She could see Max in her peripheral vision, could feel him nearing, albeit on the other side of the glass.
She placed a hand self-consciously across her stomach.
"Are you ok?"
Jenny asked. Zoe hadn't been able to respond for a moment, unsure as to what Max's mother knew, or thought she knew. And indeed,why she would think she knew.
She caught her looking again towards where she held her hand and shifted uneasily. The glass door behind her was pushed open, Max leaned out, looking from his mother to Zoe.
"Oh God."
He spoke with a sigh and hung his head.
"She's told you the story of when I took all of my clothes off in Tesco's hasn't she."
He looked up as he spoke, his smile perfectly matching his mothers. Zoe thought again how strange it was to see it mirrored there. Would their own children have that same smile? If indeed they were lucky enough to ever have any children.
Zoe shook her head slightly, feeling the same panic begin to rise low within her that she had felt when she was inside, surrounded by all of these unknown people.
"The poor girl's terrified."
His mother spoke, alarming Zoe. Max looked to her, his smile dispersing quickly and he stepped out into the garden with them, closing the door slightly behind him, leaving it partially open, the warm air visibly seeping out into the night.
"I'm not...terrified."
Zoe smiled hesitantly, glancing quickly at Jenny.
"I just needed some air."
She touched her fingers to her lips, briefly forgetting there was no cigarette to draw on.
Jenny reached out a hand and placed it over Zoe's, her fingers were surprisingly warm as she squeezed her gently.
"I'll leave you two alone. Come back in for cake."
She whispered the word 'cake' as if it were a secret, and slipped back through the half-open doorway without opening it further.
Max stepped closer to her, taking the hand that his mother had just let go of, lacing his fingers together with her own.
"Are you ok?"
He asked, eyes lowered to where their fingers met between their bodies. His own hand white against the tan of hers.
She shook her head slightly, her lips twisting as she drew in a breath.
"I'm not very good at this sort of thing..."
She let her eyes move briefly to the people beyond the window.
"I've never had to do it before. Not properly anyway."
She exhaled slowly, thinking again of the absent cigarette as her breath billowed white into the air between them.
"You've never met a boyfriends parents before?"
He asked, smiling again as he spoke. She shook her head again.
"Only when I was a teenager...and that doesn't really prepare you for...this."
She looked again at the strangers in the room, and finally back to him. He was still smiling, and with his other hand he raised it to smooth the hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear.
"Well. The jealous part of me is quite pleased about that..."
He paused, letting his fingers slip from her hair, across the curve of her jaw, just glancing off her collar bone before falling back down to rest on her hip, the gap between them growing narrower.
"But you don't have to be scared..."
"I'm not scared!"
She interrupted indignantly, both eyebrows raised, her dark eyes wide. Within them Max could see the flickering of light and movement of bodies from the room behind him reflected.
He arched an eyebrow.
"Really?"
He lowered his voice, still the same glimmer of amusement edging into the tone of his voice.
"OK! I'm scared...just a little bit."
She bit the skin of her lower lip, glancing down at their hands.
"Why does your Mum think I'm pregnant?"
She asked quietly, looking back up in time to see the smile fade again from his lips.
"What?"
He asked, failing to understand.
"Your Mum. She said I would know what It would be like to be an overprotective mother soon enough."
She quoted. Chewing again on the skin of her lip.
Max looked confused. A frown creasing his forehead beneath his hair.
"Well. She's always thought she was psychic..."
He said, still confused. Zoe blew a breath of scepticism from he lips. Rolling her eyes again.
"Max..."
"Maybe you should take a test?"
He asked, cutting her off.
She sucked in a breath and placed a hand back over her stomach.
"Do I look particularly fat in this dress...is that it?"
She asked, slightly tongue-in-cheek.
"Don't be silly..."
He squeezed her fingers but she pulled away.
"Just tell her. Please? I don't need to have that hanging over me...just tell her I'm not pregnant, don't tell her we're trying...I can't face disappointing both of you if it never happens..."
The soft squeak of rubber soled shoes on the wet plastic of the door frame made her look up. Max following her gaze to find Robyn leaning, as Max had done, out of the open door.
"Are you trying for a baby?!"
She asked, the excitement in her voice barely hidden by the high-pitched whisper in which she spoke.
Zoe placed a hand across her eyes, sucking in yet another sigh as Max moved over to Robyn, whispering to her but she failed to listen, instead insisting that they come in to have some celebratory cake and champagne.
"God..."
Zoe hissed as Robyn moved back into the room. Max held out a hand, taking hers as she offered it limply and pulling her back into the room.
"Shush. I'm on it. All will be fine..."
He caught sight of his mum and step dad in front of the cake, drawing Zoe closer before dipping his head to her ear.
"And I can be on you too...later...if you like?"
He whispered, his breath making her shiver, the hairs at the base of her neck rising, she turned her head against him, their lips closer together than she had anticipated.
"We'll see."
She whispered back, glancing at his lips, how they tempted her, partly opened, inviting her to kiss them.
"We'll see."
She breathed again.
Apologies for no update last night, my toddler got the better of me x Hopefully there will be a second update tonight to make up for it! Reviews welcome as always xxx