Max’s head hung low, and he smiled. It was a forced, close-lipped fake ass smile, and I wondered why he even tried it in the first place.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said.
“The waitress cleaned our table ten minutes ago. We’re just sitting around in there doing nothing. What’s next?”
“I take you home.”
I thought I heard him wrong. “Take me home?”
“You shouldn’t be involved in this, Priscilla. It was stupid of me to even let you tag along.”
“Let me? I volunteered. Did you forget that? I’m trying to help you find Cora, you know.”
“What if there’s nothing to find?” He blurted out, looking me straight in the eye, every muscle in his face twitching. I may have even seen a tear. “What if it’s too late?”
I scoffed. “What in the hell are you talking about? Is that what you’ve been doing out here, convincing yourself that she’s lost forever?”
“I haven’t had to convince myself of anything.” He lowered his head again. “I used to think the only thing powerful enough to control a werewolf was the moon, but apparently I don’t know shit, and there’s three of them slinking around the city. The city my girlfriend is lost in.”
I hadn’t let any of Dana’s story sink in, but if she were being honest about it all, that did put Cora in a dangerous position. I guess I hadn’t wanted to think about it.
“I’m sure she’s fine,” I said. I sounded as convincing as I thought I would, which was not at all.
Max leaned far back into his seat, his eyes focused somewhere between the dashboard and the ceiling. “Why are you even here?” he asked.
That took me by surprise. “What?”
“You’ve never treated her the way she deserved to be treated. Cora bends over backwards to be nice to you, and you act put off by it. Like you’re too good for her, when we both know that’s not even remotely true.”
“Jesus, Max, tell me how you really feel.”
“Cut the bullshit.” He said it softly and casually, yet it felt like he was snapping at me. “You know the way you are with her. I keep my mouth shut because you’re her friend, but she’s not here.” Max scoffed. “You should hear the way she talks about you when you’re not around.”
I shake my head and stare at my hands in my lap, prepared to hear it. “What, that I’m a piece of shit?”
“No, that you’re her best friend.”
Why did that kind of hurt when he said it?
He mentioned this before, back at my apartment, but for some reason it felt much heavier this time around.
I took a deep breath. “Cora’s too…nice,” I said. “I don’t know how to deal with people like that. I’m so used to people being assholes and liars that I’m always waiting for the other shoe to drop. I kept expecting to find out she wasn’t as nice as she is, and it was all an act.”
“She couldn’t fake that even if she tried.”
I chuckled. “She is a piss-poor liar.”
“The worst,” he added, with a faint smile on his lips.
“Look, Max, I don’t have a great track record when it comes to friendships. Believe it or not, some people find me difficult.”
Max looked over at me and just stared. “Is that supposed to be some kind of revelation?” he asked.
“You could at least act surprised. Daggett was a lot nicer when I talked to him.”
“Daggett’s known you for two seconds. You forget you and I go all the way back to Rookridge, long before Cora got there.”
“And you didn’t like me then?”
“You put my business out there for every person that walked into your store to hear. What do you think?”
I laughed to myself. “I almost miss those stupid ass days. I mean, I fucking hated my job and my life—no change in that department, by the way—but at least none of this crazy shit was going on.”
“It was always going on, we just weren’t a part of it.”
“Being blissfully ignorant sounds nice right about now.”
He stared out the window. “That’s not an option anymore.”
“You’re right. Which is why I’m gonna stay and help.” Truth was, I didn’t know how the fuck I was supposed to help, but if I didn’t, I’m pretty sure that made me a terrible person. I may not be a good person, but contrary to popular opinion, I hope to get there someday. Max must have understood my position, because he looked at me and nodded. I got no argument from him.
“Oh, and to answer your question,” I began. “I’m here because I want to be, and because Cora’s the only person I know who can tolerate my shit. And she’s about the only friend I’ve got.”
Max faintly grinned. Immediately, I regretted opening up like that.
“And if you tell her I said that, I’ll kick your ass,” I warned.
“I hope you get your chance.” He was still dwelling on the idea that she was dead. With a heavy breath, he said, “You know, just last week I was looking for a gift to give her for Christmas. I went to a jewelry store to buy the necklace I gave her, and I passed all these engagement rings. For a moment, I almost did it.”
Was he really talking about popping the question? Jesus.
“You don’t think it’s a little early for all that?” I asked.
“With someone else, maybe. Not with Cora. I don’t know anyone else who would stand beside someone with all my baggage. Most sane people would run the other way.”
“Well, Cora’s not exactly sane.”
Max laughed. “No, maybe she
