To no avail. I try, too, but those suckers hold.
Ashley works her way around our circle, and before long, all of us but Max, who claimed some BS allergy to adhesives, are wearingNOLA Squadtattoos on our arms. Winter’s also sporting aNOLA Brideand aMuch Hap-penistattoo that has another—as Jared said—“gold dick pic.”
“Are you satisfied?” Peyton asks Ashley. “I think you’ve accessorized the hell out of all of us.”
“Very,” Ashley says as she hugs Winter. “I want to remember my best girl’s engagement.”
Not to be outdone, Murph and Jared insist on throwing us an impromptu engagement party.
“At my house,” Murph says. “I’ve got my hot tub now.”
I guess that makes it a win-win.
Winter takes my hand, and we head out of the dressing room. Jared’s always looking for any excuse to party, and I can hear him calling people as we walk to the parking lot.
As soon as we arrive at Murph’s house, I pull Winter onto my lap, and we hang out by the pool area in the backyard.
The hot tub is filled with women in bikinis, and I don’t think any of us actually know who they are.
I watch as two of the women approach Max. He barely gives them the time of day as he sidesteps their attempts to touch him and heads over to me. He’s nearly made it to us when a loud scream makes us all turn toward the pool.
A woman is hanging off the high diving board—her hands are gripping the board, but instead of dropping fully into the water, she’s screaming and laughing.
Something makes me glance back at Max.
His jaw tightens, but what’s impossible to miss is the obvious panic in his eyes.
He freezes in place, his gaze focused on the woman like she needs saving.
I tell Winter I’ll be right back, and she stands so I can get up.
“What’s up?” I ask Max when I reach him.
His face is white as he points at the dangling woman.
“She’s okay,” I assure him.
As if on cue, the woman finally lets go of the board and drops into the water. She bobs right back up and swims to the side and climbs out.
“See?” I tilt my head in her direction. “She’s fine.”
Max lets out a deep exhale. The blood slowly returns to his face, and he blinks like he barely realized what just happened.
This is something Liam, Jared, and I have all seen Max go through before. We never know why or when he’ll check out. Liam assumes it’s something to do with Dad’s murder, and he convinced Max to talk to a therapist. I’m not sure it’s helped.
“Hey.” I grab his shoulder. “Let’s go sit down.”
He follows me over to where Winter and Peyton are sitting on chaise lounges.
Winter stands so I can return to our shared seating, and then she slips back onto my lap as Max drops down into the empty chair next to us.
As Winter returns to her conversation with Peyton on our other side, I lean in closer to Max.
“You okay?” I say to him in a low voice. “You look a little spooked.”
Understatement, but I don’t want to push him because he’ll just shut down more.
“Fine.” He shakes his head as if to clear some memory. “I think I’m going to get something to drink. Be right back.”
