Olivia's advice to Max

~ Seattle ~

Sunday

9:03 AM

Olivia is in the elevator, heading to 31st floor of Liz's apartment building.

She glanced at the large bag in her hand and sighed when she saw washed Max's t-shirt inside. Liz told her yesterday to wash and return it.

Her mind flashed with conversation from yesterday…

Olivia was in panic: "You expect me to ring his doorbell and talk to him?!"

Liz didn't think it's a big deal. "If it's a problem, just leave it in front of his door. He will bump into it eventually."

Back to present…

Olivia exhaled to calm her nerves. First, she will go to Liz's apartment, open few windows to let the fresh air in, and then she will find her courage to return his t-shirt. As much as she is terrified of facing Max freaking Anderson, this is a monumental opportunity to talk to him. How many times an average girl like her gets a genuine reason to interact with a God of Seattle's nightlife?

Olivia was having the biggest internal struggle of her life when she stepped out of the elevator, deep in her thoughts while staring at her feet which moved down the hallway toward Liz's apartment.

"Ah!", she screamed when she looked up and saw Max standing in front of Liz's door.

Max frowned slightly, but it was only for a second before he remembered that he needs to be nice to Olivia if he wants the information related to Liz's sudden departure. "Good morning."

"Liz is not home.", Olivia said, seeing that he has no intention to leave.

"I know. I want to talk to you."

Olivia swallowed hard.

She took a deep breath and repeated in her mind that this man might be impossibly handsome, but he is no good. Despicable. He hurt Liz after pretending to be buddy-buddy with her. Who knows how many innocent women suffered the same fate as Liz? Shameful.

Olivia found that her infatuation is being replaced with anger. It works… she regained her senses.

Olivia frowned. "What do you want to talk about?"

Max saw that Olivia is giving him the same scornful look she did yesterday. He concluded that her initial daze is gone because she remembered whatever made her angry the previous day. He decided to ignore it and ask what is on his mind: "Do you know why Liz left?"

"Yes."

Max's eyebrows shot up while waiting for Olivia to say more. But her lips were tightly shut, so he urged her: "Are you going to tell me?"

Olivia took a step back and observed Max. She can see his clueless expression, it seems that he really has no idea what is going on. Or maybe he knows, but for him it's not a big deal.

Olivia remembered how upset Liz was yesterday. She came out of the bedroom dressed up, talking incoherently about the New York and that she will be back by Monday morning and she gave her a t-shirt saying to return it to Max after washing. And Olivia saw that Liz's eyes were red… she was crying.

Max might be blessed with good looks, but does that give him the right to mess with an innocent girl like Elizabeth? Olivia's fighting spirit swelled.

Olivia narrowed her eyes. "Give me one good reason why I would tell you."

Max was taken aback by sudden hostility. "Because I'm asking you."

"Not good enough.", Olivia said curtly and reached for the keypad to start entering her passcode.

Max took a deep breath to calm his rising temper. "Olivia. Please, tell me."

She shoot him a displeased side glance.

Max understood that he didn't give her a reason she asked for.

Seeing that Olivia entered Liz's apartment and that she is closing the door, Max panicked.

He blocked the door with his arm. "Because I care about her."

Olivia widened her eyes in surprise, and it took her few seconds to recover. "You don't know the meaning of caring for someone."

"Explain, please." Max was desperate. Do all women talk in riddles? Or only the upset ones?

Olivia scrutinized him for some time in silence while weighing pros and cons about saying what is on her mind. She decided not to keep it in. He might be Max freaking Anderson, but Olivia is not the one to hold back.

"Since I started coming here and I found out that you are Liz's neighbor I am telling her that you are a womanizer and that she should stay away from you. But for some inexplicable reason she always defended you, saying that you are a good man, smart and caring… a gentleman. I warned her more than once that you see all women, her included, as an increment on the list of your successful conquests, but she told me that I'm wrong because you two are good friends. No matter what I said she refused to see anything other than good in you. And yesterday she realized even though she sees you as a great guy, you reduced her to a number sixty-two and a truckload of lecherous comments from strangers who see her as an easy picking... because of you!"

Max shook his head at this last part. "What sixty-two? What lecherous comments?"

Olivia extended her arm, palm up. "Your phone…"

Max gave her his phone after unlocking it. Part of him hoped that she will call Elizabeth and he will finally get her number. He watched Olivia open a browser and navigate to the site 'Unique hookups of Seattle's greatest playboy'.

"Restaurant #11.", Olivia said curtly and gave him his phone back.

She started closing the door, and then she remembered. She reached into the bag and pulled his t-shirt.

"It's clean." Olivia placed the t-shirt over the phone in his hand and closed the door.

Olivia exhaled while patting her chest. This was too intense. She gave herself a thumbs-up. Liz would be proud of her. She didn't get lost in a daze and she said what is on her mind.

…

Outside, in the hallway...

Max pulled the t-shirt over his shoulder carelessly while looking at his phone.

He knows this site. It was years ago since he visited it last time, but it's the same site. Max forgot about it.

He tapped on the restaurant name where he took Liz last Sunday and saw their photo. He scrolled the page and started reading comments. Few comments praised his style, and others were about Liz… commenting on her appearance, comparing her with his previous hookups… and a lot of them discussing what they will do to Liz if they get a chance to lay their hands on her.

Max rubbed his temples while trying to put the pieces together.

He is not sure what he did wrong. After all, even though he had his own motives, he was a perfect gentleman toward Elizabeth, but maybe that does not matter. Olivia said it: Liz saw only good in him, and then she got reduced to a number sixty-two… and she read those derogatory comments from people who don't know how sweet and smart and honest she is.

It must have hurt her a lot if she needed to go to New York. She will probably never go out with him again, out of fear not to end up online like this.

…

Olivia finished with her chores and exited Liz's apartment.

She was startled to find Max sitting on the floor by the door.

She decided to make sure that the door is properly closed so that Max does not get ideas to get inside and wait for Liz there. Liz would skin her alive… probably.

Olivia confirmed that the door is shut and turned toward the elevator, when she heard Max's voice…

"How do I fix this?"

Olivia looked at him and she was not sure how to answer this. Is this something fixable? Well, if there is a will there is a way.

"What do you want to fix?", she asked.

"Liz's opinion of me.", Max answered.

Olivia pursed her lips while thinking how to answer this. "Her opinion of you was always good. That is why this came as such a blow to her. She didn't see it coming. Find a way to fix the damage you caused. An apology is always a good place to start."

Olivia turned around and left without looking back. She saw that Max is troubled. Maybe he really cares about Liz.

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