Chapter Six

       Later that evening Max sat with her chin on her hand, and smiled politely across the
table. That Michael mistook the look in her eyes as a dreamy expression of deep interest
in what he was saying, hadn’t crossed her mind.  In fact, the thoughts that were crossing
her mind had little, if anything, to do with her companion. She was hearing just barely
enough of his one sided conversation to enable her to interject a few well placed
hmmm’s and I see’s, and even the odd that’s wonderful here and there.
	All through their meal, Michael talked.  He talked about his work, his aspirations
for the future, and his accomplishments.  He talked about his family, his travels, and his
restored antique corvette too.  By now Mikki knew that he was a medical researcher
working on designing new high-tech prostheses to help amputees live more normal
lives, and that he worked out of Seattle, New York, and Birmingham Alabama.   He was
a hometown boy who’d made it big, apparently.  He liked to spend  time in Elmdale as
often as he could, and working on his computer enabled that quite easily.  
	Max couldn't help wondering just how Mikki had found the guy, and what on
earth had made her think they had anything in common. The only sports he seemed to
like were golf and equestrian show jumping, and he delighted in telling her all about his
accomplishments in the latter.  Max nodded in the appropriate places, and attempted,
although only half heartedly, to follow what he was saying about a horse named
Socrates. 
	She tried, really tried, not to let her mind wander.  As she glanced around the
fancy dining room at Charmaine's, however, she couldn't help but think that the kind of
restaurant she usually frequented usually had a television in at least one corner, that
was almost always playing some sort of sports game.  Right now it would probably be
baseball, she decided.  She and Jake had gone to a few baseball games together in
their time.
	And basketball.  Jake enjoyed that too.  He was a good opponent for a game of
one on one as well.  He never let her win.  When she beat him it was always fair and
square.  And when she did beat him, she made sure he heard about it for a while
afterwards too!  This brought a warm smile to her face, thought she didn't realize it until
Michael's voice penetrated her thoughts. 
	"You like that idea?"  he was saying, and she dragged her eyes back to his face
and tried desperately to figure out what he had said. 
	"What idea?" she asked.
	"Going with me to the competition on Sunday," he said, a hopeful look on his
face.
	"Competition?" she repeated, and searched her brain for anything that might
indicate what he had said while she was daydreaming.  "Show jumping?"
	Michael nodded.  "Sunday afternoon at the Elmdale Fair grounds."
	"Oh," she said.  "Did you say you were riding in it?"
	He looked at her narrowed eyes, and shook his head slowly.  "No, I said I was
going to watch.  I thought you looked like you were interested in joining me.  Perhaps I
read that wrong?"
	Max straightened up and folded her napkin conspicuously.  "I'm sorry, Michael, 
I'm busy on Sunday," she said, trying to look as disappointed as she thought was safe. 
"Perhaps another time?"
	Michael sighed, but smiled anyway.  "Yes, perhaps another time."   For the first
time since their meal had arrived, he looked down at her plate, which was empty.  "How
was your meal?  I hope everything was top notch!  I love the food here at Charmaine's. 
I come here whenever I'm in town."
	"Everything was wonderful," Max said with a smile, and Michael beamed back at
her. 
	"So what do you say we get out of here then, huh?"  He picked up his own
napkin and folded it across his plate, and smiled across the table at her.  Max even
thought he winked at her, but she told herself she must have been mistaken.  Then he
stood up and held his hand out to help her out of her chair. 
	"The night is still young," he was saying. "Why don't we take a stroll along the
riverbank?  It's very pretty at this time of night."
	The path that wove its way along the shoreline of the Grange River was indeed
one of the prettiest places in Elmdale, that was one thing Max had to agree with him on. 
The river passed by just outside Charmaine's, giving a beautiful view out the front
windows of the restaurant.   From the grounds outside the building the path was easily
accessed. She and Jake often jogged along that path in the evenings, stopping on
occasion to lean over the railings and watch the water flow along its curvy path, or laugh
at the ducks that swam and dipped as if putting on a show.  It was beautiful when the
sun was just setting and its peach coloured glow was reflected on the water's surface. 
In fact, one evening not all that long ago, she and Jake had spent several minutes in
awe of the picture before them as they'd watched the sun sink behind the trees. It had
been one of the most beautiful sights she'd seen in a long time. 
	"I can see that idea appeals to you," Michael was saying, as he continued to hold
her hand while they walked away from their table.  Max bit her lip and stifled a sigh.
Somehow walking along the Grange with Michael didn't have the same appeal as
jogging the path with Jake, but she didn't want to disappoint her date.   He paid the bill
and led her out into the warm evening air, eyeing her appreciatively as a few other
couples walked by.  
