Page 65 of Rectify

Max rolls her eyes at me and blows out a loud breath, before looking at Lily. “Tell your dad to take a chill pill, Lilipad.”

Lily ignores her, but we both smile anyway. Max looks at me with a resigned expression. “How many times are we going to go over this. We will hold down the fort, and you should go and do whatever it is you and Sasha do.”

I give her a smirk.

“You’re gross.”

It’s taken a while but Max and I are in a really good place. Good enough that I’m considering leaving the house for her to rent from me when I leave.

Dressed and ready, I shove my wallet in my pants and pocket the present I have for Sasha. Grabbing my keys and phone off the coffee table, I bend down and kiss the top of Lily’s head. “I’ll see you later Lilipad.”

“Bye Daddy,” she shrieks, an octave higher than necessary.

“See you,” I call out to Max.

“Maybe tonight you could actually sleep at Sasha’s place instead of sneaking in like a creeper.”

I could

“I’ll call you and let you know.”

“Text only, Jay. We’ve been through this already.”

“Whatever.”

I’m in front of her house in record time, and I’m starting to worry that maybe this was a bad idea. Unlocking my phone, I find the number I’m looking for and call it.

“Jizz man, Jay, why are you calling me when you’re supposed to be with Sasha?” Holly answers, as perky as ever.

“I’m parked outside her house.”

“Still sounds sketchy,” she quips.

“Are you sure she’s going to like this?”

“There’s only one way to find out.”

Closing my eyes, my head falls back onto the headrest and I count to ten.I can do this.“Okay. I’m going in.”

“Most excellent,” Holly mocks. “I’d say have fun, but I’m not prepared for a smart retort from you.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll save it for later.”

Her laughter fills up the car. “Bye, Jay.”

“Thanks, Holly.”

Before I even have the chance to knock, the door opens with Sasha’s phone between her ear and shoulder and her shoes dangling from her fingers.

“Yes, but... No, just call me if it gets worse.” Whatever the other person says to her, has her scrunching up her face. “Okay, bye.”

She expels a heavy sigh then pulls the phone away from her ear. “Sorry, I’ll just get these on and we can go.”

Leaning forward, I grab the shoes out of her hands and kiss her quickly. “Sit down.”

She eases down on her patio chair, and I crouch in front of her. Wrapping my hand around her ankle, I bring her foot to the heel and slide it in. “Is everything okay?”

The lack of response has me looking up.

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