“How come you would have said no?”
“I watched what my mother went through when Austin died.”
“That’s right. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. Of course that would have an effect on you.”
He shrugged. “Since my nieces were born, I guess it’s made me a little more open. Or maybe it’s that I’m getting older now. What about you?”
“I definitely would like to have kids. A few, actually. I had a nice childhood, but it was just my mom and me, and I was always a little bit envious of my friends who have big families.” I paused. “Maggie and I always said we wanted to have our kids at the same time so they could grow up together. I remember when we were thirteen, saying we wanted to have three kids each and be done by thirty so we were young moms. I guess that’s not happening, considering she’s in the middle of a divorce and I’m…no longer engaged.”
Max looked away. “Life doesn’t always go as planned.”
CHAPTER 15
* * *
Max
Ten years ago
“This is different than what I expected.”
“What did you expect, Animal House?”
I’d taken Teagan to a party tonight, just not one I’d normally go to. All of my friends were a few blocks over, probably making Animal House look tame. Instead, I’d taken her to a party thrown by the architectural club my brother belonged to. He had said he’d be here, though he was nowhere to be found as of yet.
Teagan sipped her beer and watched me. It felt like she was trying to put her finger on something that felt off, so I lifted my chin to a guy walking by. “Hey, what’s up? How ya been?”
The guy looked over his shoulder to see who I could have been greeting. Teagan caught the exchange and narrowed her eyes.
“Do you even know anyone here?”
“Sure.” I pointed to a random guy across the room. “That’s Chandler over there.” I scanned the room and pointed to another guy. “That’s Joey.” A woman I’d never seen passed by and smiled at me. I offered a friendly wave. “Hey, Monica.”
“Really, Max?”
“What?”
She pointed to a blond girl. “Is that Phoebe? I’ve seen Friends, too, you know.”
I grinned. “Sorry. Do I at least get an E for effort?”
She shook her head. “You get a D for dimples, and they are the only reason I’m still standing here. What’s the deal? Why did you bring me to a dull party where you don’t know anyone?”
“You want the truth?”
She rolled her eyes. “Max…”
“Okay, okay…” I huffed. “These are my brother’s friends. Mine are at a different party.”
“Did you just want to hang out with your brother?”
“I thought his friends would make a better impression.”
“Why?”
“Because hanging out with my buddies ends one of two ways on a Saturday night: someone gets arrested, and occasionally that’s me, or someone starts a fight, which is also occasionally me, and then the entire hockey team jumps in. You said you could tell a lot about a person by the company they keep. I figured it would be safer to have you fall for me before bringing you around those clowns.”
She raised a brow. “Oh, that’s the plan? Tell me, exactly how are you going to make me fall for you?”
I smiled and pointed to my cheeks.
Teagan laughed. “They are adorable. I’ll give you that. Though I think you’re going to need more than a great smile. How about we go to the other party, and I promise not to hold your friends against you? Believe it or not, I was in a sorority and went to a fraternity party or two.”
“Thank fuck.” I dropped my head. “This party sucks.”
We were both laughing as we headed to the door. I waved at the two guys I’d pretended to know. “Later, Joey. Later, Chandler.”
They both looked at me like I was nuts.
Out on the porch, I saw my brother walking up the path.
“Hey, there he is. It’s about damn time.” I thumbed over my shoulder. “We almost died from boredom waiting around in there.”
Austin smiled and shook his head. He looked to Teagan and extended his hand. “I’m this bonehead’s brother, Austin.”
“Teagan. Nice to meet you.” She tilted her head. “Have we met before?”
My brother shrugged. “Not that I know of.”
“Probably just saw you around campus. I’ve been living here for so long, everyone is starting to look familiar.” She glanced between the two of us. “You guys don’t look alike.”
I bounced on my heels with a grin. “Such a shame…for him.”
Austin chuckled. “He might’ve gotten the looks, but I got the brains. Someday he’ll be bald and fat, and I’ll still be smart. You sure you don’t want to go out with me instead?”
Teagan laughed. “Well, you do share the same wit.”
“Are you guys heading out already?” Austin asked.
“Yeah. No offense, but this party sucks. You want to come with us? We’re going over to the hockey team party.”
Austin shook his head. “No thanks. They’re a little much for me off the ice. Besides, my back’s been killing me all day. I’m just going to sit around and have a couple of beers and call it a night.”
“Again with the backache? What could possibly make it hurt? There isn’t even any checking in your sport.”
Austin looked at Teagan, shaking his head. “I run track. This mo-mo thinks you can’t get injured unless you play a contact sport.”
“You know, if they’d let people try to tackle the runners as they ran, it would be a much better time.”
Austin chuckled. “You two have fun.”
I slapped my brother on the shoulder. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Yeah, there would have to be something you wouldn’t do for that to be advice.”
I grabbed Teagan’s hand. “Ready?”
“Sure.” She turned to my brother. “Bye, Austin. It was nice meeting you.”
“You, too.”
As we walked away, Teagan turned to look back again.
“Did you forget something?”
“No. I just…I feel like I know your brother from somewhere, but I can’t place it.”
“As long as you didn’t go out with him before me. Because that would just be weird.”
She smiled. “I think I’d remember if I went out with a guy.”
“I don’t know. They say memory is one of the first things to go. You are pretty old.”
She bumped her shoulder to mine as we walked. “God, you’re lucky you’re cute, because you can be sort of obnoxious.”
I grinned. “Oh yeah, you think I’m cute?”
Her eyes dropped to my lips, and she sighed. “Yeah, I guess that makes two of us who know you’re cute.”
• • •
“I can’t find my earring. Have you seen it?”