“Max,” I respond.
“Let’s get you boys inside. Dinner is done,” he announces.
Amy and Bill walk side by side as they go toward the tiny home. His hand on the small of her back.
I pause, watching the scene before me, and I hope that one day, Clayton and I can get past my wrongs and have a love like that.
“Yes, I love you,” he says before pushing on my back, forcing me to walk inside.
Chapter 21
Maxwell
“Itsmellsincredibleinhere. Thank you so much for cooking after traveling to get here,” I say as we take our seats at the table.
“No problem at all, sweetie! Clayton didn’t tell me what you like to eat so I made his favorite, so I hope it’ll be okay.” Amy smiles wide at me.
“Anything is perfect.” I grin back. “You must have made a white chicken lasagna?”
“You remember me telling you about that?” Clayton asks.
“I remember everything.”
“Oh! How cute!” Amy admires, looking between the both of us.
“Can I help you with anything, Amy? I can set the table,” I offer. “I’m sure you must be tired after traveling this morning to get here and cooking.”
“No, no,” she waves a hand. “You sit and wait,” she says.
“Let the boy help, Ames,” Bill says, his voice gruff.
Rising to my feet, I open a few different cabinets until I find what I’m looking for. The entire time I'm moving around and setting plates and silverware, I feel Clayton’s eyes on me. When I set his place, he leans to me and whispers, “You’re doing great, baby.”
I side-eye him with a smile and he gives me a big-toothy grin back. Heat rushes to my cheeks and I hope I don’t look as red as I feel.
“So, you’re going to be a nurse as well?” Bill asks.
Fuck, we are going to have the future talk.
“Yes. I haven’t quite decided where yet, but it all depends on…” I trail off, wondering how much truth I should tell. I decide that honesty is the best policy and go with it. “It depends on what Clayton wants to do.”
“What?” Clayton whips his head to me.
“Yeah. I know you said you weren’t quite sure where you wanted to go for a job, but I want to go where you do.”
His parents watch as we go back and forth. His mom is smiling so much that I think her cheeks are going to be sore by the end of the night. His father looks a little.. Indifferent. I’m not one to be intimidated, but when I’m sitting here silently begging for someone to like me.. Yeah, I’m intimidated.
“I know Clayton is taking the summer off, are you?” Amy questions.
“Yes. When we graduate, I’m going to go home and see my mom.”
“What about your d-”
“No.” Clayton says. One word. So much meaning.
“Don’t interrupt your mother, Clayton,” Bill chastises.
“Don’t ask about his father.”
