“I think they’re in the movie room waiting for us,” I heard Max’s dad say in a voice that sounded like it was coming through a tunnel.
Max’s hand retreated at his words and I wanted to cry out in frustration. Giving my lips one last nip, he shifted me off his lap in one deft movement. I gripped the arm of the La-Z-Boy, trying to get my racing heart beat back to normal.
“Yep, I was right, they were kissing,” Kevin said, trailing behind Maxwell and Karen.
“Hush, Kevin,” Karen said, chastising Kevin good-naturedly. “You’ll embarrass your sister. I’m sure they were in here discussing a homework assignment or something to that effect,” she added, grinning at me mischievously.
“Um, yeah, that’s right,” I said, slightly flustered. His parents were cool for the most part, but I was pretty sure their trust in us would be put to the test if they saw how close we had come to removing our clothes just a few moments ago.
Max grinned at me sheepishly, obviously guessing what my beat red face indicated. He playfully grabbed at me as we settled onto the oversized bean bag chair.
“Behave,” I said out of the corner of my mouth. “Or I’ll have to go sit with Kevin,” I threatened.
“Hmm, okay, but you’d be sitting with my parents too,” he chided quietly.
I turned around to see that Kevin had made himself right at home between Maxwell and Karen on the full-size couch that sat on the other side of the room. Normally, he preferred to sit on the humongous navy blue bean bag chair closest to the big screen television, but looking at him sandwiched between Max’s parents, he looked quite content. In an alternant universe, this would have been Kevin’s life, surrounded by people who loved him. I smiled happily and felt my new love for Max’s family overflowing in me. Whatever happened in the future, at least Kevin and I were happy at this very moment.
Chapter 15
The following weekend Max and I headed to Bozeman, leaving Kevin behind with Karen and Maxwell, which worked out well since Lucinda had been MIA most of the week.
“Sooo, where are going?” I asked for the hundredth time as Max accelerated toward the bigger city.
“Now if I told you, it would ruin the surprise,” he said, pretending to sigh heavily.
“Surprise, smurprise,” I said, grumbling good-naturedly.
Max shot me his dimpled grin. I leaned over and pressed my lips to the small little sunk-in space on his face. He rested his hand on my knee and gave it a light squeeze. “Are you trying to make us wreck,” he said huskily.
“No,” I said, sliding back to my seat. “I’ve just wanted to do that for months,” I added.
“Really?” he asked, grinning widely.
“Don’t let it go to your head. I feel that way about most dimples I see,” I said.
“Oh yeah? Well, my grandpa looks just like me, dimples and all. Will I have to keep you two separated?” he teased,
winking at me.
“Funny, you just might,” I said, feeling a sudden pang of envy that he had so many people who loved him. Lucinda never talked much about her parents, and I had never met them. My life had been made up of a long line of strangers who floated out of our lives as quickly as they had entered it. When she tried, Lucinda could be very engaging and once she laid out her sob story about never getting a decent break, most people were more than willing to lend a helping hand. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for Lucinda to bite that helping hand and show her true colors. After a while, I stopped allowing myself to get close to anyone, knowing in the end they only would wind up hating us when we screwed them over one way or another. Lucinda had burned so many bridges over the years by scamming people that retaining friendships was obsolete.
“Hey, why the sudden long face?” Max asked concerned.
“Huh?” I asked, coming back to reality. “It’s nothing, I was just thinking.”
“About what?”
“Just how different our lives have been,” I answered honestly. “You’ve never had to
move and you’re surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins galore. Don’t our differences bother you sometimes?” I asked, tugging on my bottom lip.
“Katelyn, you couldn’t be further from the truth. The only thing that bothers me is the shit you’ve had to put up with. I know talking about your mom is a taboo subject, but the thought of her hurting one hair on your head is enough to make me want to pound something. I’ve never been the violent type, but when it comes to you, I go nuts.”
“I’m sure there’s millions of kids who have had it worse than me. Matter of fact, I’ve met several of them over the years. Plenty have wound up in the hospital after being abused or neglected.”
“I’m sure you’ve had lots of times where you probably should have gone to the hospital too,” he said, looking at my head meaningfully.
I touched the spot Old Man Wither had fixed up for me self-consciously. “Maybe,” I said, feeling slightly betrayed that Wither had given away my secret.