Chapter Twenty-Five: For Love's Sake-4

"Luke, relax," I interjected, placing both my hands on his chest. "People are doing the best they can to make this presentation as good as it can be considering the time constraints. I'm sure they know what they're doing. Give them a break. Give yourself a break. You know you have a good product and you believe in it. Now your Dad and everyone else just have to be convinced. Don't waver on it now because no one's going to buy anything from a fumbling salesman." "I'm not a fumbling salesman." "You are when you're panicking like this," I said with a grin. "Smile. Take a deep breath. Enjoy the moment." "You don't know my Dad, Max." "True but I know you. You've got your own mind. You have a good business sense and you care about your clients and the company. You're capable of great things but you have to remember that when you're talking to your Dad. You're not a little boy anymore." The almost petulant look of protest on his face was cute though. "You don't know that." "I do. You're a child occasionally but when it matters, you man up. Just as you're going to today." "I like her already," a deep, softly booming voice came from the doorway and Luke and I spun around to find Charles Hedenby standing there, studying us. He was still much like the man in the picture I found in Luke's bedroom—tall, forbidding, distinguished. He had thick, dark hair the same color as Luke's except for the light sprinkle of silver by his temples. He shared his son's similar angular bone structure and blue eyes except that his were a few shades lighter than Luke's. In fact, he was almost how one would imagine Luke two decades from now. The main difference was that while Luke had an almost irreverent charm about him, Charles Hedenby was all intimidating confidence and discipline. I might have backed up a step without thinking because I felt Luke's arm slip behind my waist to keep me at his side. His father carefully took in the sight of us and for a second, I was glad I actually wore a well-fitted blouse and pencil skirt ensemble today and brushed my hair into a neat ponytail. I didn't expect nor wish to be Luke's arm candy but it might convince the man that his son wasn't completely insane. I wasn't sure yet how I felt about him yet—or more importantly, how he felt about me and whether he even knew why that mattered—but he finally flashed a small, half-smile. "I'm glad Luke's listening to someone like you. That's the most advice he's taken from anyone," he said as he strode over to us, extending a hand to me. "I'm Charles Hedenby, this rascal's father." "Nice to meet you, sir," I said, holding my own when he shook my hand firmly. Luke sighed in mild exasperation. "Dad, this is Maxine Moss—this rascal's fiancéé and current member of the loyalty project." This wasn't exactly how I'd planned to meet and introduce myself to Luke's father but there was nothing to be done about it now. Bravely—which was quite an effort in the face of a man like Charles Hedenby—I lifted my head and looked him straight in the eye. I smiled but I kept my gaze straight and focused, wondering for a moment whether I stacked up to what he felt his only son deserved. He made no effort to make his quick appraisal of me subtle and I reminded myself that in the end, only Luke's opinion would actually matter. It didn't mean that I wouldn't appreciate Charles Hedenby's approval though. "My son told me the good news last night," he added calmly although the sideways glance he gave Luke told me it was most likely that news that sent him flying over here rather than a pressing urge to get the presentation over with. "Belated happy birthday and congratulations." "Thank you," I said, my voice steady. "I hope we have your blessing." Charles arched a brow in surprise—probably at my temerity to just bluntly put it out there when I was really no more than a complete stranger to him—but there was a little admiration in the smile he followed it with. "Should I give my blessing on my son's decision to marry a woman I don't know at all?" he asked directly even though his tone remained polite. "If the qualification is trust in your son's ability to make good decisions, then yes, you should," I answered without wavering. I glanced up at Luke and saw the small smile playing on the corner of his mouth. "What's so funny?" Luke laughed and pressed a kiss on the top of my head. "Just that I don't think I've ever had a woman carry on this long a personal conversation with my father without breaking into cold sweat." Charles nodded. "True that. Not even Elise." If I hadn't been hanging on father and son's every word, I would've missed that slight ripple between them at Elise's name. The shared mild amusement between them faded just a little that you couldn't tell in that space of a few seconds when shadows flitted across their smiling faces. "She has so much to be scared of in sharing a life with me that I don't think she's got much left in her to be scared of you," Luke said, pressing a kiss on my temple. "Isn't that right, Max?" I just rolled my eyes and sighed, observing the curiosity in Charles's eyes as he watched us. "Luke still sells himself short so you'll probably hear us repeat this conversation at some point in the future." "So if you came here to talk her out of saying yes to me, don't bother because while it's not obvious at first glance, she's even more stubborn than you are," Luke added, still jokingly but all three of us heard the subtle warning there. I worried for a second that this whole scene, with its seeming casualness and still-stark subtleties, would unravel as Luke started to get defensive but Charles, probably knowing his son well enough, just sighed in what seemed like resignation. "She's the perfect woman for you then," he said. "Glad we all agree," Luke countered right back just before his phone blared with a phone call. He slipped it out of his jacket pocket, his brows furrowing. "Dammit, it's Colin. He's trying to get me into a meeting with the president. Let me get this for a sec." Charles and I both watched as Luke walked off to a quieter corner, pacing anxiously as he talked on the phone yet still managing to shoot me an 'everything okay?' glance when our eyes met.