Romance Impossible(84)

Max just lifted his head, slightly, to look at the young man, his eyes hollow and unseeing.

The server cleared his throat. "We're closing up," he said. "I'm sorry, but you'll need to leave."

"Fuck off," Max growled, turning back to his drink. The server took a step backwards, paused as if he meant to say something - then thought better of it, and skittered away.

"We really should go," I said, my voice husky with disuse. I cleared my throat. "Come on. We can talk...somewhere else."

My intention, really, was to get him back to his hotel and safely in bed. Without me. Seeing him like this, sad and regretful, all my bitterness had started to melt away. To my surprise, when I stood up and took his hand, he didn't protest. Leaning heavily on the bar, he heaved himself up onto his feet and followed me towards the exit.

He must have been drunker than I realized.

The server was standing by the door. As we approached, Max mumbled something that sounded like "sorry, sorry, thank you for your excellent service" and fumbled a few wrinkled bills out of his pocket. The server hesitated, glancing at me.

I gave him a nod, and he took the money. "Thank you, Chef," he said.

Max gave what I assumed was meant to be a dismissive gesture, and kept walking. Whatever he regretted tomorrow morning, I had a feeling it wouldn't be the generous tip to the poor young man who was just trying to do his job.

"Where are you staying?" I asked, as we made our way out onto the sidewalk. Max shrugged. I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"It's not because I'm drunk," he insisted, not entirely convincing me. "How the hell am I supposed to remember these things? I stay in a different place every fucking week."

Well, he had a point there. "Hopefully you've still got your room key, at least," I said. "Check your pockets."#p#分页标题#e#

"Ah ha," he said, after a moment, producing a little white envelope. He hadn't even bothered to take the card out, which was a mercy, since the room number was written on the paper.

"Hang on," I said, looking at the name on the card. "Let me just look up the address." I pulled out my phone, while Max stood there - not swaying, to his credit, but rather standing much too straight and still for someone who was truly sober.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" he said, softly, while my phone took its sweet time to load the results.

I looked at him. His face was soft and open, almost childlike, in a way I'd never seen before.

"What is?" I asked, because it seemed rude not to.

"Technology," he said, almost dreamily.

Stifling a laugh, I looked back down at the glow of my screen.

"I just don't think we appreciate it enough," he said. "That's all."

"I appreciate the hell out of it right now, I'll tell you that." I rotated my phone to try and orient the compass. "Okay. It's not far. Just follow me, all right?"

He plodded along silently, and I resisted the urge to reach back and grab his hand - like I thought I might lose him, somehow. The glowing sign of the hotel finally came into view, and I breathed out a little sigh of relief.

"Look." I pointed. "It's right there. Just a little farther, okay?"

"I'm not a child," he muttered, staring at his feet.

"Could've fooled me."

If the front desk staff looked up as I guided him through the lobby and into the elevator, I didn't notice. The place was deathly quiet, and Max's footsteps fell heavily on the carpet, so somebody must have noticed. But it didn't matter.

I'd expected him to collapse as soon as he got near the bed, but he just stood there, like he couldn't remember what he was supposed to do.

"Lie down," I said, gently.

"I'm not tired," he said.

Oh, boy.

"Okay," I agreed, laying my hand on his arm. "I know. Just lie down for a minute, all right?"

"Fine," he mumbled, sitting down gingerly, then finally stretching out on his side, with his head on the pillow. I went down to his feet and pulled off his shiny dress shoes, tucking them under the bed. I figured it wouldn't be too comfortable to sleep in a tux, either, but I was drawing the line at undressing him.

His eyes were closed now, and his mouth had gone a little slack. I allowed myself a moment of quiet triumph.

Why are you doing this? You could've left him there. Somebody would have made sure he got back all right.

But I didn't want it to just be "somebody." I wanted to make sure. I needed to.

I dimmed the lights and headed for the door. But as I passed by Max's seemingly-unconscious body, his arm shot out towards me, fingers grasping at mine.

I stopped.

"Don't go," he murmured - so softly that it took me a second to understand.