Indelible Lovin' - Max & Jane's Story Vol. 2: Indelible Love, #4

By DW Cee

Last we met, I was doing a great job getting to know Max's family and trying to soften up his ice cold parents, when his mother dropped a serious bomb on me. Max, Hannah, an unwanted pregnancy...then I blanked out! This volume explains what happened since that night, and I get to tell you about all the ways Max and I love each other, frustrate the hell out of each other, and overall try and grow with each other.

In Vol. 2 of my story, you meet Max's brothers - both of whom I adore, get a glimpse into the weirdness going on between (my) Donovan and Laney, and see my family constantly running interference for me and Max. There are days when I don't think we will make it, and Donovan Taylor does his part to ruin my relationship with Max. But in the end, love and fiction rule, and a happily ever after is restored...or is it? There are more twists and turns in my life than a roller coaster ride at Great America. Why can't life be simpler? I guess if life was easy, it'd be boring.

Check out Vol. 2 and I promise you won't be disappointed. It was nice getting to know so many of you during the eight-month blog run. I'm sure even after my story ends, we'll see each other again in another Reid saga.

Talk to you soon!
Jane

• Language: English
• Publisher: DW Cee
• Release date: Jul 19, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301893218

DW Cee

I started writing back in Dec of 2009 after I saw an interview with Stephenie Meyers. She told Oprah that she always had stories in her head and that struck a chord with me. Whenever I drive, I have all kinds of stories circulating in my mind. Generally, I am the star of this story and many wacky things happen. Of course, I make the story quite complimentary and beneficial to me. I guess you could say Meyers channeled my head case into a novel. I am first a wife and a mother, as well as a restauranteur and a caterer. Writing is my last profession and a late-found one. I have a B.A. and an M.Ed from UCLA (yes, just like Emily from Indelible Love) and taught 1st grade for four years till I had my first child, a son. Two years later, I had my daughter and the two kids ran my life till they both started school. My husband and I opened a restaurant in LA when we first got married and have been in the food service industry for almost 17 years. I think I've always been a foodie at heart and though it sounds strange, loving food did not have anything to do with opening up a restaurant. That was all my husband's idea. I didn't even know I could cook till I got married. And then I discovered, I love cooking! I love everything related to food. Eating, first, cooking second, cleaning a definite last. I could do without the cleaning from the prep work and the mound of dishes created after a meal. But, that's a whole other blog in and of itself. Whenever we plan a family trip, and especially when my husband and I go on a couple's trip, it's based around what we want to eat, or which restaurants we want to visit. Hubby and I did a trip to Austin one summer just to eat BBQ. The trip to Rome was for pasta, Tokyo was for ramen and sushi, and in Paris, we gorged on treats from all the beautiful patisseries. The two best meals of my life were at Taillevent and Joel Robuchon in Paris. All of these places and restaurants sound familiar? :) NYC is our favorite city (and yes, Emily's favorite city as well) for dining. But… I digress. Even with the crazy schedule, I hope to keep writing. Indelible Love - Emily's Story and Indelible Love - Jake's Story were my first two attempts at writing. Entwined, my third novel, as well as Indelible Lovin' - Max & Jane's Story Vol. 1 & 2 have also been self-published on Amazon, Smashwords, iBooks, Nook, and Kobo. I am currently working on another story titled, Unlikely Attraction, as well as a new In...

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Author's Note -

This is Volume 2 of Indelible Lovin' - Max and Jane's Story. If you haven't read Vol. 1 yet, please stop and read those blogs first!

Last I left you, Jane found out at the Davis dinner table that her boyfriend had gotten his high school girlfriend pregnant. Max got upset with his parents for revealing his secret, Jane fainted from the shock, and volume two opens with a period of explanation and reconciliation. The level of angst in volume 2 will not disappoint. Even if you've been with me from the beginning of the blogs, you will find new aspects of this story as you read and reread the Reid / Davis / Taylor saga.

