The Summer I Met You

CHAPTER 20

"It's okay to ask for help, you know?"

The tears try to surface again. They sting my eyes, making it hard to fight. An overwhelming wall of emotions has burrowed down on me. The love I've felt from Dad and Walker the last few weeks has kept me grounded. I wipe at the moist spot at the edge of my eye. I don't trust my voice so all I can do is nod.

"Invite him for dinner," Walker teases, nudging me slightly.

"Shh, you're embarrassing me," I giggle.

Walker chuckles and nudges me again before walking out of the trailer with Dad.

"Bye Ex, bye Axe," Elli calls as they leave.

When Max smiles at Elli I almost have to hold onto something to keep from falling over. He's only seventeen but he acts like he's much older. That's one of his qualities that I feel drawn to.

"They seem like a lot of fun."

Max's voice startles me. I didn't realize how close he was.

"Try having to live with them, they're a ball," I say, half with sarcasm.

Dad and Walker are awesome to live with, much better than mom, but sometimes they tend to embarrass me in that way parents typically have. They don't do it to be mean, it's more like doing it out of love.

Max closes in on me a bit more. We catch each other's eyes, but it only lasts seconds and then we're searching for other places to look. A soft hum leaves my lips as I try to form words.

Max clears his throat. "I should finish cleaning up."

"Right," I say, biting my lip. "Bye, Max."

I start for the exit, when I realize the one thing I wanted to say is on the tip of my tongue. I wish I'd said it first, instead of just saying goodbye.

Max has already started for the back of the truck to clean up. He leans down to grab one of the remotes. I can't leave like this knowing that he jumped in to help me, and I didn't say thank you.

"Max," I say, a little louder than intended.

He stops mid-way and turns to me. His brows knit in confusion.

"Thank you for helping with Elli," I say, a little quieter.

The tiny vein in my neck pulses with an intensity I've never felt before. This is a new development and I'm not sure if it's from saying thank you, or if this is going to be a new thing when I'm around Max.

"It's no problem. After what you did for my friends last night." He shrugs. "Friends help friends, right?"

"So, we're friends then?"

Max's lips pull into a smile, one that reaches his eyes. I've seen him laugh with Maya, joke with Dan, but he's never looked at me with that expression before. I believe him.

"Yeah," he says. "We are."

"Okay — um – so I'll see you around then?"

Because surely that's what friends do. It's not like I'm specifically asking him out or anything.

"See you around, Lennox," he says.

***

The whole drive home I can't get Max's smile out of my mind. Today it felt like he and I pushed our misconceptions about each other out the door. Friends. For some reason the thought makes me smile.

I walk into the kitchen. Elli isn't around so I assume he fell asleep, something I'd very much like to do after such a long day. I give major props to Dad, Walker, and anyone else who has a young child, especially one with special needs. I did learn how I can help him a little today and I'm glad I did, because I'm starting to love Elli just as much as my dads do.