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~ Chapter Two ~
Max
Williams glanced toward Nina’s house as he passed by, trying not to be
conspicuous. He missed her.
He
pulled one shoulder up in a shrug. He even missed their tutor sessions. Raising
his chin a fraction of an inch, he closed his eyes for a brief moment and
recalled the scent of her perfume. Light and airy, something fruity. Mango? He
couldn’t be sure. The scent wafted through his mind once more, but its
identification remained a mystery. He’d wanted to ask her, but never got around
to it.
Regret
rose within him once more, as it always did when thinking of her.
Since
that night he hadn’t spoken to her, except through a few cryptic texts.
‘I can’t be your tutor, anymore,’ she’d
typed.
‘But why?’
He’d returned.
‘I think that’s obvious,’ she’d
answered.
‘Well, it isn’t,’
He’d sent back.
‘I’m a Christian, Max, and I sinned
against my God.’
Anger
swelled within him and he’d typed back, ‘Whatever.
Just remember this was your choice.’
Humiliation
filled him. He’d wanted to take back those mean, hastily-typed words so many
times he’d lost count.
He
stopped at a red light and checked his phone, hoping by some miraculous means
she realized he was thinking of her and decided to text him. Of course she hadn’t.
He
let his phone drop back to the seat and accelerated when the light changed to
green.
Should
he call her? As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he shook his head. No, it
wasn’t a good idea, especially since six months had passed.
Why
couldn’t he get over it? What was it about her?
Yes
she was pretty and had a way about her, for sure. And he missed that. But he
missed her more. Her sweet smile and
soft-spoken manner were very attractive. Unlike most of the girls on campus,
she had morals.
Guilt
washed through him—And look what he’d done to her. He’d known she was a
Christian. She’d tried witnessing to him on more than one occasion.
He’d
known she was attracted to him. That’s what had given him the courage to follow
her upstairs that day six months ago.
If
he hadn’t reached out and grabbed her, would she have come to him willingly?
Something inside him said no. She wasn’t that kind of girl.
If
he believed in a god he would pray for help, but he didn’t. The idea was too
far-fetched.
Anger
rushed through him and with a jerk of his arm, he swung the vehicle into a hard
right and pulled into his family’s restaurant. He slammed the gearshift into
park and turned off the engine.
Unlike
Nina his family wasn’t funding his college education he had to work for it. And
he hated working in the restaurant. He wanted to do something manly, not
languish in a restaurant.
He
reached the glass front door and pulled it open, the bell tinkling a warning of
his arrival.
The
first thing he saw was his mother behind the counter, her graying hair pulled
into a ragtag bun at the top of her head.
She
looked up and smiled at him in welcome as she rubbed a dishrag across the
scarred Formica counter. “Max, you made it on time today.”
“It’s a nice surprise, right?” He leaned
across the counter and kissed her wrinkled cheek. Concern filled him at how
rundown she was looking. And here he’d been being ungrateful about working
here.
“Go
ahead mom. I got this.” He gently took the dishcloth from her hand and dipped
his head toward the back.
Felicity
Williams sighed and dipped her head in agreement. “Okay, but just for a few
minutes, though. I guess a piece of that chocolate pie your sister made earlier
will sit right well on my empty tummy.”
Max
laughed. “Yes it will.”
“Do
you want me to cut you a piece, son?” Felicity Williams asked as she
disappeared through the kitchen door.
He
raised his voice a bit. “Nah, I’ll have one later.”
He
moved around the counter and proceeded to finish wiping it down. His mother
loved this place and kept it spic-and-span. He shouldn’t be such an ungrateful
brat.
After
a few minutes he threw the dishrag into the pan they kept under the counter and
raised his eyes to peruse the dining room. His eyes locked gazes with none
other than Nina Moore’s father.
Ice
water filled his veins and his heart pounded in fear. Did he know?
The
sick feeling inside him grew, sitting like a heavy rock in the midst of his
gut. But then Gary Moore’s gaze slid away and relief filled Max’s whole being.
He
wiped his forehead, not surprised to feel the sweat spread across it. It was in
that moment he decided he was going to see Nina Moore.
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