Knowing they support me means I can take this next leap and feel a little less terrified.
About halfway through the drive my phone, which is mounted on the dash, lights up with a FaceTime from Katie. I hit the answer button on my steering wheel, which is, like, so futuristic.
“Hey, I’m driving,” I say, glancing at the screen briefly but not enough that I lose my concentration. “What’s up?”
“Mom and I are out shopping for my new college wardrobe; I wanted your opinion on this!”
Keeping an eye on the traffic, I take in Katie, who’s flipped her camera and is showing me her reflection in a changing-room mirror. She’s wearing a pink dress with a sheer slip decorated with butterflies over the top.
“You look great,” I say. “Very you.”
She flips the camera back around and I signal to change lanes.
“It’s not too frilly for college?” she asks. “I want to look sophisticated.”
“Maybe pair it with some glasses?” I joke. “Anyway, it’s totally Elle Woods vibes.”
“Okay good, that’s what I was going for—Mom, stop. He’s driving.” Katie looks away and for a second it looks like she’s spinning her phone in circles. Suddenly she pops back into frame. “Ugh, my mom wants to say hi.” She redirects her camera and Tanya’s face fills the frame.
“Hey Maxie! How are the new wheels?”
“Pretty smooth, thanks.”
“Are you excited for the rest of summer?”
There’s motion again, though I can’t quite focus on it as I drive, and then suddenly Katie is back.
“Staaaahp,” she says, then to me, “sorry about her. Where are you heading?”
“The Hamptons.”
“Oh,” she says, her tone ominous. “You going to speak with Jasper about you-know-what?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, good luck. I know he’ll understand and support you no matter what.”
“Thanks.”
“Okay, well I better go before Mom harasses this sales assistant any more and we get kicked out of Century 21 forever.”
“Okay, bye.”
“Let me know how it goes.”
She clicks off the call and the car falls quiet. The road slips smoothly under my tires.
I fricking hope he understands.
Only an hour after I said I’d arrive, I pull up to the gates of Jasper’s family house in the Hamptons.
I haven’t been here since, well, since the party where Jasper was supposed to reject me and then we ended up being kidnapped. It looks the same. The gates are still tall and imposing, the driveway long and lined with trees, the house modern and sleek.
Without having to buzz or anything the gates slide open, and I park near the ever-blooming cherry tree out front.
Melissa opens the door with a smile. “Hey Max.”
It would be an understatement to say she’s glowing, her hair is longer than usual with an amazing blowout that bounces when she moves her head.
