“Maxwell Banks? Is that you?” The woman’s eyes lit up and she pushed her thick glasses up her nose.
“Hey, Marcy. I heard from a friend that you had opened a place here and figured it was time I tried it.”
“Well, I’ll be darned. I never thought I’d see the likes of you in my little ‘ol shop. Maxwell and I went to high school together,” she said to Alyssa, “though I don’t think he knew I was alive.”
“Oh, I knew,” Maxwell said. “At least I did the day you baked us those brownies after our Homecoming win.”
“That’s right. I almost forgot about that. I suppose I should have warned the team about the nuts. Was your friend, what was his name, Doug? Was he alright?”
Max laughed and nodded his head. “He spent the night scratching a rash, but he was fine.”
Alyssa smiled at this playful side of Max. Had he been more easy going in high school? If so, what had happened to him to make him change?
“Well, what can I do for you tonight?” Marcy placed her hands akimbo on her hips, reminding Alyssa of a Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup bottle.
“We had to leave dinner without dessert, so we need something sweet.” Max tossed a wink at Alyssa.
Marcy pursed her lips a moment and then held up a pudgy finger. “I have just the thing. Do you two like chocolate?”
Max raised his eyebrow at Alyssa, who smiled in return. “I love chocolate.”
“Perfect. You two pick a table and I’ll bring you something special.”
As Marcy scurried out of the room, Maxwell gestured to an empty table. Marcy returned moments later with two small white plates. A petite fudgy brownie sat on each, drizzled with a white sauce and a raspberry on top.
“This is gorgeous,” Alyssa said. Though it had no smell, her mouth began watering at the gooeyness she could see oozing from the chocolate.
“Thank you,” Marcy said, executing a small curtsy. “This is my triple chocolate ooey gooey brownie. It may spike your blood sugar, but my customers love it. I’ll leave you to try it.”
She disappeared back into the kitchen area, leaving Max and Alyssa alone.
“Well, shall we?” Alyssa picked up her dainty silver fork and raised it almost like a toast.
Max smiled as he clinked her fork. “I thought you’d never ask.”
As the first bite touched Alyssa’s tongue, her eyes rolled back. “Oh my goodness. This is delicious.” When she refocused, she realized Max wasn’t eating, but watching her, and her face flamed. “Sorry, it’s just so good.” She dropped her eyes in embarrassment, but Max only laughed.
“Don’t be sorry. You are gorgeous when you eat. I could watch you all day.”
Though the conversation stalled after that, it was a comfortable silence. Alyssa enjoyed the way Max made her feel—she couldn’t remember the last time a man did that—but she wondered if Max was being genuine or if this was all part of his act.
When their plates were clean, Max paid the bill and led her back outside. His hand found hers as they walked back to the car, and she didn’t pull away. There was something comforting in his touch.
As they pulled into her apartment complex, she found herself wishing she lived alone so she could invite him in. It wasn’t that she couldn’t invite him in with Roxy there, but she never knew what Roxy would do, and it didn’t invite the atmosphere she was hoping for.
He opened her door after parking the car and offered a hand to help her up, but he didn’t move away once she stood. Instead he laced his fingers through her other hand so that both hands were intertwined.
“Alyssa, I really enjoyed spending time with you. I’d like to see you again.”
His eyes were hypnotizing as she stared into them. She found the last pieces of her resolve that they shouldn’t be together melting away. “I’d like that too.”
The corners of his lips curled into a smile as he leaned down. When his lips touched hers, she didn’t pull away but enjoyed the warmth of them against her own. It wasn’t a long kiss, but it was enough to curl her toes and leave her breathless when he pulled away.
“Will you come tomorrow and hang out with Peyton and me? I was thinking of taking her to the park.”
Alyssa nodded, her voice lost in the emotions running rampant through her body. Max smiled and took a step back. He dropped one of her hands, so they could walk side by side to the door. Once there, he gave it another squeeze and planted another soft kiss on her mouth before dropping her hand and walking away.