As always, thank you for choosing to read my work. There are so many fantastic authors who have produced hours of enjoyment for you and me. I'm honored you'd choose to read what I have to say. Hope volume 2 will meet and exceed your expectations.

Happy Reiding!

March 21, 2013 F***! Did that just happen?

Are you sure you're feeling alright? I don't need to take you to the hospital? Max asked, very concerned for my welfare.

No. You checked me over. I'll have Jake check me over. I'll even go see Uncle Henry if necessary. You can just drop me off now. I opened the door, trying to escape without talking about anything. I pretended to still feel faint during the drive home after the dinner from hell.

Jane. Max grabbed my arm. Hear me out. Let me explain. I don't want you going dark on me again.

I paused for a while, and just stared off into space.

I got the gist of what happened between you and Hannah, thanks to your mother. Give me time to process, evaluate, accept...and whatever else I need to do. I promise I won't go dark, but I probably won't call you or answer your calls for a few days.

I'm sorry, Jane. I'm sorry how that all came out. I'm sorry my mother acted so cruelly. And I'm sorry I'm always disappointing you.

That last sentence broke my heart. I don't think I'm disappointed in you because of what happened in high school. I'm upset because...Max, I need to gather my thoughts and think through what happened tonight. I don't want to say anything that will hurt you even more than you are hurting already. I'm sorry I can't be here for you right now when you're struggling, but I need to take care of myself first.

Was that selfish of me to want to nurse my confused heart, first? Max's face truly broke my heart. I could feel the tears wanting to form, but I wasn't going to give in to them.

Alright. He said in a defeated and somewhat angry voice. Call me when you're ready to talk.

His body turned back to the steering wheel and it was as though he was dismissing me. How dare he dismiss me? That pissed me off so badly, I slammed the door and didn't look back. By the sound of the car peeling out of our cul-de-sac, I wouldn't have had time to even look back. Jerk!

I walked straight to my brother and sister's house to get some answers.

Is it too late to come knocking? I was an uninvited, unwelcomed intruder in my brother's opinion, from the moment he let me in.

Yes, Jake answered. We were in the middle of a movie.

Jake, Emily warned. How'd it go tonight? She patted her hand on a cushion telling me to sit next to her on the gigantic sofa. I chose to sit in an armchair across from them.

Emily, do you know who Hannah is?

Emily shook her head, no.

Max dated her in high school?

Emily still shook her head, no. Max never told me about a Hannah. I just know about Jennifer, the girl he dated after me.

I relayed the Davis family story hour and Emily's eyes bugged out with each layer of drama.

You need me to check you over? I can't believe you fainted. I actually shocked my brother.

Me neither, but I feel fine right now, I think. It was a good thing Garret was right next to me when I did my head plop. I've never fainted before. From what Max told me, I was only out for like a minute. Once I woke up, Max did a thorough check-up and drove me home.

Did you ask Max about him and Hannah?

I shook my head no to Emily, and just sat there for a few minutes.

I'm not upset about Max getting Hannah pregnant. It was stupid but whatever.... What upsets me is that we talked about Hannah and their relationship on Friday, at the rehearsal tea. Max didn't want to talk about it, but I forced some information out of him and not once did he hint at the fact that Hannah was a huge part of his life. That's what upsets me. He lied to me.

Jane, I don't think he lied to you. It's not easy to tell anyone, especially your girlfriend, that you knocked up a girl in high school. My brother was actually defending Max. That was a change.

What else would you call someone who doesn't tell you something that important?

How long have you two been dating?

Three months.

And have you told him everything about your past?

What's there to tell? If there's anything important, I have no issues telling him. I didn't know why Jake was picking on me. I wasn't the one who knocked up a former girlfriend and didn't tell his current girlfriend about it.

So you've told him about the loser that you practically lived with in law school? Jake challenged me. That same one whose ass I had to kick to the curb when we figured out that he was stealing from you?

That's hardly the same level of secrecy. Plus, I wasn't trying to keep that a secret. It just never came up.

