“I can’t.” He tugged her to a stop and drew her against him for a kiss. His touch was gentle tonight, teasing and brief, and Maxine melted into him. “I have a couple of installations I need to finish early in the morning and it would be easier to head out from my apartment.” He tapped her on the nose. “I have a beef with you though. You never told me you had another flat tire yesterday.”

The cawing of the birds grew louder and they headed onto the lawn to investigate the racket. “I had a spare, I fixed it. I do know how to change a tire.”

“I assumed you did, but feel free to call me anyway.” He squeezed her hand and she glanced at his smiling face. “I don’t mind coming to your rescue, okay?”

She nodded then groaned in disgust as she spotted the reason for the bird’s presence. “Oh shit.” The contents of the garbage cans from outside her backdoor were spread over the lawn, the cans themselves bobbing in the lake.

“Maxine, get back in the house,” Ryan ordered.

She turned from where she’d squatted to gather the mess into a pile. “Why? I need to clean this up.”

“You need to go inside. I’ll take care of it.” He glanced into the trees and across the property, a stern expression on his face. “Whoever tipped the cans could still be around.”

Maxine sighed. “Good grief. It’s annoying as hell, but it’s just garbage cans. It’s kids, a stupid prank. They’re probably home in bed laughing at the joke they pulled. I’m going to get some new bags. If you grab the cans we can get it cleaned up faster than if you stand there arguing with me.” She stomped indoors.

Frustration rocked her again, mixed with a bit of fear. The vandalism around the house continued, but nothing more dangerous than these childish pranks. Was it a group of teens in the community with too much time on their hands? A couple of days after Thanksgiving she’d discovered all her deck chairs in the lake. She hadn’t mentioned it to Ryan, but her flat tire the previous day was the third that week. Contacting the neighbors to ask them to keep a better eye on their kids hadn’t worked. She was getting tired of dealing with the uncertainty of the mischief. Her imagination continued to suggest something more ominous was at the bottom of it. So many incidents couldn’t be a fluke, but damn if she wanted to run with her tail between her legs just when she was starting to spread her wings.