Until April (Until Her/Him #10)(29)
“I guess you’re right.” He turns to face forward.
“Did you find somewhere for us to have dinner?”
“Molly wants to go out for hamburgers.”
“Burgers it is then.” I press down on the gas, listening to the engine of my car purr.
“Are you okay?” Hearing the concern in his tone, I look over at him when I pull up to a stoplight.
“Absolutely.”
“Real-ly? You seemed upset when you saw that guy. Your ex.”
“I wasn’t upset. I was angry that he was there, that he took my choice to talk to him away from me. I didn’t want to see him. I don’t want to see him again.”
“I would be angry too,” he says softly. “Will you see him again?”
“I hope not,” I say quietly. I hope talking to him didn’t do more harm than good, and I really hope he heard what I said and didn’t take me turning him down as a challenge, because Lord knows I don’t need that right now.
_______________
SITTING ACROSS FROM Harris and Molly, I watch the two of them finish off the giant ice cream float they got to share with dinner.
“Brain freeze,” Molly cries, holding her head.
“Hold your tongue to the roof of your mouth.” I laugh when she sighs in relief.
“It was painful but worth it.” She grins at me.
“I bet it was.” I smile back, dunking my last fried pickle in ranch dressing before popping it into my mouth.
“We should probably get home,” Harris, ever the timekeeper, says as he looks at his watch, and Molly looks at my plate, then me.
“Are you finished?”
“Yep, if you two are.”
“We are.” She gathers her stuff. “My mom doesn’t want us downtown too late.”
“Your mom doesn’t make the r-ules for us,” Harris reminds her gently, and I’m proud of him for saying it in a way that isn’t mean but just a reminder, because I know there are times he gets frustrated. I imagine a lot of that has to do with the way he grew up. Where Molly’s mom is overprotective to the point of overbearing, Harris’s mom and dad wanted him to be as independent as possible, so they let him experience as much of life as he wanted and let him make mistakes.
“I know,” she agrees quietly, letting out a deep breath as she looks up at him and stands as I grab my purse.
“Thank you for taking us out tonight,” Harris says as we head out of the bar that happens to be Molly’s favorite on Main Street. Not because it is known for great drinks, music, and dancing, which it is, but because the hamburgers, french fries, and milkshakes are some of the best in town.
“You know I love spending time with you guys,” I say as we make our way through the now-crowded space, with the two of them walking ahead of me.
As we near the exit, I see it before it even happens. Two guys stumble holding drinks, and Harris bumps into one of them on accident, causing the guy closest to him to spill his drink down the front of his shirt.
“Are you okay?” I hurry to Harris’s side, and he nods.
“What the fuck, retard?” the guy with the beer soaked shirt says, and I spin on him, shoving my hands against his chest.
“What did you just say?” I ask as rage courses hot and fierce through my system.
“Get out of my face, bitch,” he slurs as his friend pulls him back, and a hand wraps around mine, which is balled into a fist.
“I-t’s okay, April. Take us home please,” Harris says, getting close to me.
“April,” Molly whispers, sounding distressed, and I break my stare-down with the guy but only after taking in every single detail about him.
“Let’s get you two home.” My voice sounds tight even to my own ears as I take Molly’s hand, and Harris lets me go. When we get outside, I’m thankful for the cool evening air, because I need it to help tamp down my temper. Especially when all I really want to do is go back into the bar, jump behind the counter, grab the biggest bottle of Jack there is, and knock that idiot over the head with it. I know it doesn’t make me a very good person, but there are times in life when being good is overrated and people need to learn a lesson.
We get to my car in half the time it took us to make it inside the bar, and after Harris and Molly are both buckled in, I head out of the parking lot and take them home, wondering if maybe Molly’s mom is right. Maybe this judgmental, cruel world is too ugly for souls like theirs. Maybe it’s best that they are protected and sheltered from it.
When I get to their building, I walk them to their door and make sure they are inside before I get back in my car and head home, my chest still feeling heavy with anger. I reach my house a few minutes later, pull into my driveway, shut down the engine, then stare at my front door. Knowing that nothing but silence will greet me once I get inside, I debate going to my parents’ house for the night. My mom still keeps a room set up for me and my sisters, and I could use some company.
Just when I start to place my hand on the key that is still in the ignition, my front door opens, and I blink, sure that I’m seeing things when Maxim leans against the doorjamb, his eyes meeting mine through the windshield. His head tips to the side, his expression going soft as my heart starts to beat out of control, then he pushes off the frame and starts toward my car. I hold my breath as he gets closer, and my nose stings as he opens my door, reaching for me.
Aurora Rose Reynolds's Books
- Hooking Him (How to Catch an Alpha #3)
- Baiting Him (How to Catch an Alpha #2)
- The Wrong Right Man
- Until December (Until Her/Him #8)
- Until Cobi (Until Her/Him #7)
- Obligation (Underground Kings #2)
- Assumption (Underground Kings #1)
- Until Trevor (Until, #2)
- Until November (Until, #1)
- Until Lilly (Until, #3)