She stood rooted to the spot as she watched him go, wondering just what she had gotten herself into.
Chapter 13
Max whistled as he entered the house after dropping Alyssa off. The evening hadn’t started off well, but it had certainly ended much nicer. His lips were still tingling from the kiss with Alyssa, and though he knew he hadn’t won her over completely yet, it felt like he was certainly making headway.
The sound of crying broke his daydream and he quickened his pace as he headed into the living room. Peyton was curled up on Helen’s lap, her face buried in the older woman’s shoulder. Her small frame rose and fell with her sobs.
“It’s alright, dearie. It will all be okay.”
Max rushed to Peyton. “What’s the matter?”
“We were watching a movie, and she said it reminded her of her mum.”
“I miss my mommy.”
“Oh, Peyton. We all do,” he said, reaching out to stroke her back. “I’ll take her,” he whispered to Helen. “You can take off.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind staying and helping.”
Max smiled at her. “No, I’m sure. I’ve got this. I won’t always have you or Alyssa around, so I need to figure out ways to help her myself.”
Helen’s lips pulled into a smile and she took Max’s hand. “You will be a good daddy, no matter what. I can see it in your eyes. Here, Peyton, go to Max.”
Max reached down and grasped Peyton’s arms with one arm while he slid the other under her knees. With an effortless curl, he removed her from Helen’s chest and flipped her over onto his.
“Don’t ever leave me, Daddy.”
The word cut like a knife through his heart. He loved that she called him Daddy but hated that it was due to the tragedy she was feeling in missing Sarah.
“You see? She feels it too.” Helen stood and patted Max’s shoulder. “Call me if you need anything. I’ll see you Monday, Peyton.”
Max mouthed “thank you” to her as she left the room. Then he took the place Helen had just vacated on the couch.
Though he had no magic words to make everything better, he continued to pat Peyton’s back and murmur, “It’s alright.”
When her body stilled, he looked down to see her asleep against his chest. Her little hand was curled into a fist near her chin and wet trails glistened on her cheeks. How much harder will this be if Sarah doesn’t get better?
“She called me Daddy last night,” Max said to Alyssa the next day as they sat on the bench watching Peyton play.
“Max, that’s wonderful.”
He sighed. “It is, but I think it’s because she misses Sarah so much. She was in tears when I got home last night, and she cried herself to sleep.”
“Oh, no. I’ll call the treatment center and see if she’s feels up to a phone call. That would help, wouldn’t it?”
“Honestly, I have no idea what would help. I’m sort of going along by trial and error here.”
Alyssa placed her hand on his knee. “I think you are doing a good job, especially for just a few weeks.”
He glanced down at her hand before returning his gaze to Peyton, who was climbing the small ladder and sliding down the accompanying slide. “I’m just worried about what will happen if Sarah doesn’t make it, you know?”
“That you have to give to God. It’s in his hands now. There is nothing we can do on this end, except pray and be there for Peyton.”
“Where does your faith in God come from?” he asked. “I mean, wha
t started it all?”
Alyssa leaned back in the bench and tilted her face to the sky. “I grew up hearing all about him. My mom and my Aunt Sandra both became strong Christians before I was born, so God was always a part of my life. I didn’t really develop a relationship with him though until my mom got sick. I was only a teenager the first time, and it rocked my world.
“I couldn’t understand why God would let my mom get sick because she had changed her life around and become a crusader for him. My dad withdrew. I don’t think he had a relationship with Jesus like my mom did, so the only one I could really talk to was Jesus and my Aunt Sandra. She taught me how to really pray and how to listen for God’s voice.
“When my mom passed away a few years ago, I blamed God, but my aunt showed me all the extra time he gave me with my mom because she went into remission twice. Slowly, I started to see that God has a plan that we can’t always see, and that sometimes, he answers our prayers in ways we don’t expect.
