“You two didn’t walk over here, did you?” his dad asked, his brows coming together in concern.
“Yep, we did, and it’s freeeeeezing out there,” Kevin said, exaggerating the word before I could stop him.
“Max, go pull up the truck. There’s no way I’m letting you two walk back home,” he said sternly as I started to protest.
“No arguments, please. The only reason we ventured out today is so I could send the staff home and lock up the building. We’re under a severe storm advisory. Looks like schools will be closed the last few days before winter break was supposed to begin anyway.”
“Woohoo, really?” Kevin asked, pumping his fist in the air enthusiastically.
Max’s dad chuckled. “Spoken like a true kid,” he said, shooting me a smile. “Looks like Max is ready,” he added, indicating the vehicle idling outside the front doors. “You two have a nice holiday,” he said kindly.
“You too,” I said, before herding Kevin out the door.
Max had the heat cranked up all the way when Kevin and I climbed up into the vehicle.
“Yes, it’s so nice and warm in here,” Kevin said, slumping back in the seat. “I’m never getting out,” he added, closing his eyes.
“What if we run out of gas,” Max said, laughing easily.
“I’d just make you park it over at Old Man Wither’s,” Kevin countered.
“Yeah, but you’d be sad when you got hungry, wouldn’t you?”
“Nah, Old Man Wither has the best hotdogs ever.”
Max roared with laughter over Kevin’s logic. “I guess you’ve got a point, bud,” he said, obviously enjoying the easy comradeship they shared.
Listening to them banter back and forth didn't help my broken heart. It was pure bliss and agony at the same time to be so close to him after I had carefully kept myself distanced from him over the last few months.
Max pulled up in front of our trailer and Kevin jumped out, obviously forgetting his resolve to stay in the vehicle forever.
I reached for my own door handle. “Thanks for the ride,” I said as I started to climb out of the vehicle. Max reached over and grasped my arm. “Don’t,” I whispered, looking down at his hand that seemed to burn through my multiple layers of clothing.
“Why? Does my touch disgust you?” he asked in the husky voice that sent my heart int
o overdrive.
I shook my head no.
“Then why?” he asked earnestly as I pulled my arm from his grasp.
“Because it makes me forget everything else,” I said quietly, climbing from the vehicle. I looked back for an instant, watching him study me intently before closing the trailer door.
Chapter 11
School was closed the following day as the storm outside continued to rage. The gusting winds caused the trailer to shimmy and shake like an amusement park ride. Kevin and I stayed bundled up together in my room reading, only venturing out once to use the bathroom at Mr. Wither’s place. He greeted us enthusiastically, making us each a cup of hot chocolate before we trekked back home. Lucinda spent the majority of the day on the phone swearing as she tried in vain to get Jim released. It appeared that Jim’s boss didn’t take kindly to being stolen from and had decided to press charges. Lucinda was distraught when she found out that he was being moved to the county jail where he would most likely get six months to a year for his crime. I kept Kevin away from her as she raged through the house, breaking things in her frustration until she finally dissolved into a pile of tears.
Kevin watched me wide-eyed as I made us sandwiches for dinner. I worked to keep his mind off her loud crying by declaring we would be having an indoor picnic on my bed. He picked at his food solemnly before finally pushing the barely eaten sandwich away.
“Not hungry, bud?” I asked, picking at my own sandwich.
“No, my tummy hurts,” he said, lying back against my pillows.
“Oh, I’m sorry, bud. Everything's going to be fine,” I said, trying to comfort him.
He nodded his head, but I could tell the weight of Lucinda’s outburst throughout the day had worn on him.
He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep with one hand resting against his flat stomach. I brushed my hand across his forehead to make sure he didn’t have a fever and was relieved that it felt cool to the touch.