Like that waiting email. He needed to rip off the Band-Aid already. Be a grownup and face it.
Jeremy’s phone buzzed in his pocket. “Sorry, I—” He stared at the screen. “My mom.”
“Take it, take it.” Max slipped into the living room to give him privacy. Except Jeremy’s mother was talking so loudly Max thought for a second it was on speaker.
“Where are you?”
“What?” Jeremy seemed instantly frazzled. “What’s wrong?”
“Where are you? I saw the pictures you sent your father.” She flung it like an accusation. “That doesn’t look like Toronto.”
Whoa. Max froze by the fireplace where he was going to sweep up the cold ashes from last night. He should go into the kitchen and stop listening, yet he couldn’t seem to move.
“It’s—it’s not. I’m near Pinevale. It’s a couple of hours north.”
“Who are you with?”
Standing in the foyer, Jeremy’s eyes met Max’s across the living room. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “A friend from school. I’m staying with his family for the holidays.”
“Who is this friend?”
“His name’s Max.”
“And what kind of a friend is this?” She was shouting now.
Jeremy flinched. “Just a friend,” he said, his voice cracking.
It was all Max could do not to march over, grab the phone, and tell Jeremy’s mother where to go.
“Why didn’t you tell us? You’re supposed to be on campus!”
Opening his mouth, Jeremy closed it again as his mother shouted, going on a tear about honesty and earning trust. Max’s blood pressure zoomed as he listened to her basically call Jeremy a liar, not letting him get a word in edgewise. Jeremy hunched in on himself, staring at the floor. When he glanced up at Max, he cringed, and Max could see the apology in the grimace.
Again, Max fought the urge to march over, take the phone, and tell her off. He wanted to shield Jeremy and yell at her for abandoning him. Instead, he mouthed, “That’s bullshit!”
Eyes locked with Max’s, Jeremy took a deep breath and stood up straighter, rolling his shoulders back. He cut off his mother. “Why shouldn’t I spend the holidays with a friend? He’s great and his family is great. You’d rather I be all alone in my dorm room for Christmas? Is that what you want, Mom? Is that supposed to be my punishment?”
His words hung in the air, a terrible silence following. Max held his breath.
A pained sort of whimper echoed from the phone. “No.” Her voice was fainter now, but Max could still just make out the words. “I was worried. I worry about you. You might not believe that, but it’s true.”
Tears glistened in Jeremy’s eyes. He pushed up his glasses and swiped. He whispered, “I’m fine, Mom. You don’t need to worry.”
She said something Max couldn’t quite make out, and then there was silence, but Jeremy still held the phone to his ear. A few seconds later, a loud young voice exclaimed, “Cherry! It’s me!”
Joy lit up Jeremy’s beautiful face, and Max wanted to take a picture. Jeremy said, “Hey, Sean! I miss you so much. Are you having fun in Hawaii?”
Max finally moved, giving Jeremy a thumbs up and hurrying to the kitchen to finally give him privacy. He unzipped his coat and tugged at his scarf. There were a few of Papy’s pastries left, and he ate one gratefully. It wasn’t too long before Jeremy appeared.
“Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be.” Max brushed pastry crumbs off his fingers. “You okay?”
“I think so.” He smiled. “It was great to hear Sean’s voice. He’s having a blast.”
“That’s good. Your mom sounds…intense.”
Jeremy grimaced. “That’s one way to put it.” He took off his glasses and rubbed his face. “She makes me so mad.”
Max tugged Jeremy into a hug. Forget his own bullshit—Jeremy looked like he’d just been tackled by a linebacker. Max wanted him to be okay. He wanted to see that smile again. Jeremy sagged against him, his arms circling Max’s waist, parka thick between them. He rested his head against Max’s shoulder.
“Sometimes I almost hate her,” he whispered. “But she’s my mom.”
Max stroked Jeremy’s hair. “I’m sorry it’s like this right now.” He wanted to call her every name he could think of, but that wouldn’t make Jeremy feel better. “I hope it’ll change. I’m sure she was genuinely worried about you. I could be a serial killer for all she knows.”
Jeremy laughed softly and lifted his head, slipping his glasses back on. “If you are, you’re taking your time.”
“Maybe that’s my MO. Maybe my whole family’s in on it. We’re waiting for the right moment.”
Jeremy widened his eyes. “What’s really in those bottles of extra dark maple syrup?”
“You’ll soon find out. The hard way.” He laughed maniacally, and Jeremy giggled.
“Thank you. I feel better.” He peered up at Max, their bodies still close.
Max cupped Jeremy’s shoulders, rhythmically squeezing the puffy material. “Sorry I eavesdropped.”
“No, when she’s like that, I think people in the next postal code can hear.”
Reluctantly, Max said, “We should get back out there. People will be arriving any minute.”
“What did you need to get for the taffy?”
Max had to laugh sheepishly as he grabbed the box of Popsicle sticks and held them up.
Jeremy raised an eyebrow. “Should I take one side? I don’t know if you can manage that on your own.”
“I’ll have you know this is a jumbo box.”
“It does say it right there in black and yellow. Clearly a two-person job. Glad I’m here to help.” He hesitated. “Someone might think you were trying to get me alone.”
Car engines were rumbling outside, so there was no time to press his lips to the pretty blush on Jeremy’s cheeks. But he had to get Jeremy alone soon. Rules or no rules. Plan or no plan. Why was he cockblocking himself? If they both wanted it, why not go for it?
They tugged on their boots and hurried out, and Max was about to suggest they sneak off later once the crowd had thinned when a voice rang out.
“Jeremy!”
Max bit back his groan. Levi had shown up as promised. Stupid reliable nice guy who was sexy to boot. Ugh. What had Max been thinking when he encouraged Jeremy to go on that coffee date? Now he had to smile and grit his teeth as Levi strode up and gave Jeremy a hug. A hug!
Two pig-tailed little girls trailed Levi, and they waved at Max with cheery hellos. He couldn’t exactly shove Levi into the nearest snowbank accidentally-on-purpose with the kids watching. Not that he should be shoving Levi at all. He grumbled to himself. Could they rewind and go back to a few minutes ago when Jeremy was safe and warm in his arms?
He avoided shaking Levi’s hand, which was petty AF, and made his escape. Cars were streaming up the drive now, and he had to get the taffy going or Valerie would be pissed. Well, not so much angry as disappointed, which was somehow worse.
Max turned on the kerosene camp stove and put on a pot of syrup. He hurriedly dumped in the rest of the fresh snow, packing it down in the wooden planter. While he worked, he kept an eye on Jeremy and Levi. They’d brought the girls over to the face-painting station that Max’s dad was manning with big smiles and his usual steady hand.