Chapter 25
Audrey
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I tore my eyes away from the mirror and glanced at my open bedroom doorway.
Papa was standing there, hand still resting against the door and a soft smile on his face.
“Max is downstairs,” he told me. “Do you two have a date you forgot to tell us about?”
“Oh, shit,” I muttered. “Sorry, I meant to say something, but-”
“It’s fine,” he said, holding his hands up. “We knew he was coming back in the picture sooner or later.”
Focusing back on myself in the mirror, I continued brushing mascara onto my lashes. “How much did Dad and Ms. Tatianna bet on us?”
“Fifty bucks. You’d think Benny would know better by now. She wins every single time.”
I smiled. “Well, that’s a mother’s intuition for you.”
“What do the two of you have planned tonight?”
“Dinner and roller skating.” I waved my hand over my crop top, jeans, and neon-graffiti decorated skater jacket laying on my dresser. “Hence the more casual outfit.”
Papa stepped behind me and smoothed out a piece of my hair that was sticking out from my ponytail. “It’s good,” he murmured. “That you two are hanging out again. You need a good friend in times like this.”
I nodded. Having Max around has been nice - even with all the additional stress he’s caused. The familiarity of his presence was comforting. With all the unknowns swirling around, it was nice to know there was someone I could clutch onto if I needed to.
And, with the other night still on my mind, I figured it was about time I stopped skirting around the conversations we needed to have and gave him the chance he’s been asking for.
Once I was finished getting ready, Papa and I headed downstairs.
Dad and Max were sitting in the living room, Dad on the couch and Max in the Lay-Z-Boy. Similar to me, Max kept his outfit casual with a sweatshirt and jeans. Pops of gold from the links around his wrist and neck spruced up his simple attire.
Both of their eyes darted to me as I appeared in the doorway. “You’re early,” I scolded my date.
Max’s eyes dragged over my body, lingering on my torso. “And you stole my jacket. You know how long I’ve been looking for that thing?”
I rolled my eyes. “About the same amount of time as I’ve had it.” I gave both of my fathers a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be home later,” I promised.
“Mhm, you better,” Benny said. He looked at Max. “The same rules still apply. Keep your hands to yourself or I’ll whip your ass.”
Max grinned as he rose from his seat. “You’ll have to catch me first.”
The three of them shared a chuckle.
I led Max out the door and started walking down the path towards his waiting car.
He sped up to walk ahead of me and open the passenger door.
The smell of freshly cleaned leather and black ice, from the Little Tree hanging from the rear view mirror, greeted me.
Max climbed into the driver seat and turned the engine to bring the car to life. An old artist we used to like as teens crooned through the speakers.
The music kept us company as Max drove us to one of the lounges near the skating rink.
The posters in the window were always advertising live music, food and drinks.
Sometimes while we waited for our parents to pick us up from the rink, we’d watch the adults in their chic outfits strut in and out of the establishment.
Max used to promise he’d take me once we were old enough to get in.
The fact that he remembered warmed the wings fluttering against my ribcage.
Inside, the lounge looked as nice as we thought it would be.
Blue and purple lights were nestled in the ceiling, casting an artificial moonlight.
A long wooden bar lay on the left side with a softly lit blue backdrop.
The color reflected against the glass bottles on the clear shelves.
Cushioned high chairs were lined at the brown countertop.
Small tables with low cushioned chairs, separated by invisible aisles, occupied some of the space in the middle of the restaurant.
On the opposite end, a cushioned booth lined the other wall. Small square tables and cushioned chairs sat parallel to it. Waitresses dressed in all black with purple writing on their shirts milled around the room, carrying trays of drinks and food.
On the other side of the room, across from the front doors, lay a small stage with a group of musicians on it. The singer at the mic crooned romantic melodies, backed by gentle piano chords and sensual trumpet horns.
The hostess led us up the black stairwell to the upper level of the lounge where U-shaped booths overlooking the lower level lay. From here, we had a perfect view of the band playing below us.
“It’s so nice in here,” I said as I scooted into the booth, still glancing around at the subtle yet serene decor.
“Yeah,” Max replied. He threw his arm over the headrest, behind my shoulders.
“Have you been here before?”
He shook his head. “This was gonna be our spot, remember? I wasn’t gonna come without you.”
I curled my shoulders up and inward, trying to hide the bashful smile creeping up my lips.
His arm fell off the backrest and onto my shoulders. Hooking his arm around my neck, he leaned in close to whisper in my ear. “You look good in my clothes,” he said.
“Yours? After all these years, it’s practically mine now.”
“What if I want it back?”
I scoffed. “You’ll have to fight me for it.”
“And what are you going to do after I pin you down and take the hoodie?” With his other hand, he grabbed my chin and turned my head to meet his sensually mischievous gaze. “Because I have a few holds I’ve been dying to put you in.”
I pressed my hand against his face and lightly shoved it backwards. “Shut up.”
Chuckling, he used his other arm to bring me closer.
Over dinner and drinks, we caught each other up on everything that’s happened in our lives.
I told him about my long years in school and the residency where I fell in love with working in the emergency room.
He adamantly listened to the stories of my favorite cases and patients who shaped me into the doctor I was today.
