Celebrate

Max winked at me from across the table and I felt myself turn redder than I already was. We had traveled down to Cancun with our group of friends for our annual trip. With everyone growing up, moving away, or playing in the NHL, like Max, it was difficult for us to find time to even talk over the phone. Our annual June or July vacation had become a ritual the summer before most of us trekked off to college and while the places had become more expensive, the company had essentially remained the same.

I felt a foot hit my shin under the table and looked up to glare at whoever had kicked me. I had been enjoying my dessert at the five star restaurant and did not want to be disturbed by anyone. When I looked up Max was smiling at me and then nodded toward the patio of the restaurant. I shook my head and turned back to my amazing dessert.

When I was finished, many of our friends were having side conversations, but Max was pouting at me. I shook my head nad held up my unfinished glass of wine. He dramatically rolled his eyes but I didn’t care. Max was needy and why he needed me at the moment was beyond me. I think he was feeling a little desperate since over half the group was coupled off or had brought their significant others along for the trip. He and I were the only two actual single people in the mix. There were ten of us, and three couples, the other two were dating but didn’t or couldn’t bring their boyfriend/girlfriend, so that left me and Max. neither of us had ever brought anyone along on this trip even if we had been in a relationship at the time, it just never seemed right.

I took the last sip of wine and saw Max’s lips curl into a smile, “Can I help you Talbot?”

He nodded back to the patio again. I lifted my overly full ass from my seat as he flagged the waiter
down for another round of drinks for us.

The usually loud, borderline obnoxious Max had not made his appearance yet and we were two days into the week-long trip, I was worried. He had been very subdued, almost lethargic thus far and that wasn’t him at all. I was starting to wonder if he was still hurting from the season or if the absence from the playoffs had really taken a toll on him.

Max led us to a table just as the waiter walked up with our drinks, “You okay?” I questioned my friend.

“Does it ever bother you?” he looked toward the ocean.

“Does what bother me?” I leaned forward.

“These trips. Does it ever bother you that all of a sudden we’re the only single ones? We’re the only ones looking for a good time?”

“They want to have fun too,” I defended our friends, “But we’re older Maxime, we can’t go out having one night stands every night.”

He snorted out a laugh, “I miss those days.”

“I don’t.”

“Becca,” he turned his face to mine, “Do you have fun on these trips anymore?”

I nodded, “For the most part. Yeah, I could do without some of the couple things, but we go with the majority of the group.”

He gave me his smirk, “Why don’t we have a singles day tomorrow, just you and me?”

“Sure…” I wasn’t so sure.
--
The next morning I woke up early, showered, and got dressed in a sundress with my swimsuit underneath. I didn’t know what Max had in mind, but I had a feeling it would require minimal clothing and a lot of drinking.

He knocked on my door around nine, “Ready, Sunshine?” he asked with his goofy grin.

“Yeah,” I grabbed my bag and a few other things, “What are we doing?”

“Pool, drinks, and checking out some scenery,” he winked at me.

“Of course,” I laughed.

We found two chairs at the pool, I set my things down and Max went right up to the bar. Day drinking had never been my thing, but when in Rome…

I graciously took my tall drink from Max’s hands and he tipped his sunglasses, “Anything yet?”

“Still early,” I smiled.

“Damn,” he sighed, “I’ll just have to settle for you then.”

I sat upright, “Excuse me, but I think I’ve grown up since we were thirteen.”

That made Max laugh, “You have Becca, don’t worry. You’ve definitely grown into your body.”

I glared at him and shoved his head, “You and your big nose.”

“Chicks dig this,” he pointed at his face.

“No, they dig the blue eyes,” I lied back down.

“So I have nice eyes?”

“Don’t let it get to your head Maxi Pad, it’s big enough already.”

He chuckled, “Nice ass too.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

“You could see it, you know? My ass. I can prove it’s nice.”

“I think I’ll pass.”

Scoffing, he lied back, “See what you say later tonight.”

I shook my head and continued sipping my drink and taking in the sun.
-----
Five hours later he and I were both feeling tipsy and wandering along the beach hand in hand. He was basically supporting me and laughing at me as I stumbled through the sand, but I told myself I was helping him too.

“Rrrbeca?” he slurred, missing syllables in my name.

“Yess?” I slurred back.

“Why aren’t you attracted to me?” his words had a certain clip to them, like he was upset about htat.

“Who said I wasn’t?” I plopped down in a secluded spot.

“Never said you were,” he sat next to me, “I’m attracted to you, I tell you all the time.”

Thinking back, Max had really only told me I was beautiful after I called him crying over another guy
or when he was drunk. He was a piss poor liar.

“Do not.”

He looked at me, trying to be serious now, “I tell you…in my mind,” he pointed to his head, “A lot.”

“I’m not a mind reader,” I flicked his head.

“If you were,” he pointed at me and smiled, “You’d be on your back now.”

