Lunch with Max and Chris (ends)

Liz's mind was unable to process the information Chris just dumped at her. Isn't this Christian Snow, her untouchable surgeon-idol, a friendly coworker with whom she has lunch at work?

During today's lunch, his behavior degraded from friendly to unpleasant and meddling and now… did he say: 'lifelong partner'? Did he kind-of propose a marriage to her?

His words bounced on top of her head on repeat, her brain refused to absorb and process them, and she was not sure what is going on, but she didn't like that he is holding onto her hand. His thumb caressed the back of her palm, and the sensation was… awkward.

Liz pried her hand free from his and before she managed to hide it under the table, he grabbed it again and pulled it toward him. This time his hold was firmer, and she was unable to wiggle it out.

She frowned and looked at his expectant eyes, and she knew that he is expecting an answer, but she had none to give.

"Elizabeth, don't tell me you are in love with that guy who only knows how to have fun. You are better than that. I know you are…"

...

One minute ago...

Max walked back to the dining area of the restaurant and froze when he saw that Chris is holding onto Liz's hand.

His heart dropped. Is he too late? Did the snobby doctor make his move? Did Liz accept him? Max knows that she always talks about Dr. Snow in a friendly way while describing his achievements with admiration and he hates it!

Max saw Liz prying her hand free from Chris' hold, but the man caught it again.

For a brief moment, Max was happy to see that whatever the snobby doctor is up to, it's not working.

Max glanced at Liz and saw that she is uncomfortable and that she can't pull her hand out of Chris' and… Max saw red.

Next thing Max knows, he was by the table.

'POW!'

Max's fist landed on Chris' face, toppling the unsuspecting doctor off his chair. While falling, he let go of Liz's hand.

Gasps of other patrons filled the dining area of the restaurant and two women on the side screamed in fear. No one expected to witness anything like this!

"Take your things…", Max told Liz who reflexively reached to the backrest of the chair for the strap of her bag.

In one smooth move, Max scooped Liz off her chair, and held her princess style.

"You!", Chris growled while holding onto his cheek.

Max narrowed his eyes at Chris who was still sitting on the floor.

"Don't touch her without permission.", Max said in a threatening tone before carrying Liz out of the restaurant.

On the way out, Max stopped by the desk where the restaurant greeter was standing and doing his best not to stare at the current commotion. Max fished a hundred dollar bill out of his pocket and placed it on the desk.

"This is for the tip. That guy inside will handle the bill."

Liz's brain was still on a delay and she was not sure when her hands wrapped around Max's neck, but she was embarrassed to be carried out like that. It seems that everyone was watching! Liz lowered her head and buried her face in Max's chest. And why did number of females make 'ah' and 'oh' sounds? Well, if she saw how cool Max looked at that moment, she would understand.

"Are you OK? Did he hurt you?", Max asked with concern when he placed Liz on the front passenger's seat of his car.

Liz shook her head weakly. "I… need some time to think…"

Max reached out and patted her head gently. "Leave it to me." 

Max got in the car and started driving. He didn't need to set up the GPS toward the destination he knows well.

During the drive Max wondered, what did the snobby doctor say to Liz to get her so upset? It's obvious that he made a move on her. Is it possible that this is her reaction to Chris telling her that he is interested in her? Max really-really wanted to know, but he can see that Liz is not comfortable to the point of shutting down. Well, at least she didn't go to New York this time and she allowed him to find a way for her to calm down and process things. He is glad that she relied on him to make things better. Maybe later she will tell him by herself what exactly happened. After a while Max concluded that it does not matter. The facts are that the snobby doctor made his move, and Liz rejected him. Who cares about the details? 

Liz was lost in the soft music from the radio and the changing scenery through the car window. She was surprised that more than half an hour passed by the time Max stopped the car on a parking lot by the marina.

Max opened the door for Liz and offered his hand. Few seconds later, seeing that she is not moving, Max leaned closer to Liz. "Can you walk, or should I carry you?"

Liz cleared her throat awkwardly and took his hand. "I can walk."

While they walked along the wharf, Liz observed variety of boats docked.

Max stopped and helped Liz climb into a luxury speedboat. 

The speedboat features an upper deck with open and covered seating, a main deck with an enclosed living room, kitchen and dining area as well as a bathroom, and a lower deck with four bedrooms. 

"The weather is good, we can be on the upper deck." Max gestured to Liz to climb up.

Liz took a seat and watched Max walk to the control panel from where he started the boat and skillfully navigated it out of the marina's maze before firing up the engines and taking them toward the open ocean.

About fifteen minutes later…

Max turned off the engines and got a bottle of red wine from the fridge in the wet bar and two glasses before joining Liz on the comfortable seating of the upper deck.

Liz took the glass of red wine he offered and glanced around before settling her sight on him.

Max understood her silent question. "You said that you want to think. This is where I come to think, and I thought I can lend my thinking spot to you. Here, no one bothers me, and other than the ocean, wind and an occasional seagull… it's just me."

"And me.", she added.

He smiled and confirmed: "And you."

Max clinked his glass against Liz's and stretched his legs on the low table in front of him before leaning back on the sofa. He can see that Liz relaxed and that she relies on him. He likes that.

Max was replaying in his mind the girl-chat which Bri sent him on the phone. He focused on the part where Liz said how in a relationship, things should progress naturally and not force it. Now that he knows that, he is confident that he is making a great progress.

Liz sank into the cushions and she has to admit that this is nice. The slight swaying of the boat, the fresh ocean breeze caressing her cheeks, the blue sky without a single cloud... and the wine was perfectly chilled.

Instead of thinking about Dr. Snow and what happened in the restaurant, her mind was empty. Liz knows that she will need to think about those things eventually, preferably before Monday when she needs to face that man again, but this environment is like a thinking void where she can relax and enjoy the moment of doing nothing. With Max.

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