Max (A Carter Brother series Book 4) (36 page)

Having my family back in my life has been a whirlwind since the second they arrived. I haven’t had time to really process anything or what it means, them being here for me. It all feels like a foggy dream and I keep expecting to wake up any second.

At times it feels like old times, falling into old habits, laughing and joking. It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since I last saw them. It’s like we’ve never been apart. But then there are times when everything stops and I look at how much has changed, how much they’ve changed, and it all floods back, feeling like it’s been far longer than a year.

Max has been great. He’s supported me since their arrival and has made sure I’m okay with everything and him after he went behind my back and called them. At first I was angry but now I know that he did it with good intentions. It also helps knowing everything that really happened and that I didn’t lose my brother. I kind of owe him my life. I’ll be forever thankful for what he did for me, for my family.

He’s also been great with Cowen. They’ve hung out like they’re old friends, played football, played the Xbox and even gone out together to do
boy stuff
. Even Mum and Dad have both commented on how happy they are at seeing Cowen so happy, glad that he’s finally interacting with someone other than them and Marybeth.

It worried me that he had no one other than those three during such a hard time in his life and even asked my parents why none of his friends were there for him. She explained how he pushed everyone away after the accident due to the deep depression he was suffering with. Even after he got better he refused to make new friends, scared of what they’d think of him or that they’d think he was an invalid. It kills me knowing I could have been there for him, helped him through it all.

I’m just glad he met Marybeth. She is genuinely the kindest person you could ever meet. All the girls have welcomed her into their fold and have kept her company while Max has been out with Cowen and I’ve spent alone time with my parents.

I’ve also gotten to know Marybeth, not as well as I would have liked, though. But even if I didn’t, just listening to her talk about my brother or the way she looks adoringly up at him any time he is near would tell me everything I need to know about her. She truly does love my brother and he loves her and she doesn’t seem bothered by his illness. She’s also given me another perspective on my brother, filling in things Cowen couldn’t talk to my parents about during the time his illness was at its worst.

And although the past few days have been a blast, a sickening feeling that it’s all about to come to an end is churning in the pit my stomach. I don’t want my parents to leave and I don’t want to leave Joan and everyone else. It’s tearing me up inside.

It’s the fourth day of having my family here and Joan has arranged a meal for everyone over at her house. We’ve all stayed at Mark’s the past four days, even me, only going back to my room for a change of clothes. My parents didn’t even blink when they found out I was sleeping in Max’s room which surprised me.

With there being such a large number of us, Mark has had to pull out the large table, my dad helping him set it up with the extended middle to make it bigger. It barely fits in Joan’s large kitchen.

My heart warms watching and listening to my two families laugh and get along together. It’s true what they say, not all family is through blood. Sometimes a family is those closest to you. Joan and the Carters have been a family to me since I was found in the shed at the church. They’ve done nothing but show me kindness and love and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to thank them enough.

“You look so different with your guard down,’’ Kayla tells me, walking up to my side. Turning my head to the side, I look at her, my eyes pulling together in confusion. Out of all the girls Kayla is the one I’m closest to, second to her is Harlow but that’s only because we live together. Everyone else is busy with their lives, work and college.

“What do you mean?’’

“Before your family arrived you were so secretive, always on guard. It was like you had the whole world on your shoulders, always checking over your shoulder, worried about what was following you. The guilt you carried in your eyes, the pain and sorrow would make me catch my breath every time I saw you. Now you’re relaxed, light, free, your eyes softer and that strain you carried in your expression has now gone.’’

“WOW! You make it sound like she looked constantly constipated,’’ Max tells Kayla, jumping behind us.

“Shut up,’’ I laugh, turning to slap him on the chest. For some reason he doesn’t get on my nerves as much as he used to. I’ve also found myself acting like a thirteen year old teenager with a huge crush when I’m around him. It’s sickening really.

“God, no!’’ he says looking horrified. “Imagine the constant awkward silence,’’ he tells us, exaggerating.

