Grand Passion

those paintings Max wants so badly, but thanks for sending him out here to look for them.”

    Everyone gathered in the kitchen the next morning to say good-bye to Max.
    “Another stack of buckwheat pancakes?” Daystar asked when she saw that Max's plate was empty.
    “No, thank you.” Max folded his napkin with great precision and placed it on the table beside the plate.
    “More coffee?” Sylvia hovered over him with the pot. “You've got a long drive ahead of you.”
    “I think I've had enough.” Max glanced at his watch. “I'd better be on my way.”
    Cleo smiled at him from the other side of the table. “Promise you'll drive carefully.”
    He looked at her with the same unreadable expression that had been in his eyes last night. “I promise.”
    “We'll be waiting for you,” Cleo said softly.
    “Will you?” he asked.
    Before Cleo could respond, Sammy darted forward and grabbed a fistful of Max's trousers. He tugged on the expensive fabric to get his attention. “Remember to fasten your seatbelt,” he said earnestly.
    Max glanced down at him. “I'll remember.”
    Sammy was clearly delighted that his instructions would be followed. He giggled, turned, and dashed out of the kitchen.
    Sylvia smiled as the door swung shut behind her son. “You've been good for him, Max.”
    “We have mutual interests in common,” Max said. “We both like books and fine art.”
    “Take your time driving back tonight,” Andromeda advised. “There's another storm on the way. We'll hold dinner for you.”
    Max looked at her. “I might be very late.”
    Andromeda smiled serenely. “That doesn't matter. Dinner will be waiting.”
    Trisha gave Max a misty smile. “Tell Ben I love him,” she whispered.
    Max got to his feet. “I'll tell him.”
    “Thank you, Max,” Trisha said.
    He glanced at the ring of expectant faces that surrounded him. “I'll talk to Ben if I can find him. But there are no guarantees. Do all of you understand that?”
    Cleo and the others nodded obediently, if impatiently.
    “We understand,” Cleo said cheerfully.
    Max's mouth twisted. “Like hell you do,” he muttered. “You all think I'm going to pull this off, don't you?”
    “Nothing is for certain,” Andromeda said. “But I think Cleo's right. You're the best man for the job.”
    “I'll walk you outside to your car.” Cleo fell into step beside him. “What time do you think you'll be back?”
    “I don't know.”
    “Well, it doesn't matter.” Cleo opened the front door. “We'll be waiting for you.”
    Max said nothing. When they reached the Jaguar, he took his keys out of his pocket and opened the door. He hesitated before he got behind the wheel.
    “Are you okay, Cleo?”
    She stared at him curiously. “Sure. Why do you ask?”
    He glanced past her toward the others who were standing in the doorway, ready to wave farewell. “You waited a long time for last night. You must have had a lot of unrealistic expectations. I just wondered if you had any regrets this morning.”
    Cleo smiled slowly. “As it turns out,” she murmured, “my expectations weren't unrealistic in the least. In fact, the actual experience far exceeded the most creative flights of my imagination.”
    Max looked as if he didn't know what to say next. “I, well, I just wondered.”
    Cleo batted her lashes outrageously. “Was it good for you, too?”
    A dull red blush stained Max's high cheekbones. He fumbled briefly with his keys and dropped them on the seat. “Damn.” He leaned down quickly to retrieve them. Then he straightened again. “Yes,” he said. “It was very good. The best it's ever been.”
    Cleo grinned. “Right. Well, that's settled.”
    “I'd better be on my way.”
    She waited until he got behind the wheel. “Remember what Sammy said. Be sure to fasten your seatbelt.”
    Max buckled the belt and shoved the key into the ignition. His eyes met hers. “Good-bye, Cleo.”
    “Good-bye.” She bent down to kiss him quickly on the mouth. “Hurry home.” She closed the car door.
    The Jaguar's engine purred behind her as she walked back to the lobby entrance where Andromeda, Daystar, Sylvia, and Trisha were gathered in the doorway. They all waved at Max.
    Cleo turned to wave, too. Max did not wave back. She couldn't tell if he saw them in his rearview mirror or not. “Well, he's off.”
    Trisha dragged a hankie out of her pocket and blew into it. “Do you really think he'll bring Benjy—I mean, Ben—back?”
    Cleo smiled at