If she presses her cheek to the wall, Max can see him from her place in shadows of the hallway. She can hear him, too. As he paces, cell phone to his ear in the otherwise deserted area, totally unaware of her presence, he holds his forehead in one hand. “Just give Nan the message, okay, Em? Please? I’ll see you tomorrow. Okay? I promise. We can see a movie or I’ll help you with homework. Whatever you want.” Aggravated but hiding it fairly well, he sighs heavily but silently. Turning sharply on a heel, he paces back the other way. Max stays perfectly still so that he doesn’t notice her watching him. She had heard Brayden ask his young cousin to tell their grandmother that he wouldn’t be home that night. It seems like the chickenshit way out to Max, not telling his grandma directly, but that’s just her opinion. And Max also knows why Brayden won’t be home. He’s spending the night at the only other place he could be spending the night—Jenner’s apartment.
