Page 10 of Tempt Me

Bythetimetheywerereadytogototheairport,hismotherhadcalledtotellhimshewasdue intoNewYorkatsixthefollowing evening.A horn sounded and Maxlookedout thewindow.

Thecab washere.

Takingeverything outside,heaskedthedrivertoinstallErin’scarseatwhile hecollectedhis daughter. Shewasstill asleep in hercot,sohecarefullypicked herup,locked thefrontdoorbehind himand tookher out tothecar.

“Whereto,buddy?”theguyasked onceMaxshutthecar door.

“LAX–terminalfive.”

“You gotit.”

Maxcompletelyzoned outonthewaytotheairport. Hewatchedthestreetlightsflybythe windows,throwingalternatebeams oflightandshadowontheinteriorofthecar.Hedidn’tquite knowwhattoexpectin NewYork,and ifhewashonest,hewasmorethanlooking forwardtothe challenge.

The previous night, Evangelinehadgivenhimamoredetailedrun-downoftheclub,sohe wouldn’tbewalking intothecompleteunknown. Thenewclubwasinthefamedmeatpackingdistrict.Allthewaitstaffhadbeenhired,thebar wasstockedand theywerereadyforthe openingin twonights’time.ThatgaveMaxadayto figure everything outwithhisapartmentandwithErinbeforehehadtostartworkandbegintrainingthe staff tothestandardEvangelinedemanded.

At theairport,hewheeledhis loadedtrolleyto theDeltadeskandchecked in. Erin was strappedtohis chestinasling,completelydeadtotheworld.Everythingwentsmoothlyfromthen and, before heknewit, theywereboarding theplaneand on theirwaytoNewYorkCity.

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