Jake was doing the quirking of the eyebrows. And you told him about the other loser you dated in undergrad? The one you almost got married to in Vegas, but came to your senses at the last minute? That one too...not the same level of secrecy? He imitated my voice.

Now my brother was just irritating me. This wasn't about me. It was about the fact that Max purposely kept Hannah from me even though she was back in his life. He should have chosen to tell me all about his past.

NO! It's not the same as not telling me about a baby.

Don't be a frickin' hypocrite. I know Max wasn't your first. You could've ended up pregnant just like Hannah. You just happen to have been more careful, or maybe just damn luckier. Give the guy a break. He's got a bitchy mother, an almost mother-of-his-child ex who jumps back into his life, and a girlfriend who won't give him any peace. Give it a rest, Jane!

I just stared at him, dumbfounded. How did I go from indignant to admonished all within a few minutes?

Emily tried to soften Jake's blow by adding, Max was such a lost and private person when I met him in college. He rarely talked about his parents, though he adored his brothers, and he didn't go home unless he had to go home. I was always happy to have him with me, and a part of me thought he stayed around for my sake, but deep inside I knew something was terribly wrong with his family life. The few times I spent the holidays with the Davis family, I thought I'd go bonkers with all the tension between Max and his parents. If it weren't for Garret and Josh, I don't think I could've withstood those holidays.

I hate the fact that you were alone for so long, Emi. There goes my brother. One minute he's berating me, and the next he's waxing poetic about his wife, when his sister was the one alone right now. Hey brother! How about some love for your only sister?

I wasn't alone. I had Max and Sarah and Charlie. They were my friends and family till I got my chance with the illustrious Dr. Jake Reid, she laughed.

Even in the midst of my pain, Jake and Emily were...being Jake and Emily. I had to laugh and roll my eyes at them.

Ahem...hello! My issues...not your past issues, please!

Sorry. Emily pushed herself away from my brother's embrace. Max hides a lot of pain in his heart, and he'll keep it hidden away till he's confronted and has to fess up. But, he loves sacrificially and unconditionally. You must know this by now, Jane. Look at how he broke up with me. Of course he didn't tell me at the time why he broke up with me, but he did it to send me off to a better life. He was so lost in undergrad that he didn't want me to wander through life with him, searching for his meaning in life. He thought I'd suffered enough with the loss of my parents. If it hadn't been for his sacrificial love, I would've never met your brother.

Max sacrificed for you, but I don't see that same kind of love for me.

Really Jane? Come on. Do you not see how patient he is with you? Do you really not see how much he's trying to make your relationship work? Do you think he likes seeing you waver between him and Donovan?

How'd you know about that? Are there any secrets around here?

I see the way you look at him. And I, too, admit...he's a handsome man - especially when he dresses up, like he did for Gram and Roland's wedding. I could see Jake's body stiffen. Max sees it too.

If he sees it, does that mean he doesn't care enough to confront me, he doesn't have the balls to confront me, or he just figures let life fall where it may?

He's never confronted you? Emily questioned.

Okay, he has confronted me a few times...I guess I keep breaking my promises to him. I confessed. It's not like anything happened with me and Donovan.

I think Max loves you, despite your faults and if you told him you wanted to go to Donovan, he'd probably let you go if he thought Donovan could love you more and give you what you needed, better than what Max could give you. This unconditional love that he has for you is not a weakness. I think it's his strength.

Listen to Emily, Jane. She makes sense and if anyone knows what's going on in Max's head, it's probably your sister - though it doesn't thrill me that she knows another man so well. He turned his wife's body towards him to address his next beef. "What did you say about my best friend? You find him attractive???" Jake emphasized the last word in horror. I'm gonna go kick his ass the next time I see him dressed up.

Perhaps you should go shopping with him, Emily teased. That outfit he wore to Gram's wedding was pretty hot.

Damn it! Don't ever look at him again, Emi.

Emily placed her hand on Jake's cheek and gave him an adored look.

My brother and sister gave me a lot to think about and everything they said made sense. The last look on Max's face still haunted me, and it was wrong of me to leave Max to nurse my own pain, when his mother had purposely hurt him so viciously. It was late, but the call was overdue.

