Beach Days

Chapter 27 - Beach Days

We only had around a week left living by the beach until we had to head home. Max had a hard time telling his mum about what we'd decided on, especially since she was still grieving the loss of her husband, but when he'd offered to stay instead, she'd insisted that he go.

Not so much because she found it hard to look at him - Max had explained everything, you see, about his past and what his brother had done to get his revenge - but more so because she'd watched him be afraid ever since he'd come to stay with her and she knew that Abby and I were a good influence.  We made him smile again.

"Hey, are you all packed?" I asked into the phone, putting it on speaker and glancing around the now empty looking room. We were to leave on Sunday, which was now only three days away.

"Yeah I'm almost done." he replied. "This is all kind of surreal for me. I haven't been back to the agency in a little over a year."

"It'll be okay. Everyone there is really cool. Besides, you definitely have to start training to keep up." I teased.

"Hey, I'm not that bad."

"Mhm sureee." I paused to pick up one of Abby's books that had somehow made it's way into my suitcase. "Hey by the way are we hanging out today?"

"Actually, I've been wondering if you want to come with me to, you know, see my brother. I actually scheduled a visit a while ago and I'll be the only one actually talking to him, obviously, just thought it'd be nice to have you there for moral support. You don't have to, obviously, if it makes you uncomfortable, who am I kidding, of course it'll make you uncomfortable, but-"

"Max, relax." I laughed, cutting off his rambling. "Yeah, I'll go with you. When are we meeting up?"

"Half an hour?" Max suggested. I checked my watch, nodding, forgetting that he couldn't see me.

"Yeah that sounds good." I said quickly.

"Okay I have to go help my mum with something see you later then." Max said hurriedly before quickly hanging up.

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"Are you sure this is okay?" Max checked anxiously for the fifteenth time. It was sweet, seeing as it wouldn't be the most pleasurable experience to see someone who'd tried to kill me, but I wanted to be there for him.

"Of course." I threaded my fingers through his. "Besides, I'm not going to see him or talk to him. That's all you, but I'll be there waiting for you when you're done, so no more worrying, okay?" 

He clasped my fingers tightly, swinging our hands lightly back and forth. 

I could get used to this.

We were still healing in our own ways, and we weren't doing coupley things like kissing yet - I guess that would have to wait until we were actually dating. But we held hands quite a lot and I loved the feeling.

It was strange, how he could get my heart racing just by the way he held my hand like it was something precious that he was scared to let go of, or the way I would catch him smiling at me sometimes with stars in his eyes like I was the only person he saw.

I also never thought I'd be into this soppy romance shit, no matter how much of a romanticist I was, but hey, there's a first time for everything right?

We walked into the police station together, where I was allowed to sit and wait while Max handed over an ID and checked in. He glanced back nervously at me, so I gave him the most reassuring smile I could, hoping he would be alright after this.