Hey everyone. Thanks for the feedback.
Earth2Mama: For Max to settle for someone he's not in love with is disturbing. But I think it's pretty obvious that he is in love with Liz (if not, it'll come to light in this part). And to not be able to tell her for fear of losing their friendship is a big reason for his depression. It sucks but its just a little look into our beloved Max's head. lol
begonia9508
Mica
FrenchDreamer: You'll have to keep reading to see if Liz recuperates Max's feelings
Alien614
LairaBehr4
LegalAlien
guelbebek
dreamer19
OrangeSky
Ellie
Addicted2AmberEyes: Of course Liz would let Max know that she wasn't happy with him. In this story she's a kick ass chick. lol
roswell3053
jamy21
sprayadhesive
anonymousarfan: No, Max meant me when he said that. But after me, Liz is his next choice.
lol
Behrsgirl77: *MUAH* Hey, who decided that that's how you spell *MUAH*? Don't ask why I'm wondering
behr_able
I know its not Friday (at least not where I'm at) but my mom is in the hospital after having surgery and she needs me to run some errands for her and I also have to work all day (I hate my job.) So I'm posting a bit early. I hope you enjoy!
Part 9
One month later
“Isabel!! Oh my God! Hurry!!”
She comes running.
She’s panting when she appears in the door.
“What?! What happened?”
“You can do my makeup now. Max will be here in fifteen.”
She sighs.
I snicker.
“Don’t do that! I thought you hurt yourself or something.”
Isabel’s a drama queen. It’s why I love messing with her.
“Sorry.”
One disapproving look later, she’s doing my makeup.
I don’t wear it often, which is why I need help when I want it to look good.
“Where’s Maria? I thought she was going to do my hair.”
“She’s on the phone with Michael. We peasants are making plans to go to the movies while you and Max have your high class rendezvous.”
See. Drama.
“He’s just taking me out to celebrate because he landed a big client at the firm.”
“Pah,” she huffs. “Where is he taking you?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. He just told me to dress nice and wear my dancing shoes.”
“He spoils you,” she snickers.
He does.
Maria slides into the room.
“Alright gals. Time to make Liz look purty!”
*********
Max takes me to a restaurant downtown.
He looks great in his red shirt and dress pants.
A local band is holding a small concert. We make fun of the few old couples trying to keep up with the upbeat tempo.
“That’s going to be us in fifty years,” Max teases.
I laugh. “Yeah right. That’s us now.”
“Are you trying to say I have grey hair?”
He runs his fingers through his hair.
He finally got it cut.
“No. I’m saying that you have trouble dancing.”
He sucks actually.
“I do not.”
“Do too. Don’t lie.”
His eyes narrow. They’re sparkling.
He stands, holding out his hand.
“May I have this dance?”
“Max, we’re supposed to be celebrating. Do you really want to embarrass yourself today?”
He pulls me out of my seat and swings me onto the dance floor.
“Smooth.”
He smiles.
Surprisingly, he moves on beat and completely in step with me.
“Well, well, well. Look who learned how to dance. What happened?”
After a few twirls, he answers with a shrug.
“I’m a natural.”
I give him a look.
He sighs. “I had Tess give me a few lessons.” He pouts. “You always steal my glory.”
“It’s a gift.”
He laughs and twirls me around.
He seems carefree. I missed him like this.
We dance on.
He pulls me close.
His front to my back.
We’re closer than we’ve ever been.
His hands fall to my hips, his fingers caress.
His head rests against my shoulder. He’s practically nuzzling my neck.
What’s going on?
“Max?”
The music stops. His hands fall away.
He pulls me back to the table.
There’s something different.
I catch him staring during our meal.
“What?”
He shrugs. “Nothing. I just … getting a new client isn’t the only reason why I wanted to bring you out.”
“It’s not?”
His fingers squeeze mine.
I’m not aware of when he grabbed it.
He has a habit of that.
“No. I just wanted to say, thank you. This past month hasn’t been easy for me… going through counseling and breaking up with Megan…. moving in with Kyle…”
“Which I’m sure you’re seriously regretting.”
He smiles. “You were always there, Liz. Even when I was frustrated, you stood by me and I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”
“Max…”
“Lizzie, you’re my best friend and I can’t even begin to repay you.”
“You know you don’t have to. You’d do the same for me.”
“In a heart beat.”
*********
Max takes me home.
He walks me to the front door. He’s suddenly shy.
