She thought about it and nodded. She might as well have some fortification for this talk.
“Red? White?”
“White is good.”
“I have a nice Moscato chilling. I’ll be right back.”
She watched him go, her gaze drawn to his wide shoulders and trim waist. God, he was sexy, she thought, and so different than her computer-loving childhood friend. He was every inch a sexy man now, and she shifted in her seat, all too aware of her body’s heated reaction to waking up and finding him staring into her eyes.
He returned a few minutes later and handed her a glass. She took a sip of the fruity drink and smiled, running her tongue over her lips, belatedly aware he’d catalogued the movement.
She treated herself to another, bigger taste.
“So. Back to your story?”
“Right.” Her fingers curled tighter around the stem. “Keith and I started spending more time together at work, and after. The first few times he asked me out, I said no. I didn’t want to mix business with pleasure.”
And she’d still been holding out hope that Lucas would come home and maybe he’d finally see her in a different light. One that didn’t keep her in the friend zone.
“I’m amazed he was able to be on his best behavior for so long.”
“He was a very patient man when there was something he wanted,” she said, having learned just how true that was.
“What made you change your mind and go out with him?” Lucas asked in a tight voice.
She placed her glass on a coaster on the end table. How much of the truth did she tell him? she wondered. Then realized it couldn’t hurt to admit what had driven her into Keith’s arms the first time. As long as she didn’t sound like she was carrying a torch for Lucas all these years, she’d be fine.
“Well, every so often I’d ask him about you. Especially after seeing a picture of you in the paper or a mention online. One night I asked how you were doing. He told me you were engaged and… I guess it hurt to hear about it from someone else. I—”
He jerked and nearly spilled his wine. “Wait, did you say he told you I was engaged?” he asked, placing his wineglass beside hers.
She nodded. “I was happy for you—” And jealous, she silently admitted.
“I was never engaged,” he said through clenched teeth.
She narrowed her gaze. “But I’d seen pictures of you and a woman online—” Someone he was working alongside in California. Someone, she figured, he had a lot more in common with, as his business took off at such a young age, than he had with Maxie.
“Arielle? She was the CFO at a software company that was helping us get started. That’s all.”
Maxie shook her head. “But Keith said your parents told him the news.”
And Maxie had been devastated. Unreasonably so because they really had drifted apart during their college years. But she’d been in love with him and that hadn’t gone away. She’d held out hope for one day… until that night, anyway. Her hopes shattered, she’d soon after agreed to date Keith. After all, he’d been nothing but good to her. Her work friends and college friends were in serious relationships. A few had gotten engaged. She wouldn’t say her biological clock was ticking, but she’d wanted more in her life. Was ready for a real relationship and a family sooner rather than later.
“I just assumed the engagement ended for whatever reason.” And she’d already become heavily involved with Keith, and he’d kept her focus solely on him.
“I never even slept with her,” Lucas muttered. “My brother lied.” He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Maxie tried to absorb the truth. With all she knew now about her husband, she wasn’t surprised he’d lied, but back then? He’d been the perfect gentleman, a good friend, a solid mentor at the office. He’d guided her in every aspect of her life… to exactly where he wanted her, she realized now.
“Oh my God.” She put her head in her hands. “He manipulated me completely.” Swept her off her feet in the guise of keeping her from pining for his brother.
Lucas grasped her wrists and pulled her arms away from her face, forcing her to meet his gaze. “It’s not your fault. He was damned good at manipulation.”
She blinked back tears. “Maybe, but I still not only fell for it but I let him use me to hurt you.” She shook her head. “Or he thought he was hurting you. We’d drifted apart by then, so why in the world would he think you’d care who I dated… or married?”
His strong hands remained around her wrists, holding her in place. “You said you would ask about him about me, right?”
She nodded.