Chapter 11

Eleven

M ax

Somehow, all 40 of my relatives have let me sleep through the rest of the evening. I haven’t even been woken up by my Dad or my stupid sister for anything the next morning.

Mom and Dianne had planned an early morning of Black Friday shopping along the Magnificent Mile, and I am happy that they both have made a friend. And I am secretly grateful to Dianne for occupying my mother so I could sleep in.

As I move around the nearly empty house, I find that Sam still isn’t back home yet. Dad is in the den, watching football highlights, seeming to be content with some quiet time.

I check my messages. Both Sam and Talbot have texted.

My heart rate spikes as I instantly click on Talbot’s name.

Babe, I’m taking a sledgehammer to the old parsonage today if you want to come celebrate afterward.

Butterflies surface in my stomach. He is really going to do it.

I call for a Lyft and as I wait, I read my sister’s message.

I took a cue from Stoner yesterday and I called Jenna to tell her how I feel. It’s been an interesting time.

You’re talking to your sponsor about your love life?

She replies, Dummy. My sponsor is my love life. I just didn’t realize it until yesterday. Turns out, she felt the same way this whole time. Do you think Mom and Dad will freak?

Honestly they won’t care who you end up with as long as they make you happy.

Thanks, sis.

Love you, Sam. And I’m happy for you. Imbecile.

Slut.

I snort a laugh. That’s my sister.

The Lyft driver drops me off in front of the bar, where Talbot waits for me.

He greets me with a huge one-armed hug and a kiss that nearly bends me in half backwards.

“Are you ready for this?” he asks.

“Sure. You?”

“Let’s smash this bitch,” he says.

Upstairs in the former rectory office is where he wants to start. He touches the sledgehammer to the built-in desk. And then he lifts it over his head and brings it down with a heavy crash. It takes a few swings, but the desk eventually comes apart.

He points to the cabinets. “This is where he kept the wine that he gave me. He said it was OK because it was holy.”

Talbot smashes the shit out of the cabinets.

I stand back to avoid getting hit by flying debris. Soon I’m out in the hallway, and he’s inside the room alone, tearing the place to hell, roaring with every backswing.

I start to worry that this might not have been the best idea for him.

When he’s finished, he’s covered in sweat and his face is unreadable.

“Baby?” I say, stepping into the room.

“I don’t feel anything.” His eyes are vacant.

“What were you expecting to feel?”

“Better. I expected for the last of the pain to go away. But it’s just meaningless. I don’t feel anything. It’s just a room where some bad shit happened a long time ago. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.”

“Do you still want to turn it into a restaurant?”

He tosses the sledgehammer to the floor and it lands with a thud. He looks up at me and says, “No.”

“Why not?” I ask.

“Because,” he says, his eyes suddenly warm and connecting with me again, “I don't think you actually want to stay here.”

“What?” I’m totally taken aback.

“Are you staying here for me or for you, Max?”

“Talbot.”

“Tell me the truth. I need to know if you really want to stay here in Chicago or if, in your heart of hearts, you want to go back to California. Because I’m getting the feeling that being here is not good for me. I need some space to figure things out.”

My heart falls to my feet and my lip starts to tremble. This cannot be happening. “Are you saying you want some space from me?”

“What? No! Fuck no!” Talbot comes to me and grabs me by the shoulders. “That’s not at all what I’m saying. I mean I need some space from this city. From the neighborhood. From the people who come around the bar night after night. I need you and I need a change of scenery.”

Before I know what has come over me, I blurt out, “I don’t want to sell to Green Wave! I want to go back to San Diego and I want you to come with me.”

Talbot has me in his arms, and even though he’s covered in dust and sweat and twenty-plus years of dirt and baggage, he is the sexiest thing I’ve ever known.

We kiss each other for the longest time there in the room where his childhood was snatched away, and now we’re reclaiming it as something completely new and different.

We spend the rest of the day in his apartment, snuggling on his bed in our underwear, under a pile of quilts, watching Hallmark movies while he feeds me popcorn by hand.

“I love you, Talbot,” I say.

“He kisses the top of my head and says, “I love you, too, or I wouldn’t be watching these godawful movies with you.”

“You better get used to it because they’re kind of a big deal for me,” I say, sliding my smooth leg slowly up his hairy one.

He sets down the bowl of popcorn and slides a hand under the blanket, covering my tummy. His fingers glide into the waistband of my panties.

“Only if I can do this while you’re watching the TV. That might make it more interesting.”

I close my eyes and sigh as his hand slides lower until his fingers find my pussy. “Mmhmm. You can do whatever you want to my body as long as I get to control the remote,” I say.

Before I know what’s happening, he’s dove under the blankets and slid my panties down.