He’s never shy around me.
Frowning, I push open the front door. “Wanna come in? You know you can’t resist my coffee.”
He smiles and slips pass me.
I can feel him watching me when I move into the kitchen.
I catch him staring.
“What? Why do you keep looking at me like that?”
He crosses into the kitchen. He shoves his hands in his pockets.
“Um… I… Maria just did a really good job with your hair. It’s really… bouncy.”
Yeah… right.
I can still feel him watching me.
It makes me self-conscious. “
What are you staring at? Seriously…”
“I love the job Isabel did with your makeup. It just blends…”
“Okay Max, are you going to tell me what’s going on or not because this is getting ridiculous.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about?”
“You’re talking about how much you like my makeup and I know you have some weird hair fetish, but come on…Do you seriously think there is nothing wrong with that? I know you, Max.”
He looks uncertain of himself.
“Should I start to worry?”
“No.” He sighs. “Liz, can you just… sit down for a minute? I have something to tell you.”
Oh… I plop onto the nearest chair. He sits beside me. “Are you engaged again? Max I swear…”
“No, Lizzie it’s not… well, it’s something along the lines of engagement. I mean, no it’s not… I don’t mean I want to be engaged right now… not to say that if,” he gestures between the two of us, “then yeah, definitely, but I just mean that it’s along the same….
bigness as an engagement but it’s just…not.”
Okay… “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He takes a deep breath.
He’s sweating.
I wipe his brow with a napkin.
He smiles.
“Okay, let me try this a different way.” He takes my hands. “Liz, you know I’ve been going to counseling and it’s helped me get things sorted out in my head. I’ve learned to grieve for my father. I’ve got my drinking under control and I’ve got out of a relationship that I didn’t want to be in. But there’s one more thing… one more secret that I ha…”
His phone rings.
“Shit.”
“Max, just ignore it. What were you going to say?”
He looks defeated.
Whatever he wants to say is eating him alive.
He flips it open.
“Hello?” He frowns. I can hear slurred yelling on the other line. I lean in close to him so I can hear.
“Max! Okay, Max this is what I need you to do!”
“Michael?”
“Listen man. I need you to go to my house, pack up my clothes… I’ve got a stash of cash…”
“Michael, what is wrong with you?”
“Max! Max, dude, I think I just murdered Kyle.”
“What?!” Max starts yelling into the phone.
There’s rustling.
Isabel appears on the other end. “Max, calm down. Michael’s drunk. He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”
“What the hell is going on, Isabel?”
“Kyle’s fine. He just has a concussion. The doctor said he’ll be good as new tomorrow.”
Color returns to Max.
I breathe a sigh of relief. “We’re coming down there. Where are you at?”
Soon, he’s dragging me out of the house.
We meet the rest of the gang at the hospital.
Alex is passed out along a couch. Michael is contemplating turning himself in to the feds. Maria tries to calm him while Tess is trying not to laugh.
“What happened?” I ask Isabel.
“After the movie, we all went to the bar. The guys got plastered and when we managed to get them to my place, they insisted on having a wrestling match in my living room.”
Now she knows how I feel.
“Michael and Kyle were going at it until Michael did some sort of body slam and Kyle hit his fat ass head on my coffee table. He was complaining of a headache so we just brought him in just in case.”
Max relaxes into a smile. “So he’s alright?”
“As right as he can be,” Tess sighs. “Did anyone call Diane?”
Isabel grimaces. “You think we should?”
“Yeah. Mom will be pissed if she finds out that we didn’t tell her.”
Max leaves to call. I sit next to a half sobbing, half unconscious Michael.
I sigh.
It’s official.
My friends are idiots.
************
Max and I wait outside for the final okay to release Kyle.
“Max, are you going to tell me what you were going to tell me before?”
“It’s not important.”
“Obviously it is. I mean…”
“I’m in love with you.”
“Wha…What?”
There’s complete silence.
“I’m in love with you.”
The entire hospital shuts down.
“That was what I was trying to tell you.” He laughs a little. “I’ve been trying to tell you for awhile now.”
I simply stare.
His head drops.
“Forget it. Just…just forget it.”
My eyes widen. “When you were talking about engagement earlier, you were talking about…” I gesture between the two of us.
He nods. “I know we’re not to that point…”
“Wha… I’m going to get a ride with Maria.”
He nods.
I hurry away.
TBC………
I'll be back Tuesday! Happy Hoildays everyone!
