"Don't worry," Max says reassuringly. He heard that near slip-up. "You'll get accustomed to it eventually. This is necessary to keep anyone from asking questions."

For how long, comes a thought unbidden. How long is he going to be able to keep this under control? As long as he has to, he tells himself. But the more he thinks about it, the less sure he gets.

"In the meantime, we need to figure out what the hell we are going to do with you here. I keep a pretty busy social schedule. And some of that is...private time --if you catch my drift? So I can't have you at my side twenty-four-seven." But how can he send the man away either?

"So, tell you what? I have a cafe I own and operate here. How would you like to work there? It would give you a chance to meet and interact with people in a controlled environment."