Max (A Carter Brother series Book 4) (16 page)

“Why did you stand up Max?’’ she asks straight out, no pleasantries.

“It wasn’t like that,’’ I tell her quickly. “I never agreed to meet him.’’

“So, why was he here for three hours waiting for you? He’s really upset. Max may come off a charmer, a joker, someone who doesn’t take anything seriously, though, deep down that boy has a heart of gold.’’

“I know and I’m sorry. Look, I’m just not ready to date anyone or see anyone,’’ I begin, feeling uncomfortable.

“I’m not going to be around forever and neither will Mark. Mark was beside himself with glee when Max turned up all dressed up,’’ she smiles sadly.

“He was dressed up?’’ I ask, feeling shocked he went to any trouble. I presumed he’d take me to McDonalds and watch a film at his place.

“Oh yeah, he looked so handsome. But back to my earlier point, Mark and I won’t be around forever. We need to know Max will be happy. He’s happy when he’s around you,’’ she tells me gently.

See? Manipulation.

“Joan,’’ I start, not wanting to get into this.

“But lucky for you and Max, we’ve got years left in us so we will put this right. Just cause you missed tonight doesn’t mean you’ll miss another date. He said he’ll be back later or tomorrow.’’

Later or tomorrow,
is the only thing that reaches my ears before a full blown panic attack threatens to surface.

“I’m really tired. I’m just going to go...’’ I tell her, pointing upstairs towards my room.

“Oh, go on, we’ll talk in the morning about what you’ll wear,’’ she smiles and I sag with defeat. I’ll figure something out later to avoid Max, until then, I just need to get out of Joan’s hair.

Nodding my head, I return her smile and make my way up to my room. Opening the door my feet step on something. Flicking the light on an envelope is on the floor beneath my feet.

Opening it up I’m not sure whether to laugh or to be annoyed.

Will you go out with me? Tick one box. Yes or No          

I don’t want to tick either, but in the end I find my feet moving over towards my bedside table. I grab a pen and tick ‘no’ before putting the piece of paper back in the envelope and sealing it before I chicken out. I open the door, ready to drop it off to Max when Joan stands there with her hand out ready to take the envelope and scares the bejeezus out of me.

“What on earth, Joan? You scared the crap out of me,’’ I laugh nervously, a hand to my heart.

“Sorry,’’ she laughs. “I knew Max had left something and he did tell me I’d need to return it once you’ve replied. It’s why I’m up so late,’’ she tells me.

I shake my head, handing her the envelope. “He’s not going to give up is he?’’

“Not likely. When that boy wants something he doesn’t give up until he’s got it.’’

“Reassuring,’’ I mutter. “He doesn’t even do relationships. The only reason he wants one with me is because I won’t give him one. If I was all for being with him he wouldn’t be sending little school notes or even trying to get me to go out with him.’’

“Maybe; maybe not. It’s no secret that Max doesn’t believe in relationships and sometimes I think he doesn’t even believe in the concept of love. He’s never really been shown the true meaning. His upbringing wasn’t the best. His belief in relationships simmers down from his parents’ damaged relationship. Then when he was given a chance to witness a real, loving relationship, his grandmother was taken too soon, bless her soul. I honestly believe when it comes to you he sees past all that because he doesn’t just see you as a commitment. He sees you as a friend, a partner, someone he can laugh and joke with.

“I’ll let you think it over and I’ll get this back to him. Get some sleep,’’ she finishes. She moves forward, grabbing my face in the palms of her hands and pulls my head forward so she can kiss my forehead. My eyes close from the loving touch and when she’s gone I still stand there thinking over her words.

I’ve been too busy thinking about all the reasons why I shouldn’t be with Max, what it will do to me that I never really thought about what Max really wanted.

Maybe if we just go out with no labels, no promises, then we will be good. No one will get hurt. Planning on saying yes the next time he asks, I take a step back into my room. I close the door whilst smiling to myself, thinking that my idea could possibly work. But just because I plan on saying yes, it doesn’t mean I’m not going to make him work for it. I’m actually a little curious as to what he has planned next.

