“No way. He’s the one who pulled the plug on teaching me. Or put it on pause. We’re paused.”
“Teaching you?”
“Forget it.” Why on Earth had he brought that up?
“Ah. Got it.”
“Anyway, back to the game. So, our food stocks are really low. I think we should go to the grocery store, although there’s a pretty high risk to making that move.”
But Levi would not be deterred. “So your friend Max over there was giving you private lessons?”
Tips of his ears burning, Jeremy nodded. “But now we’re staying with his family, so it’s all on hold. Because of the house rules and because it would just be weird. Which was fine with me because it’s only a couple of weeks until January, and then we can…pick up again. But he encouraged me to meet with you, so maybe he doesn’t actually want me? I’m not sure. It’s so confusing.”
Levi frowned. “Sounds like he’s playing games with you.”
“No, it’s not like that.”
“Hmm. Maybe you should teach him a lesson in not taking you for granted.” He beckoned Jeremy closer. “Here, I’ll tell you a secret.”
Not sure what to expect, Jeremy leaned in across the table. Levi whispered, “He’s watching us right now. I bet if I touch your hair or something, steam’s going to come out of his ears.” Winking, he barely touched Jeremy’s head. “Probably looks like I’m going to kiss you from where he’s sitting—oh shit, I’m good. He’s coming over. Don’t look. Laugh like I’m amazingly funny.”
Jeremy sat frozen, trying to laugh, his heart thumping. Max was coming over?
Then Max was there, looming beside the table, opening his mouth to say something before snapping it shut. He tried again and said, “Uh… Hi.”
“Hi,” Jeremy replied warily. “Are you okay?”
Max’s face was flushed, and he looked mortified. “Yeah. Sorry to interrupt. I was… Hi! I’m Max.” He extended his hand to Levi, who half stood and shook it, offering his name before sitting again. Max cleared his throat. “Just wanted to make sure everything’s okay.”
Jeremy shifted uncomfortably. On one hand if Max was actually jealous that was incredible—but on the other, he was being kind of a jerk for coming over. Maybe he just wanted to make sure Jeremy didn’t need rescuing? Which made him feel warm and gooey. And maybe Jeremy should make him jealous.
“Yeah, we’re great. This is a fun game. Zombies and stuff.”
“Cool.” Max rocked on his heels. “Cool, cool, cool, cool.”
Levi said, “I’ve got to run. I didn’t think coffee would last this long, but time flies when you have great company.” He shot Jeremy a wink. “Talk soon? I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Tomorrow? Jeremy managed, “That would be cool. Thanks for a great game.”
“Tomorrow?” Max echoed.
“Yeah, that maple syrup thing sounds fun. Perfect for my nieces. I’ll see you both then.”
Jeremy pushed his chair back and gave Levi the world’s awkwardest hug because a handshake didn’t feel right. “It really was good to meet you.”
“Follow my lead tomorrow,” Levi whispered. “It’ll be fun.”
Max was staring daggers at Levi’s retreating back. Frustration surged, because that really had been rude of him to butt in, and Jeremy had already been a terrible enough date to someone who deserved better.
“Why’d you interrupt?”
Max shrugged. “I was done shopping, and I figured I’d check in to see how things were going. You weren’t even supposed to know I was there.”
“I didn’t, but Levi noticed you staring.”
Max laughed uneasily. “My bad. I wasn’t trying to…”
“What?”
“Dunno.”
Crossing his arms, Jeremy tried to laugh it off. “You were the one who wanted me to come on this date in the first place.”
But Max didn’t laugh. “Not exactly. I was encouraging you. I thought it would be good practice. I thought you wanted to date.”
Jeremy didn’t know what the right answer was. “I feel like I’m supposed to. You said we’re just friends now, right? That’s what you said.”
“Yeah. That’s what I said.” He rubbed his face. “You’re right. I’m being an asshole. Sorry. I shouldn’t have barged in on your date. He seems cool.”
But he’s not you. “Yeah, he’s laid-back. He’s a drummer in a band.”
“And you scored a second date!” Max held up his palm. “Your fairy godfather is very proud.”
Jeremy didn’t leave him hanging for the high five, even though triumphant wasn’t one of the many emotions swirling around his gut in a big ball of anxiety. If Levi was right and Max was jealous, why didn’t Max just say that? Jeremy wanted to ask, but he couldn’t get the words past his tongue. The fear of humiliating himself was too strong.
If he said it out loud and Max denied it—or worse, laughed at him—it would crush him. Maybe Jeremy was a coward, but the last thing he wanted for Christmas was a broken heart.
Macaulay Culkin slapped his cheeks on the big TV over the crackling fire, and they all laughed. Jeremy finished most of his third slice of pizza and picked at the crust idly. He half watched the movie, his socked feet curled under him on the couch and knee pressing Max’s thigh comfortably through the layers of their jeans.
Was Max manspreading on purpose so they could touch? Or was Jeremy reading way too much into it? Probably the latter. They sat on the love seat closest to the tree, and the pine scent filled his nose. Under it were faint notes of coconut, and Jeremy wished he could lean to his right and nuzzle Max’s thick waves.
The phone rang in the kitchen—an old rotary one that had likely been attached to the wall for many decades and had apparently been put back up after the reno. Taking the empty pizza box and a few plates, Valerie hopped up to answer.
Jeremy had the ridiculous thought that maybe it was his mother calling, and he stamped down the sudden bloom of hope. His parents didn’t have the number. They didn’t even know Max or his family existed. It was hard to believe Jeremy hadn’t either until the past week. He had to remember that. Remember that this was all new and very likely transitory.
Valerie called, “John! It’s your parents. On speaker phone.”
Everyone laughed, and Jeremy smiled. “Is this a thing?”
John pushed up from the other end of the couch. “Yep. They’ll talk over each other and the dogs will be barking, and it’ll be chaos.” He smiled fondly and shrugged. “Parents.”
A swift punch of loss hitched Jeremy’s breath as he nodded. He stared at the TV, one of the crooks falling down the stairs with a huge shout and sound effects. His hand rested on his curled leg, and his breath stuttered again when Max covered it with his own, tugging it down hidden between them, although Meg definitely noticed. Max still watched the TV, laughing, but he rubbed Jeremy’s knuckles with his thumb reassuringly until John returned and told Max it was his turn.
When Max came back and told Meg she was up, he flopped down on the love seat. He folded his hands in his lap, and Jeremy tried not to miss that small touch Max had bestowed. Papy didn’t get up to talk with his in-laws, but shouted greetings, his feet up on an ottoman.