143 Isaac meets Max the wolf

Hearing that they both called Elizabeth, Isaac and Max turned toward each other.

"You know Liz?", they asked each other in unison before their gazes moved to Liz, obviously expecting Liz to explain this situation.

Liz blinked few times while staring at the two men in front of her. Her mind was racing: Why is her dad here? Why is he sitting with Max in the garden? She didn't tell him that she has a boyfriend!

A second later, Liz thought that something is not right. It's Friday. Since when her father has a free Friday? And if he is looking for her, why not at work? Why didn't he announce his visit? The more Liz thought about this, the more something was off. And why is he smiling at her like that?

Isaac was elated by the fact that Liz already knows this fine young man (aka Max). Max said that he is taken, but that does not mean that Liz can't see from him how a respectable man should behave. Isaac is confident that if Liz observes Max as a good example, then it will be easier for Liz to stay away from the scoundrel who is taking advantage of her.

Isaac heard Max calling Liz in a familiar way. That means they are friends already, or at least Max treats her as a friend.

It took Max a second for pieces to start falling together…

This man next to him is here to visit his daughter, his daughter is intelligent, a doctor. Max does not know many people who live in this building, but how many are young female doctors? And this man called Liz in a familiar way… The only logical conclusion is that he spent more than half an hour chatting casually with Elizabeth's father!

Few more pieces popped into Max's mind: Liz's dad is here because he got a call from a man who is working with Liz and claiming to be her friend… and that is how he found out that Liz is in a bad company. Max was not sure if the cloud covered the sun, or it got darker on its own when he realized that the man who called Liz's dad must be Dr. Snobby, which means that the bad company IS MAX!

To enforce the theory of 'Max is the bad company', Max knows that Chris is familiar with Liz's father because Bri and Mia told him how Chris went through her father first!

Max froze at the final conclusions: this is Elizabeth's father and he has a horrible opinion of Max even though he does not know him. Even worse, he likes Dr. Snobby! Only God knows that Dr. Snobby told Liz's dad.

Max's eyes flashed when he got an idea! Liz's father does not know that he is Max (aka the bad company), he thinks that he is just a guy from the building… Now it only needs to stay that way! Max scrambled to think of a way to talk to Liz and warn her not to disclose him as her boyfriend. Maybe he can send her some signals...

Max moved and his back pain flared, making him grimace, and Liz noticed.

"Max, are you OK?", she rushed toward him.

Max sighed. So much for hiding that he and Liz are close. This will be harder than he thought.

"Is your injury worse?", Isaac asked with a concern apparent in his voice.

"I am fine.", Max forced a smile.

"You don't look fine. Let's go to upstairs, you should lay down. Dad, take his laptop.", Liz instructed while helping Max up. "Why didn't you bring the wheelchair? Lean on me… let's go slowly…"

Isaac looked at Liz helping Max and felt that something is off. She ignored him and completely focused on this young man. Sure, the man is hurt, but he is her father, damnit!

"Liz, sweetie…", Isaac called.

Liz glanced at him and said curtly: "We will talk upstairs."

Liz focused on Max. "Can you walk? Does it hurt much? OK… Slowly… Just like that…"

In the elevator, Max tried inching away from Liz, but she frowned and reprimanded him while sticking close to him: "What are you doing? Let me support you."

Max forced a smile and sighed helplessly. Isaac's icy gaze didn't leave him. How can he get out of this mess? He does not want Liz's dad to have a bad opinion of him. Max sighed again. Ever since that accident on Sunday, they reverted to 'no touching' status and now her dad showed up. What else can go wrong? Max does not want to know.

Max looked at the numbers on the display above the door which indicated their current floor and wondered, why is the elevator moving so slowly? This is too narrow space to be confined in with Liz's dad.

They are staying in Max's apartment since they returned from Hawaii, so Liz led the way there. She punched the code and all three of them found themselves in Max's living room.

"Do you need an ice pack?", Liz offered.

"No, I am fine now."

"Lay down.", Liz pushed Max on the sofa.

Isaac observed Max and Liz and his thoughts about their relationship stopped when he realized his problem: how is he going to explain his presence? It is Friday and he is a very busy man. Liz knows that better than anyone else. What is he going to say, why is he here? Unannounced?

Considering that he didn't catch Liz with that man, Isaac decided to play it cool and then Liz will not suspect anything and he might get his chance to meet that scoundrel. Who knows? Maybe he is lucky, and Liz is so happy to see him that she does not ask questions like: why are you here?