Hi, I cautiously said when Max picked up his phone.

Hey. He sounded cooler than I would've liked.

Can we talk? I'd like to talk tonight if that's alright with you.

I can't tonight.

What?

Why not? You just left here saying you wanted to talk to me, and that you didn't want me to go dark on you.

Yeah, but I'm busy right now.

I had a sinking feeling I wasn't going to like the answer to the question I was about to ask.

What are you doing that makes you so busy at midnight?

I'm with Hannah right now.

Shit! Shit, shit, shit! I calmed myself down before uttering another word.

That's where you went after you dropped me off?

Jane. Now he had the gall to sound exasperated. You didn't want to talk to me. He stated simply. I tried to explain my side of the story, but you told me you needed to take care of yourself first. The asshole was using my words against me. "I'm letting you take care of yourself, first. I'm here with someone who's willing to share in my pain. As you said earlier to me, 'I won't go dark on you but, I probably won't call you or answer your calls for a few days.' I'll be in touch later." He hung up.

SHIT!

March 25, 2013 Aaargh!

Max, the jerk, did not call me or answer my calls for the last few days, as he threatened. Sometimes I hated myself for saying things that came back to haunt me. I was a ball of nervous energy since my last conversation with my boyfriend, if he was still that. I finished all the documents that needed to be finished before my psycho boss asked for them, I cleaned out my cubicle of an office, and I even went home and cleaned out my entire room. I also started looking in the papers for a place to live. I was 27 and living at home. Enough was enough. It was time to fly the coop.

Any word from Max? Emily asked when I went over to her house after work.

No, I answered while helping her seat Ellie and James in their bath chairs.

The twins were seated in this contraption that looked like a low-seated chair that suctioned into the farmhouse sink in the kitchen.

I have to do it this way because of my burgeoning belly, Emily explained as she turned on the space heater, created a gigantic bubble bath in the oversized porcelain sink, then proceeded to strip each child and place them in their seats.

Which seat belongs to which child?

James always likes to be on the left side, closer to the door and Ellie prefers the right seat.

Weird!

Dadadadada... James called out calmly as he saw my brother's car fill into the driveway. Ellie didn't catch on till Jake actually walked through the door.

DA! She screamed.

Does this girl have only one decibel?

Hello my precious babies! Jake called out, kissing and blowing raspberries on each child. The twins were in heaven.

Ellie kept calling out Mmmmm.

What's she saying? I wondered.

I think that's her way of asking for more. Emily told the both of us.

You want more? The babies giggled and hollered with glee, as Jake kept kissing and blowing raspberries all over their bodies.

Are you home for good tonight? Emily asked her husband when he finally got around to kissing his wife.

No. I only came home to put the kids to sleep since I didn't see them this morning, and then I've got to go back out, he answered Emily then turned his attention to me. What are you doing here little sister?

I'm just trying to fill time; I came by to see my niece and nephew; and I came by to hang out with Emily.

Why don't you go to the hospital with me after this is done? Max gets off in a couple of hours.

I think I'll just wait till he calls me, I answered sadly.

Be ready to leave in 20 minutes. The twins go down pretty quickly after their bath, Jake commanded.

Jake gave me lots of brotherly advice during the short ride from home to the hospital. I was more nervous than I thought I would be about facing Max.

He's up on the fifth floor in pediatrics. Go make up with him. Apologize and tell him that it was wrong of you to leave him the way you did. Trust me when I say this is the man for you, Jane.

Alright, I answered reluctantly.

I walked along the hallway of the fifth floor and headed towards the student lounge area. That was where I was told I could find Max.

Jane, what a nice surprise! Psycho greeted.

Hello Joyce, I answered politely.

How are you?

Well, and you?

I'm super! This woman was so mental! I assume you're here for Max?

Yes. I'm definitely not here to have a conversation with you!

He's been in the lounge area with a friend from Michigan for the past half hour.

