Wishing for Someday Soon (25 page)

“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.

“He only told my dad,” Max said, sensing the betrayal I felt. “He knows my uncle is a lawyer and wanted to see if there was any way to help you and Kevin without getting social services involved.”

I gasped at the thought of the Department of Children and Families getting involved.

“It’s fine,” Max said, patting my knee. “Old Man Wither made my dad and uncle promise not to do anything. He knows you don’t want to lose Kevin, and he seems to really care about you two a lot.”

“He’s definitely a cool guy,” I said, relieved that he had stuck to his word. “I feel awful that he and his wife never had kids. I think it’s ironic how people that want children so badly are denied, but those that should have never been able to reproduce have no problem doing it.”

“I agree, it’s messed up. I definitely hate your mom, but I can’t help wondering if I would have met you now if she wasn’t so wacked-out.”

“I thought you believe in fate,” I said laughing, trying to steer the conversation away from the doom and gloom I had dragged it into.

“Oh, believe me, I do. I’m just saying, how much would it suck to have to wait several more years to meet the woman I love?”

“Hmmm, I like the sound of that,” I said, laying my head on his shoulder as we neared the city.

Max deftly maneuvered the SUV through the streets that seemed insanely congested after the limited traffic we were used to. After a few moments, he pulled into a parking spot in front of a large glass and brick building. A sign off to the side welcomed us to the Bozeman Public Library.

“We’re going to the library?” I asked excitedly.

“Yeah, I remember you mentioning once that the happiest moments of your life were spent in libraries with all the books. I just figured I wanted in on the happiest moments of your life too,” he said, lacing his fingers through mine.

I paused in the middle of the sidewalk as a light snow began to fall on us. “Silly boy, you surpassed those memories long ago,” I said, placing my cold lips on his.

“So you mean this’ll be like a grand slam?” He gently teased, leading me out of the cold into the warm interior of the building.

I laughed. “Most definitely,” I said, taking in my surroundings. “I wish we could get a library card,” I added wistfully, looking at the endless rows of books. “I know I have my Kindle, but look at all these books,” I said, sweeping out my arms to indicate the overflowing shelves.

“Yeah, the commute makes that tough, but are you ready for part two of your Valentine’s Day surprise?”

“Part two? How many parts are there?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out,” he said, giving my bottom a light pat as we headed toward the back of the library where several rooms lined the far wall. He steered me toward one that had a sign proclaiming
used books for sale
. “I bought you a twenty-dollar gift card and each book is only fifty cents, so let’s see what kind of damage you can do,” he said, winking at me.

“I get to pick out forty books?” I laughed, feeling giddy as I headed toward my favorite genre. “It’ll be a shame to leave them behind when I move, but…” I said, letting my voice trail off at the now sour look on his face. He hated when I mentioned the pending move, but I wanted to keep us firmly rooted in reality. We had already stayed in Four Corners longer than any other place, and the ticking eviction clock was already at the halfway mark.

“You won’t have to leave them behind,” he said stubbornly.

“Okay,” I said, trying to appease him so I wouldn’t ruin the perfect date he had planned. I knew there was still a remote possibility that we would get to stay since Mr. Graves was still diligently trying to cut through the red tape to become a temporary foster parent.

Max let the subject drop and after a few moments of silence he got into the game of trying to help me fill my quota of books.

“How about this one?” he asked, holding up yet another sci-fi book.

“Ha ha, you’re such a crack-up,” I said, socking his arm lightly.

“What?” he asked, feigning innocence.

“If it doesn’t have hot guys and kissing, I’m out,” I said teasingly.

“What hot guys?” He mock growled, making a grab for me.

“You know, tall, dreamy, dark hair, drop-dead gorgeous eyes and...” my words were cutoff as his lips claimed mine. “And dimples that make your toes curl,” I added breathlessly.

“Hmmm, toes curl, that’s hot,” he said, nipping on the corner of my mouth. “How many books are you up to?”

I looked down at the stacks of books around our ankles. “I think I’m two away,” I said, grabbing two random books from the shelf as he distracted me by gently blowing on the hair at the back of my neck. “You’re going to get us kicked out,” I added, shooting a look at the elderly gentleman who was manning the small register by the door.

“You mean to tell me all those times you spent in the library over the years you never thought about making out?” he whispered in my ear as his teeth grazed the lobe.

I blushed at his words because I had indeed fantasized about such a situation.

“Come on, time for part three of your Valentine’s Day surprise,” he said, grabbing up two stacks of books to carry up to the counter. I followed behind, carrying one of the other stacks in my arm as he came back for the remaining books. The old man behind the counter gave us a knowing look over his spectacles as Max kept his arms firmly wrapped around me from behind.

“We’ll come back and get these in a little while,” Max told him.

“That’s fine, I’ll hold your bags here,” he said, placing them on the back counter behind him.

“Are we leaving the library and coming back?” I asked, feeling remorseful at having to leave my books behind. I was worried the library would close while we were gone eating dinner.

“Nope, we’re staying here,” Max said, dragging me back up to the front of the library. He veered off to the left instead of heading out the front doors, leading me down a brightly-lit hallway that opened up into a small café called Lindley Perk Coffee Shop.

“We’re eating here?” I asked happily, studying the small menu board.

“Well, not in here, but back there,” he said, jerking a thumb back the way we had come.

“Um, I’m pretty sure they won’t let us bring food and drinks into the actual library,” I said, hating to burst his bubble and ruin his surprise.

“Actually we can,” he said, pointing to a sign behind the counter encouraging patrons to
feel free to browse the book shelves with their food in hand
.

“Seriously? Oh my God, that’s awesome.”

“I thought you’d like that,” he said, lacing his fingers through mine as we approached the counter. “I called ahead,” he told the clerk when she asked for our order.

“Name?” she asked, chomping on a piece of gum.

“Maxwell Jr.”

“You called an order in for us?” I asked, touched at his thoughtfulness.

“I had to make sure my plans were going to work out,” he said, paying the salesclerk.

“Well aren’t you debonair,” I said as the salesclerk handed over a white bag with our food and two large cups of steaming latte.

“GQ-smooth baby,” he said, shooting me a cocky grin.

“That’s true, you’re as smooth as a baby’s bottom,” I teased.

“Ugh, there’s no baby here,” he said, making a show of flexing his muscles.