“Yeah, but think of the silence,’’ Kayla giggles, moving over to the table and taking her seat.

“Where’s Denny?’’ Joan asks Mason as he walks through the back door, catching mine and Max’s attention.

“She’s about a minute behind me. Evan and Kennedy just picked Hope up for the night,’’ he answers, giving everyone a chin lift.

“I got friends,’’ Cowen tells Marybeth as they walk into the kitchen, sitting down at the table.

“Yeah, you do,’’ she smiles, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

“Your brother fucking loves me,’’ Max whispers in my ear, causing me to shiver. With my parents under the same roof, I’ve not been able to explore Max the way I would have liked. We’ve touched each other but it’s never gone too far. So after four days of constant foreplay between the two of us, I’m craving him like a pregnant woman does her food. My body is always hyper aware when he’s around and I’ve found myself damp just looking at him.

A joke about my brother’s head injury is on the tip of my tongue, using that as an excuse as to why my brother likes him so much. Feeling ashamed of myself I shake my head, turning to Max with a smirk gracing my lips.

“Someone needs to,’’ I tease.

“You love me more,’’ he jokes, moving and taking a seat next to Cowen, high fiving him which has become their normal greeting for each other.

“Twin, five, high,’’ Cowen laughs, his eyes shining brightly when he sees Max. My eyes water watching them playfully high five each other, Marybeth shaking her head at their childish antics.

Pulling a chair out, I sit opposite Max, my dad to my right at the head of the table and my mum to my left.

“I love my daughter,’’ Denny shouts as she walks through the back door with an evil grin upon her face.

“What did my girl do?’’ Max chuckles. He really does love his niece. It still surprises me about the way he is around that little girl. It just adds to his hotness in my book. I’m still gutted I missed her birthday party. I was too wrapped up in my own shit, but it’s still no excuse. I felt so ashamed the next day when Joan asked me where I was. I ended up going over to Denny’s to apologise. Even though she waved it away in understanding, guilt still gnaws at me.

“I think...thought Lake w-was your... Um... Your.... Um.... Love?’’ Cowen says, looking frustrated. He gets frustrated a lot but the only time he’s flipped over it is when he wanted ketchup the other night at dinner but couldn’t say that he wanted it. In the end Mum had answered him and just like I predicted he flipped a lid, saying he wasn’t a baby.

“Oh, she is,’’ Denny winks at Cowen, causing him to blush. “We’re talking about my daughter, Hope. She just did a nice big poop for her uncle Evan, my brother.’’

Cowen laughs then falls easily into conversation with Marybeth and Kayla, telling them all about the football game he and Max played the other day.

“Won’t Kennedy just change her?’’ Mason asks, biting his bottom lip. “What if he doesn’t clean her properly and she comes back with a rash?’’

“He has a daughter that he changes daily. I’m pretty sure he knows how to change a nappy, Mason,’’ Denny replies, rolling her eyes. “He lost a bet and has to change nappies for the day as punishment,’’ she grins.

“Unluckyyyyyy,’’ Max hoots, laughing.

“Dinner’s done,’’ Joan announces, moving towards the table with serving dishes full of delicious smelling food. The roast she’s spent the day cooking smells divine and I can’t wait to dig in, my grumbling stomach agrees. How she managed to cook enough to feed fifteen of us is anyone’s guess. Her appliances are only small, yet, somehow she still managed to cook more than enough.

“Do you want any help?’’ I ask, feeling bad that I’ve not offered to help until now.

“Ass licker,’’ Max mutters under his breath, but loud enough for everyone to hear. Joan hears him and smacks him lightly across the head. “Harder,’’ he smirks at her, giving her a wink. She just shakes her head and grabs some more dishes.

“No thank you, sweetheart,’’ Joan smiles.

“Lick ass,’’ Cowen chuckles, grinning at me, a look I know all too well crossing his features. I know exactly what he’s thinking about. Call it twin intuition if you like. I glare at him, warning him to keep it shut, but he just chuckles, shaking his head. Thankfully, Marybeth distracts him from saying anything more.

