Some of the people in the room looked like they didn’t want to hear that advice.
“Noted,” Tommy clipped out.
Did that mean he knew for certain he was in no danger because he was the perp? Or was he just putting up a macho front to maintain his image?
Tommy kept his gaze on Max, then went into aggressor mode. “What are you doing here exactly? You’re not part of our class. The invitation only went out to class members.” That was something else she remembered, the quarterback often going on the offensive.
“Olivia and I are spending as much time together as possible. She asked if I’d like to come to the meeting, and I said I would.”
Tommy folded his arms across his chest. “I thought it was only for class members. You weren’t in our class.”
“Then why did you bring a date?” Olivia asked.
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“She’s staying in the background.”
Like women are supposed to, Olivia thought, but didn’t voice the comment.
Linda jumped in. “Of course Olivia’s fiancé is welcome if he wants to help out. There’s a lot to do, and we can use all the worker bees we can get.”
There were some murmurs around the room. Then the general conversation picked up, most people sticking with deliberately cheerful subjects like children, the purchase of new homes, and the remodeling of old ones.
It was all pretty casual in a one-upmanship sort of way, with everybody trying to make it clear how successful they were. Olivia found herself trying to fight off a headache. It was so strange being back here. She admitted to herself that she’d been intimidated by these people when she was in high school. Now she didn’t have to prove anything to them.
Before they got too far into the small talk, Linda banged a spoon against a glass, getting everybody’s attention and saying that they should get the meeting started.
Max rejoined Olivia from where he’d been standing with a group of guys and took the chair next to hers as the rest of her former classmates arranged themselves around the table.
When everybody was seated, Linda passed out sheets of paper with her agenda. Max read his rapidly, then leaned back in his chair, looking totally relaxed and interested in the proceedings, even making a suggestion for a place where the barbecue could be held.
He even got out a ballpoint pen and little notebook and began taking notes.
Olivia was relieved that the meeting settled down to an easy give and take. Most of the attention shifted away from her and Max, although she caught some of the others around the table eyeing him. When Linda asked her if she was willing to work on the committee sending out promotional materials, she agreed to help, thinking that she could always back out later.
“I want to kick-start this ten-year anniversary celebration,” Linda said as the meeting drew to a close. “So I think we should meet again in two weeks to see what progress everybody has made.”
There was general agreement, and with the official business concluded, Olivia wanted to duck out. But Max seemed to be in no hurry to leave. Apparently he was still taking the opportunity to observe everybody.
People drifted into little groups to chat or congregate around the snack table. A few people came up to Olivia, but the conversations were stiff. She had been away for almost ten years. Most of the other people at the meeting had stuck around the area and probably got together from time to time.
She watched Max help himself to a buffalo wing, then turn and smile as Laura Jordan came gliding up to him. Laura was a curvy brunette who had been considered sophisticated back in high school. Ten years had only accentuated her charms. She and Max were on the other side of the room, but Olivia could tell from the bombshell’s body language that Laura had no compunctions about coming on to another woman’s fiancé.
As Olivia watched Laura move in on Max, a jolt of primitive emotion shot through her, taking her by surprise. When she realized it was jealousy, she sternly reminded herself that she had no right to be possessive of Max Lyon. He wasn’t really her fiancé. He was only here with her on an undercover assignment, and the engagement had been the best way to give him access to the group. Still, when he glanced in her direction and caught her watching him, he looked a bit uncomfortable. Excusing himself, he crossed the room to where she was still sitting.
“Maybe it’s time to go home, sweetheart,” he said, his voice loud enough to carry around the room, his hand cupping possessively over her shoulder.
Knowing that he was just playing a part, Olivia flushed. But she stood obediently and leaned into him as he slung his arm around her waist.
Still strung tight as a rubber band about to snap, Olivia looked up to see that Laura had followed Max and was studying Olivia with a little smirk on her face. Olivia couldn’t help wondering if the other woman was comparing their bodies. Olivia was model thin. Laura had a lot more for a man to grab on to.