“Things are the same now as when your mother was your age.” Maxie started to interrupt, but Casey didn’t give her the time. “It is, Maxie. Boys will always pressure girls to give them sex, and other girls will tell you what they’ve done to make themselves feel better.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I’ve known a lot of women who lost their virginity and regretted who it was with or the timing, but I haven’t heard anyone regret keeping it until the time was right. Do you really want to remember Fisher for the rest of your life for giving you your first kiss?”
“God, no. I hate him.”
“You will always remember your first. It’s up to you to decide if they’re special enough for that privilege.”
“Was yours?”
“Yes. He’s very special to me. The night wasn’t perfect, and I did it for all the wrong reasons, but if I still remember him when I’m ninety, I won’t feel bad about it.”
Maxie looked out the window. “You really remember your first kiss?”
“Do you remember a special present your parents gave you?”
“Dad gave me a sweater that I begged Mom for. I wore it until I outgrew it. I still have it in my drawer.”
“I bet you remember exactly how it felt when Max gave it to you, what it looks like, how it felt when you wore it for the first time. You think a sweater is more important than your first kiss?”
Maxie’s eyes widened. “I almost messed up, didn’t I?”
“Maxie, it could have turned out much worse. Nightmares don’t always start with ugliness. The ones that torment us the most are the ones we weren’t smart enough to avoid.”
“I won’t do it again.”
“Please don’t, Maxie. You’re a sweet girl, and I would hate for something bad to happen that could ruin something that’s meant to be so beautiful.”
Casey brought the car to a stop in front of the school, and Maxie got out. “Thanks, Casey.”
“You’re welcome.”
She watched her walk inside the school before driving back to the bank. She was ten minutes late by the time she shoved her perishables into the refrigerator in the break room.
The rest of the day was spent waiting on customers, her hand constantly picking up the phone to call Max. Feeling guilty, she wanted to call and tell him about Maxie skipping school, but she couldn’t bring herself to break the girl’s confidence. If Maxie didn’t tell him tonight, she would tell him herself.
Feeling better about coming to a decision, the day went much smoother. After work, she grabbed her groceries and was one of the first ones waiting to leave.
Jack noticed her impatience when several employees lagged behind.
“Hot date?”
She keyed in the code. “More like a firing squad. I’m afraid I’ve done something to make him really mad. I’m hoping a good dinner will keep him calm.”
“Make him dessert. Whenever my wife does something she shouldn’t do, she makes me a chocolate cake,” Jack advised.
Casey went to her car. If she hurried, she could stop at the bakery on the way to Max’s. She was going to buy him the biggest chocolate cake in the store. That way, he would be too full to kill Fisher.
When she pointed to the cake she wanted in the display case, the woman hesitated, asking if she was having a party.
“No,” Casey said impatiently.
“This one is twenty-four servings. I have a smaller one that serves twelve.”
“Give me the one for twenty-four, and give me a couple of vanilla cupcakes.”
When the salesgirl gave her a knowing look, Casey guessed she and Jack’s wife weren’t the only ones who used chocolate cake as a deterrent to murder.
* * *
Dinner was ready when Max entered with his kids, and they stared at the food on the table. All the children except Maxie jumped up and down in excitement when they saw the large cake sitting on the counter. While her eyes said a silent thank you, Casey gave her an encouraging smile as she directed everyone to sit.
The boys and Max filled their plates high with the mashed potatoes and meatloaf, ignoring the broccoli.
“This is great! None of Dad’s other girlfriends made us dinner,” Maxim spoke with his mouth full, wincing and crying out in pain a second later.
“Why did you kick me?” he asked his sister.
“Because you shouldn’t talk about Dad’s other girlfriends in front of Casey. It’s rude. You could hurt her feelings!”
Casey broke into the burgeoning fight. “It’s okay, Maxie. I know your dad has had a lot of girlfriends.”
Max kept eating, his eyes staring into hers in amusement. She was tempted to stick her tongue out at him, but she didn’t want to set a bad example.
“See, she knows Dad’s a horn-dog.”
Max choked on his food, while Casey almost spilled her glass of water.
“You’re not supposed to say that!” Maxie reprimanded him before his father could.