When I was in year nine I basically did everything in my power to get our drama teacher to like me. She’d always get me to do the shitty jobs, ones involving painting, making props or helping backstage. It was so boring. I had to watch paint dry for hours.

It didn’t matter how nice I was to her, how helpful I became, or that I’d bring her treats every drama lesson, she’d still never give me the leading role as Juliet. My frenemy, Alishia Cole, got the leading part all the time, even though she did a terrible job. 

With the table buzzing with a million and one conversations, I’m worried no one heard that dinner was ready. It’s only when Joan finally sits down that everyone turns quiet and begins to help themselves to food.

Looking around the table I bite my bottom lip, worried. For some reason the tension in my shoulders has not left me today and I’m beginning to feel uptight about it. It doesn’t help everyone is here, together, for the first time since my family arrived. I’m worried they’re not going to like each other. I don’t think I’d cope if they never got on.

“Please don’t make me say a prayer,’’ Max whines when everyone has their plates nearly piled with food. Confused, I look up, wondering what on earth he’s going on about. Joan has never made anyone say a prayer at dinner before. I should know, I’ve lived here for months and months.

“It would be good for your soul,’’ Joan teases, rolling her eyes at him.

“Are you going to whip me again as punishment if I don’t?” he asks, his bottom lip quivering. He asks the question with such sincerity that
I
almost believe him.

Cowen’s eyes are wide with fear and Marybeth, bless her heart, looks confused as her eyes bounce back and forth between Max and Joan’s conversation. My parents, however, are shifting uneasily in their seats, looking like they’re ready to run for the hills, grabbing me and Cowen with them.

“He’s joking,’’ I assure them quickly, glaring over at Max, warning him to shut the fuck up.

Max gasps at my spoken words, a fearful expression still on his face as he keeps one eye on Joan. “I do not joke about the whiplashing. I can still hear the sound of the leather whistling through the air, the sound of it hitting my skin. The pain, Jesus, the pain,’’ he shudders, his eyes looking lost for a minute or two like he’s actually reliving the traumatic event. “It’s okay, though. It’s still not as bad as when she made me be a naked slave for the day, all her friends trying to take a turn.’’

“He really is joking,’’ I tell my parents, but don’t focus long enough on them to gauge their reaction. My eyes are completely focused on one subject, Max, wishing I could sew his fucking mouth shut. Why is he doing this right now? He’s behaved as much as Max can all week and I’ve been thankful for it. I don’t want my parents thinking I’ve been living with a crazy person.

“You wound me,’’ he says, sounding genuinely hurt.

“I’ll wound you in a minute if you don’t shut up,’’ I bite out. Images of jumping over the table and wrapping my hands around his throat are running through my mind. And as if reading my thoughts, an amused smirk tugs at his lips, making me growl under my breath.

The table has gone noticeably quiet, however, I’m too pissed to be embarrassed right now. My parents are going to freak out any second. I can see it now. They may be easy going parents but even this is something they wouldn’t expect someone to joke about. They don’t even know Max well enough to know he has an abnormal sense of humour, or that he tends to be over dramatic.

“She got to you didn’t she?’’ he asks me, his voice above a whisper. He looks sad as he moves his food slowly around his plate with his fork, his hands shaking now and again.

“Dick-”

“Language,’’ Mum warns, and I bow my head embarrassed. Max chuckling breaks into the silence. He slowly begins to laugh which causes me to snap my head up. As soon as I do everyone else is joining in with him, laughing their heads off at my reaction.

“You could have kept going for a while longer. She looked ready to smash her plate around your head.’’

My glare turns to Mason, not caring that he’s right and that I was ready to smash a plate around Max’s head. That’s when I realise everyone knew what he was doing, even my parents. I wondered why no one had stepped in to shut him up. Growling under my breath, I narrow my eyes at everyone.