Page 75 of Yours, Forever

"They're gorgeous." She moved to the sink, where she washed the milk pitchers. "Max has been wearing his for a while."

Her tone didn't do much to hide the implicit question. Knowing my friend, she didn't even try.

I didn't answer. Max never stopped wearing his ring after the gala. I tried not to look at it too much, nor ponder why. There was something about both Max and I wearing our rings, and pretending in front of my mom, that I couldn't think much about yet, either.

Ale gazed around the café. It wasn't too busy at the moment. She leaned close to me, creating a bit of privacy around us. We both turned our backs to the patrons.

"Everything okay?" she asked me quietly.

"In what way?"

"In any way. All ways. What's going on?"

I chose the most urgent one.

"It's my mom's visit. Knowing her, I won't get a word in edgewise and I'll just end up with a cracked tooth from grinding so much… and a cold."

"A cold?"

"I always get a cold right after she leaves."

Ale sighed. "Family, am I right? I love my dad, but I'm happy he lives all the way down in Perú, and that I love Ren so dearly that I don't mind living with her. I'm also happy this wasn't about having issues with Max."

"I don't have any issues with Max."

Except that we'd be sleeping together that night, and I was nervous about it. Especially since I'd almost said fuck it, and jumped him, the night before.

Like Max would say, better not to dwell.

"So that's going well, then." Her face softened with relief. "I was worried for a sec. Talk about awkward otherwise! You know I had serious doubts when you agreed to it, but he has this way of ingratiating himself with you, doesn't he?"

I nodded. Yes, he did. To the point I worried how tempting things would get sharing a bed.

Normal, normal, normal. I could do normal.

"Anything I can do to help with your mom?" Ale frowned and studied me. If I hadn't been worried, I would have laughed. She looked a lot like Daniel at that moment.

"It's fine. Thanks, Ale. Just make sure everything works well tonight and tomorrow morning. That's all I need."

"You probably want a bit more time these days, too, right?"

"I want more flexibility, of course. Get back time for myself. Exercise by the beach if I feel like it and all that."

"Jump on a plane with Max at the drop of a hat."

I scoffed. "Start a local business association."

"If you and Max end up running for Council together, Hernán is going to lose it."

"No, no. Not the Council. But a group to organize our efforts, maybe? That would help us all."

Ale glanced back at the sitting area, double checking everything was calm. It was.

She gave me a long look. I arched a questioning eyebrow.

"Here's an idea." Ale pursed her lips with nerves. "I'd like to have a more official position here in the shop with you. I can't offer to put much money into it; not that I think that would tempt you these days, considering. But I'd like to offer elbow grease."

My heart fluttered with a mix of hope and nerves. "Tell me more."