*** *** *** ***

Waking up the next morning, I listen out for the sound that has woken me up. When scratching at the door begins again, I smile.

Thor!

Jumping up, I rush over to the door and notice another envelope has been shoved under the door either late last night or early this morning.

I quickly snatch it up before opening the door to Thor. He immediately runs through the door, meowing and purring around my feet before ditching me to go and jump onto my bed. There, he moves into the spot I just vacated, getting himself comfortable.

“Morning to you, too,’’ I grumble on a smile. I shut the door behind me before following Thor and jumping into bed with him. He immediately snuggles into my side, not caring I’ve covered us both with the blankets.

Opening the envelope, I can’t keep the giddy smile from off my face. When I open it I burst out laughing.

Will you go out with me? Please tick one of the two boxes ONLY. Yes or Yes.

He’s persistent, I’ll give him that. Not ticking either box I throw it on my bedside table. For Max to get a date with me he needs to work a little harder than juvenile notes shoved under the door to my bedroom.

Dinner time comes around slowly. The whole day has been spent watching
Sons of Anarchy
in my room; alone. Harlow went off to college around eleven this morning, Malik leaving a few hours earlier than her. With Mark and Joan both out working Thor and I had the house to ourselves and it’s been quiet and boring.

I’m so used to having Max’s big gob around the house that I’ve grown accustomed to noise. I’ve gotten used to talking to someone or another that being alone is actually depressing me. I even fell asleep due to boredom.

Hearing Joan calling my name I get out of bed and grab my hoody off the back of the door. I’ve not taken one step out of the room before I’m cursing loudly, my toe throbbing from the brick I just kicked.

“What the fuck?’’ I cry out. Looking down at the floor, there’s two weights. One’s a small round one and the other is a huge round one, both of them have pieces of paper sellotaped to the top. The biggest and, by the looks of it, heaviest, has a note with the letters, ‘NO’, written in big red lettering. On the smallest is a similar note, yet, this time the letters read, ‘YES’. I grumble under by breath seeing another note in the middle. Picking it up I curse. My foot is killing me. He could have bloody killed me.

The note reads...

Will you go on a date with me? Bring me back the answer, if I don’t get one, I’ll take that as a yes. Yours awesomely, Max.

I want to kill him.

There is no way I’ll be able to lift that fucker with the ‘NO’ answer on and take it next door. But he’s definitely not going to be getting me to take the lightest weight around to him either. The jerk! My foot is still throbbing when I step over both the weights and make my way down the stairs. Malik walks in just in time and an idea pops into my mind.

I must look like a lunatic looking at him then rushing off back upstairs. Joan hears me and shouts my name again.

“In a sec,’’ I shout back down, ripping the notes off both of the weights. I make quick work of carrying the smallest one over to the bottom of Harlow and Malik’s stairs.

When I hear Malik telling Joan he’ll be back down in a minute I start to panic, wondering how I’ll move the other weight before he comes upstairs. When Mark stops him, I sigh with relief and waste no time in trying to move the weight.

Getting on all fours, I slide the weight across the floor, and it works a little, but then I end up falling to the floor in a heap.

Puffing out a breath, and wiping away strands of hair glued to my sweaty forehead, I get down on my ass. With my legs kicked out in front of me, I use the banister for support behind me, and use the strength in my legs to move the weight down the hall. It slides much easier, yet, it’s still hard work.

Who the hell could lift this? I know Max is fit and has muscles that will put some boxers to shame, but this shit is enough to snap your arms off. There’s no way this weight is legal.

Sliding more towards the weight, I use my legs again, pushing the weight down the hall, and before I know it, I’m out of breath, sweating my tits off, and planning the perfect murder. With the weight in the perfect place I get up and quickly rush back down the hall.

Halfway down the stairs I bump into Malik and I smile. “Hey,’’ I wave lamely.

