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“You’re not a cat person, I take it?” I ask. I cover my face with my hand, stifling a giggle.
“What gave it away?” he asks dryly. “I’m more of a dog person, but I couldn’t take her to the shelter knowing she’d probably be euthanized.” We walk along, listening to the sounds of the city at night. The sounds of car horns and people laughing fill the air. In the distance a siren wails. “Seriously, animals are hard work, but they’re worth it. I got Lance after a nasty breakup. He’s helped me through a lot of dark times.”
I love this whole side of Max. If I’d thought he was compassionate and warm before, my opinion of him has just increased by tenfold. I want to pry and ask about his breakup, but I don’t want to step over the line . . . especially when I can just go behind his back and grill Ellie for the details.
We reach his car and I realize I’m not ready for the night to end. I tell myself it’s because I’ve gone so long with minimal adult contact, but it’s more than that. I like this guy. More than I care to admit.
“Okay, let’s go for a coffee,” I say.
“So that’s a no to the burrito?” he asks, his gaze falling.
“You’re really pushing the burrito idea.” I giggle. “My expectations are way up here now,” I say, lining my hand up with my head. “They’d better be some damn awesome burritos.”
“Oh, trust me, you haven’t lived until you’ve eaten something from the back of Sergio’s Mexican Fiesta truck,” he assures me.
“Okay, you got me. Take me to the truck,” I demand.
We take our burritos down by the lake, sitting side by side on the grassy bank. I’m not that hungry, but one bite and I’m hooked. They’re actually pretty damn good. I surprise myself by polishing off my food. Who would’ve thought burritos from a truck in the middle of Chicago could be so tasty? I’ve barely finished and I’m craving more.
“You look surprised,” he comments, his face beaming. I shake my head, amused about how much pride he’s taking in my liking these burritos.
“Tilly would love these,” I say. “That kid is obsessed with Mexican at the moment.”
“Then you’ll have to bring her down here one day. It’s a cheap meal that covers all the food groups. A parents dream.”
“Really?” I laugh, studying the contents of my chicken and salad. “You call this healthy?”
“Well, it’s healthier than a burger at least. Or no worse, at least,” he finally amends. “I can see lettuce, and meat. How bad can it be?”
I laugh and continue eating. I may not agree with it being healthy, but that’s not stopping me from finishing it. After taking a mouthful of his drink, he rests his hand back on his leg. I jump as his fingers graze over my thigh, my body tingling from his touch.
“Sorry,” he murmurs, a crooked grin sneaking across his mouth. I smile, not trusting myself to speak as I focus way too much on what’s left of my burrito.
We finish our burritos and then head back to Max’s car. My heart races as he pulls into Ellie’s street, as I wonder if he will kiss me. Do I want him to? Yes…I don’t know. I’m embarrassed at how inexperienced I feel when it comes to this. Aiden was my first and only boyfriend, and even then it’s been years since I’ve experienced a real kiss.
“Thanks for coming out with me,” he says. We’re standing on the curb in front of his car. He reaches for my hand, which sends shivers down my spine. I glance back at Ellie’s house, wondering if she’s watching through the window. This is Ellie we’re talking about. Of course she is.
I shift on my feet, feeling stupid that I’m waiting for him to kiss me. I made it clear I just want friendship, so why would he risk trying something? I give him a smile and lean in to kiss him on the cheek. At the same time, he moves in to kiss my mouth. What results is an awkward clashing of heads, followed by an awkward silence.
“I better go,” I giggle, not sure what else to say. “Call me, okay?” Letting go of his hand, I hurry down the path to the front door without looking back.
I’m barely through the door when Ellie pounces, scaring the hell out of me.
“How did it go?” she asks, grabbing my hand. She drags me into the living room and forces me to sit on the sofa, handing me a glass of red wine.
I can’t help but laugh. How long has she been sitting here, wine ready, waiting?
“It was good,” I say, unable to wipe the smile off my face. “He’s a nice guy. He’ll make a great friend.”
Ellie rolls her eyes. “You’re back pretty late,” she notes.
“We had burritos.” I grin. “And we talked.” I lie back in the seat and close my eyes, a pang of guilt stabbing my chest. A small part of me wanted the night to be a disaster, because now I’m faced with dealing with feelings I’m not used to experiencing. “It was loads of fun and I’m sure we’ll catch up again, but don’t get your hopes up for anything more, El.”
Her face drops. “I know you keep saying you’re not ready—”
“And you need to respect that. Look, El, I love you so much and I know you want what’s best for me, but at the moment, a relationship isn’t it. I’m not ready to let go of Aiden.”
Ellie nods slowly. “I’m sorry, Kee. I know I can be a pushy bitch. I just want to see you happy again.”
