“Actually, no. Aubrey isn’t talking about how sexy you are, but it’s cute of you to think she’s thinking about you since you’re obviously thinking about her,” Aubrey answers instead of Max, and it takes me a few moments to recover.
“S
hit, sorry, Aubs,” I mutter, cringing.
“Yes. Yes, you are.”
“I thought you were Max.”
“Well, I am calling from his phone.”
“Okay. I’m not getting out of this, am I?”
“Nope. It’s going to follow you forever.” She laughs, and I smile in spite of how stupid I feel. “There’s a reason I’m calling. I need to know if you can pick Max and me up tomorrow afternoon and take us back to his apartment?”
“I thought you were staying in Mornington?”
“That was before my mum became a hovering buffoon. Can you or not? I can call Cam or Emma if you’re not available.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll be there. Lunchtime good?”
“Perfect. Thanks, Drew.”
The sound of my name on her lips does strange things to me. She’s always called me Andrew, so to hear what I prefer to go by, it’s a new and welcomed feeling. Maybe it shouldn’t be so welcomed. Gosh, maybe the guys were right to worry about me. I may not act on them, but the thoughts in my head are enough to send me straight to Hell.
“I’ll see ya.”
“Bye,” she says and disconnects the call.
Placing my phone on the passenger seat, I spend the rest of my drive home thinking about how I’m going to get my best mate’s little sister out of my head.
Chapter Six
Aubrey
It’s barely been twenty-four hours, and I’m ready to fly back to the States.
It’s not that my mum is trying to be overbearing, it’s just the way she is these days. I’m not sure why she waited until we were adults to become that parent, but it’s obvious by the way she’s hovering over Max in the day I’ve been here, and now she’s starting on me. I know she’s trying to make amends or whatever with me, but like Max said when he didn’t know I was listening, she has to give me time. I’m not ready for all of this yet. With Max, though, it’s almost worse than him being at a hospital where the nurses are constantly in and out, prodding and poking, never letting anyone get any sleep. Max dropped a book from the bedside table last night, and you would have thought the smoke alarms were ringing if you would have seen how quickly she came running into the room.
“Mum, I have an idea,” I say, walking into the kitchen where she’s brewing yet another pot of coffee. It’s probably her third today. That can’t be healthy.
“What is it, Aubrey?” The sugary tone she used over the phone less than a week ago is gone, replaced with the disdain I usually get from her. Then again, she looks pretty ragged, like she hasn’t slept in days.
“I decided I won’t be going back until we figure out what’s going on with Max. The guys think they’ve found something that might be able to help, and I want to be here for them and Max.”
“Okay, and…? What’s your question? I have some errands to run before Max has to be at the doctor’s office,” she snips, and I wince. This is why I can’t let my guard down around her. If I let her back in, she’ll just end up hurting me again.
“All right,” I sarcastically drawl to mask the hurt. “Basically, it’s not a question, just giving you a heads up. Max and I are going to go back to his apartment. I won’t be working, and I’m finishing the last of my courses online. I might as well keep busy and be his built-in nurse.”
“That isn’t going to work. My appointment this afternoon is with the real estate agent. We’re putting the apartment on the market. Max already agreed and signed the papers. I just have to drop them off along with a set of keys.”
“Well, don’t do that. Max and I spoke about it last night. Also, I’m pretty sure Max has been on some serious medication over the last few weeks. I doubt he was even legally able to sign those documents.” The attitude in my voice shocks me and I consider toning it down but don’t. “And let’s be honest: we can’t live under the same roof. You don’t like me any more than I like you. This is better for everyone.”
“How can you say I don’t like you, Aubrey? I’m your mother.” I can sense the pain behind her words—her small talk with Max last night ringing in my head—but it doesn’t affect me like it would have nearly a decade ago. I’m no longer the little girl who wants to please everyone. I’ve come to accept there are going to be people who don’t care for me, and it just so happens my mother is one of them.
“Can we not have this conversation? I have to get my suitcase packed back up and get Max’s stuff together. Drew is going to swing by and help me haul everything to the apartment. He should be here within the hour.”
“So that’s it? You and your brother are just leaving?”