Thanks...this part is quite boring after that last chapter. 
Eve: Well, better late than never and I think when you love someone as much as Liz loves Max and then throw in the exploratory scientist you're bound to find some "chemistry".
Carolyn: God let's hope none of those grandkids see or read that part and if they do, God, keep it away from my daughter...she'll disown me. She was hatched you know...just ask her
I read the final chapter of "Tied" also and now I can mail it off to Pa. to one of my friends. I also bought "Tamed" thinking it was the final installment but I'm good to go now. I agree, Emma writes a fun story but like you, it was Max and Liz to the finish. James was a real kick also.
Smileeuk:
Surprised you huh! As for the wine, I will have to let you have one for me since I can't have any of it anymore but I must confess, I was a fizzy wine person...Zinfandel was one of my favorites. As for the wedding, you are absolutely right about the short engagement period. I've gone through the "year" long preps with me, my daughter and then my granddaughter...a big fat waste of time and money for a few hours long party. You know what you want, get it over with.
Chapter: 31
Liz awoke before the alarm went off and laid there in Max’s arms and smiled…she opened one eye and looked right into that big protective chest and moved in so close she felt like she could just crawl inside of him and stay there forever…he made her feel that good. Max felt her slight stirring and pulled her in closer to him and nuzzled the top of her head with his chin.
God, this felt so right…finally, he felt fulfilled. Liz moved to a position that that allowed her to lift her chin and look into those amber eyes she knew so well and smiled at the man she had loved her entire life. Then she raised her left hand that was resting on Max’s chest and looked at her ring and smiled all over again…”You Like?” Max asked…”I love.” Liz answered “and I even love the ring.” Max chuckled and wrapped both arms around her and pulled her on top of him.
“What are you going to do today Doctor Parker?” Max whispered into her ear…planting little kisses along her neck between each word….
“Well, the first thing I’m going to do is get the man I love some breakfast, then I am going to take a shower and go to the Cathedral, get down on my knees and say prayers of thanks until I can’t stand up.”
Max laughed at her and said…”Am I going to have to call you Saint Elizabeth?”
“After last night’s activities?” She raised those big brown eyes to the ceiling, “I don’t think so. I certainly do want a repeat…thank you very much. You can’t just introduce me to all of these new---“ she rolled her eyes, “new things, and then just take them away…I won’t allow it.”
“Oh, you liked that did you?”
“You better believe it big boy…now, is it time to get up?”
“Not yet…we have about half an hour”…and with that remark Liz felt a little stirring beneath the covers and she knew immediately what Max had in store for her; she looked at him, giggled, and said…”Mmm. Yummy.”
Max chuckled and then got very busy…he was sure he just heard his new most favorite word in the world…
*~*~*
After Max headed out to the stadium for practice Liz called the grocer and ordered what she thought they needed for the next couple of days. She would leave the majority of the ordering to Olivia when she arrived on Monday then she started finishing up the downstairs cleaning and then headed upstairs to make sure all of the rooms had enough supplies for when the guests arrived.
She decided to stock the bathrooms with the oils and soaps that she purchased from the hotel as she was sure Diane, Isabel and Maria would like the soft scented luxuries as much as she did.
She wasn’t sure which room Michael and Maria would want so she chose one for them. They were all the same except for the color schemes. All of the rooms had towels and robes in them to match the walls and drapes. The comforters all coordinated with the drapes as well so Liz checked out the autumn scheme and found the towels missing. She found Olivia’s phone number in the kitchen and gave her a call. She didn’t want to do this but she needed to know if she should get some more towels and robes for the rooms.
Olivia’s husband answered and told Liz that Olivia was out at the moment but to please call her cell phone then her husband gave Liz the number. He asked Liz how she liked New York and Liz giggled into the phone. “You saw that did you?” and he answered…”I think the world saw that…did you have fun?” …”Yes, I had a lot of fun…as a matter of fact it was wonderful, thank you for asking.” And with that they said their good byes and Liz called Olivia.
Olivia told her that the two farthest bedroom suites toward the back of the house did not have towels…as a matter of fact…the farthest one wasn’t complete at all. Liz thanked Olivia and told her she would go shopping this morning because they were going to need one of the suites for the Guerin’s and she just might as well finish off the last rom while she was at it…no sense in doing it half assed. Olivia laughed at her and said she agreed and she would see her on Monday morning. Liz smiled at the thought, she could hardly wait and then she said…
“Olivia, I have to call the grocer…is there anything you would like me to order for you before you get here?” Olivia answered…”No dear…just take care of your immediate needs and I will see you soon.” And they signed off.