Crap! She was here. What is she doing here? I didn't have a very good feeling about what was going on between Max and Hannah.

The lounge is over there, she said as she pointed down the corridor.

Thanks...

When I got to the door, I was afraid to open it. What if they were in some compromising position? What if he had been leaning upon her the past few days rather than calling me? Aargh!

I opened the door to find Max and Hannah seated next to each other, but in a perfectly acceptable situation.

Jane. Max looked surprised to see me. What are you doing here?

What the hell do you think I'm doing here? No, I did not say that. I was good and I just gave them a nice smile.

I was hoping to talk to you?

I'll leave you two alone, Hannah said, and got up very quickly. I'm very sorry about the other night Jane. It shouldn't have come out the way it did. I hope you're not too angry with me or Max.

I didn't answer her, but I gave her a nice smile as well.

I'll see you later? Hannah gave Max an affectionate touch on the arm.

Sure. I'll see you soon. Don't worry, Hannah. Josh, Garret and I will help you bring back all of your stuff.

Alright... she looked at him one more time before heading out the door.

Max stared at me expectantly and waited for me to start.

Hi. I said softly.

Hi. He answered back, with very little enthusiasm.

Are you done with rounds? Can you talk? He nodded his head, but didn't speak. Do you want to talk? I actually stood in fear of his answer.

I don't know Jane. I don't know if I'm done taking care of myself first.

Fine, Jerk! Go ahead and hold a grudge. I felt my freakin' nose tingle, my stomach did a little unhappy flip and the tears were forming behind my eyeballs. I quickly turned around. I wasn't going to let him see me cry over him. I ran to the door and pulled it open as quickly as humanly possible.

Get back here! He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me into him.

I struggled and pushed him away. If he didn't want me, I didn't want him either. I was no crying missy waiting for her man to come back to her. I'd walk away first before I let him walk away from me.

Do I actually see tears in your eyes? Max started with a small chuckle, but soon grew into a guffaw.

"Are you crying over me?" He severely exaggerated the me part, while putting his hands over his heart.

That gesture gave me the chance I needed to get the hell out of here. I told you to get back over here, Jane! You leave this room, I'm not coming after you. Our relationship, as we know it, will be over! Was that a freakin' threat? Unbelievable...but, kinda hot! (What was wrong with me? In this uber piss-me-off situation, I still got hot and bothered by Max barking out threats. Loser - that's what I was!) Back to being mad - who the hell did this guy think he was, ordering me around? So what if he held the title, "Boyfriend." No boyfriend treats his girlfriend the way he treated me just now.

I pulled the door open but wavered. Do I go...? Or do I stay...?

March 28, 2013 Dem Bones

Are you staying? Max taunted.

No, Asshole. I'm not! I yelled and opened the door, only to be bounced back into the room by my brother Nick.

Sister! I can hear your damn voice all through the hallway. The kiddie patients are ringing in their complaints to the nurses' station as we speak.

Shut up Nick, and get out of my way.

I tried to push him away, but Nick grabbed me, turned me around and pushed me over to Max. Max then turned me around and pushed me back to Nick. They might as well have been singing, red rover, red rover, send Janey on over.

At this point, not only was I seeing RED, but I was also incredibly hurt that Max shooed me away. Stop! I get it. You don't want to have anything to do with me. You didn't have to push me away like that... The tears fell and I ran to the door.

Come back here, Max grabbed me and hugged me before I could get out. God only knows why I love you so much when you drive me nuts 95% of the time. I love you sweet Jane and I'm sorry I made you cry. Your brother and I were having a little fun. I wasn't pushing you away.

Ah Janey, did we hurt your girly feelings? Nick walked over and sandwiched me from behind. We're sowry, he said in a 3 year-old voice.

Shut up Nick, and get off me. I don't want your hug. I tried to shrug him off. He only held on tighter and laughed.

Enough drama. Let's go eat. Nick pulled away, but Max kept his arms tightly around me. Geez, Max! What do you keep doing wrong? My sister's been royally pissed with you twice in one month. Tread lightly or you may get the ax. Nick whispered the word ax while motioning his right hand across his neck.

