Rogue

The day of the rehearsal dinner, Charles returned. He just walked in, as though he'd gone to the store for a loaf of bread. He kissed Maxine, walked into their room, and put down his things. And when he saw Blake at the house that afternoon, he was actually civil, much to Maxine's surprise and relief. Charles was much more relaxed than when he left. As Daphne put it very elegantly to her father in a whispered aside, Charles looked like he'd gotten the broomstick out of his butt. Blake looked at her in astonishment and suggested she might not want to say that to her mother. Blake laughed to himself about it as he drove to the club to check on the details for the rehearsal dinner that night. What Daphne said was true. Charles did look a lot better. All Blake could hope was that Maxine would be happy with Charles. He wished her well.

Chapter 23

Maxine had bought a new dress for the rehearsal dinner too, and when Charles saw her in it, he whistled. It was a pale gold filmy strapless evening gown that wrapped around her like a sarong. She looked like a young Grace Kelly. She was wearing it with high-heeled gold sandals. Blake had decided to make the rehearsal dinner black tie.

Charles looked very proper in a single-breasted black dinner jacket. And when they got to the party, Blake was wearing a double-breasted white one, with black tuxedo trousers, his proper black bow tie, and patent leather pumps. Maxine noticed immediately that Blake wasn't wearing socks. She knew him well, and it didn't surprise her. A lot of the men in Southampton did it. It was kind of a trendy preppy thing, although Charles made a comment about it and had worn his. Blake looked incredibly handsome with his black hair and deep tan, but so did Charles. They were both good-looking men. And with her long blond hair and pale gold dress, Maxine looked like an angel. Blake said all she needed was wings.

Blake had invited a hundred people from Max's list, and another dozen or so of his own. There was a ten-piece band playing everything from Motown to big band music to swing. And everyone was in great spirits. The champagne flowed like water, and Maxine saw Daphne take a glass, and signaled to her “just one,” and Daphne nodded agreement. But Maxine was going to keep an eye on her anyway.

It was fun seeing all her friends, and introducing Charles to the ones he didn't know. Her parents were there, her mother in a pale blue evening dress with a jacket, and her father in a white dinner jacket like Blake's. They were a handsome group.

Maxine's father stopped to talk to Charles for a few minutes before dinner, and asked him how the boat trip had been. He hadn't seen him since. “That's quite a boat, isn't it?” he said jovially, and Charles agreed that it was and said he'd had a very good time. It would have been hard not to.

Charles started the evening off by dancing with Maxine, and they looked happy and relaxed, and at ease in each other's arms. They made a very attractive couple. And it was a beautiful party. Blake had had the club decorated with thousands of white roses and delicate paper lanterns brushed with gold.

He made a witty speech before dinner, and told some very funny stories about Maxine that had everyone in hysterics, including Max. Charles looked a little pained, but he got through them. He didn't like the idea that Blake knew her better than he did, and had history with her. Blake wished them both well then, and said that he hoped Charles did a much better job of making her happy than he did. It was a moving moment, and brought tears to Max's eyes. And afterward, Charles stood up and toasted their very generous host, and promised to see to it that Maxine was blissful forever. Everyone was touched.

Blake asked Maxine to dance afterward, between courses at dinner, and they whirled around the dance floor looking like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. They had always danced well together.

“That was sweet of you to say,” she corrected him, “but you made me happy. I was always happy with you, Blake. I just didn't see enough of you, and I never knew where you were. You outgrew me after you made all that money.”

“I didn't outgrow you, Max,” he said softly. “I hadn't grown into you yet. I wasn't big enough to reach your boots in those days. I think I knew that, and it scared me. You were so much smarter than I was, and so much wiser about so many things. You always kept your eye on what mattered, like our kids.”

“So did you,” she said generously. “We just wanted different things. I wanted to work, and you wanted to play.”

“I think there's a French fable about that. And look where it got me. According to Daphne, I'm surrounded by bimbos.” They were both laughing at the comment, when Charles cut in, and whirled Maxine away in his arms.

“What were you laughing about?” he asked suspiciously. “You two looked like you were having an awfully good time.”