Dinner went smoothly although Cadee didn't pay much attention to the food or what was happening around her. The only time she listened was when Max gave a speech. She'd beamed and clapped the loudest, until she remembered what he had called her, then the smile fell.
"They're clearing the tables already," Max leaned in to whisper. "you've barely touched your dinner. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just not really hungry."
Max nodded before returning his hand to her thigh, efficiently distracting her. Now her mind was remembering how his callused fingers had felt inside her. He had barely touched her after his speech, focusing on conversing with his family. Now that his hand was back, she realized she had been yearning for it. "You ready to leave? I don't think I can stomach all these men staring at you for much longer."
She looked around before smirking at him. "What men Max? Everyone else is focused on eating."
"Maybe I have other plans for tonight that are getting delayed." His hand drew dangerously close to her inner thighs and she closed her legs, trapping his fingers and stopping them from climbing any further. "that would only make me want to try harder, baby."
She smacked his arm lightly, a tiny blush climbing her cheeks. "I need to use the restroom quickly. We can go when I'm done," she said and Max nodded before reluctantly letting her go.
She went back towards the door they'd come through and followed the arrows pasted on the walls that pointed to the bathroom. After relieving herself, she washed her hands and walked out, almost running into Trin. "I'm sorry," she apologized to the woman who waved her hand.
"It's fine. Can you wait for me?"
"Sure. I'll just wait here," Cadee replied as the woman hurried into a bathroom stall. When she was done, she washed her hands then turned to look at Cadee.
"I'm glad you liked the dress."
"I loved them, but Max was only comfortable with this one. Thank you so much."
"It's no problem. I was really surprised he chose to bring you though. With Nina, Manuel and I practically forced him to let us see her," Trin laughed as she dried her hands on a paper towel.
"Who's Nina?" Cadee's eyebrow rose.
"He didn't tell you? She was his girlfriend. He didn't even tell us they broke up until we went shopping." Trin tossed the paper towel in the trash can. "He said they ended things a day before we went shopping."
"When did you guys go shopping?"
"Yesterday." Trin watched her, trying to understand what was happening. "Wait. Why do you look like you have no idea what I'm talking about."
Cadee laughed before shaking her head. "I do. I'm just really tired and Max is waiting for me so we can go."
"Oh. I'm sorry for keeping you, let's go then. I think I'll convince Manuel so we can leave too."
The two women walked out of the bathroom as Trin continued to talk about Max and how closed off he always seemed. Cadee's mind kept trying to figure out how to feel. She couldn't be angry that he'd only recently broken up with the woman. But she also couldn't help but wonder if Max had still been seeing her all these while. She also wondered if he'd been texting both of them that week they hadn't seen and she hated how stupid she'd been to blush and look forward to his text.
"Oh shit! She's here!" Trin pulled on her arm. "She never attended any functions with the family before. I didn't even think she knew Aldo!"
Cadee looked around, searching for who Trin was talking about. Her eyes landed on the table they'd been sitting to find a woman in her seat, grinning and talking to his family. Max had a hand around her chair and he had a small smile on his lips as he watched her talk. Cadee wondered what could be so interesting to them as Manuel threw his head back and laughed. Max's smile widened as he shook his head.
"Is that Nina?" she asked Trin who was still holding on to her arm. The woman nodded. "Wow. She's really beautiful." And she was. Her hair was a loose wave that framed her face nicely and she kept tucking the blonde strands behind her ear as she gestured animatedly with her hands. She could see the woman's face clearly and the woman looked really beautiful, with a heart-shaped face and luscious mouth that were painted a brilliant red.
"Do you want to leave?" Trin asked. Cadee turned and frowned at the woman.
"Why would I leave?" She pulled away from Trin's grip and made her way to the table. She came to a stop behind Nina and it took a few minutes for the occupants of the table to notice her. Manuel was the first to look at her and the smile he'd been wearing immediately fell. Max turned too and his smile widened when he saw her. She wanted to ask why he was extending the smile that was meant for Nina her way, but kept mute.
Nina, sensing her presence, turned and grinned at her. "Maxwell, who's this?"
