"You should have seen her face, Drew. It was priceless!"
Celia Jordan, the wife of Andrew Jordan, said with glee as she waddled slightly before dropping heavily into the wicker chair that her husband held for her.
Andrew shook his head in exasperation as he quickly set a footstool before her and slowly helped her rest her leg on it.
Celia rolled her eyes above his head and grinned at the man who was staring at the two of them with a smile.
"See what I have to deal with, Maxie. He worries too much," Celia said.
Then she sighed dramatically as she rested her back against the chair, piled with soft cushions. "Poor me. I can't even have any excitement anymore."
She looked down at her huge belly and said, "Hey you, do fast and come out before your father coddles me to death."
"Celia," Andrew called softly as he bent down before her.
The retro billionaire, whose personal life is still a mystery to the media and who is hardcore in the business world, is a softie when it comes to the love of his life and their unborn child.
"Yes, darling," Celia answered with a mischievous grin.
Before he spoke, she raised her hand and said, "Let me remind you that if I had not taken that walk, I would have probably started doing cartwheels on the tables or started pulling my hair out."
"But…"
"And start eating my hair."
"Ce…"
"Or I could have started screaming. Can you picture me screaming while this one here is weighing on my bladder?" she asked sweetly while blinking her eyes innocently.
Maxwell couldn't hold his laughter in again at that point.
His laughter only increased when Andrew looked back at him with a glare.
"Don't kill Maxie. I needed the walk and yes, I will call it what it is…I sneaked out while you were busy with him. I know. I know. I shouldn't have taken such a long walk alone. But if I told you, you would have insisted on coming with me! Or at least you would have made me call one of those poor dears who probably just wanted to rest after a long day and not have to babysit a pregnant woman."
Knowing he couldn't win her in an argument anyway, Andrew simply lifted her from the chair and took her to the wraparound couch close by.
"See what I am saying, Maxie? He wouldn't even let me walk," Celia complained in such a mournful voice that one would really think she was suffering.
"Just shut up," Andrew said with a chuckle.
"I love you too," Celia responded as she wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed him noisily on the lips.
As if handling an egg, Andrew placed his wife gently on the couch, then he raised her feet onto his lap.
Then he started massaging her swollen feet.
Celia let out a soft moan that had Maxwell clearing his throat.
He shook his head and proceeded to drink the scotch he had refilled for Andrew before his wife came in.
Andrew was hardly at the office these days as Celia's delivery date approached.
They had been postponing the important meeting they were to have because Maxwell had been busy with business and the situation he couldn't get himself away from.
So, Andrew had suggested they just have the meeting at his place that day.
Maxwell got there late, which was unusual for him, but then he found himself zoning out, thinking about a particular someone.
Celia had excused them because she realised that they had something important to discuss.
They were still analysing the decision about the right candidate for the bid when she came in, calling out to her husband right from the door.
"Andrew! Can you imagine it? I accuse a perfectly respectable woman of being a burglar! Well, I didn't really say it that way, but then I implied it."
The voice reached them where they were on the patio, and Andrew quickly hurried off in the direction of her voice.
Maxwell shook his head and wondered if he would ever be enamoured with a woman the way his friend was.
Since he was going to get himself a refill anyway, he got another for Andrew.
He was certain he would need it after his wife regaled him with her latest news.
As it was, he could see that Andrew had something more important on his mind than a drink, so he simply sipped the fine scotch himself and went to sit opposite them.
He knew the meeting might not proceed that night anyway.
Once Andrew got worried about his wife, everything else took a backseat.
"So, who was this lucky woman who got accused by you?"
Celia stopped her moan long enough to squeal, "Lucky?! You are a scoundrel, Maxie. You should have seen me. I was awful to her."
Maxwell looked at her with a mock, shocked expression. "You? Awful. That is hard to believe."
Celia laughed, then she leaned her head back on the headrest as she continued, "I asked her what the hell she was doing at Sylby's house when my friend was not at home. She was bent over at that time."
The memory made her laugh again.
"There she was, bending over at a perfectly fine angle, and I startled her. Poor lady. She stared at me through the opening between her legs for a moment before she stood up to face me. It wasn't funny at the moment, but now that I think of it," she laughed again as she lifted one of her legs off her husband.
"She was bent like this," she said as she made a move to get up.
"Don't even dare," Andrew said as he took the leg she dropped and placed it firmly on his lap.
Celia made a face at him as she muttered, "Spoilsport."
Maxwell hid his smile with his drink.
He supposed it was a good thing that Andrew stopped her.
He knew Celia wouldn't mind doing a demonstration of what happened.
Which would have either been hilarious or downright dangerous, as she might have toppled over while trying to bend as the woman was.
Maxwell had to disguise his laugh with a cough because his imagination was just too priceless.