“Pedro from Dante’s?” I nod and watch as she absorbs the information.
“I did think Pedro liked you.” She glances at me nervously as I groan.
“It doesn’t matter! We’re just friends! And more importantly, I didn’t sleep with him!”
“He knows you didn’t. He’s just jealous. I’m sure he was recalling the way Pedro checked you out at Dante’s and with this guy saying inappropriate things, he just overreacted.” She gently shoves me with her elbow as we step outside. “Don’t chicken out now. You like him. You like him a lot. You said yourself love is all about feeling extreme emotions, what is it? Big gesture, stalking, crazy-jealous, life-sacrificing … I’m missing one.”
I shake my head and climb into the passenger seat, feeling nervous at the prospect of discussing things with Max.
“Craving!” she yells, shutting her car door, “Craving! That’s the one!” She looks over at me with a smile. “So are you craving to go and get things settled between you two love birds?”
“Abby, he wants me to move because Nate lives there.” She looks taken aback.
“What in the hell did this guy do?” she asks.
“Nothing, he was just trying to get a reaction.”
“Well, first things first, let’s get you to Max so you guys can talk.” My fingers absently fidget with the hem of my shorts as I consider what Max’s reaction to me will be. “Hey,” Abby says, taking my hand in hers. I glance up at her big brown eyes as she scans over my face. “Harper, he’s crazy about you. Don’t worry. This is just normal couple stuff. It will be water under the bridge.”
I pray she’s right.
When we arrive back to our apartment my eyes scan the parking lot and quickly locate my car parked beside Max’s Jeep. Noticing that both are empty, I fish out my phone and impatiently wait for it to power on. When it finally comes to life, it informs me that I have twelve text messages and four new voicemails. My chest is tight with nerves, not certain that I want to read or hear any of them. Abby stands beside me, encouraging me with a tight squeeze to my left hand.
I open the texts, and pull up Jameson’s first.
Jameson: Y didnt u take me with u????!!!!
I grin, grateful for a comedic introduction. Next I open Kendall’s.
Kendalclass="underline" I cnt believe U ran away, wut is this-middle school?
That one hurts a little.
Kendalclass="underline" UR going to screw things up.
That one hurts a little more.
Kendalclass="underline" Im sry, Ace, I shouldnt hve mentioned Pedro.
Kendalclass="underline" I luv u 2, the boys will b at my apt, plz C us when U get home. LOVE U 2!
Max’s are next.
Max: Im sorry for being an ass, can we plz talk?
Max: Im trying to respect ur space, but we need 2 talk.
Max: Dammit, Ace, will u plz talk to me?
Max: I’m going to be at Kendall’s, we need to talk.
I silently groan, looking up at the night sky and reciting another prayer that Abby is right. I catch sight of the full moon, which glows full and bright, almost taunting me as it says, “Yes, I do have this kind of power.”
I don’t bother with the voicemails.
Assuring Abby that I’ll be fine so she doesn’t feel guilty for leaving me to visit Jesse, I head over to Kendall’s apartment with my heart thrumming as though I’ve spent the last hour sprinting.
I enter the apartment without knocking when I hear music seeping from the door and look around to see several familiar faces and many more that aren’t as I try to find Kendall or Max. I finally catch sight of Max standing casually by the kitchen table, holding a drink in his hand, looking completely relaxed, surrounded by three girls. I quickly notice one of them, an attractive blonde, has her hand on his arm, awakening my insecurities.
I turn back to the front door and am engulfed in a tight hug. My face swims in long, dark hair that smells like it was saturated in musky vanilla perfume. I hate the smell of vanilla perfumes. The scent’s permanently ruined for me when I’d witnessed too many girls from high school trying to get a guy’s attention by bathing in vanilla.
I pull back to see who my squealing hugger is: Kristy Barton. Kristy’s a nice girl, but she’s a chameleon; anytime she’s around someone new she changes. She also speaks with her voice a few octaves higher than my ears appreciate and wears clothes that don’t leave much to the imagination.
“Oh my gosh, it’s so great to see you, Harper! You look amazing!” I’m not sure if she’s being sarcastic or not as I look down at my gray V-cut blouse and maroon shorts and then to her sequin dress.
“Thanks, so do you. I forgot they were having party,” I fiddle with the hem of my shorts.
“I met your boyfriend! He’s ridiculously hot! If he has any friends, I’m interested!” Had he introduced himself as my boyfriend? Or had Kendall?
“Yeah, I was just coming to talk to him,” I lie. “Nice to see you, Kristy.” I run a hand through my hair, hoping to add some volume to it, and walk over to where Max stands with his entourage of girls that has grown by two in the few minutes I was talking to Kristy..
“So how do you know Kendall?” A nasally brunette purrs, placing a hand on Max’s chest.
I stop, waiting for his reaction. Max looks down at her hand and then to her face, “She’s my girlfriend’s sister,” He responds, taking a step back and bringing his drink to his lips.
My lips lift into a smile. Moving to stand directly behind him, I wrap my arms around his waist. Max’s torso twists around and his bright blue eyes relax as he sees me. His mouth slowly curls into a smile as he pulls me into an embrace and bends down to kiss me. I’m not a big PDA person, however some possessive impulse flares inside of me, and I push myself closer to his body and deepen the kiss.
We reluctantly pull apart and I notice that the fan group has disintegrated much to my satisfaction. Max leans down and softly kisses my temple and gives my hip another gentle squeeze.
“I’m sorry, Ace. I was just, I don’t know …” he says, letting out a long breath through his nose. “Insanely jealous. I know you haven’t lied, and I’m sorry about the accusation. I was an ass.” I take his palm and press it to my lips.
“I appreciate that, and I’m sorry for my escape. It was childish and not the right way to resolve things.”
“But …”
“You know Nathan Hudson means absolutely nothing to me. Nothing,” I repeat to add emphasis. Max nods and runs a hand over his hair. “I don’t want someone to be the reason we fail before we’ve hardly begun, especially not him, because I really like kissing you, Max.”
“I really hate that son of a bitch.”
“And you really like kissing me too,” I say, pushing up on my toes to kiss him again. I feel the smile on his lips before he kisses me back with more force.
I turn as Kendall slaps me on my ass. Her chin tilts and her blue eyes connect with mine, and just like that we’re okay. Growing up with as many arguments as we did, we’re both quick to forgive and forget, and usually smart enough to know when to be mad and when to let things go.
Heading back to my apartment, I’m feeling the effects of not eating enough and drinking two shots and a beer that was promised wouldn’t taste like beer, but did. I’m feeling silly and giggling about absolutely nothing.