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“Yeah.”
Andie’s smile was mischievous. “Because you were expecting company?”
Heat flushed his face. His shrug was non-comital.
“That drop dead gorgeous blonde you were pretending to be friends with?” Andie prompted.
“Don’t push,” Max said, but with such easy affection, as he looped a hand around Andie’s waist and pulled her close.
“Says you,” Andie rolled her eyes. “You literally pushed your brother so hard today you guys ended up in a fist fight.” She pulled away from Max to move to the fridge and begin a search for dinner. It was well stocked with options, though Leandro had narrowed Skye’s favourites down now, so tended to choose elaborate menus from a Michelin-starred Chinese place and the latest hit Italian restaurant.
Andie began removing dishes.
“Is this why you’ve been showing such an interest in Acto?” Max asked thoughtfully.
“I thought you could do with my help,” Leandro replied tersely.
“Oh, we can. Your knowledge of hotels is like none other.” She threw an apologetic glance at Max. “Sorry.”
“It’s true,” Max agreed. “I want your help, but I was surprised when you volunteered to come over every fortnight. You could work remotely, you know.”
“But he can’t see Skye remotely,” Andie said with saccharine sweetness.
Leandro felt something inside of himself clamming up even when there was an opposing desire to tell them everything.
“It’s not like that,” he assured them.
Andie though clicked her fingers. “Is she the person you were trying to find a nanny for?”
Leandro’s lips formed a tight line in his face. “She has a kid.”
“And kids tend to get in the way of romance,” Andie wiggled her brows. “So?”
“So what?”
“Tell us about her.”
“There’s nothing to tell. It’s not serious.”
“She seems nice,” Max said. “And Andie’s right. She’s very pretty.”
Andie laughed. “She’s the most beautiful person I’ve seen in the real world. It’s like she’s got a filter as part of her exterior. But thank you, darling, for saying she’s just ‘pretty’.”
“It’s subjective,” Max drawled.
“Not really.” But Andie didn’t seem remotely insecure. Why should she be? Max worshipped the ground she walked on and undoubtedly always would.
“Neither of us wants more than this. We see each other when we can. We both know the relationship has an end-date.”
“How romantic,” Andie said with thick sarcasm.
“Neither of us is interested in romance either.” Except hadn’t that been a part of what he wanted to give her? Romance? Seduction? Everything she deserved, even if just for a while. The conversation was uncomfortable for Leandro, because no matter what he said, it felt wrong. He couldn’t easily characterize their relationship. He didn’t want to even try. “Look, I like her,” he said carefully. “She’s great. But she’s been through a hell of a time and is focused on raising her kid. And I’m not exactly in the headspace to make sound life decisions right now. So it’s not serious, and it’s not going anywhere. Don’t tell mum and dad.”
Andie and Max looked at each other with that strangely telepathic way married couple had sometimes and then Andie smiled at Leandro. “We won’t say a word. It’s your news to share, when you’re ready.”
He didn’t bother to reiterate that there was no news and wouldn’t be any news. Andie seemed to have taken an idea into her head and he knew how stubborn she could be.
“See?” Max said, reaching his beer over and clinking it against Leandro’s almost-empty scotch glass. “Nothing’s changed, bro. Never will, I promise.”
