were right here and now they both vanished. I hope they're okay.”
Trey paused. “I'm sure they're fine.”
Max snickered as he zipped his pants back up. I, however, didn't find it too funny.
“They're going to be suspicious. Why else would the both of us disappear for fifteen minutes?”
“I'll tell them you were busy putting my hot dog in your bun.”
I smacked his chest, at the same time wondering how much better this would have been with him totally naked, too. Given his reputation, there wouldn't likely be a next time, so I would never know.
“What's the big deal? We're adults. You're acting like we're kids and your mommy's gonna punish us if she finds out.”
“If my mother really did find out I had anything to do with you, she would disown me.”
He grunted. “Nice to know I inspire such strong feelings in some folks.”
“Well, this is a small town. Word gets around fast about stuff like that.”
“Yet another reason I moved far away.”
We slipped out quietly. The others were sitting on the deck, watching dinner cook on the grill. I gathered some paper plates and other supplies, then went to join them.
Rachael squealed when she saw me. “Oh, Anna! I was so worried. Thought you'd fallen down the steps or something.”
I laughed softly and set the stuff down on the table. “Nope. Just took me a while longer to get dressed in the dark.”
Trey looked me over as he poked the dogs with a fork. He didn't believe me; I could tell it. But was Max right? Why should I let it bother me?
“Max is trying to figure out what happened,” I added quickly.
“Mm. If a branch wrecked the line, it's not getting fixed tonight. Looks like we'll be dining by candlelight.”
Where was he, anyway? He was going to come out behind me, he'd said. Maybe he was in the kitchen, rooting around for beer in the fridge – and letting out all the cold air in the midst of a power outage too.
Rachael got up and started dancing to some crappy music on the stereo. She had a fresh glass of booze in her hand, and every time she twirled, a bit more splashed on the patio.
“Trey, dance with me!” She tugged his arm. “It's no fun alone.”
He chuckled. “This guy isn't a dancer, Ray. You know that. Besides, someone has to cook the food, and it sure won't be my lazy brother.”
She sashayed to me next and thrust her cup in my face. “You gotta try this, girl. I made it myself with vodka, Sprite, and cranberry juice.”
“Sounds great, but I'll pass.”
She pouted. “You're being so boring tonight! I thought we came over here to party.”
Before I had a chance to make up some inane explanation, the lights came back on in the house.
“Well, that was fast.” Trey's brow furrowed. “We're still missing Max, however.”
I was getting a bad feeling about it. What if he slipped on the wet floor and broke his neck? Yeah, I know. Way too paranoid.
“I'll go look for him. Hey Trey, make my hot dog with extra char on it, if you don't mind. I like it really black and crispy.”
He stuck out his tongue in mock disgust. “You're one weird girl, you know that?”
Honestly, I agreed with him. Ever since I fell pregnant, I'd been craving the oddest foods – blue cheese and pastrami sandwiches, coffee with peppermint ice cream in it, and globs of horseradish sauce on pretty much everything.
I would have found it amusing if I wasn't so damn scared about how I'd handle this mess totally alone.
Inside, it was quiet. Max wasn't in the kitchen. My heart pounded faster. What if he really was hurt?
“Max?”
“In here.”
I followed his voice down the hall to the living room. When I got there, he was gazing at my open laptop with wide, confused eyes.
“What the heck are you doing on my computer?” I jogged over to shut it down. “That's private...”
Then I figured out I'd left my email open. The message was dated from a few days ago, sent to me from the Ferris-Logan OB/GYN clinic.
“Thank you for becoming a patient
Trey paused. “I'm sure they're fine.”
Max snickered as he zipped his pants back up. I, however, didn't find it too funny.
“They're going to be suspicious. Why else would the both of us disappear for fifteen minutes?”
“I'll tell them you were busy putting my hot dog in your bun.”
I smacked his chest, at the same time wondering how much better this would have been with him totally naked, too. Given his reputation, there wouldn't likely be a next time, so I would never know.
“What's the big deal? We're adults. You're acting like we're kids and your mommy's gonna punish us if she finds out.”
“If my mother really did find out I had anything to do with you, she would disown me.”
He grunted. “Nice to know I inspire such strong feelings in some folks.”
“Well, this is a small town. Word gets around fast about stuff like that.”
“Yet another reason I moved far away.”
We slipped out quietly. The others were sitting on the deck, watching dinner cook on the grill. I gathered some paper plates and other supplies, then went to join them.
Rachael squealed when she saw me. “Oh, Anna! I was so worried. Thought you'd fallen down the steps or something.”
I laughed softly and set the stuff down on the table. “Nope. Just took me a while longer to get dressed in the dark.”
Trey looked me over as he poked the dogs with a fork. He didn't believe me; I could tell it. But was Max right? Why should I let it bother me?
“Max is trying to figure out what happened,” I added quickly.
“Mm. If a branch wrecked the line, it's not getting fixed tonight. Looks like we'll be dining by candlelight.”
Where was he, anyway? He was going to come out behind me, he'd said. Maybe he was in the kitchen, rooting around for beer in the fridge – and letting out all the cold air in the midst of a power outage too.
Rachael got up and started dancing to some crappy music on the stereo. She had a fresh glass of booze in her hand, and every time she twirled, a bit more splashed on the patio.
“Trey, dance with me!” She tugged his arm. “It's no fun alone.”
He chuckled. “This guy isn't a dancer, Ray. You know that. Besides, someone has to cook the food, and it sure won't be my lazy brother.”
She sashayed to me next and thrust her cup in my face. “You gotta try this, girl. I made it myself with vodka, Sprite, and cranberry juice.”
“Sounds great, but I'll pass.”
She pouted. “You're being so boring tonight! I thought we came over here to party.”
Before I had a chance to make up some inane explanation, the lights came back on in the house.
“Well, that was fast.” Trey's brow furrowed. “We're still missing Max, however.”
I was getting a bad feeling about it. What if he slipped on the wet floor and broke his neck? Yeah, I know. Way too paranoid.
“I'll go look for him. Hey Trey, make my hot dog with extra char on it, if you don't mind. I like it really black and crispy.”
He stuck out his tongue in mock disgust. “You're one weird girl, you know that?”
Honestly, I agreed with him. Ever since I fell pregnant, I'd been craving the oddest foods – blue cheese and pastrami sandwiches, coffee with peppermint ice cream in it, and globs of horseradish sauce on pretty much everything.
I would have found it amusing if I wasn't so damn scared about how I'd handle this mess totally alone.
Inside, it was quiet. Max wasn't in the kitchen. My heart pounded faster. What if he really was hurt?
“Max?”
“In here.”
I followed his voice down the hall to the living room. When I got there, he was gazing at my open laptop with wide, confused eyes.
“What the heck are you doing on my computer?” I jogged over to shut it down. “That's private...”
Then I figured out I'd left my email open. The message was dated from a few days ago, sent to me from the Ferris-Logan OB/GYN clinic.
“Thank you for becoming a patient
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