Max and I cracked up.

Have you had dinner? Max asked, while kissing me by the ear.

I shook my head no. I was going to have dinner at Emily's, but Jake brought me over here before I could eat anything. We should probably see if Jake wants to come as well. He hasn't eaten either.

Nick, can you make yourself disappear for 10 minutes? Go find Jake and ask him to have dinner with us.

"That's all you need? 10 minutes? You're giving us men a bad name, Davis," he said jokingly as he walked out.

Even though Max started the apology, I decided to get this guilty conscience off my mind, first. "I am truly sorry about Sunday night. I was in such shock. I feel really bad that I left you to deal with your mom by yourself. I should've been there for you." There. It was done.

Really bad? He mimicked my words while kissing my lips, Max-style, with both hands on my face. "How badly do you feel?" This tone was doing things for me now. We'd stepped beyond what was proper in a public staff lounge.

Very bad, I joined in the banter. "I've been a really bad girl..." Oh, let the fun begin!

He backed up against the door for assured privacy, or at least a chance to stop what we were doing before anyone could completely open the door.

You're going to have to be punished. Damn! Did he seriously say that? Come here and kneel. Hot damn‼ He did seriously say that.

Yes Sir, I answered submissively, but smiled wickedly.

Less than ten minutes later, Jane...what the hell? Max barked, as I left the room for him to deal with his not so happy ending. You didn't think after all those days of making me wonder what the hell was going on between him and Hannah, that I'd simply kneel back into his life, do his bidding, and all would be hunky-dory, did you? We're on the right track, but there needed to be a little pay back, Jane Sydney Reid-style!

What are you cackling about? Nick asked, trying to open the door to the lounge.

I wouldn't go in there if I were you, I warned. Let's go to the restaurant. I curved my arms around both Nick and Jake's arms and pulled them toward the cars.

What about Max?

Don't worry, Nick. I'll text him the location of where we're going.

With a strawberry margarita in hand, I laughed with my brothers as I told them how James was trying to feed himself a pea tonight, but ended up shoving it up his nose instead.

We should have invited Emily, tonight. Shall I call her and see if she can come out?

I doubt it, Nick. She's been dog tired these days since James started walking. Now she's chasing after a baby, while carrying one in her arms, and another in her stomach. It's been tough on her. In fact, I feel guilty being out with you guys, tonight. My brother so loved his wife. There's Davis over there, Jake pointed.

Hey, everyone called out to one another.

Hello, Jane. Max said coolly, with a hint of a threat.

Hello, Max. I answered back with laughter in my voice. Everything, okay?

No! he whispered, curtly.

I whispered back, You seem grumpy. Couldn't you finish on your own?

Why should I when I have a girlfriend who'll finish me off? He added suggestively but resolutely.

Am I still your girlfriend? Last I checked, there was another girl sitting by your side. I questioned his beliefs.

You two gonna whisper to one another the whole night? Nick pretended to be annoyed with us. He could be such a pain in my ass at times.

Later. The sound of his voice and the look on his face was definitely contrite and penitent.

After an enjoyable dinner, the four of us headed back to my house. Jake came in briefly to say hello to Gram and our new Gramps, who were back from their mini-honeymoon in Carmel. But he soon went off to his own family. Max, Nick and I sat with the elderly folks and enjoyed talking to them.

Where will you set up house, Gram? Nick asked.

I think we'll stay here till Roland and I decide where we will live.

What do you mean? You're not living in LA? I asked, shocked that they'd even consider living away from us.

Roland still has to show his presence in London since his home office is there. I don't know. We shall see, Janey. She then turned to Max, Will you be spending the night, Monsieur Le Duc?

No, Gram. Jane and I need to discuss a few things, and then I'll be gone. I'll see you again, soon?

We said our goodnights to everyone and Max and I went into my room.

Shall we talk? We sat on the chairs because we knew the bed wouldn't be the best place for a talk.

