“I wish,” I said, pulling back as our friends joined us.
Together, we headed toward his house. I kept my gawking to a minimum this time, though I was pretty awestruck at the entire structure. Where Clint’s house had a formal Victorian feel to it, Max’s looked like a large ski resort lodge I had seen pictures of in the past. Multiple hand-carved wooden rockers lined the porch that overlooked a small frozen pond off to the right of the house.
The interior was warm and inviting with large rooms filled with honey-colored wooden furniture and plush leather couches and chairs. Fireplaces burned throughout the house keeping the wind that howled outside at bay.
We entered the kitchen as a group and I saw an attractive couple cooking dinner together with obvious affection.
“Mom, Dad, this is Katelyn,” Max said, introducing me.
“Katelyn, this is my mom, Karen, and my dad, Maxwell Sr.,” he said.
“Katelyn, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Karen said, reaching in to give me a quick hug. The delicate smell of the perfume she wore enveloped me. I held myself rigid at her touch, unaccustomed to another female hugging me. By the time I thought to return the hug, I found myself in a crushing hug by Maxwell Sr.
“Something smells good,” Max said, moving around the large island to peek into the stock pot sitting atop the stove.
“Sweet, chili and cornbread,” he said, sneaking a look into the oven.
“Hey, out of there,” Karen said, taking a swipe at him with a checkered oven, mitt.
“Aww, come on Mom,” he said, dancing out of the line of fire before placing a quick affectionate kiss on her cheek.
“Ladies first,” she admonished him, shooting me a warm smile.
“Yeah, ladies first,” Alicia piped in, moving to grab a deep ceramic bowl off the counter.
The rest of us followed suit and filed past Max's dad as he ladled oversized spoonfuls into each of our bowls while Karen pulled the cornbread from the oven.
The enticing aroma of the spices wafted through the air as I sprinkled shredded cheese over the top of my chili.
Max and I were the last two of our large group to leave the kitchen. He led me down the hallway toward a large room bustling with chatter and good spirits. I sighed with pleasure, seeing it was my kind of room. Several loveseats and recliners were scattered about, along with the largest bean bag chairs I had ever seen, that easily would sit two people.
“These are great,” I said, sinking into one of them while Max held our bowls.
“I know, right?” he said, handing both bowls to me so he could join me. “My mom found them online last year and ordered like eight of them.”
“Nice,” I said appreciatively.
Karen came in and passed out chunks of homemade cornbread once we were all settled in while Max's dad handed out sodas. They took the time to talk to everyone and I could tell all my friends genuinely liked them.
“Your parents are great,” I whispered to Max after the movie had been on for a while.
“I guess they’ll do,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant. “Okay, they’re pretty cool,” he finally admitted. “Just don’t spread it around that I like to hang with my parents,” he added, shooting me a wink.
“I don’t know, what's it worth to you?” I teased.
“Hmm, I'll have to think about that,” he said, arching an eyebrow at me suggestively.
I swallowed hard and couldn’t stop my eyes from drifting to his lips.
“You need to stop looking at me like that,” he whispered in my ear.
“Why?”
“Because, I don’t want the first time we kiss to be in front of my bonehead friends.”
“Ah, I see,” I said, grinning at him as I gently licked my lip.
“Grrr,” he growled, surging to his feet before he could act on my dare.