Homecoming

Chapter 24

After a busy day on the tennis court, I collapsed on the terrace after dinner. My whole body ached, but it wasn't just the pain and fatigue of today, but a mixture of ending, ongoing, and emerging muscles. Max prepared a program worthy of an athlete for us every day, and my body was already tingling with muscle exertion and fever.

I was glad that I was finally able to lay down and not have to move my bones. I lay sprawled with my limbs spread wide apart like a starfish and allowed to cool in the light breeze. Max and his children were still sitting in the living room, watching the sports station, where they were just recording a football match.

I didn't understand how they could enjoy it. Not only did they spend half a day with the ball on the field, but when they could finally watch a movie about real life, or romance or a fairy tale, they watched the match. I was almost asleep when I heard Max start talking to children.

"The boys?" Max addressed them in a voice he used whenever he had something on his mind. So I immediately got a bad idea that he probably didn't want to ask them to go to bed too, but that he had something else in mind. "Would you mind watching a movie yourself tonight? I'd like to take Kirsten out to the bar. "

What?! All the faints passed me immediately.

"And can we have popcorn?" Garrett wondered.

"You can do whatever you want," Max said.

"Great," said Garrett, who didn't really need much to luck.

"Jared?" he addressed his second son after a short moment, but in a slightly more serious voice. "Won't that bother you?"

"No," he assured him.

No, I protested in my mind and plunged deeper into the pillows. I didn't want to go to the bar with Max and watch half of the girls present take his eyes off him, stare at him and constantly demand his attention. I really didn't have the nerve for this and besides, I was really in pain all over Kirsten.

"And watch out for your brother?" he picked it up.

"I will, as always," Jared replied proudly.

"Great," Max said, and there was a male clap in the sound. "So after the movie to bed, and if you want, call me on my cell phone."

"Don't worry," Jared growled irritably. "I'm big after all, and I can take care of Garrett."

"I know, I just want to be sure," he growled, and then I heard silent footsteps approaching in my direction.

I didn't move even when I felt Max's presence. I continued to lie with my eyes closed, breathing. When he didn't say anything for a long time, he just stood quietly beside me, I opened my eyes. I looked up and our eyes met. We stared at each other for a long moment until Max broke the spell.

"Are you really that broken or are you just trying to get the attention of the universe with this position?" he asked me with a laugh in his voice and collapsed beside me. I immediately smelled the captivating scent of his cologne and the heat radiating from his body.

"Are you afraid they would kidnap me?" I asked him.

"Not at all," he shrugged. "Who would just kidnap you?"

"Aliens?" I threw up.

"They'd be on you, you know what," he smiled dryly and whistled lightly.

"Well, thank you very much," I poked his elbow into him. "But you're right, I'd rather be kidnapped by your fans."

"Am I to blame for being so adorable?"

"Yes," I nodded. "If you showed a little less skin for admiration, your interest in you would immediately decline," I said.