	"You had to have been, by far, the prettiest woman in the restaurant this
evening," he said, taking her hand and leading the way toward the path.  Max felt her
stomach tighten.  Maybe this date had been a bad idea.  If she'd just admitted to him in
the first place that she'd forgotten, and bowed out gracefully, she'd be racing Jake on
the treadmill down at the gym right about now.  Hardly as elegant surroundings as these,
certainly, but much more comfortable.  Her heels weren't made for strolling down a
riverside path, no matter how beaten and hard the earth was. 
	"Let's just stand here and watch the river for a while," she suggested, and
Michael didn't object.  Instead, he positioned himself snugly against her side where she
leaned against the railing.  
	"Look!"  Max pointed across the river to where a group of ducks were flapping
their wings and looking like they were running on the surface of the water just before
they took off in flight.  "They look like they're running a race," she said.  She turned to
look at her companion to see if he was watching the ducks too, but found him looking at
her instead, his face only inches away from hers.
	"There's something much more interesting to look at right here," he said, and
Max blinked.
	"Oh!" Max gasped, and tried to back away, but found herself pressed against the
railing. 
	Michael's face didn't move any closer, but he did wrap his arm around her
shoulders and draw her against him before turning to look out across the river.  "It is a
beautiful sight from here, though, isn't it?" he said.  
	 Max smiled hesitantly, and took a deep breath.  But as she glanced over his
head in an attempt to get some air, her eyes fell on someone running along the path to
their left, and she felt her stomach tighten. It wouldn't be! It couldn't be!  But as she
watched, and as Michael drew her even closer to him, the jogger came closer, and Max
swallowed hard.  
“Jake?”   What on earth was Jake doing jogging along the Grange River instead
of working out at the gym!
	She hadn't realized she'd spoken the name out loud until Michael gave her a
curious glance. "That would be Mike," he said, smiling a little. "My friends call me Mike.  I
don't mind if you do too."
	"What?" Max looked at him strangely, then shook herself back to reality.  "Oh!
No, I meant —  Jake —  "  But there was no time to explain further. At that moment not
only did Michael notice the direction of her gaze and turn to see what she was looking at,
but Jake spotted her, and slowed his pace to pull up beside them.
	"Max?" he asked, looking from her to Michael and back. 
	"Hi, Jake," she said, sounding much more nervous than she has hoped.  Michael
looked at them both, then cleared his throat as neither of them either moved or spoke.
	"You two know each other?" Michael asked.
	"I see what you meant by something came up," Jake was saying, taking in the
strapless  dress Max was wearing.  One eyebrow lifted higher and higher as his eyes
travelled the length of her body and his lip curled in a sarcastic grin.  Max felt herself
blushing, and looked quickly at her date, who was assessing her reaction closely. 
	"Umm — Jake — It's not what it looks like."
	Jake's brow lifted higher and he leaned against the railing beside them. "Really? 
And what does it look like, Max?"
	"What do you mean it's not what it looks like?" Michael asked, a surprised look
on his face. 
	"Well, I — umm — "  She wrinkled up her nose.  "Jake!" she added in a whisper,
a  pleading look in her eyes.
	Jake's grin widened and he shrugged, as he watched her squirm. "It looks to me
like you're on a date.  And dressed to turn heads too, I might add." Max felt herself
blushing more, and glanced quickly at Michael, who looked a little piqued himself.  
	"Yeah," Michael nodded at Jake.  "We are on a date."  Then he swung his gaze
to Max.  "What do you mean it's not what it looks like?  What's going on?"
	Max groaned.  "I mean — I mean — " then she let out a sigh and went limp
against the railing.  She knew she could explain everything to Jake in a way that he
would understand and accept.  She also knew that he'd probably made his own
conclusions about what had happened, and that his insistent teasing was perfectly
natural.  In a way, it was even a relief that he was leaning there egging her on, because
it showed her that he wasn't really mad at her. She just wished he would lay off and not
force her to explain things in front of Michael.  
	Her date was a nice guy, but she hadn't pictured herself going out with him
again.  It wasn't that she disliked him or anything, it was just that they really didn't have
anything in common.  Still, she didn't want him to know that she had completely
forgotten about having agreed to go on the date him in the first place.  If Jake forced her
to explain things on the spot, Michael's feelings could easily end up getting hurt. 
	"So, are you two enjoying yourself on your date?"  Jake shifted his gaze to
Michael. "I don't believe we've been introduced.  I'm Jake Forrester. "  He held out his
hand to Michael, who, ever the gentleman, took it despite the questioning look he shot
Max. 
	"Michael Cunningham," he said, and Jake lifted his brows once again.
	"Related to Reginald and Edwina Cunningham?"  Jake asked, and immediately
Michael's face lit up. 
	"Yes, those are my parents.  You know them?"