Max glossed over his college years and told me about how he got his big break in the MMA world.
Tony invited one of his old fighting buddies who now worked as an agent for other fighters to one of Max’s exhibition fights.
He kept his attendance a secret from Max, so he wouldn’t be nervous and perform as he normally would.
As expected, Tony’s friend was in awe of Max’s skill and winning record.
Before he knew it, the both of them were putting him in rings with some heavy hitters.
“It wasn’t easy,” he admitted. “I got the shit beat out of me a few times. But, I worked my way up.”
I noticed throughout his stories that he danced around instances involving his father.
He’d start, notice where it was going, and pressed the past forward button so he wouldn’t have to talk about it.
I understood why he didn’t want to talk about it.
In a way, I guess he really wasn’t supposed to.
Even though he was only talking to me, he still had a reputable image to uphold.
I didn’t blame him for not wanting anything to taint it.
My brows rose when he told me he reconnected with his half-brother.
“Yeah,” he confirmed with a nod. “I, uh…I’ve been training him.”
“How’s it been going?”
He shrugged. “About as well as it can go. The little asshole has a nasty attitude.”
“Hm, it must run in the family.”
Rolling his eyes, he picked up his drink and muttered, “Whatever,” against the glass.
“I am happy for you though, Max. Seems like almost everything is working out for you.”
“Yeah,” he murmured. His eyes glanced down at the diamond around my neck before meeting mine. “Almost everything.”
Sighing, I averted my gaze. “You know, I never apologized for the way we ended things, and I-”
“It’s not your apology to make,” he cut me off. “I was being a dick, and you had every right to cut me off.”
“No, I mean before Jordan…” I sighed, averting my eyes. “You had every right to feel the way you did. I wasn’t putting the same effort into our relationship as you, and that wasn’t fair. If I’d prioritized properly, then maybe-”
“Nah, you made the right choices.”
“Did I?” I asked, my voice small. Looking back now, I wasn’t so sure.
Max grasped my chin and tilted my head back up. “Yes. I mean, you were at one of the best schools in the country, pursuing your dream career. Keeping up with me and my bullshit was only holding you back. You deserved better than that. And besides, we’re here now, aren’t we?”
I nodded. “And we’re older, more mature - well, at least I am. I’m still not completely sure about you.”
His firm expression didn’t falter. Sincerity burned in his brown eyes as he gently squeezed my chin. “I’m serious, Audrey. Somehow, we have another shot at this, and I’m not letting it go to waste.”
Smiling, I scooted closer to him and wrapped my arms around his torso. I pressed my head into the crook of his neck as his arm squeezed me. “I knew you wouldn’t,” I whispered into his skin.
After dinner, we walked across the street to the skating rink.
Outside, a neon pink sign with blinking lights spelling out the name of the rink.
We blended into the small crowd of adults milling into the building.
Inside, the lobby was a bright neon blue with a sales booth and a small open area where small groups waited for their friends to join them.
Max paid for the entrance fee and skate rentals. Holding my hand tight, he towed me through the crowds and into the rental and locker room. This one was neon orange with paint blotches of blue and green.
There, we picked up our roller skates from the rental booth and locked our belongings in one of the lockers. With our skates on, we wobbled out into the dark main area of the rink.
Loud music boomed through the speakers, rumbling through our ears. The skating floor was a large, rounded area with a glossy wooden floor and black walls decorated with neon-colored shapes.
The room was dimly lit with flashing neon strobe lights to fill in any hints of darkness.
A DJ booth sat within the wall above the skating floor, playing popular pop and hip hop music.
Arcade games lined the perimeter of the sitting area with benches littering the space.
Beside the sitting area was a concession area with cushioned booths and glowing overhead menu.
Max wasted no time tugging me onto the skating floor.
I held onto his arm for dear life at first, still wobbly on the roller skates. I hadn’t been roller skating since middle school. The clunky wheels under my feet were familiar yet foreign.
Max didn’t seem to mind my grip on his forearm. He towed me along with him as he glided around the first curve of the rink.
I looked around at the colorful lights around us in awe. The songs corresponded with the lights, changing colors and pulsing in unison to the mood and beats. I watched the colors change from a bright, flashing blue to a gentle purple that faded in and out as the songs changed.
By the time we reached the end of the first lap, I felt more comfortable on my skates. Slowly, I let go of Max’s arm and glided a few meters ahead of him. The wind against my face, and the smooth movement beneath my feet made me feel like I was flying.
Max glided a few inches in front of me. Effortlessly, he turned on his feet and began skating backwards.
“Show-off,” I teased.
Grinning, Max extended his hand.
I grabbed it, and he pulled himself back to my side.
For the next few hours, we skated around the rink, enjoying the music and vibes from the other patrons.
All of it transported me back in time to high school when I was just a teenager, skating around with the boy she adored.
I’d almost forgotten how light I felt in moments like this.
It was like all my worries were lifted off of my shoulders.
I didn’t have to think about my father or my job or my complicated relationships. The only thing on my mind was the warmth in my belly and the smile on my face.
Oh, and the handsome boy - man - skating beside me, staring at me as if I was the brightest star in the sky.
For once, I was alright with that. Because maybe, just maybe, the road we were paving was better than the one we’d left behind.