Chapter 24
I wasn’t sure who I expected to be on the other line. Maybe someone was calling from the hospital?
When I answered, I was met by Max’s voice.
“Where are you?” he asked. He sounded terrible.
“I’m at home. Where are you!?” I cried as I jumped up from the bed. He didn’t say anything. “Max? Are you okay?”
“Do you want to try again?” he asked. “Just…tell me where you are. Are you with Collin? Because I know you’re not at home. I’m here Holly. I’m at your house. There’s no one here, including you.”
“You’re in Chamberlain?” Relief and confusion slammed through me. “I waited up for you all night! I’ve worried myself sick over you!” I said as my voice cracked and the dam holding my tears broke.
“What do you mean I didn’t come home?” He paused a beat. “Are you still in California?”
“Yes, I came back and you were gone. I found your phone on the counter. I’ve been so worried! I had no idea where you were. I thought something happened to you!” I sobbed. “I was so worried! When you didn’t come home, I just, I was so worried!” I said again because I thought it was worth repeating. I was hysterical with relief.
“Holly,” he said quietly, “I’m fine. Are you really that upset?”
“Max, I called the hospital looking for you. I was that worried,” I sniffled. “So yes, I’m upset but really I’m so glad you’re okay. How did you end up in Chamberlain?”
“I’m really sorry,” he said and I could tell by his tone that he was. “I didn’t mean to scare you. After you left I realized how stupid I was being. I couldn’t get a decent flight because yours was the last one. Your plane was boarding when I got there. I ended up needing to make a connection in Colorado. Only my first flight was late and I missed the connecting one. I spent half the night in the airport. I didn’t have my phone so I couldn’t even call you,” he emitted a loud, frustrated exhale. “This whole thing, it’s been a nightmare. I had to beg some lady to let me borrow her cell phone to call Mike. At least he was able to get me at the airport when I got here. I took his truck and I took his phone and I went straight to your house. But like I said, no one is here.”
I cringed, if Mike didn’t hate me enough before, he was sure to now. Yet, I wasn’t going to concern myself with him. Not just yet.
“My parents are probably with Thomas and Gwen. But you’re okay? I had started to think maybe you were lying in a ravine somewhere,” I admitted.
He let out a soft, apologetic laugh. “No, I’m fine. Missing you like crazy, but I’m fine. What made you decide to stay?”
“You,” I said simply.
“Sounds like we both had a rough night,” he said.
I blew out a breath. “You have no idea. I should probably call your grandma and let her know you’re okay. And Darren.”
“Darren?”
“I don’t want to go into it now. Let’s just say I miss you like crazy, too,” I admitted, still sniffling, fighting off tears of relief.
“So now what?” Max asked. “Are we okay? I mean, aside from being in different states. Are you and I okay?”
“Yes, I just wish you were here.”
“Should I get the first flight back?”
“Give me a second,” I said. “I’m going to see what flights are available today.” He stayed on the line and I found that I could catch a flight in just a few hours. I pulled out my credit card yet again and booked it.
“I can be there by this evening. I really need to see my parents. Is that okay?” I asked. “I mean, will you wait there for me?”
“Yeah, I’ll wait. What time do you get in?”
I told him and he agreed to be there to get me.
“There’s so much I want to talk to you about. Things I was going to tell you today…” My voice faded off.
“Right, our night away. Listen, I can’t say it enough. I’m so sorry about yesterday. It was a knee-jerk reaction. Emphasis on jerk. I was just sick when I saw you with your suitcase. I wasn’t ready to lose you yet. Not to Collin for any reason. Not even if it was just to see him in the hospital. I know I overreacted. I was being stupid and selfish and I was just so out of line. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m sorry. I should’ve put you first. If you can forgive me for running off, I promise I will never put anyone else before you again,” I said.
“Holly, if anyone should be mad, it’s you. I’m embarrassed that I acted like such an ass. I mean, have you heard from your mom? Is he okay?”
I gave him the update that I’d been given.
“When I come home, I probably should see him,” I said.
“Yeah,” Max agreed. “I know.”
“You can come with, if you want,” I offered. I didn’t think he’d want to. I just wanted him to know there was nothing I would say to Collin that I couldn’t say in front of him.
“We’ll see,” he said.
“I could talk to you all day but I suppose I should go so I can get ready to go to the airport.” A shower and a pot of coffee were both in order. I needed to cancel the reservations for both dinner and the bed and breakfast. While that was disappointing, I was just happy to be with Max, no matter where we were. I would also need to call and check in with his grandma and Darren. I didn’t want to get off the phone but I did have plenty to do. “I can’t wait to see you.”
“I’ll be waiting,” he said. “And Holly? I love you.”
He disconnected before I could respond. I stood there, holding the phone to my ear. Mike had said that Max loved me and Lanna had, too. I thought they were teasing or at the very least exaggerating. I knew Max wouldn’t say it if he didn’t mean it. I smiled as I tossed my phone back onto the bed. I couldn’t wait to hear him say it in person.
