Page 28 of On The Run

I tilted my head toward the sky and blinked back the tears. I refused to cry anymore.

“Aiden, please, can you tell me what’s wrong? Let me help you.”

I laughed bitterly and made eye contact. “Unless you suddenly became an oncologist or have 100 grand for this new procedure, I’m not sure you can.” It was cruel and unfair to a man who’d been so kind, but I’d lost all of my ability to care. My emotions were all over the place. I kept flip-flopping from distraught to anger, and I just couldn’t seem to settle.

Max’s eyes narrowed and he took in a sharp breath. I’d kept a pretty tight lid on my personal life, but he knew enough about Pops’s health to put two and two together.

“Your pops?” God, even when I was being an asshole, he remembered that I asked him not to call Pops my dad. He didn’t even ask for details, just respected my wishes and hadn’t messed up once.

I nodded sharply. “Yeah, apparently, the chemo’s not working. His body is still fucking riddled with cancer.”

I wiped angrily at my eyes with the back of my hand. Why couldn’t I fucking stop crying? “Can the doctors do anything?” Max asked me cautiously. I didn’t blame him for the hesitation. I was a powder keg about to explode.

“Yeah, there’s a new treatment the doctors are optimistic about. Of course, because it’s still so new, our insurance doesn’t cover it. Hence the 100 fucking grand.”

Max let out a hard breath. Much to his credit, he didn’t tell me he was sorry or that he could help me fix it. We both knew there was nothing he could do. “What do you need?”

That was all he asked. A simple four-word phrase. So why did it affect me so much? Nobody had ever asked me that before.

“I-I don’t know.”

Max nodded. He took a step toward me. “Can I hug you? I should have asked the first time. I’m sorry.”

This fucking man. My breath was ragged as I stopped him. I wanted the hug so fucking badly, but I’d break again. “I-I can’t. I can’t cry anymore, and if you hug me again, I won’t be able to stop.”

“Of course, Aiden. Whatever you need.” We were both at a standstill in this parking lot. I wouldn’t let him take the next step, but I couldn’t walk away either.

“My parents are having a cookout this weekend at their place. Nothing big. Just Gray and me, my sister and her wife, and my parents. Probably Bronx,” he said with a small smile and a shake of his head. “If your pops is up for it, the two of you should come.”

Of all the things I thought Max may say, being invited to a cookout was not even on the radar. My mind was spinning, and I couldn’t even land on one thing to respond. I knew what I must look like, me staring at him like he was from outer space. But honestly, it came out of left field. I told him about Pops and he invited me to a . . . cookout? Of course, I was confused.

I hesitated for too long because Max suddenly looked unsure and started rambling. “I know that won’t fix anything, but you’re right. As much as I’d love to just snap my fingers and handle this for you, I can’t. I don’t know much about your personal life or your past, but from what I’ve gathered, it’s been you and your pops for a long time and no one else.” Well, he was right about that. “And maybe I can’t suddenly get my medical degree, but I can be your support system. My family is extra, but you’ll never meet a more loving and caring bunch, and I don’t know, now it sounds stupid, but I thought the two of you might like to just get your minds off things for a while. Forget I asked. I’m sorry—”

“That sounds great,” I blurted out before Max could keep rambling. I wasn’t able to shoot him down, as much as I should. “I-I don’t know about Pops though. But if he’s feeling up to it, I’m sure he’ll want to go.” Or I’d nag him until he relented. I hesitated. “I’ve never been to one before—a cookout.”

Shock was immediately replaced by absolute joy on Max’s face. “I promise you’ll love it!”

I was laughing through the tears because this man did something to my insides that I couldn’t explain, and it made my already fragile emotions go haywire.

“Ok.” Because I had no idea what else to say, I asked, “Can you text me the details?”

“Of course.”

I went to leave but once again, Max stopped me. “And Aiden?”

I turned to look at him over my shoulder. “You’ll get through this. I promise.”

I nodded tightly, because that wasn’t a promise he could make, and ran inside. I completely ignored Anna as I rushed into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I needed a fucking minute and to wash my face before I scared all the customers away.

Shaking my head, I pulled out my cellphone and texted Pops:

Wanna go to a cookout?

My fucking life.

Chapter13

Max

---