“Oh, dear. Did I forget?” Maxine blinked innocently. “How rude of me.”
Mac laughed. “You’re always welcome, Max. I see you’ve met Jethro.”
“We have indeed,” Max drawled. “I’m impressed, Mac. He’s actually very charming.”
“What did you expect?” Mac chuckled as Jethro rose to his feet as well.
“Well, according to Delia, your houseguest was a cross between a pit bull and an ogre. Of course, I just had to find out for myself.” Her tone gave every appearance of friendly laughter, but Keiley heard the anger just beneath it. “And can you imagine?” She turned to her husband, meeting his wary gaze. “We must have missed the orgy, honey. Do you think we should come back later?”
Joseph’s expression tightened for an instant before he turned back to Mac with rueful amusement.
“She promised to behave.”
“Yes, I did.” Maxine turned to Keiley. “Where the hell have you been? You missed last night’s meeting and Delia is telling everyone far and wide it’s because you’re having orgies out here, and evidently the whole damned FBI agency Mac was a part of is participating. Really, Keiley. You didn’t invite me.”
“I would have.” Keiley shook her head mockingly. “But you know how it is, Max. I had to try them out myself before I introduced them to you. I know how picky you can be.”
Max’s green eyes twinkled with merriment as a spurt of laughter left her throat.
“I am very picky.” She cast her husband a teasing glance before moving to Keiley. “Let’s go discuss their fine qualities while Mac and Jethro entertain Joseph.” She gave Mac a warning look. “And be nice or he won’t play with me later. I wouldn’t like that.”
“Yes, Maxine.” Mac was obviously restraining his own laughter. “I’ll be very gentle with his delicate sensibilities.”
“You do that.” Maxine nodded as she pulled Keiley from the room. “And remember, he blushes easily. So don’t embarrass him.”
Keiley couldn’t help but smile as Maxine pulled her across the foyer and into the kitchen before releasing her arm and heading for the refrigerator.
“You know, Keiley,” she commented as she pulled a drink free from the interior and popped the cap. “We’re going to have to have a little talk about the best way to weather gossip. Hiding out at home isn’t going to do the job.”
“I had no idea there was any gossip, Max.” She stared back at her friend, at once amused and concerned.
Maxine was furious beneath the amusement. She had to be the only person Keiley knew who could be equally amused and angry at the same time.
“Figures.” Max plopped into a kitchen chair and stared back at her with a grin. “All those orgies take time, I imagine.”
“She’s really saying that we’re having orgies?” Keiley winced.
“I don’t know if she started it or if she’s just pushing it along.” Max shrugged then. “But it’s working its way through the charity committee and likely through town as well. Thankfully, no one is really taking it seriously. What’s happened to the world? Ten years ago, we would have all been suitably horrified by the prospect and blacklisted you immediately.”
“Progress. Go figure.” Keiley laughed as she sat down across from her friend. “Maybe orgies just aren’t fun enough anymore.”
“Or too tame,” Max snapped, the edge of anger showing in her voice again. “Delia’s becoming a problem, Kei. She’s managed to even surprise me. Did you know she’s trying to have you thrown off the committee?”
“She’s been trying to do that since my first year there.” Keiley shrugged as she tucked her leg beneath her on the chair and leaned her elbow on the table. “Come on, Max, she’s harmless. She’s just jealous.”
“Jealous, you say,” Max snorted. “I swear, she had a nipple hard-on when she was talking about immorality within the committee ranks, and if she didn’t cream her tight-laced panties when she said the words ménage and orgy, then I don’t know my body language.” Max paused. “We both know I know body language, right?”
“You do know your body language,” Keiley agreed.
“It was gross.” Max gave a mock shudder. “She was standing at the podium during the meeting last night getting wet at the thought of hurting you and Mac. The woman is rabid.”
“She’s sad.” Keiley shrugged again. “I signed the contract; they took my money. They can’t take me off the committee and their petty shit doesn’t affect me.”
“Keiley, can she have any kind of proof?” Max asked her softly then. “I don’t care what you do here in your own home, and if you were getting it on with both those lean, mean hunks in there, then more power to your energetic ass because you have a hell of a lot more stamina than I would have. But Delia is too confident that she can have you voted out.”
“Delia’s alway confident and never successful,” Keiley assured her. “She’s making a lot of noise, Max, and noise is something better off ignored. She’ll get tired of it eventually, as she always does, and go away.”
“You can’t keep missing meetings.” Max shook her head. “Promise me you won’t. You have to face them, sweetie. I know how hard it is, hell, poor Joey, he goes through hell because of me and I know it. But I can’t be someone I’m not and still be happy. That’s how I know you can’t hide from it.”