Another thing was bothering Isaac. Why is this young man acting so freely in Liz's apartment? He knows that Liz is in the penthouse, and she led the way here and even used the passcode to open the door, so this must be her apartment, right?

Now that things are settled (from Liz's point of view), Liz glanced from Max to her father and decided to start clarifying few things: "How did you two end up together?"

When she reached the garden the two of them were chatting in a good atmosphere, and she assumed that they know each other.

Max wanted to respond, but Isaac was faster.

"I came to visit you, but you were not at home, so the receptionist let me in the garden. This fine young man was there when I arrived, and we started chatting."

"Fine young man?", Liz noticed her father's interesting choice of words.

"You don't think he is? We didn't speak much, but I can tell that he is smart and dedicated to his work. Those are good qualities and a recipe for a success." Isaac didn't want to mention that Max is dedicated to his girlfriend also.

"You didn't introduce yourself to him?" Liz asked Isaac and saw him shake his head.

"Max, this is Isaac, my dad. Dad, this is Max… my boyfriend.", Liz said bluntly, unaware of two internal explosions which happened in the room.

Isaac's mind was on pause and Max sank in the sofa, bracing himself for whatever is coming next.

Isaac's eyes darted from Max to Liz few times before he asked in the calmest way he could: "Your boyfriend? Since when you have a boyfriend?"

Isaac expected a scoundrel, a wolf-looking man and not this fine young man and she even called him a boyfriend? Suddenly, Max didn't look so good to Isaac… the more Isaac looked at Max, the more Max resembled a wolf.

Max didn't miss the hostility coming from Isaac. Well, the cat is out of the bag. The only thing Max can do is own it. Liz introduced him as her boyfriend and that should be a good thing. All this mess will be resolved as soon as Isaac finds out what all Dr. Snobby is doing to Elizabeth. And hopefully Isaac does not find out about what Max did before meeting Elizabeth.

Max stood up from the sofa while flinching slightly due to the backpain. "I apologize for not introducing myself, but I assumed that you are a tenant. If I knew that you are Elizabeth's father, I would introduce myself properly. I am Maximilian Anderson, Elizabeth's boyfriend."

Isaac looked at Max's extended hand, waiting for a handshake and glanced at Liz who glared at him. He stood up while accepting Max's hand and shaking it firmly. "I am Isaac Williams, Elizabeth's father."

Elizabeth exhaled loudly. "OK. Now that we got that out of the way… Dad, why are you here?"

Isaac cringed internally. Why did he think that Liz will not ask him this? He needs to come up with some lie… something believable. Like: he was here on business and stopped by. Yes! That will work.

Isaac's eyes moved toward Max and he remembered that he told Max in the garden why he is here, so even if he comes up with something, Max already knows. Ah, he was so wrong when he thought that talking to strangers is a good idea.

Isaac told himself that the best defense is offense. "It is my first time here. We didn't see each other in a while. Why are you not asking me how I am doing? Why are you not offering me something to drink? Is this how I raised you? It's lunch time, didn't you think of offering me some food? And how come you have a boyfriend? Am I the last one to find out? …"

Isaac was getting desperate when he noticed that Liz's expression is getting darker. Did she realize that all these questions were supposed to be a distraction? Why can't she give up?

Max observed Isaac and a smirk sneaked at the edge of his lips. As much as Isaac was boasting in the garden, now in front of Liz he is not so tough. Is this really a man who can sort out the whole hospital in Hawaii with one phone call? Max reminded himself that he needs to leave a good impression. That is Elizabeth's father. Actually, the best outcome is for Isaac to owe him!

Max cleared his throat and turned to Liz. "Liz, how about we go out for lunch? Your dad can join us, and we can use that time to chat. After our time in the garden, I have a good opinion of him, and I would love to spend more time with him."

Liz looked at Max and her expression softened to the point of her smiling. Liz likes the idea of Max and Isaac getting along well. After all, they are the two most important men in her life. "Sure."

"Tell me what you feel like eating, and I will place a reservation.", Max told Liz.

Isaac looked at Max and was conflicted. Did he just… help him? After everything Isaac told Max in the garden, why would Max help him? Why didn't Max tell Liz how Isaac came to Seattle to check on her because he heard that she is in a bad company and…? It took Isaac a second to see the glint in Max's eyes. This is not help. This is blackmail! He was right, the man is a wolf!

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