enthralling (max verstappen)

thirty two

I was chewing on my lip, and picking at my cuticles. All bad habits had seemed to team up to torture me through this particular day.

"You alright?" Max glanced over at me as he was pouring up the iced tea in a large glass pitcher.

"Hmm? yeah I'm fine" I mumbled softly as I inched up the plates on the table again, making sure they looked straight.

Max placed the pitcher on the table, watching me manically align everything. He walked over and grabbed my hands, pressing them to his chest, "Els, you gotta relax okay? My mother loves you, I don't understand why you're so nervous." He smiled at me, bending down slightly to catch my lowered gaze.

"I just..I haven't seen her in such a long time"
I put on my best smile, and what if Jos comes?
I tried to get that gross thought out of my mind but since Jos and Sophie were divorced I was hopeful he wouldn't

"I know what will help" max smiled, letting go of my hands and grabbing hold of my face, kissing me softly. His lips brushed across me with such gentleness that I almost forgot why I was nervous to begin with, I could only feel herself melting against him. He was right, it did help.

"I can come back later?" A familiar voice sounded from the front door to the cabin.

My eyes flew open, my lips still pressed against Max's. I moved away slowly, looking at him like we had just been caught trying to hide a body.

Max turned around casually, "Mum, come in"
He walked towards her.

"I love what you've done here, Max" She looked around in awe. "It looks so different from just a few months ago!" She kept looking around until her eyes fell on me. Who, for the most part, had tried extremely hard to look like my most presentable self.

"Ellie May, honey! You look amazing!" She walked towards me with her arms out, Max snorted as his mother yet again called me Ellie May. But from Sophie I didn't care one bit.

"So do you, Mrs Verstappen " I met her halfway, wrapping her in a hug.

"Oh, please how many times must I tell you to call me Sophie!" She brushed my arm lightly, taking her in. I smiled back at her, "I'm sorry, Sophie".

We all took our seats at the table. Max and his mother conversed with such ease, it was almost fascinating to me. It was nothing like the relationship I had with my own mother, which was all built on subtle formalities and taking a stab at each other whenever the opportunity presented itself.

"So, how is your painting going, El? Max tells me you've been working really hard" She smiled at me as she took a sip of her iced tea.

I shot a quick look at Max, who gave my hand an encouraging squeeze as he moved it over into his lap, "He's sweet to say so. Yes, I finally got my work in a gallery in Louisiana. Well, I cheated the system a little and I bought a gallery myself!" I spoke softly, not quite used to how I should present the news out loud to people just yet, I was still practicing.

"That's amazing, Ellie. I would love to stop by and take a look at it. I'm happy you're still pursuing your passion" She smiled widely at me, reaching over and stroking my arm again.

"Thank you, Mrs- Sophie. Really, it wouldn't have been possible without Max. He really helped pull it all together." I looked over at him lovingly.

"Is that so?" Sophie asked curiously.

"He's in the paintings, so yes, definitely," I chuckled.

"She's just being modest. I look good cause she makes me look good. The work is amazing though, we'll go see them when they're up" He smiled back at her, stroking my hand with his thumb.