“When I look back at my life, I can see that he’s always been there for me.” She turned her face back to Maxwell. “I know you don’t believe in him, but he’s there for you too. He’s just waiting for you to invite him in.”
“I don’t think your God would want me. You know a little of my past, but there’s more.” He adjusted his position to find Peyton, who had moved on from the slide and was now playing in the small house.
“That’s what my Aunt Sandra thought after she got pregnant and had an abortion, but when she finally gave her life to God, he used her to save other women and their babies. God doesn’t want you to wait until you’re perfect because we never will be. Instead, he wants to meet you where you are and help you along the way.”
“I’ll think about it, and I’ll keep taking Peyton to church. In fact, can we come with you again tomorrow?”
“Of course.”
Alyssa’s words continued to parade through Max’s head as they watched Peyton play. He had never thought he needed God in his life, but he felt the need for some guidance, and if something happened to Sarah, he would definitely need some strength. He also never thought he’d like kids, but so far that had been a good change, and maybe letting God in his life would be the same.
Chapter 14
"You look beautiful,” Max said to Alyssa as he opened the door. In his hand was a bouquet of wild flowers, which he handed to her.
After their park date and church the next day, Max convinced Alyssa to join them for dinner. It hadn’t been a hard sell as she enjoyed spending time with him though she still worried she was developing feelings for a man she shouldn’t be.
“Come on in. We’ll put them in some water for now and you can talk to Peyton.”
As she followed him into the kitchen area, she couldn’t help but notice his appearance. Though it wasn’t what she was looking for long term, it always managed to grab her attention when she first saw him. His shoulders filled out his dark blue shirt and tapered into a narrow waist. His black slacks sat nicely on his lower half. She averted her eyes as the warmth started to spread across her face.
“Aunt Lyssa.”
Peyton’s voice grabbed her attention, and Alyssa leaned down to hug her. “Hey, Peyton, how are you doing?”
“Good, do you like your flowers? I helped Daddy pick them.”
“They are beautiful, thank you.”
“Hello, Alyssa. Nice to see you again.”
Alyssa looked up to see Helen. “Hello, Helen. It’s nice to see you too.” Her voice held just a hint of curiosity as she thought the dinner was going to be the three of them.
“Helen’s going to watch Peyton, so we can enjoy a nice dinner without distractions.” Max smiled at her as he took the flowers and placed them in a crystal vase he pulled down from a cabinet while she was talking to Peyton.
“Oh, well, that’s wonderful.” Inside her heart had started a steady increase at the thought. Alone with Max at a nice restaurant? She could see two outcomes to this–firecrackers or disaster.
“Don’t hurry home,” Helen said, smiling at them. “I can hold the fort down here.”
“Why do I feel like she knows something I don’t know?” Alyssa asked in a lowered voice as she and Max headed back outside.
Max laughed. "Right? I always feel like that around Helen too."
The smile that lit up his handsome face caused a flutter in Alyssa’s heart. He reached for her hand as they stepped outside the house and she squeezed his back. Though she still wasn’t sure how she felt about his past, she couldn’t deny that he appeared to be changing in front of her. Besides, the feeling of warmth that crept up her arms at his touch was too nice to let go of for now.
Opening the door, he helped her into the seat. Only then did he let go of her hand, and immediately she missed the warmth.
“Where are we going?” she asked as he slid into the driver’s seat. They were in his BMW, and she could see why he didn’t want to get rid of the car. The leather on the seats molded itself to her body, and she felt like she was sitting on foam.
“Do you like Italian?” He glanced at her with a sly smile.
Did she like Italian? Her mother, while not Italian, used to cook her own pasta at home, so Alyssa grew up eating Italian. In fact, one of the things she missed the most was her mother’s cooking.
“Love it,” she answered and couldn’t tame the smile spreading across her own lips.
