Page 35 of Every Sunset
“Maybe at the weekend, when you don’t have to work,” he suggested. I smiled as I grabbed my purse from the back of the car, then locked it up.
“I only work four hours a day, Madd,” I reminded him.
“I know that, but I also know you’re barely sleeping or eating right now, so I don’t want you to push yourself, okay? You need to rest when you can. Logan and I want to see you get stronger.”
“‘I want’ never gets,” I threw back at him as we both walked across the lawn towards the big house. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the patronizing tone Madd had taken with me, but I did know he and his brother were worried about me, and I didn’t really have a leg to stand on when it came to arguing I was okay. They knew the truth of it.
“Fine smart ass,” Maddox laughed as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side playfully. “Please could you stop pushing yourself, and rest as much as possible? Logan and I would very much like if you got a little stronger and healthier.”
“I’ll take your request under advisement,” I joked again as I leaned into his side, desperately seeking just a little of the comfort I felt when he or Logan held me.
“Hey mom!” Max yelled animatedly as he came closer with a wide smile on his face. “I got invited to a party tonight. It’s gonna be kids from my new school and some of the people I work with at the pool. I can go, right?” he asked, throwing me his best puppy dog eyes for good measure.
“Where is it?” I asked.
“This other kid’s having it at his house. Jade said he has a deck right near the water.”
“Wehave a deck right near the water,” I reminded him with a roll of my eyes. “Will the party be supervised?”
“For sure. His parents will be there. Please mom. It’s the perfect chance for me to get to know more people before school starts,” he pleaded.
“Fine, but I want the address of where you’ll be, and you’d better answer your cell if I call you. No drinking,” I told him. I trustedhim to be responsible, and it would be good for him to make some friends before school started the next week.
“Thank you! I have to text Jade!” With that he ran to me and slammed a kiss on my cheek, then he was gone, racing for our place, presumably to change his clothes from the lifeguard t-shirt he still wore.
“This place isn’t known for wild, out of control teen parties, right?” I asked, only half joking as I looked between Logan and Maddox, both of whom now stood near the grill.
“He’ll be fine. There’s not much trouble kids can get in to around here,” Logan assured me.
“Plus, I already told him I’d drop him off and pick him up. I’ll make sure to talk to the other kids parents before I leave him there,” Maddox added.
“You don’t need to do that, Madd. I can take him, but thanks.”
“I already offered. You need to take things easy. You look pretty done in already,” he told me.
“Gee, thanks,” I laughed as I awkwardly started to try and straighten the wild knot my hair was pulled into on top of my head.
“He didn’t mean it like that, Anna. You look beautiful. You always look beautiful,” Logan assured me.
“Doubtful,” I deadpanned. “Will there be wine at this meal, or shall I go and raid my stash?” I asked, changing the subject.
“There’s wine,” Maddox laughed as he headed inside the house.
“We have some friends coming over tonight. I thought it’d be good for you to get to know someone other than the two of us and boring Neil at the store,” Logan told me.
“Neil’s not boring. He’s just…he’s quiet. He’s a good boss.” I defended, even though I did secretly agree the man should do more than run his store and then head up to his apartment every evening, where he seemed to do nothing but watch recordings of day time quiz shows. “Who did you invite? Should I go and clean myself up a bit?” I asked as I looked down at the tatty skinny jeans I wore with a white tank top that I’d spilled just a little coffee on that afternoon.
“You don’t need to change. It’s just the guy who manages my bar, Tate, and his wife Cat.”
“I know Cat,” I announced, relieved it was at least one person I actually knew coming to eat with us. I was too tired to face too many people, and if I were honest, I wasn’t sure how I would have reacted to a ton of other guys turning up. “She works at the diner across the street from the hardware store. She’s the supplier of my life force while I’m working.”
“Your life force?” Logan repeated with a raised eyebrow.
“Coffee! It’s the only thing that gets me through those boring shifts,” I laughed.
“See. I told you Neil was boring.”
“I wouldn’t mind if he would chat a little more, that’s for sure,” I acquiesced. “But beggars can’t be choosers and without that job Max and I would be begging on the streets.”
