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Not to mention the ten years of indifference. Though, I’m starting to question if everything I’ve thought for the last ten years was a lie. The way he looks at Olive. How I saw tears in his eyes the first time he met her. A man who didn’t want her wouldn’t act like that.
Nausea crawls up my throat, so I swallow.
Max balances his glass on his knee. “Noelle went home last night.”
“Oh?” I want to know everything. Give me a play-by-play of everything that was said.
“We’re not together anymore.”
On the outside, I’m calm and collected. On the inside, I’m clapping like my best friend won an Oscar. I deserve the Oscar for the subdued performance I’m giving. I can’t be excited for this. There is no way Max and I can be a thing again. For so many reasons.
“What happened?”
“We wanted different things. We were on a break anyways, so her coming here was the final nail on the coffin of our relationship.” He turns his head to me.
“Why did you go on the break?” I always want to know everyone’s business, but the wine makes me extra nosy. Especially when it comes to this handsome man who gave me the most delightful child ever.
Max lets out a long exhale. “She wanted to get married, and I wasn’t proposing. There was something holding me back.” His gaze is hesitant, but it falls on me. I tip my glass to get a big swig. He admits, “I just realized I didn’t see forever with her.”
Why is he looking at me like that? Another huge mouthful of wine.
What about you?” Max asks.
“What about me?” I stare into my glass instead of his eyes.
“Burke.” His mouth says the K like it offends him.
“Oh,” I say. “We’ve been dating a couple months. He’s nice.”
“Nice.” Max hangs his head like the wine is taking over. “Just nice?”
“He’s nice. What more can I say?”
“Um, a lot of things.” Max takes another sip. “Is he treating you well?”
“Yes! He made me a full brunch for my birthday. That you crashed.”
“Sorry about that.” He smiles, and I can’t help but smile back.
“Any girl would be so lucky to have him.” Why am I rubbing this in?
“Do you like him, Emily?”
“Yes.” I hope it’s convincing. I take a pregnant pause. “It takes time to build a relationship, right? Like, two months is not nearly enough time to fall in love.”
We both sit in silence, knowing a lightning bolt hit us, that our week together was so cosmic, we got a child out of it. It couldn’t have been love. If it was, these ten years wouldn’t have gone by for us to be strangers.
“I really, really like him. We have so much fun together, and he’s perfect.”
Max drains his glass.
“Another glass?”
“Please,” Max says, handing it to me. Our fingertips brush, and there’s that spark again. Dammit. He’s single now. It’s okay. I’m not, though.
I pour some more, filling my huge wine glasses halfway. I’m asking for trouble. The more I drink, the more my filter evaporates. I may say something unhinged. I may spill all of my thoughts about him not being man enough to face me. Tell me he didn’t want to be with me. That whatever this would make up for the ten years I wondered why we weren’t good enough.
My mind grows more and more fuzzy, heaviness tugging at my eyes.