Sure.

Let me go first?

I nodded yes.

I've told you about my parents and how I felt that they never loved me enough. Hannah came from the opposite where she grew up in an overprotective home. Her parents hovered, helicoptered, and got in her nose about everything. We were both ripe for rebellion.

Max pulled me onto his lap and continued his story.

We were young, we thought we were in love and we were definitely stupid. We started having sex on my seventeenth birthday, but didn't protect ourselves every time. We thought it wouldn't happen to us, and a few months into being sexually active, Hannah got pregnant. I was scared shitless. We tried to hide it from her parents, but she got so sick every morning, her parents figured out what was wrong and demanded we get married immediately.

Oh Max... I felt so scared and sorry for him.

My parents refused to allow me to get married at seventeen, Hannah's parents practically forced us to the altar, and somewhere during that time, Hannah miscarried. What my mom said was true. She, my dad, and Hannah's parents overwhelmed us - especially Hannah - and she lost the baby.

Max stayed silent for a long while. I just sat and held him.

I was so relieved; I didn't have time to be sad that a baby died. I didn't think of the baby as our baby. I just thought of it as a nuisance and a halt to my future. But Hannah thought exactly the opposite of what I thought. She looked at me and the baby as her future, and she went through a bout of depression when she lost the baby. I tried to comfort her, but in all honesty, I was too relieved to empathize or sympathize. Shitty of me, huh? He asked quietly.

Max, you were seventeen. Who wants to be tied down at that age? What you felt was normal. I would've felt the same if that had happened to me. You can't blame yourself for being honest.

I blame myself for pulling away from Hannah when she needed me most. After she lost the baby, I tried not to be, but I was a bastard, and I shirked away from my responsibility as her boyfriend. Her parents saw my actions as a blessing in disguise and they uprooted their family to Michigan. That's how it really ended for us.

Poor Hannah.

Baby...please don't be upset with Hannah. She's a sweet girl, and she's down on her luck right now. I'd like for you to be friends with her, if you can, and treat her like a sister or a cousin. You'll like her.

Just what I needed...another one of Max's ex as a sister...GROAN!

I was really lost when I got to undergrad. I think the pregnancy scare along with my parents' severe disapproval from that point on, sent me into a senseless rebellion. If it wasn't for Emily, I would've been a serious lost cause.

Is that how you stayed a virgin with her for four years? I always wondered about that fact.

Yeah. My brothers called me a born-again virgin. We both laughed. As much as I wanted to further our physical relationship, I was relieved more than anything when she told me she wasn't going to have sex with me.

I gave him a skeptical look. You mean to tell me you never tried to get Emily in bed with you?

Well, I didn't say that...in any case, let's not talk about a woman who's your sister, a mother of three, and Jake's wife. If he had any inkling of this conversation, I'd probably end up hospitalized. That brought out another round of laughter. I woke up and grew up after I let Emily go. That reality check was like an ice bucket to my face. It was then that I decided to go to med school, study pediatrics, and help kids who didn't have any help. I guess this is my way of apologizing to, and paying penance toward my unborn and unwanted child.

Okay, I understand and accept what happened to you in high school, but what was the deal with you going straight to Hannah after you dropped me off here on Sunday?

Max's snickering did not sit well with me. I stood up from his lap, only to be pulled back into his body.

Sorry. I was being a bit of an asshole to you that night. You turning away from me that night hurt, so I wasn't exactly truthful about why I went to go see Hannah.

Oh... Guilty feelings got to me again and I hid my face in his chest.

It's alright, Babe. I understand why you ran out of my car as quickly as you could. I wasn't honest with you from the start, the atomic bomb my mom dropped on you was beyond acceptable, and you just needed time to process all the information that was handed to you in one night. Once I cooled down from being pissed at my mom, I saw the light and understood why you did what you did. He put his arms around me and held me tight, showering kisses upon my head.

And Hannah?

His chuckling reverberated from the bottom of his chin to the top of my head. "Of course...Hannah. My green-eyed monster wouldn't be my