Liz went upstairs and checked out the farthest bedroom and sure enough it was vacant of everything but the furniture. She eyeballed the windows…checked out the bathroom for soap dishes and accessories and found it lacking in everything. She made a list just in case she would forget something and headed out to the garage. She decided to take the truck…she didn’t think the Jaguar nor the Honda would be able to handle eight sets of towels…4 terry robes…plus drapes, sheets, pillow cases, pillows, comforters, blankets, throws, bathroom accessories, throw rugs and any other items she saw while she was out. She would check out some pictures for the walls as well. Oh this was going to be so much fun.
She was backing the truck out of the garage as Charley came around the building in the golf cart…she rolled the window down and said “Hi Charley, how are you today?”
“I’m fine Liz, headed out so early?”
“Yeah, I’m going to the Cathedral to Mass and then the Mall. Max is expecting more company on Monday and he needs some stuff for the spare bedrooms. There’s going to be quite a house full. Do you need me to bring anything for you while I’m out?”
“Oh no Liz…I’ve got everything I need…you have a nice day and say a prayer for me while you’re at church.”
“Will do Charley…take care.”
And she was off. Charley noticed the big diamond on Liz’s left hand and could have sworn it wasn’t there yesterday. He could be wrong he thought to himself and continued on with the job at hand. He felt pretty sure he wouldn’t have missed that rock though.
When Liz pulled into the parking lot at the old church the monsignor was just headed in the side door and stopped to say hello.
“How are you today Liz?” the old priest said with a smile.
“I’m fine monsignor…and you?”
“Great. Do you feel better today?”
“I certainly do and I would like to talk to you again after Mass if it’s possible.”
“Of course it is, I will see you then Liz…just wait for me in the church.”
“I will. Bye.” Liz figured she would make arrangements for her and Max to start their instructions before their wedding…She thought she might as well get it taken care of while she was here.
So Liz waited for the monsignor after mass and told him what she needed. He smiled at her and she said “what?”
“Well, I know Max and when I saw the two of you in that picture on the sports page I just knew. Why were you worried?”
“I had to know that it would be all right with the church. I think that was bothering me more than anything, I was okay until my mother called and then I was filled with doubts again. But after talking to you I knew I was alright with God and I could move on.”
“Liz, I hope your mother gets the help she needs…and she does need help. But you have to take care of you…so don’t let her upset you ever again. You are an intelligent woman with a responsible position, people rely on you and your integrity and you can’t let someone fill you with doubt…especially someone who hasn’t got a firm hold on reality. You just follow your heart Liz and you’ll be fine.”
Liz smiled at the kind man and said, “My grandmother used to tell me that all the time.”
“Smart woman. You take care Liz and call my office on Monday and I will have my secretary set up a schedule for you and Max.”
“Thank you…we would like to start after the series of course and I will have to drive in from Connecticut for awhile until we get things settled so Max and I will discuss it tonight and then I will call you on Monday, or come over for Mass and then stop by the rectory. We have a lot of family flying in on Monday and I’m not sure what time they will be arriving because the first game of the series is Monday night…oh, are you coming?”
“I think I might be able to make it…are you going to be in the VIP room or the bleachers?”
“Since my life is no longer in danger I think we just might opt for the bleachers…either way I will let you know so that we can hook up. Take care monsignor and I will see you Monday,”
“Monday it is Liz…take care.” And with that Liz left and headed to the mall.
Her cell phone rang while she was digging for her keys in her purse and when she checked caller ID she answered “Oh YUMMY!!!”
Max chuckled at that and said…”Where are you? It sounds like you are out and about again.”
“Oh I am…I just left the monsignor and now I’m headed to the mall.”
“The mall, what do you need now?”
“I don’t, you do.”
“I do? What in the hell do I need?”
“You need to complete a couple of bedrooms because of the company that are coming in for the series. Two of the bedrooms are incomplete so I am headed to the mall to get curtains, comforters, towels and shit like that, okay.”
“If you say so…stop by the stadium and I’ll give you my credit card.”
