Crazy Beginnings and Happy Endings
ninety-three
"I don't care who it was," I said, as Max and I boarded the plane to go back to Pittsburgh. Max's time off had been faster than we had expected. Now we were going back to the 'Burgh. Hopefully, the cafe would be ready for painting and decorations.
"I do," Max argued. "I want to beat the living shit out of the person. They have no right to send you messages like that. It sounds like they are stalking you."
"At least they stopped after I left Pittsburgh," I added.
"True," Max agreed. "But who's to say whether they will start up again when we get back. I don't feel safe leaving you at home when I go on road trips if this person is going to be stalking you."
"I know, love, I know," I said, rubbing his arm. I gave him a quick kiss. "You know that there are people that will be around, like Vero, who will be hanging out with me all the time. I'll be safe. Plus, Nicola is coming to help with the cafe and stuff."
"Oh, right," Max nodded. "How long is that for?"
"She said that the earliest she is going to leave will be October," I told him. "But she will probably stay until November."
"Why so long?"
"After we are done with the interior and set-up, she is going to help me with running the store."
"Cool," Max sent me a smile. "I like Nicola. Is she staying in a hotel?"
"No," I shook my head. "I hope it's alright that I told her she could stay at our place."
"Of course," Max nodded. "I wouldn't want her to be spending an arm and a leg on a hotel for the amount of time she is staying."
"I was hoping you'd say it was ok," I smiled. "Do you think we can have a barbecue once she gets there? That way she can meet people."
"Sure," Max shrugged. "I don't see why not. We can get the guys together and party in the backyard."
"That's usually what a barbecue is," I muttered, causing Max to give me a playful shove. "I'm just saying," I laughed.
"Shut up," Max said, glaring at me. "Did I tell you that Staalsy found himself a girl?"
"Nope," I shook my head. "And neither did Jord."
"Really?" Max gave me a questioning look. "I thought you'd be the first one he told."
"I doubt that," I said. "But I'm a little surprised neither of you told me. I thought you guys were bad with secrets. Mind you, I hope his girlfriend isn't a secret."
"Me neither," Max agreed. "They've only been going out for about a month. At least that's what Jordan said."
"Do you know what her name is?" I asked.
"Um, Priscilla or Pansy," Max guessed. "All I remember is that it started with a P."
"I really hope her name isn't Pansy," I chuckled, shaking my head.
"I really wish I could remember," Max frowned.
"It's ok," I said, taking his hand. "I'm sure Jord will introduce us soon."
"He better," Max said. "I'll bug him until he does."
"I'm excited now," I smiled, looking out the window.
"Why is that?" Max asked.
"I might make a new friend," I said, turning back to him. "I don't know why, but TK's girlfriend and I just never clicked."
"Probably because you are so much more out there than she is," Max shrugged.
"I doubt that," I chuckled.
"I'm being completely truthful," Max said. "Don't get me wrong, Jasmin is a really nice girl, but there is something about her that makes her, uh, different. She's a little socially awkward at times."
"And there is something wrong with that?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.
"NO!" Max looked at me with wide eyes. "There is nothing wrong with that. I'm just saying that you go out there and you are yourself no matter what anyone thinks. I think Jasmin thinks that people will judge her if she is as out there as you are."
"Oh," I nodded, taking in what Max said. "Maybe I'll invite her shopping next week or something."
"That's a good idea," Max smiled. "She would probably like that."
"I do," Max argued. "I want to beat the living shit out of the person. They have no right to send you messages like that. It sounds like they are stalking you."
"At least they stopped after I left Pittsburgh," I added.
"True," Max agreed. "But who's to say whether they will start up again when we get back. I don't feel safe leaving you at home when I go on road trips if this person is going to be stalking you."
"I know, love, I know," I said, rubbing his arm. I gave him a quick kiss. "You know that there are people that will be around, like Vero, who will be hanging out with me all the time. I'll be safe. Plus, Nicola is coming to help with the cafe and stuff."
"Oh, right," Max nodded. "How long is that for?"
"She said that the earliest she is going to leave will be October," I told him. "But she will probably stay until November."
"Why so long?"
"After we are done with the interior and set-up, she is going to help me with running the store."
"Cool," Max sent me a smile. "I like Nicola. Is she staying in a hotel?"
"No," I shook my head. "I hope it's alright that I told her she could stay at our place."
"Of course," Max nodded. "I wouldn't want her to be spending an arm and a leg on a hotel for the amount of time she is staying."
"I was hoping you'd say it was ok," I smiled. "Do you think we can have a barbecue once she gets there? That way she can meet people."
"Sure," Max shrugged. "I don't see why not. We can get the guys together and party in the backyard."
"That's usually what a barbecue is," I muttered, causing Max to give me a playful shove. "I'm just saying," I laughed.
"Shut up," Max said, glaring at me. "Did I tell you that Staalsy found himself a girl?"
"Nope," I shook my head. "And neither did Jord."
"Really?" Max gave me a questioning look. "I thought you'd be the first one he told."
"I doubt that," I said. "But I'm a little surprised neither of you told me. I thought you guys were bad with secrets. Mind you, I hope his girlfriend isn't a secret."
"Me neither," Max agreed. "They've only been going out for about a month. At least that's what Jordan said."
"Do you know what her name is?" I asked.
"Um, Priscilla or Pansy," Max guessed. "All I remember is that it started with a P."
"I really hope her name isn't Pansy," I chuckled, shaking my head.
"I really wish I could remember," Max frowned.
"It's ok," I said, taking his hand. "I'm sure Jord will introduce us soon."
"He better," Max said. "I'll bug him until he does."
"I'm excited now," I smiled, looking out the window.
"Why is that?" Max asked.
"I might make a new friend," I said, turning back to him. "I don't know why, but TK's girlfriend and I just never clicked."
"Probably because you are so much more out there than she is," Max shrugged.
"I doubt that," I chuckled.
"I'm being completely truthful," Max said. "Don't get me wrong, Jasmin is a really nice girl, but there is something about her that makes her, uh, different. She's a little socially awkward at times."
"And there is something wrong with that?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.
"NO!" Max looked at me with wide eyes. "There is nothing wrong with that. I'm just saying that you go out there and you are yourself no matter what anyone thinks. I think Jasmin thinks that people will judge her if she is as out there as you are."
"Oh," I nodded, taking in what Max said. "Maybe I'll invite her shopping next week or something."
"That's a good idea," Max smiled. "She would probably like that."