Page 69 of That Conflicted Feeling
Carlysquishes the side of her face against the glass to look up at the sky. “JesusChrist.Arewe being invaded?”
Tobe fair, it is getting pretty damn loud.Ijoin her at the window. “Whatthe hell is it?”
Ifollow her gaze upward as, oh holy shit, a helicopter comes into view, preparing to land in theHarringtons’ field across the street.
“Hell, no.”Thishad better not beMax.He’dbetter not be making a scene like this. “Forthe love ofGod, no.”
Ifhe thinks this is impressive, he couldn’t be more wrong.It’snothing but a sickening, wasteful display of wealth.
Carlygasps and grabs my arm so hard it instantly cuts off the circulation to my hand. “It’shim, isn’t it?”Wewatch as the sleek black aircraft touches down on the grass that’s blowing in all directions. “He’spicking you up in a fucking helicopter.”
Momrolls her eyes atCarly’slanguage and moves between us. “Eitherhe’s completely smitten.Orhe’s a complete asshole,” she says in a totally matter-of-fact way.
“Gloria!”Carlygasps and slaps her hand over her mouth in mock horror atMom’slanguage.
Momslips her arm around my waist as she stares at the helicopter. “Hecertainly didn’t seem like an asshole.”She’salmost as wide-eyed asCarlyat the scene in front of us.
Unableto bear to look at the unfolding ridiculousness outside,Isit back down at my dresser. “Well, you two obviously think he’s pretty damn great.So, you can both go on this date with him.BecauseIsure as hell am not getting into that thing.”
“Oh, forGod’ssake, have fun with it,”Carlysays. “Foronce in your life, enjoy something for yourself.Justgo and have a great day.That’sall.”
“She’sright.”Momturns to look at me. “LikeIsaid, one day at a time.”
Arethey right?Maybethey’re right.Imean,Ihad convinced myself it was worth spending one day of my life withMax, just to see how it goes, to see if he’s as much the real thing asIthink he might be.Butthat was before the doctor’s phone call.Andthe goddamn helicopter.
Irejoin them at the window in the vain hope it might be the strangest of strange coincidences, and perhaps someone else entirely is landing a chopper in the field across the street for reasons that are absolutely nothing to do with me.
ThenMaxjumps out of it.
“Andthere he is,” saysCarly, clapping her hands like an excited child.
Itis quite the sight.Hishair blows all over the place as he ducks his head and runs to the edge of the field, dark jeans hugging his athletic legs.Hegrabs the top of the low fence and swings himself over, then crosses the road and jogs down our driveway.
“Here.”Mompicks up my purse from the bed and passes it to me. “Go.Havethe completely self-indulgent day you thoroughly deserve.”Sheturns toCarly. “Anddon’t you even think about closing the shop at lunchtime to come check on me.”Thathappened once before, andMomwas furious. “I’mfine.Noaches, no pains.”Shedoes a twirl. “Goopen the shop.Let’sall have a lovely day.”
“Youtwo can fight about that between yourselves,”Isay asIhead out the bedroom door. “ButIneed to get that helicopter out of here right this second.”
“Nowthere’s a sentence you never thought you’d say,”Carlycalls asIhurtle down the stairs and fling open the front door at the exact momentMaxreaches it.
Andthat’s it.Onelook into those eyes, which sparkle with life like no others, andI’mlost.LikeIknewIwas the first timeIlooked into them outside the store.Thelife behind them, the heart behind them, the pull on my soul behind them.
Thechecked shirt fits snug across his shoulders and chest, a little bit of hair peeking out of theVof the open neck.Thesleeve pulls tight around his bicep as he raises his hand and pushes his fingers through his hair.Thefingers that worked such magic yesterday.
“Hi,” he says, lifting his mouth at one corner. “I’mhere.”
Ican barely hear him over the helicopter racket.
“Inoticed,”Ishout back.
Returningto my senses,Ipull the door shut behind me and head up the driveway ahead of him.
“Weneed to get that thing out of here right now,”Iyell over the rhythmic swooshing of the blades.
Hetrots up beside me. “Youdon’t seem pleased.”
“Pleased?”Isay and point at the giant gleaming beast parked across the street. “YouthoughtI’denjoy this unseemly display of money-money-money?”
Wetrot across the road.
