Seeing Max walk around in my home, leaving a faint trail of chlorine-scented air. He squats to pet Mabel, who sniffs his shoes. “What a cute dog,” he says. “So fluffy.” She licks him on the nose, and he grins. Great. My dog has scored a kiss with Max two seconds after he’s walked in. And what am I doing? Standing around staring, his coat over my arm. “You want something to eat or drink?” I ask. Max stands and shakes his head. “No, thanks.” His tall, broad-shouldered body seems to deprive the room of oxygen. “We’ll work in here.” I lead the way into the small room off the kitchen. Max puts his backpack down and pulls up a chair. He nods toward the desk by the window. “Are those your weights?” I glance over at the pink dumbbells lying on the desk. “How’d you guess?” Max says with a smile, “The pink sort of gave it away. Though they could have been your mom’s. Or your brother’s, for all I know.” We both laugh, and I set books on the table. “Michael using pink weights.
What do You think about Formerly Shark Girl (2013)?