“Max, I have a platinum credit card too…we can settle up later, you just practice all of your surprise plays and don’t worry about it.”
“No, I want you to come and see me.”
“Maxwell Evans, are you pouting?”
“Yes…now key this into the GPS…”
“I’m in the truck. I don’t know where the GPS is in the truck…it’s not on the dash board.”
“The truck, what in the hell are you doing in the truck?”
Now Pete, Josh and Jay are laughing …
“Well, all the stuff I needed wouldn’t fit in either of the cars.”
“Oh for Christ’s sake Liz…you know the highway to the mall?”
“Yeah.”
“Get on it and head in the opposite direction and get off at stadium drive and follow the signs. Drive into the employee entrance and we’ll all be there on the field…just pull in next to the Escalade and I’ll exchange keys with you okay.”
“But will everything fit into the Escalade?”
“Yes, everything will fit into the escalade…I will take the seats out and throw them in the back of the truck and bring them home with me.”
“Oh Max, you don’t have to do all of that, I can drive the truck.”
“Liz, humor me okay…get over here and switch keys with me. I’ll have the guys help me.”
“Alright Max…I’m on my way. See you in a few.”
“Bye Liz.”
“Max, what is she up to now?” asked Jay.
“She thinks she needs to finish up the upstairs. She spent all day yesterday and the day before cleaning, washing windows and doing laundry…now she’s redecorating the damned upstairs. She said two of the upstairs bedrooms are incomplete and she needs to get curtains and shit like that. I swear to God she’s like a damned whirlwind…she never stops. I told her the attic is full of beds and bedding…she could just go up there and get stuff…”
Then Pete piped in…he knew from experience…”But Max, it wouldn’t have matched.” He said chuckling…
“What do you mean it wouldn’t have matched…who gives a shit?”
“Apparently she does Max.” Josh added his two cents.
“Come on guys, we need to get the seats out of the escalade so she can go shopping for sheets and, and stuff.” They all just shook their heads and headed to the parking lot.
The infield coach asked where the hell they thought they were headed and they said they would be right back…They needed a break anyway, and about that time Liz pulled into the parking lot looking like a little kid sitting in the big crew cab pickup truck. She pulled right in beside the escalade just like an expert in driving instructions would.
The first thing Pete noticed was the honking rock on Liz’s left hand, totally ignoring the admiration he had for the way she handled the truck. He jabbed Jay in the gut and then Josh and Pete nodded to the hand that was hanging onto the truck door as she exited with a little jump to the ground.
All three of the men looked at Max who was oblivious to his three friends as he made his way around the truck and then they all got the shock of their lives. Max pulled Liz in for a nice long, sweet, mind blowing kiss before allowing her to move to the escalade. Pete just smiled…he couldn’t wait to get Anne on the phone as he snapped a picture for posterity…and Jay being Jay pulled no punches with his friend.
“Okay Evans, what in the hell is going on here?”
And Max and Liz looked at him with puzzled expressions then Jay pointed to the ring on Liz’s finger. “Oh that, well Liz’s annulment came through on Tuesday and now we can pick up where we left off six years ago.”
“Six years ago you were babies.” Jay said.
“Yes we were, but now we’re not and so in six months you will all be invited to the wedding.”
About that time the infield coach came out to see what the hell was keeping his ball players and then the batting coaches showed up along with the pitchers and the catchers. Soon the entire Philly’s team was in the parking lot instead of on the playing field and Liz was starting to get uncomfortable.
Max looked down at her and smiled…”guys, I would like to introduce you to Doctor Elizabeth Parker renowned scientist and my fiancée…Liz meet the guys.”
They all gulped, smiled and said hello and then Max nodded and said he’d be right with them as soon as he got the seats out of the escalade and with that they were all gone just as fast as they had appeared.
Max and Jay took the back seat, Josh and Pete took the middle seat and they had them in the back of the truck in no time. Liz thanked all of them, gave them a hug and Max handed over the keys to the escalade and she gave him the keys to the truck. He gave her a nice kiss good bye and she was on her way. He told her not to unload any of the stuff until he got home and she just looked at him like he was nuts and took off. Life is never going to be dull with her around; you could count on it and Max smiled and headed back onto the field shaking his head. All of the guys cheered as he came back and he smiled, bowed from the waist, and waved to them in thanks.
*~*~*
