Free Mr. Personality by Carol Rose Page B

recommending she get back to work.
    “Work!” she exclaimed, succumbing to the temptation to say what she’d been thinking for days. “That’s all we ever do! Other than one hour a week watching Johnna! Work, work, work!”
    “That’s what we’re here to do,” he said, as if closing the conversation.
    “How can you live this sort of life?” Nicole demanded, knowing she should be careful, but not really caring if he got mad at her. “Day in, day out—nothing but work. It’s unnatural and crazy. From sun-up to way past sundown. Do you know I’ve been working here for two weeks and the only person I know besides you is Ruth? I know about her two sons and her husband, but I’ve never met them.”
    Max looked at her, saying dispassionately, “He’s decent. Her kids are good kids. Now, are you almost finished with chapter—“
    “That’s not the point!” Nicole insisted, not allowing him to distract her. “Do you socialize with anyone? The life you live isn’t natural. No wonder you’re so weird—“
    He glared at her.
    “—you’re isolated. You should watch a few talk shows. You might get a little closer to reality,” she recommended, ignoring the anger growing on his face. What was he going to do? Fire her?
    In some ways, she felt exhilarated to have sparked a normal human reaction from him, even if it was anger. Anger was a start.
    “Why would I want to watch talk shows. The media presents no accurate representation of reality,” Max shot back. “They’re all about hype and distortion. Especially, the so-called ‘reality’ show craze a few years back. The media has no interest in accuracy or truth. Their only interest is in money. If you doubt that, try becoming a ‘public figure’ and see how many skeletons you knew nothing about are suddenly discovered in your family closet.”
    Nicole rolled her eyes. “Like you’re such an expert on family anything.”
    “Exactly what are you referring to?” he demanded, his brows snapped together above his eyes.
    “Your brother and the way you ignore his existence,” she told him, conscious of a kind of exhilaration in the verbal duel between them.
    “You know nothing about that subject,” he said dangerously. “Don’t parade your ignorance.”
    “I know quite a bit,” Nicole volleyed back. “Ruth told me all about it. How can you sleep at night since you shoved your own brother out of your life? I could see how nervous he was just dropping off that check the other day.”
    “I’m sure it hasn’t occurred to you that he may be the one insisting on having no contact with me,” Max said angrily.
    “That’s probably what he says, but is that what he means? I’m sure he gets prickly and resentful sometimes. He had to grow-up in your shadow. You always got the attention. All the big money, while he’s just an average, run-of-the-mill writer plugging away. But you’re the privileged one—“
    “ Ruth told you all this?” Max demanded, interrupting her.
    “—in a privileged situation. You’re owe it to him to be the bigger man and over look his—“
    “I thought my money and my privileges weren’t supposed to earn me any different treatment from anyone else!” Max swiftly interjected as he stood glaring at her.
    “I’m not talking about your money and success,” she snapped. “You have other privileges that most people don’t. True, you didn’t have any say so about being born so damned intelligent and articulate, but those things are gifts that come with responsibilities. You owe it to your brother—“
    “Why don’t you keep your opinions to yourself,” Max recommended, his face growing darker. “You’re here in a strictly clerical capacity—“
    “That’s how you stay so lonely,” Nicole retorted, unimpressed by his obvious attempt to demean her. “Everyone’s lower than you. No one really matters. No wonder your brother resents you—“
    “That’s enough!” Max thundered, wondering what in the hell