Cadee couldn't believe that no one at the table had told her the seat had an occupant. It was as if the woman believed they'd reserved it for her. She turned to Max. "I'm ready now. Can we go?"
Max nodded before turning back to Nina. "she's with me," he said, smiling at the woman. Cadee couldn't believe her ears. Just few hours ago, he was introducing her as his girlfriend, now that it was Nina, all he could say was that?
"Oh!" Nina said. Max made to rise but was halted by the woman's brightly painted nails on his leg. "Remember what I said? We need to talk."
Max looked conflicted for a few moments before bending to whisper something to Nina. Cadee wished she didn't have enough self control. She wanted to bend down and hear just what Max was talking about. "we'll be leaving now, Dad," he said to his father who nodded before Max stood up. He placed a hand on the small of her back and led her out.
"We have a lot to talk about," Cadee said when they got into the elevators.
"I know. We'll talk later. Drey is already waiting downstairs and he'd take you home," Max said, tucking his hands into his slacks pocket. A muscle ticked in his jaw and she slowly saw him reverting back under the layers she hadn't even noticed she'd peeled away. Now he looked different from the man she'd come with, reminding her of the first time she'd seen him at the club and the way he'd been ignoring that blonde.
When she really thought about it, that blonde looked like Nina. "What do you mean take me home? I thought we were going back together?"
"I have something to take care of but I promise I'll be back soon."
"Is it because of her?" she asked just as the elevator came to a stop and opened. Max didn't respond as the doors slowly began to shut. He held his hand out, causing the doors to open again and she understood that he didn't even plan on walking her back to the car.
"I'll be back soon, okay? We'll talk then. We'll talk about everything, I promise. There's also something I need to tell you."
Cadee exited the elevator before the doors could shut again, finding Drey almost immediately. He led her towards the car that was waiting out front and she was glad that the reporters had cleared out. There was no way she wanted to go through that again, especially since she couldn't be bothered to fake a smile at that moment.
"Can you take me home please?" she asked when Drey got behind the wheel. "to my place, not his," she clarified when he didn't say anything in response.
He nodded before starting the car. She unpinned her hair and let it fall down before she passed her fingers through, massaging her scalp. Her phone rang at that moment and she pulled it out of her purse hoping it wasn't Max. She answered when she saw it was Bianca.
"Why am I seeing you trending online?" was the first question out of her friend's mouth.
"What?"
Bianca huffed before continuing, "you didn't even tell me you were going to something high profile. And why didn't you tell me the man you're seeing is the Max Tanner?" She drew out the word 'the'.
"I didn't know there was a Max Tanner. I only know about his father and their various buildings. Besides, you know I don't have time for celebrity gossip."
"So? Tell me everything! How was it?"
Cadee sighed, "I don't even want to talk about it right now. I'm so pissed right now."
"Why? What happened?"
"He just left me to go talk to his ex."
"That bastard!" Bianca cursed. "where are you right now?"
"I'm on my way home. I just want to eat and go to bed."
"He didn't even feed you before running off with the bitch?" Bianca was livid, but Cadee didn't know much and she didn't want her friend to overreact.
"We had dinner but I couldn't eat much—"
"Because of her?" Bianca interrupted. "I'm coming over."
"Not because of her. I don't know much so I'm trying to just be calm. I really don't want to talk about it. I just want food and my bed."
"I can get dinner," Bianca insisted.
"It's fine, really. Besides, you're sick and I'd feel terrible if you had to come out because of me."
"Fine," she huffed. "call me when you need to talk, okay?"
"I will," she said just as Drey pulled up in front of her apartment complex. She said goodbye and pushed the door open before Drey had the time to come pull it open. She waved him goodbye as she made her way inside.
Bob, the building manager who was just coming out of the elevators frowned at her. "Please tell your guests to use the parking lot next time. I can't believe they missed the sign I put up."
"Will do. Sorry," she muttered just before the doors slid shut with her inside. She stepped out of her shoes and sighed as she waited for the elevator to come to a stop on her floor.
❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for reading. Please vote and comment.