Maximum Commitment (Sin City #13) - Tricia Owens Page 0,18
This has been your home, after all, for most of your life, Maxmillian.”
“I live here now.”
“Yes, but the Cotswolds, Maxmillian. Or the Roman Baths! Have you seen photographs of the torch lit weddings at the Great Bath? Oh, it would be so lovely. I’ve always dreamed of a wedding in the countryside.”
Ethan felt his appetite dying a quick death. He rubbed at his forehead, afraid a headache was building. “I, um, I thought we’d agreed that the wedding here would be enough. We were going to keep it modest, I thought.” He looked to Max helplessly. “That’s what we all agreed, right? I didn’t imagine that?”
“Ethan, dear, I don’t think you appreciate how many of Maxmillian’s friends will wish to attend this, they—”
“My friends will be appreciative of a simple card,” Max cut in. “They won’t be disappointed to miss the ceremony itself. They are busy people and as you say, a visit to the U.S. will be complicated for some.”
Marcela’s frustration bled through the phone even though she didn’t say a word. Ethan felt the headache for real now.
“How about we all chew on it for a while?” he suggested. “I definitely want you to be happy with this, Marcela. I know how important it is to you with Max being your only child. We can work out something. Just...let me and Max talk it out.”
“Of course! Please discuss it, Ethan. In the meantime, I’ll continue what I’m doing just so we’re all prepared either way.”
Max leaned toward the phone. “Mother—”
“Lovely. I won’t bother you further. Ciao!”
Ethan and Max stared at the phone.
“A second wedding is not happening,” Max declared tightly as he picked up his phone and pocketed it. “We’ll schedule a visit to London for next year and have a celebratory dinner for those who wish to attend, but that’s it.”
“Maybe it’s not fair that we’re doing everything here in the States.”
“Ethan, my mother agreed to this with no reservations. Not to put too sharp a point on it, but she’s fortunate to be invited to attend.”
Ethan studied him, dubious. “You really wouldn’t have invited them? Don’t try to sell me that, Max.”
“I wouldn’t have permitted them to have any say in the wedding,” Max stated firmly, his expression daring Ethan to refute him.
Ethan pushed away his half-finished omelet. “Well, like I said, let’s sit on it for a while. If we can work out some sort of compromise to make her happy, I’d like to do so. But the main event—that can’t change much. The options for my parents are limited.” He felt worn out by all the planning and he hadn’t even had much to do with it. “We should have been smart and gotten married at the courthouse and told everyone after the fact.”
Max drummed his fingers on the table. “We could still do that.”
It was tempting, but Ethan had to shake his head. “It would kill my mom. And yours would probably murder me. Let’s count ourselves lucky we had our moment in Greece.”
“A wedding is a one-day event. We’ll survive it as countless other couples have. Put it out of your head and leave me to handle my mother.”
“Max, you’ll be nice?”
He straightened his cuffs. “Shame on you for doubting me, Ethan. I am the perfect son.”
~~~~~
Theo hopped into the backseat of The Elite Poole limousine with a wide smile on his face. “Good morning, Mr. Bodyguard! What a beautiful day today is, don’t you think?”
Taken aback by his positive attitude, Ethan needed a half-second to find an answering smile. “It looks to be a great day, Theo. Glad to see you’re in a good mood.”
“Some days you just have to smile, you know?” Theo said as the limo pulled out of the hotel driveway.
“That’s good to hear since you’ll be doing a lot of smiling today. You have a busy schedule.”
“Piece of cake. Bring ‘em on.”
Theo was dressed in jeans and a peacock blue Hawaiian print shirt. He looked like a man on vacation and he was acting like it, which left Ethan speculating as to what could have inspired the man’s dramatic shift in mood.
“Do you have a preference for lunch today?” Ethan asked him.
“I do, actually. I want to order room service back at my hotel. I need to Skype with Loren over lunch.”
Ah. That explains it.
“Everything’s good on that front, I take it,” Ethan said, not trying to pry, but it would be helpful if he understood what was going on with Theo so he could better handle