“Food of the Gods,” I informed him.
“Then what you’re sayin’ is your Mom’s casserole is good.”
“The best.”
“And, it was one of my concoctions,” Mom put in snootily.
I got up on my toes and informed Max in a loud whisper, “A rare hit.”
“I heard that!” Mom snapped.
Steve intervened by saying to Max, “We’re gonna have to rig up some kinda hoist, you want that picture over your bed. It isn’t gonna go up those spiral stairs.”
“No problem, had to do the same with the furniture,” Max replied and concluded. “I’ll go to the barn, get my tools.”
“I’ll go with you,” Steve offered and slid off his stool.
“I’ll stay warm,” Cotton declined participation and slid on a stool.
“I’ll frost the cake,” I announced and started to pull away from Max’s arm but it tightened then I started to tip my head back to look up at him but stopped when his lips hit my temple.
Goodness but I loved it when he did things like that.
“Be back in a second, baby,” he said softly, giving me a squeeze with his arm.
I loved it when he said things like that too. And when he gave me a squeeze.
He let me go, Steve joined him and I watched as they walked away.
“He’s a keeper,” Mom noted, her eyes on the space where we last saw Steve and Max.
She wasn’t wrong but I was too emotionally depleted to deal with that fact right now or to process what I was going to do about it.
“Sweetie,” Mom called, I looked at her and my hand came out to clutch the edge of the counter at what I saw in her face.
“Come here, Neenee Bean,” she said softly.
“Mom.”
“Before you frost that cake, I want a hug.”
“Mom, you know –”
“Come here, Nina,” she demanded firmly and I did what I’d done since I was a child and I heard that tone from my mother. I obeyed and walked into her arms.
They came around me and the tears hit my throat, slid up my sinuses and then leaked out my eyes. I couldn’t control them and in the safety of my mother’s arms I didn’t try.
“Mom,” I whispered, holding on tight.
“Lots of bad stuff coming up for you today and you can’t hold it in, darling, you just can’t.” She held back just as tight and went on, “So you have to give it to your Momma.”
I stuffed my face into her neck and like I’d done countless times before from falling off my bike to getting over terrible boyfriends, I gave it to her.
However this time was different for about halfway through me doing that, her arms went loose, her hands went to my shoulders, my head came up in surprise but I didn’t see much partly because she was blurry but also because she turned me and I found myself in the safety of Max’s arms.
Yes, the jury was now out. Verdict: Mom liked Max for certain.
Max’s arms were different mainly because they moved, they lifted me, they carried me across the room and they settled me into his lap when he sat in the armchair.
“You… you need to hang the pictures,” I snuffled into his neck, hiding my face from view.
“Later.”
“No, I’m okay,” I lied, wiping my hand along my cheek and then letting out a hiccoughing sob.
“Later.”
My head came up and I protested, “Max.”
My head went right back into his neck when his hand cupped the back of it and forced it there.
“Duchess, I said later.”
Max was obviously determined and I knew what that meant.
“Oh all right,” I gave in tearfully but also grumpily.
Max made no response.
I slipped my arms around him and let his warm, solid body cradle mine.
Never said this, Nina, never thought I’d have the chance, Charlie whispered into my head and the only response I could give was to hold Max tighter, I’m so sorry, sweetheart.
A new sob slid from my throat and Max held me closer.
* * * * *
After the pictures were up (yes, pictures for Mom, Steve and Cotton all demanded that mine be hung between the two doors under the loft, no one let me get a word in edgewise and Max sure as heck didn’t intervene, not to mention, once up, they looked amazing); after Mexican casserole which was even better than I remembered and Max, who had two helpings, obviously thought so too; after three beers (for Max) and two (for me); and after coffee and yellow cake with fudgy, chocolaty frosting from a tub and a scoop of ice cream that Mom, Steve and Cotton got from the store, Max and I stood at the front door saying good-bye to our guests.
“Where are you staying?” I asked Mom as I gave her a hug.
“Steve found a last minute deal on a condo someone cancelled. It’s on the other side of town. We got it for a song. We’re here all week!” Mom declared, my gaze slid to Max and I watched his eyes close slowly before he shook his head.
“That’s great, Mom,” I said pulling away but holding onto her hands and I actually did think it was great, mostly because I missed my Mom and I didn’t get to see her that often.
I hugged Steve next and then Cotton, who Mom and Steve were driving home. Snow flurries were falling as was night and Cotton had walked there because, I’d found out, he was Max’s neighbor.
“I’ll walk ‘em to their car,” Max told me then his eyes going to my stocking feet, he ordered, “You stay here.”
I didn’t argue, I’d had a tough day, instead I said, “Okay.”
“’Night, Neenee Bean, see you in the morning,” Mom waved, bouncing on her sandals and then she turned to Max and declared, “I expect to be carried to the car by my daughter’s mountain man hunk, seeing as I might break a heel in this snow.”
“Mom,” I snapped, “none of it has actually stuck yet.”
“Don’t spoil my fun!” she snapped back and then she screeched with delight when Max obliged her demands.
Steve grinned at me and shook his head. Cotton stared at Mom and Max and also shook his head, though for different reasons than Steve.
I watched through the windowed door for awhile then I wandered to the armchair, plopped into it and stared at the roaring fire, thinking Max was good at building fires.
Then again, he seemed good at everything.
I waved through the window when I heard the honking car drive by and then watched Max walk through the door.
“Max, you shouldn’t give into her nuttiness, trust me, it only makes her more nutty,” I called.