***
I was so exhausted I managed to do something I’d never done before. I slept on the plane. The best part of this was that when I awoke, I was in Chamberlain. My body was humming with excitement and anticipation. I couldn’t wait to see Max. One night without him, under such stressful circumstances, had been far too much.
I pulled my bag out of the overhead compartment and impatiently waited to deplane. I waited my turn and then followed the crowd as we disembarked. I was glad I only had my carry on and didn’t need to deal with the baggage claim. I wheeled it along behind me as I hurried to the exit.
As I strolled through the doors that led out of the airport, I was swallowed up in a hug comprised of nearly six feet of blond bombshell.
“Lanna!” I cried as I squeezed her back. “What are you doing here?”
“Max called me,” she said as she released me. “He was going to use Mike’s truck to come get you. Right before he was getting ready to leave, Mike disappeared with it. I didn’t have time to go get him and get here to get you. So,” she grinned, “I’m bringing you to him.”
I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing I would see him soon. I was happy to see Lanna but I was desperate to see Max.
“I told you last night that everything would work out,” Lanna said. “And it worked out even better than I thought because now you’re here!”
“How was your date?” I asked as we slipped into her car.
She scowled at me as she slammed her door. “Let’s just say he’s no Max and leave it at that.”
“No second date?” I guessed.
“No second date,” she confirmed.
“So, where is Max now?” I asked.
“Actually, I figured Felicia owed him. She’s picking him up from Mike’s and she’s bringing him to my house. Mom and the moron are gone for the weekend. You two can have the place to yourselves to talk. I figured you wouldn’t get that at your parents’ house or Mike’s. He was at his mom’s earlier but she’s having friends over or something.”
“Things still aren’t going well with Gerald?” I knew they apparently weren’t if she was referring to him as ‘moron’.
“Worse than ever,” she said with a shake of her head. “It was bad enough when I was on another continent. He’s completely unbearable now. I sent my application into the dorms but it was late and I didn’t get in. In fact, I didn’t get into the university at all. By the time I got home last spring, I’d missed all of the deadlines. I don’t know what I’m going to do. Maybe take a year off? But I can’t take a year off and live in the same house as my mom and that man. I am seriously considering begging the girls to let me rent their couch until I can find somewhere else.”
“You think living with Felicia and Dani would be better than living at home?” I asked with raised eyebrows. If that were the case, things must be bad.
She sliced me a look. “Infinitely better. I have never met a man—or should I say ape—that is less discrete about his bodily functions. What was my mother thinking?! I know she has a phobia of being alone after my dad died but honestly, I don’t know how she can live with the stench. She could do so much better than these guys and she just doesn’t see it.” She sighed. “Actually, they’re on a romantic weekend away. They’re trying to rekindle the relationship or some damn thing. I begged out of hearing the details. I have a hunch it won’t be long until she gives this one the boot, too.”
“They haven’t even been together a year,” I said. Then wished I hadn’t. “Sorry,” I muttered.
She gave me a disgusted look. “It’s fine. I know, her marriages are getting shorter and shorter.”
By the time we arrived at her house, she’d filled me in on her whole rotten summer. All of the details she hadn’t wanted to bother me with before. I felt bad, I’d had one of the best summers of my life and she’d had one of the worst.
“You should’ve come with Max and me when we left,” I told her.
She rolled her eyes at me. “That would’ve completely defeated the purpose of sending you off together. Alone. So,” she said, “I bet your parents are glad to finally have you back.”
I scrunched up my face guiltily. “Actually, I didn’t tell them I was coming. I knew if I did, they’d be demanding to meet me at the airport. I haven’t told them about Max yet and I really need to see him. My parents can wait.”
When she parked in her driveway I pulled her into a hug.
“What’s that about?” she asked with a laugh.
“If you hadn’t been so insistent, I wouldn’t have gone with him. And if I hadn’t gone with him, we wouldn’t be together. I’ve had the best time this summer. I really owe you. And I left you here all alone to deal with,” I vaguely motioned toward her house. With the life she’d had the last several years, her mom always chasing after someone new; it wasn’t really a surprise to me that she preferred to be out of the county. I felt bad about it, all the same.
“Eh,” she said with a shrug, “I’m sure you’ll find a way to make it up to me.”
“We can start by having you come for a visit,” I said.
“A visit? Wait, what—”
I held up my hand to halt anymore questions. “Can we talk about it later?” Max had just come out of the house.
She glanced at him and grinned. “Yeah, I’ll head over to the girls’ for an hour. Then I’ll be back.”
I opened the door and was pulled right out of my seat into Max’s arms. He lifted me off my feet in a giant hug. “Did I tell you that I’ve missed you like crazy?” He accentuated his words with several quick kisses.
“Just look at the two of you!” Lanna said from inside of the car. I glanced over my shoulder as Max set me back down. She was leaning across the passenger seat, grinning at us. “You are every bit as cute together as I thought you’d be!”