When they arrived at the restaurant, he hurried to open her door and took her hand once again. This time his fingers laced through hers and fit like a glove.
The inside of the restaurant was dark, lit only by dim overhead lights and candles at each table. A woman in a black dress with a white belt greeted them from behind a podium.
“Welcome to Il Piacere. Do you have a reservation?” Her voice was laced with just the slightest Italian accent.
“Yes, it’s under Maxwell Banks.”
Her eyes scanned a list in front of her. “Ah, yes, here you are Mr. Banks. Right this way.”
She led the way to a back-corner table just big enough for two. A white table cloth draped the table top and white china plates sat at each side. Bright silverware lay on black cloth napkins that lined the right side of the plate. Two crystal glasses resided in front of each plate.
“Would you like some wine? Our house specialty is a red merlot tonight.”
“Yes, that would be lovely, thank you.” Max nodded at the hostess and then held the chair out for Alyssa to sit before taking his own seat. “I hope that was okay. I forgot to ask if you drink wine.”
“I don’t drink much, but as this is a special occasion, I’ll partake.”
“I hope it will be the first of many special occasions.” He reached across the table and grabbed her hand as he smiled at her.
“Well, I was talking about passing my finals,” she said with a shy smile, “but this is pretty good too.”
“You passed your finals? That’s fantastic, Alyssa.” He squeezed her hand, sending another shot of warmth up her arm.
The waitress appeared then with a bottle of wine and a plate of bread. The plate she placed in between them, smiling at their joined hands. The wine she poured into Max’s glass. “Try a taste, sir? Make sure it is to your liking?”
Max lifted the glass with his right hand, swirled it around, sniffed it, and finally took a sip. He had obviously done this before. “It is wonderful, thank you.”
The waitress nodded and then filled his glass and Alyssa’s. “Here is the menu for you.” She handed over a single white sheet with about nine items on it. “Our special tonight is four-cheese tortellini. I’ll give you a minute to look over the menu.”
With a quick nod, she turned and walked away. Her brown hair was pulled into a loose bun and a few tendrils curled at the nape of her neck.
Alyssa scanned the offerings, her eyes widening at the prices. Though she assumed this was a date, she would hate to presume he was paying only to find out she must cover a fifty-dollar meal.
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“Order what you want. Don’t worry about the prices.” His voice was soft and non-judgmental.
“Am I that obvious?” A faint heat stole across her cheeks.
“No, but when you have money like I do, sometimes you forget not everyone does. Tonight is on me, and I want you to choose what you want.”
She nodded and returned her focus to the menu. There were two types of salad, four entrees, and three desserts listed. Though they all looked good, she decided on the special. After all, it was probably the special for a reason.
After the order was placed, Max squeezed her hand. “Tell me a little more about you.”
“Hmm, well, I’m an only child. My parents always wanted more but couldn’t get pregnant after me. I left Mesquite, where I’m from, when I was eighteen to go to school here. What else do you want to know?”
“How did you and Sarah meet?”
Alyssa smiled as she remembered the meeting. “At church, actually. She came in wanting help with an unplanned pregnancy. Said she thought the father would push her to have an abortion, so she left without telling him, but she had no family and needed some help. Would you have?”
Max blinked at her, clearly taken off guard. “Would I have what?”
“Would you have pushed her to have an abortion?”
After taking a deep breath, Max leaned back and ran a hand through his hair. “I’d like to say no. I mean Sarah meant more to me than anyone I had dated. I hope I would have said I’d stay with her, but I can’t know for sure. As you know, I was not ready to settle down then, and I hate to think I might have pushed her to get rid of Peyton, but…”
He couldn’t finish the sentence, and Alyssa was almost sorry she asked. “Do you think you’re ready to settle down now?”
His hand rubbed across his chin as he considered her. “I didn’t think I’d ever be ready to settle down, but then Peyton came into my life and I met you. I think I could be ready to settle down with the right person.”
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