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I nod and say, “I’ll tell you all about it later. Now is maybe not the right time.”
Mom nods. “Sure, I can’t wait to hear about it.”
“I’ll call you.” I step back and wish them both a nice afternoon. They leave the café holding hands, and it’s obvious that they’re both really happy.
“Sorry,” Alex apologizes again. “Sometimes my mouth is just faster than my brain.”
“No problem. Come on, let’s find a table.”
We treat ourselves to pie, cake, and large cups of coffee. The conversation turns to school and exam stress. But the time flies, and we’re in the middle of a conversation when I see a person approaching us and waving.
“Max, you finally made it!” I say, and then I notice the young woman with her. She’s tall, with long brown hair that tumbles down her back, an exceptionally pretty face, and a breathtaking figure.
“Hey, sorry I’m so late,” Max begins as soon as she arrives at our table. “I met June on my way here and we got talking. I hope it’s okay that I brought her with me. We haven’t seen each other in ages.”
Max laughs and looks at June, who nods.
“Yeah, it’s been so long. I really didn’t want to intrude. But Max said it would be okay.”
“Sure,” says Alex. “I don’t know Max either, so what’s one more stranger?”
I can’t help smirking, but Max is unimpressed.
“Hey, it was just a joke,” says Alex. “It’s cool. Nice to meet you both. I’m Alex. I used to be in school with Kate and Teresa.”
Chrissy introduces herself too, and June explains that she lived in San Francisco until a year ago, when she moved toWashington and that she’s here visiting her father.
“After I graduate, I want to spend a year traveling. So I’m working as a waitress while I’m still in school. Eventually I’ll go to college, but first I want to see some of the world.”
“I totally get it,” Max agrees dreamily. “I wish I could just drop out and travel around, see new places and people, and just leave all this behind me.” There’s a hint of heartache in that last phrase. “I can’t wait for school to be over. It’s really stressful right now. But we’re all in the same boat.”
“Oh.” Alex flaps her hand dismissively. “I don’t let it stress me out. I’m calmness personified.”
Chrissy giggles. “Oh yeah, especially right before an exam. Then she’s a total wreck.”
Alex rolls her eyes. “That’s just because I drink too much coffee. My exam strategy is to start studying a day or two before the exam. So I have to force myself to stay awake longer.”
“Okay,” June says doubtfully. She turns to Max. “I meant to ask – how’s Lucia? She’s such an amazing dancer; I figured maybe she’d wind up doing something with her talent.”
I didn’t know Lucia was a talented dancer. But I’ve only seen her dancing once, and she was pretty drunk.
“June and Lucia and I used to go clubbing together a lot,” Max explains to us. “We actually met in a club. We went out every weekend. Those were the days.” She sounds like someone in their mid-fifties reminiscing with an old college friend.
“You can say that again!” June concurs. “How’s Ayden? Are you still in contact with him?”
“Sure,” Max replies. “He’s doing okay.”
Her eyes swivel pointedly in my direction, and my stomach tightens.
“That was an intense time with him. We really partied hard. Is he still as hot as he was back then?” June asks with a giggle.
Max laughs too and says, “I guess. But Teresa can answer thatbetter than I can.”
My heart is pounding in my chest, and I stare at June, stunned. Obviously, I know he’s been with other girls, and that’s not what’s bothering me most. What stuns me is that I’m sitting here with one of his ex-girlfriends and didn’t even know it. I look at Max and can’t disguise my dismay. She could have warned me!
“So you have a thing with him?” June asks.
“I wouldn’t call it that. We’re a couple,” I say.