“You okay?’’

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?’’ I ask enthusiastically. I think I used a bit more enthusiasm than needed because Malik is looking at me like I’ve lost my marbles. “I best go see Joan.’’

“Um, yeah, okay,’’ he shrugs, still eyeing me curiously.

Smiling, I move past him and walk down to the kitchen where Joan, Mark and Harlow are sitting around the kitchen table.

“Hey guys,’’ I wave, sitting down in the chair next to Harlow.

“Hey, you have a good day, dear?’’ Joan asks me and I get a chorus of hellos from everyone else.

“Yeah, I’ve been up in my room watching TV,’’ I explain lamely. “How was college?’’ I ask Harlow and for the first time since entering the room, I notice she’s looking a little green. “Wow, you okay?’’

“Morning sickness! Though, I’m strongly thinking about writing to whoever deals with this shit to change the name. It can’t be morning sickness if it lasts all day and night. None of my classes registered today because I was too busy running in and out of them being sick.’’

“Oh no. Did anyone say anything?’’ I ask, knowing she’s worried.

“Yeah, my main tutor did. She pulled me aside after my last class and asked me if everything was all right. I explained everything, even about having twins, and she was really good about it. Said if I needed an extension on any of the coursework until the sickness subsides then she’ll be happy to do that.’’

“That’s good. She seems really nice.’’

“She is,’’ Harlow smiles but loses it just as quickly. She jumps out of her chair with her hand covering her mouth and takes off for the stairs.

I’m still looking to where she left when Joan interrupts. “I hated morning sickness. Never forget being pregnant with her mom. I was ill with morning sickness up until I was seven months pregnant. With Harlow having twins I won’t be surprised if hers lasts that long.’’

“I thought it was only meant to be for the first trimester?’’ I ask worriedly. I don’t think being sick that long during a pregnancy can be good for the mother or the baby, surely.

Joan must read my thoughts because she pats my hands gently. “It is but in some cases, no. They do say that morning sickness is your body’s way of telling you everything is okay, but that’s just some mother’s myth.’’

“Hope she feels better soon, though. I know Denny and Kayla have been helping her rearrange some of the hen party plans.’’

“Oh my, I never even thought about that. I know they’re planning on bringing the wedding forward. Denny’s worried Harlow won’t fit into her dress but, thankfully, we spoke to the designer into making the waist stretchy. It won’t be the same as the original but there’s no saying how much weight she’ll have put on by then.’’

“I didn’t know they were bringing the wedding forward,’’ I tell her surprised. Denny has gone bridezilla on everyone’s ass and hates, with a capital H, change. Her Nan, who I met briefly not too long ago, mentioned having a chocolate fountain and Denny went mental. I’ve never seen anything like it. I bet she’s not enjoying this at all. She will have to rearrange everything.

“They agreed last night after much discussion. So the hen party is going ahead as usual but the wedding is being brought forward. I think Denny caved and is finally letting her Nan hire someone to arrange everything.’’

I giggle. “I bet she’s hating that.’’

“She is,’’ Joan giggles.

Malik walks in with a bright red face, carrying the heavy weight. Holy fucking shit balls. How the fuck has he managed that? His arm muscles are bulging and his neck is straining. He looks hot as fuck. He’s even got the smaller weight stacked on top.

Oh my!

“What on earth! You’ll break your back,’’ Joan scolds, narrowing her eyes on Malik.

“Fucking Max! I’m going to kill him for leaving this shit outside the door. Anything could have happened. What if Harlow tried to move them?’’

Shit. I didn’t think about that.

I feel Joan’s eyes on mine, but I don’t look to make sure. Malik opens his mouth to say something more when Harlow steps around him, still looking green.

“No, I wouldn’t have, I’m not stupid so stop overreacting, and go take them back before Max has a heart attack when he finds out his weights have gone. Heaven forbid that boy doesn’t get a workout,’’ she scoffs, sitting back down in her seat.