I decided, in my drunken stupor to play along. I lied down and smiled, “Okay…”

He chuckled as he put his left hand next to my head and leaned over my body, “Now what?” I
challenged him.

“Now,” his smile was infectious and dripping with sex appeal, “I tell you how I’ve always thought you
were gorgeous and fantasized about you.”

Even in our drunken state he sounded sincere, but I knew Max Talbot and he hardly ever did
sincere. I lied in the same spot, stunned and confused until his head blocked the sun from my face
and his lips found mine in the least drunken kiss I’d ever experienced.

We kissed for God knows how long before he removed his lips and kissed my nose, “Want to sober
up?”

I nodded because I didn’t know what else to do and my mouth couldn’t form the words, “No,” and, “I
want to feel those lips everywhere.”

He sat back, stood up, and then helped me to my feet. He kept my hand in his as we walked back to
our resort. I figured he would part ways when we got to my door, but instead he stood with me as I
fumbled with the key over and over. I was a drunk, confused mess.

“Nap?” he walked over to the king sized bed and pulled the sheets back.

I just nodded again because this was completely out of character for us. I got into the bed and
under the sheets, still clad in my dress and bikini. Max smiled down at me and brushed his knuckles
along my cheek. He had my phone in his hand and did something, “Three hours,” he told me.

The drunken, sloppy, womanizing man had me speechless, all I could do was nod like an idiot
again.

I closed my eyes and felt the bed shift on the other side. I turned onto my side, hoping to hint htat I
wanted at least one more kiss before we sobered up and realized who we were kissing or
something, but instead I got the typical forehead kiss.

When I woke up, he was gone, but my alarm was blaring on the nightstand. Next to my phone was
a note:

Went to shower, you should do the same drunky. Be ready by seven thirty, we have reservations.

Maxi Pad.

I laughed and then realized that it hurt to laugh. Now I would be hung over for the rest of the night,
wonderful.

I did as instructed though, I showered and put on a long, flowy dress that was comfy and could be
formal. I curled my hair and finished my makeup just as Max knocked. I answered the door to him
grinning, “Hung over?”

“Not now,” I shook my head, “You?”

“Nah,” he walked through the door, “You look great Becca.”

“Thank you. where are we going?”

“Dinner.”

I nodded and took my bag from the dresser, “Lead the way,” I told him.

Instead of walking in front of me, Max walked next to me. Nothing was said about the kiss earlier
and I was starting to feel foolish about wanting to keep kissing him and see where that led. He was
Max Talbot, my good friend and serial dater-if you could even call him that.

When we walked into one of the resort’s resturants we were immediately ushered to the outside
patio. The table was secluded and almost hidden from everyone else by sheer outdoor curtains.
The hostess walked opened them for him, “Have a good evening Mr. and Mrs. Talbot.”

“Thank you,” Max replied.

“Mr. and Mrs?” I asked.

He shrugged, “He must have assumed.”

I laughed as the waiter filled our wine glasses and told us the specials. He left us alone for a few
minutes and I felt myself staring at the man in front of me. He was wearing a white, long sleeved
shirt that was unbuttoned a little. It made him look even tanner than he was and even better than I
ever remembered.

“Take a picture,” Max chuckled and then looked up at me.

I shook my head and looked at my menu but Max pulled it down with his finger, “Let me,” he nodded
at the waiter who was walking to our table again.

“I’ll have the steak, medium well, no potato, steamed carrots, and a house salad. She’ll have the
chicken alfredo and a salad, Italian dressing, on the side,” he looked at me for a second, “And could
she get some extra chicken on that? Not much, just a little,” he smiled at the waiter.

“Sure,” he smiled at both of us.

“Oh, and a bottle of this,” he held up his wine glass and then smiled at me.

“Wow,” I was shocked he had my order down.

“Come on Becca, you didn’t think I knew you?”

I smiled, “Not htat well.”

He leaned forward on his elbows, “I know that you slept with a teddy bear until you were fifteen, your first kiss was Alex Martin, you failed your driver’s test the first time, your favorite color has been and always will be pink, and you have a weakness for potato chips.”

“Everyone knows that stuff,” I took a gulp of my wine.

“Not everyone knows that you cry every time you watch The Lion King, that you know every Jay-Z song, and that you had a big crush on Crosby.”

“Did not.”

“Did too,” Max tipped his glass at me, “Could have had him too.”

“I bet,” I shook my head.

Our meal was amazing and our conversation was kept funny and pretty light until we were both on
our third glass of wine, “I kissed you earlier,” Max winked at me.

“You did,” I nodded.

“You liked it,” his smile was so perfect.

“You liked it,” I wanted to avoid sounding like a loser.

“I did,” he agreed, “I almost kept going.”

“Why didn’t you?” I asked.

He leaned back in his seat with a knowing smile, “You were drunk and would have let me.”

“Isn't that the objective here Talbo?”

He shook his head, “No.”

“Then what is?”

“To bring you back here next year and celebrate.”

“Celebrate what?” I asked.