A Turn in the Road (Blossom Street #8)(67)

“How’d you find out?” Bethanne asked. “Other than through Sherry, I mean.”

“Rooster.”

Max grunted in disapproval.

“Name’s a bit odd. His real name’s John Wayne Miller. John Wayne played a guy called Rooster in a movie called True Grit back in the sixties and apparently that’s how Rooster picked up the nickname.”

Bethanne nodded. “Yeah, I heard that.”

“I wish you two’d stop talking about me as if I wasn’t here,” Max complained.

Al continued to ignore Max. “Max stops by to see Susie and me every now and then.” He smiled at Max. “This is the first time he’s ever brought a lady friend.”

“Actually, Max helped me when our car broke down in Nevada.” She caught his eye. “I don’t recall you asking me to pay it forward.”

“Can we go yet?” Max asked pointedly.

“I was with my daughter and mother-in-law, and—”

“Ex-mother-in-law,” Max corrected.

“Yes, I’m divorced. Max and I just sort of hit it off.”

Al looked pleased as spiked punch. “I always wondered why he never had a woman in his life.”

“I prefer my own company,” Max said.

“Doesn’t look like it to me.” Al laughed. “You’ve found someone special, and you should be grateful. It’s not much of a life, racing from one coast to the other, especially if you’re alone.”

“I like my life the way it is.”

“Sure you do,” Al muttered sarcastically.

“I do,” Max said. He held his hand out to Bethanne; it was time to leave.

“No need to rush off. Susie’s on her way home and I know she’d love to see you.”

Bethanne agreed with Max’s friend. “We should stay and say hello to Susie.”

“She’d be real disappointed if you took off,” Al said. “Besides, she’s bringing lunch. I’ll give her a quick call and tell her to pick up enough for five.” He grinned. “I eat as much as two normal people, so she automatically buys two of everything when she’s feeding me.”

“Lunch,” Bethanne said sweetly.

Max nodded reluctantly.

Sure enough, Susie arrived about ten minutes later and the men met her in the driveway. Al and Max brought in grocery bags and two six-packs of beer, plus an equal number of sodas.

Susie was a petite woman who stood a full foot and a half shorter than her husband. She had curly brown hair and big hazel eyes. Clearly she adored Max and welcomed Bethanne with a warm smile.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to meet you,” she said, rushing inside. “Al and I were so thrilled to hear from Max, we immediately changed our plans and headed for the lake house.”

Bethanne followed Susie into the kitchen and began unpacking groceries, setting the food on the kitchen counter.

“What else can I do to help?” Bethanne asked when she’d finished.

“Grab those bags over there,” Susie said, pointing to the chips.

Bethanne was put to work opening bags of potato chips and emptying them into plastic bowls while Susie made a salad.

Al and Max moved onto the deck, where Al turned on the barbecue.

“How long have you and Max been together?” Susie asked as she sliced tomatoes.

Bethanne peeled a cucumber. “We aren’t exactly together. We only met a few days ago.” Although it felt as though she’d known him for a lot longer…

“Really? Well, you found yourself a gem of a guy. I don’t know what happened to him. Max has never spoken about why he lives the way he does, but it’s obvious there’s some tragedy in his past.”

If Max hadn’t explained, then Bethanne didn’t feel she could.

“He’s done so much for others,” Susie went on. “Rooster told us that he helped a handicapped woman in Boston by replacing her roof. And a friend of ours told us about a family who was about to lose their home due to the husband’s unemployment. When the bank threatened to repossess it, Max stepped in and made the late payments.”

Just then Max appeared in the kitchen doorway. “What are you two talking about?” he asked suspiciously.

Susie rolled her eyes. “Why do men always assume we’re talking about them?”

“Ego,” Bethanne said, and they laughed. If any man didn’t suffer from an outsize ego—in her opinion, anyway—it was Max.

“Hey, Max, I bought you chocolate ice cream,” Susie said as she arranged silverware on the table on the deck. Smiling at Bethanne, she added, “He’s got a weakness for chocolate ice cream.”

Max snuck up behind Bethanne and slipped his arms around her. “What I have is a weakness for you,” he said, kissing her cheek. He whispered, “Promise me you won’t believe a word these people tell you.”

“And why is that?”

“I already told you, Bethanne, I’m no saint.”

“You make it sound as if you’re ashamed of helping other people.”

“I’m not, but I don’t like to broadcast it.”

“So, you’re a lone wolf, a drifter who needs no one, riding off into the sunset.”

He frowned and muttered, “You making fun of me?” in a mock-ferocious voice.