Aftermath by Tricia Owens

Author:Tricia Owens [Owens, Tricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-08-24T16:00:00+00:00

~~~~~

At the breakfast table the next morning, Max used his phone to pull up the daily schedule that Merrick Felix had submitted at the beginning of the contract. He scanned the itinerary that he and Ethan were set to follow.

“He has a development meeting with this new client tonight?” Max asked.

“Um, possibly. I’m not sure if that’s still on.” Ethan winced as he spread orange marmalade on his toast.

Max predicted that an apology was poised on the horizon.

“Why not?” he asked, lowering the phone.

“Sorry,” Ethan said, “I was going to tell you at some point but there was a lot we needed to talk about last night and I sort of forgot."

Max arched his brow pointedly, making Ethan cringe further in his chair.

“The thing is, turns out that Merrick’s stalker isn’t really much of a thing. I mean, yes, she’s mad at him and was trying to start some career damaging rumors about him—maybe more—but Merrick says she’s been out of the picture for a while now. He thinks she’s moved on.”

Max set his phone on the table and ignored his breakfast as he listened to Ethan’s recitation of events according to Merrick Felix. When Ethan had finished, Max had to take a moment to remind himself why he was allowing Merrick to have any contact with his agent at all.

“In essence, his need for personal protection was a complete fabrication to ensure your company,” Max concluded. “He lied to me.”

“I would say it’s more like he stretched the truth a bit.”

At Max’s look, Ethan blurted, “Okay, he stretched it a lot. But he’s still paying! That’s what matters in the end, right? You’re not running a non-profit. And you should be relieved. I won’t be in any danger at all on this job. It’s free money, basically.”

“Is it?”

Ethan took an enormous bite out of his toast, conveniently preventing him from responding. Max tsked beneath his breath but he couldn’t fully fault Ethan for this. The blond thought he was doing The Elite Poole a favor by continuing this sham of a job and bringing in full payment. Max, however, didn’t need such favors, and neither did his business.

He could make an argument out of this easily. Yet after last night, he was reluctant to do so. He could see himself from Ethan’s point of view: rigid, conservative, unwilling to take a chance. Last night, Max had indeed bent like the reed Ethan had suggested he emulate. He couldn’t sabotage that effort now by picking another fight.

He picked up his espresso and sipped it as he stared at Ethan, who was suddenly very interested in cutting his pineapple into increasingly smaller pieces.

“Please don’t say you don’t run an escort service,” Ethan mumbled.

“I don’t run an escort service.”

Ethan gaped at him but then huffed a laugh after studying Max’s face for a few seconds.

“You’re not really upset. But you’re annoyed, and I understand why you’d feel that way. Merrick should have told you the truth. I said as much to him and he seemed contrite about it, but I know you don’t care about that.

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