Page 79 of The Charming Checklist
Where’s Ava? I need to talk to her, asap!
Valerie:She’s with me at the Almost Dead Poet Society meeting. Why?
He blinked. The...what? Okay, whatever. He had to be there with the almost dead people. Probably a nursing home but what a horrible choice of a name.
Tell me where.
The address she gave was in the senior citizen trailer park where Valerie had lived for a while with her grandmother. He had even more questions then, but no matter. If his woman was there, he needed to be, too. When he arrived, someone opened the door before he even knocked. It was the nice Lois, who came into the Salty Dog often with Roy Finch, one of Max’s favorite customers.
“Hey there,” she said. “You’re here for the meeting?”
“Sure.” He worried otherwise she wouldn’t let him inside.
“We can always use the support. Artists need an audience, no matter how small, I always say.”
“Right. Of course.”
He walked into an open, wide living room where many of Charming’s old-timers sat. In the center of the room, standing, was Susannah, Ava’s next-door neighbor. Her poem, while certainly not Robert Frost material, expounded on her wonderful puppy. And Max loved dogs so he could appreciate the sentiment. Plus, everything rhymed.
He caught sight of Valerie sitting on a folding chair when he was ushered into the room, but no Ava. Then she strolled into the room, carrying a plastic cup. She wore the same dress she’d worn the night of her birthday dinner, tiara and all, and a kick of tenderness hit him swift and clear. She was absolutely breathtaking, and he was so in love with her.
And Ava was staring at him, her gaze raking over his body.
Coincidentally, he was also wearing the same suit he’d worn the night of the dinner. He told himself this didn’t mean anything special, but it sure didn’t feel that way.
Etta May stood. “Welcome. Are you here to support, or do you have something to share?”
Well...he hadn’t really planned on doing this so publicly, but when in Rome... He moved toward the front of the room.
“Actually, I do have something to share.”
At first, Ava thought she’d had a bit too much spiked lemonade. But no, there was Max, standing a few feet in front of her, wearing a suit. It looked like the same one that he’d worn the night of their first date. Their first date had been fake, but everything after that night had been real and raw. Painful, at times, but growing pains usually were.
Etta May waved Max to the center of the room. “Go on, now.”
He looked so warm and kissable. She wanted to kiss that gorgeous mouth and lie in his strong arms all night.
“Oh, my lord.” Ava grabbed Valerie’s elbow. “What is happening? Do you see Max too, or did I drink too much lemonade?”
“I see him all right, but I don’t know what he’s doing here, either,” Valerie said, sounding confused. “Does he have a poem to share?”
Ava doubted that. He wasn’t much for sentimentality and even thought the Bangles were over-the-top. Love songs weren’t really his vibe. Poems she would imagine even less so.
“This isn’t really a poem,” Max said. “But I came here tonight looking for someone very special. Because I finally figured a few things out. And I have a new and revised list.”
Max pulled out some cocktail napkins that had scribbling on them and Ava’s heart pulled in a powerful ache. She thought maybe his hands were shaking a little, this big, strong and powerful man, and a wave of love crushed her hard.
“Max, you don’t have to—” Ava said.
“It’s okay.” He nodded. “See, everyone, the thing is, I’m looking for a wife. Someone who completes me.”
“My granddaughter—” Etta May began, but everyone shushed her.
“My list is pretty specific,” he said to Etta May. “Not many women can fill it.”
“Well, if you’re going to be thatpicky...” Etta May said.
“In fact, in my mind, only one woman can. My wife, the woman I’m looking for—” he glanced down at a napkin “—must not be able to formulate a coherent sentence before her first cup of coffee. Must have blond hair, green eyes, exactly five feet four inches tall. Must treat every day with the enthusiasm of Christmas. Must get extremely excited over a coffee bean. Must be my best friend. Must know how to love. Must always be honest even when it’s hard for me to hear. Must have feet that feel like blocks of ice. Must always surprise and challenge me, and finally, must love the Bangles and sing their songs perfectly off-key.”
