The Summer I Met You

CHAPTER 43

Alexa is still happily single and pretends to barf every time she sees the two of them being lovey dovey. However, just before she left, she met this guy at the ice skating rink we've been going to on the weekends. He plays ice hockey and now suddenly she's totally into watching the Islanders whenever they are on TV.

The driver starts to slow down as we turn a corner. We've only been driving for twenty minutes. I wasn't expecting us to get here so soon. I'm shaking from nerves and excitement. I haven't seen Max in person since he left in August, but things between us are amazing. We find some way to talk every night, even if it's just a goodnight text to each other on our busy days. I shoot another text to Stacy letting her know we are pulling up to the apartment complex he lives in.

"He's gonna piss his pants," Dan says, leaning up to get a better look of the complex that he lives in.

"I think Lennox is going to puke," Alexa says, nudging me.

"No, I'm not. I'm good."

I try to shake off my nerves. Max's door is within view, apartment number five. I can see the black number clearly even from here. I take a deep breath. The plan is for me to show up at his door and while he shows me around everyone else is going to quietly walk into the house and when we come back out to the living room, they'll all be there.

I take another breath before I knock on the white door in front of me. There are muffled voices inside, and think I hear Stacy asking Max to get the door. The lock clicks and now my heart is racing so fast I think I might pass out. It swings open. Max is standing there with his mouth wide open in shock. He's dressed down in old sweats and a ripped black t-shirt that looks like a Jurassic Park shirt but says Jeff Goldblum. I think I just fell in love even more.

"Lennox?"

"I was in the neighborhood and I..."

I don't get to finish my words because his lips slam into mine. I stumble back a bit, but he throws out his arm behind me to steady me. Happy tears fall down my cheeks, and my lips curl into a smile from underneath his. He pulls back just an inch to get a look at me, then places his hand against my cheek.

"You're really here?"

"In the flesh," I say with a smile.

"Who's at the door?"

Max turns around, Stacy's whole face lights up like she's surprised. Max steps aside as she pulls into a hug. When she pulls away, she looks over my shoulder at the limo squinting like she's trying to see everyone inside.

"So, you're going to just keep me outside or are you going to show me around?" I tease.

Max smirks. "I'm sorry, I'm just in shock that you're here. I thought you weren't coming until your February break. If I'd known I wouldn't be looking like a slob," he laughs.

"There was a change of plans." I lie, shrugging my shoulders.

I knew I was coming during Christmas break but made him believe I didn't have the shoot until February.

I bump into him. "The first thing that popped into my mind when I saw you wearing that shirt, was how much more it made me love you." I laugh. "Just don't ever show my dad, he might try to steal it from you."

He chuckles. "I'll make sure not to wear it around him."

Ha! If only he knew who was lurking outside the apartment. I step inside with the two of them, Stacy lingers by the door.

"Max, why don't you show her the garden between our house and Mrs. Millers. The strawberries are to die for," Stacy says.

Max grabs hold of my hand and drags me through the apartment. I don't get a chance to see much inside the house, as he leads me out through a small eat- in kitchen and out a sliding glass door. I'm in awe by the courtyard we've stepped into. There's grass in the center and along the outer edge, and a rectangular concrete path the circles around. The grass smells freshly cut, and it looks like if you threw yourself onto it, it would cushion your fall.