He’s a good guy. I don’t know if you know his story, but he’s been having a rough time of it.”
“I’m familiar with the controversy connected to his appearance on the show.”
“Then you know that he’s being bullied and victimized for nothing. For being himself. For being a member of the LGBT community.”
Max’s fingers twitched around the espresso cup. He sincerely hoped the agent wasn’t about to try to pull the gay card with him.
“He’s got a lot of enemies he doesn’t deserve,” the agent went on, steering around the subject, “and it’s affecting him. Of course it is. He’s not a pro. He’s new to the industry and while he’s fantastic with his fans, he’s got a long way to go to learn how to handle his detractors.”
“Perhaps you should hire him a PR consultant to work on his image with him.”
“I’m going to. That’s next on the list. But to be honest, he’s a small fish in a big sea, so we’ve got to work with what we have right now. If he can get through these next few months with no major scandal, it’ll be smooth sailing. That’s all we want. To get through with as little drama as possible.”
“Except that your client has created his own drama and attempted to embroil my agent in it.”
“Come on, Mr. Poole. We’re not filming a new reality show here. You, especially, should know that there are lots of crazies out there who don’t behave rationally.”
“Would Mr. Smith care to speak to me and clear this up personally?”
“Well, uh, I mean sure, but you’ve seen his schedule and why turn this molehill into a mountain, anyway? Better if we move on and then you’ll be happy and be paid and Theo and I will be happy that he’ll be safe. That’s best for all concerned, don’t you think?”
“I’ll go ahead and inform Bill—”
“Mr. Poole...” The agent sighed heavily. When he spoke again, his tone was flat. “Fine. Send the replacement agent.”
Max shook his head when the other man ended the call without a goodbye. Rude, but loud noises were an attempt to obfuscate an uncomfortable truth. If Max hadn’t already believed Ethan’s assessment of the airport scene, Theo Smith’s agent’s lack of surprise at the accusation would have sealed it. Max was curious to see if they’d attempt to continue the game with the female agent he was going to assign to them. He’d already requested that she keep him closely informed.
At any rate, it was an item on his to-do list to check off and with it completed, he wouldn’t have to think about business matters during his brief trip to Indiana with Ethan. Thoughtful, he turned to face his window. The view was less than thrilling, looking out over the office complex and parking lot, but his gaze was turned inward.
The last and only time he’d stepped foot in Ethan’s home state was to apologize for the misunderstanding regarding Ethan’s rejected application to the FBI. Max’s associations with the place were mixed. He’d gone there under a dark cloud but had managed to find the silver lining and bring Ethan home with him. This trip had better be positive from start to finish. More hearts were on the line than his and Ethan’s.
The reminder prompted him to turn back to his computer and check his email inboxes. Nothing from either of his parents, though that wasn’t surprising. He hadn’t informed him that he’d be flying out of state to check on the status of the wedding venue. Perhaps he should have told them. Their response would have been telling, for good or ill.
Mentally sweeping the issue aside, he shut off his computer and gathered what he needed. His gaze skimmed over the coats still hanging in his closet and moved on.
When he arrived home, Ethan was just pulling their suitcase to the foyer. He greeted Max with a kiss.
“Everything go alright?”
“Taken care of. Do you need anything from me?”
Ethan linked his arm through Max’s. “Just your hot body snuggled up to me during the plane ride over.”
Max smirked. “Domestic Business Class doesn’t provide the same privacy as International. You’ll need to find a way to keep your hands to yourself, I’m afraid.”
“Boring.
“I’m afraid it will be. Hopefully the internet connection is solid.”
Ethan ran a finger up the lapel of Max’s suit coat. “You sure you’re still okay with the arrangements while we’re there? I swear it won’t be a big deal if you want to change them. My