Summary: Max invites Ethan for a guys' night out and Cassie feels left out.
Part 1: Bury the Hatchet
Ethan Ramsey wasn't sure what he was doing standing outside one of Boston's most exclusive private clubs in Back Bay. As rich as he was now, places like this were simply not part of his life. He neither had the time for them nor the interest to cultivate connections that would open these doors for him.
He had been surprised enough to have received an invitation from Cassie's brother to not notice the venue at the time. Later, he wondered if the choice of meeting was a deliberate attempt by the other man to meet on his turf rather than neutral territory.
Ethan would much rather be at the hospital with his patients or relaxing at home with Cassie. Of course, she was working tonight, so perhaps a good book would have been the next best thing.
And yet here he was mentally preparing himself to spend an evening at this bastion of Boston's elites because the reality was that Cassie and Max were a packaged deal. It wasn't just that they were twins; they were each other's confidantes and best friends.
He had known from the start that if he had any hope for this relationship going the distance, he needed to get along with her brother.
Ethan reflected on the last six months and could admit that his relationship with Max had changed in recent months. He still remembered their conversation in Newport and the younger man's harsh but honest opinion of Ethan and Cassie's relationship.
They had reached a truce of sorts after that, both recognizing that neither wanted to put Cassie in the middle of any conflict. After the poison attack, Ethan had noticed a shift in their interactions, a warmth that hadn't been there before.
As he walked up the steps and entered the hushed foyer, Ethan decided that he would keep an open mind tonight. After all, he had done the same with Cassie and his life was much richer for it.
Max Valentine didn't always act on impulse, but when it came to his sister and a lifetime of being her protector, he knew that he could no longer put this off. As he waited for his guest to arrive, he reflected upon the last six months and could admit that his feelings had evolved more than he'd realized.
Last summer, Cassie had confided to him about her secret relationship with Ethan Ramsey and he'd finally met the man about whom he'd heard so much. Her medical hero. And he worried that she was confusing hero worship with love.
For his sister's sake, he had kept an open mind at that first meeting. But deep inside all he could think of was the roller coaster of a ride she had gone through the last twelve months because of Ramsey.
He trusted Cassie to know her mind and her heart, even if she sometimes had tunnel vision because of her deep belief in romance and soulmates. Which is why he had resisted the urge to conduct a deep background search on the man. His sister could forgive many things, but never this breach of privacy.
So, Max had had to contend with whatever Cassie and Sienna shared with him, forming his own opinions, most of which didn't do Ramsey any favors. When Cassie had brought him along to meet the family in Newport last fall, Max finally got the chance to confront the man, which had not won him any points with his sister.
Still, his animosity had slowly start to fade these past few months. But it had taken the aftermath of the poison attack for Max to finally see the truth that had always been there. The one Cassie insisted on; Ethan Ramsey was as much in love with her as she was with him even if he didn't fully realize it.
Lost in thought, Max sensed movement and looked up to see an usher escorting Ethan over. He stood up and extended his hand for a handshake, nodding his thanks to the usher who discretely left them alone.
"Thanks for meeting me, Ethan," said Max when they were both seated in the leather armchairs facing each other. "Can I interest you in a Macallan '50?"
Ethan raised an eyebrow at the expensive single malt whiskey. He took the crystal tumbler Max handed him and appreciatively sniffed the amber-colored liquid with its hint of vanilla, toffee and orange.
"How is Cassie your sister again?" asked Ethan, his lips twisting in amusement as he thought about how she tolerated whiskey but never really enjoyed it.
"Genetics is a funny thing," Max quipped, raising his glass in a silent toast.
They both enjoyed their drink in companionable silence, savoring the smoky aftertaste of the expensive scotch. They were alone in this part of the club, but even if they hadn't been, places like this with their storied halls demanded discretion from all that ventured inside.
"That was really, really good," said Ethan, sinking into the comfortable chair.
He felt some of his tension ease only to return when he saw resolve gather on Max's face. The expression was so familiar, reminding him of Cassie when she prepared herself to have a difficult conversation with a patient or a peer.
"I'm sensing that you didn't come all the way to Boston just to have a drink," said Ethan, taking the initiative when he sensed the younger man's hesitation.
Max shook his head, his green eyes focused as they peered into his. He leaned forward, steepling his fingers as he formulated his response.
"Ever since we were six years old," he began, "my father told me that since I was older it was my job to look after my sister when he couldn't be there. I have always taken that responsibility seriously, and always will, even if Cassie is more than capable of looking after herself."
Ethan waited patiently when Max paused, sensing there was more to come.
"Last week when I contacted you about Operation Cupcake and Cassie spiraling out of control, I realized something," said Max. "In that moment, I trusted you completely and without reservation to look after her too. I would never have gone against my sister otherwise."
Max stared at Ethan; earnestness written across his face as he continued. "So, I guess I invited you here today to see if you and I have a chance of becoming friends, for her sake and ours."
"Before I answer, I need your honest answer to my next question," said Ethan, glancing around the elegant room. "Why did you choose this club for our meeting? The significance of what this place represents, with its membership spanning multi-generations of wealth, isn't lost on me."
"Honestly? It's the only place in Boston that serves the Macallan '50 and it's private," said Max, his tone frank. "I figured you would appreciate both and I didn't have a lot of time to plan things. We can go somewhere else if you prefer."
The silence between them stretched as Ethan took measure of the other man, employing his diagnostic skills to read his body language and the sincerity on his face. And then he rolled the dice.
"It's really good Macallan," he said, smiling to dissipate the tension.
"The best," nodded Max, pouring another round for both of them. "Only a couple of hundred in circulation and we're the lucky bastards who get to finish whatever's left in this bottle."
"To new friendships," said Ethan, raising his glass in a toast.
He clinked his glass against Max's and then settled back to enjoy the rest of his evening in the company of someone who was the next best thing to Cassie.
Part 2: Spread the Word
Texts between Cassie and Max
Texts between Cassie and Ethan
Bonus: Max & Sienna