	Jake nodded.  "I know them.  I've heard of you too, nice to meet you."  He
finished shaking Michael's hand and gave Max a curious look.  The Cunninghams were
way out of her league.  He couldn't imagine where she had even met this guy.  From
what he'd heard, he wasn't around Elmdale much these days.  Kincaide Landscaping
had the contract to maintain the Cunningham estate.  Ray Cunningham was one of
Elmdale's wealthiest men.  This fact had no doubt aided in paying for Michael's
prestigious educational achievements, not to mention the purchase of a horse named
after some ancient Greek philosopher.  Winnie Cunningham liked to talk about her son
every chance she got.  According to his mother, he was extremely successful in both his
profession and his show jumping.  In fact, if  memory served him right, just last month
Winnie had bragged about  her son's showing in an international Equestrian meet held
in Germany. 
	He looked at Max closely, and noticed that things seemed to be making her
uncomfortable.  He supposed it shouldn't bother him that she had cancelled their gym
night at the last minute so she could play dress-up and go to dinner at the most
expensive restaurant in town, with one of the richest men in town.  Afterall, what woman
would choose jogging and pumping iron over a fancy dinner at Charmaine's with the
local royalty.  His expression clouded over, and he sighed.  He supposed he had
thought Max might be that woman, but apparently not.  
	"Right then," Jake said, straightening up and rubbing his hands together.  "It
looks like I'm in the way here, doesn't it?  I'd better get on with my run and leave you two
alone again."  He glanced at Max and tried to smile.  "Maybe we'll do lunch sometime."
	Max stared at him.  Was that hurt she saw in Jake's eyes?  And what was that
about maybe doing lunch sometime?  Jake didn't talk like that!  What on earth had
gotten into him? She glanced from one man to the other, and frowned.  Jake was
definitely looking uneasy, while Michael, on the other hand, was looking quite smug ever
since the mention of his parents.  
	That was when it occurred to her that she hadn't even known Michael's last
name until he'd given it to Jake.  Everyone in town knew the Cunninghams! Their
rambling estate perched on the edge of town, surrounded by high stone walls and
wrought iron gates.  She knew Jake and Reese provided the manpower for the grounds
upkeep.  Jake had even been there himself, she knew that.  Michael had talked about
his family over dinner, but she had no recollection of him mentioning exactly who they
were.  How on earth had she gotten through a whole dinner with this man and not known
he was Ray and Winnie Cunningham's son!   
	Was Jake thinking she'd passed up the evening with him for a date with a man of
money?  That wasn't the case at all, and she desperately wanted to explain to him, but
not in front of Michael.  As Jake eased himself away from them and lifted a hand in
goodbye, she took a step towards him.
	"Jake, please," she said, worry in her expression.
	"What's up, Red?" he asked, trying to sound light-hearted. 
	She glanced at Michael, then moved closer to Jake.  "Jake, I can explain
everything — later.  Please, just don't look at me like that."
	Jake raised his brow. "Don't worry about it, Red, you just go have a good time. 
Don't even think about me."  And with that he lifted his hand and started off down the
path away from them.  Max took a couple of steps toward his retreating back, but
resisted the urge to call him back.  With a sigh, she turned back towards Michael, who
was watching Jake jog away with a thoughtful look on his face. 
	"Somebody special?" Michael asked. 
	"What?" The question didn't register at first, then Max blushed. "Oh, Jake? Just a
very good friend."
	"Friend, huh?" Michael studied her, then looked back down the path to where
Jake was just disappearing around the curve in the river.  "Look, Max, maybe this wasn't
such a good idea afterall."  
	"What do you mean?" Max looked surprised, but Michael just smiled at her. 
	"I had a really good time tonight, and I will admit that I had hoped the evening
would lead to better things,  but it's obvious your heart isn't in it."
	"Michael, please, it's not like that," Max attempted to interrupt him, but he held up
his hand to stop her and shook his head. 
	"No, it's OK Max, really.  If things ever change between you and Forrester, you
can always give me a call.  You're a beautiful woman, I certainly wouldn't object to being
seen with you again."  He winked at her, and held out his hand in the direction of the
parking lot, indicating that it was time the went back to the car.  Max hesitated, but
eventually sighed and followed him. 
	He'd gotten it all wrong, of course.  There was nothing romantic between her and
Jake Forrester at all! But perhaps letting Michael  think there was, wasn't such a bad
thing afterall, she thought.  It was getting her out of a difficult situation.  Before Jake had
arrived, she'd known the date was moving in a direction she wasn't prepared to go.  This
way Michael would just take her home and the date would be over, and neither of them
would hold anything against the other.   No, it was Jake she was worried about now. 
The first thing she planned to do when she got home was call him and explain
everything.