Coffee

Part Forty: What A Surprise...

***The Next Morning: Sunday***

Waking up, I feel like shit.

I couldn't sleep without Max- especially knowing he's mad at me. As well as knowing fully well that I'm going to more or less ruin our relationship telling him that Henry went down on me last night and for a good few minutes I didn't stop him. I probably would have let him keep going if it was for the guilt plaguing my stomach.

Checking my phone, he hasn't messaged me at all and I'm not surprised. I text him.

Good morning! I miss you! Please come over!

I wait and get no response. Sighing, I climb out of bed and get dressed for the day in jeans and a pink sweater. Heading downstairs, unlocking the front door as I pass and head to start making breakfast for Henry and myself and hopefully Max if he shows up.

Telling him is going to kill everything between him and I. Even if I do as Henry suggests and blame it on him- Max is still gonna be pissed and say I told you this would happen.

But at the same time, I cannot allow Max to hate Henry for my mistake. It was solely my mistake and Henry is just too nice to let it fall just on me.

I can hear the downstairs shower running- he must've gotten up earlier than I did. As the water turns off, I hear him shuffling around my bathroom as I cook the eggs and bacon. Before I know it, my front door opens and in walks Max. His face tired and still upset from yesterday.

"Good morning! Just in time- I've made breakfast." Pulling the pans off the burners, I walk around the counters and wrap my arms around him- leaving a few quick kisses on his lips. His hands are still stuffed in his pockets and he hasn't said anything or even really kissed me back.  Heading back to my stove I grab plates and silverware, along with mugs and glasses. "Espresso?"

"No thanks." He says groggily and sits on a stool. Henry comes out, dressed in a black dress shirt and dark denim jeans and smiles widely at us.

"Good morning! Max it's so great to see you this morning. I was worried, I wouldn't get to say goodbye." Henry comes over and sits next to Max and then smiles warmly at me. "Helen, I must say that shower is like a dream in there. Rain showers just purify the soul- I swear."

"Yes, had my first experience with one in Rome and when I renovated- I had to put two in. Espresso?"

"Yes, please and thank you." I hand him a warm mug and he adds cream and sugar to it. Our eyes connect and he looks at me as if telling me it'll be okay. Just as I feel I should come clean to Max, my phone goes off upstairs and I look at them.

"Excuse me. It might be the hospital." I state and head upstairs to get it. Picking up, it's just a telemarketer. I fucking hate those. All day long, five hundred fake calls a day. Gah!

Heading down stairs, I hear Henry and Max talking and as I come off the last step and turn to head back into the kitchen, I witness Henry leaning over and pulling on the sides of Max's face and pressing his lips to Max's.

Max quickly pulls away and stands up, nearly knocking my stool over and Henry catches eyes with me and so does Max.

"Helen..." Henry says and I shake my head, slowly approaching. Max is now on the other side of the counter rinsing his mouth out and looking disturbed and disgusted. What the fuck was that? He full on Frenched him! And after last night! But...maybe...this was his plan all along. Get Max to think he's gay so he would assume nothing happened between us.

"Did...did you just kiss him?" I mean obviously he did. I witnessed it. I also witnessed his tongue going straight into Max's mouth.

"I'm sorry....I couldn't help myself." He stutters pathetically.