Accident Prone

Olivia went to the kitchen to get additional napkins.

Max was right behind her. "Let me help you…"

In the kitchen…

Olivia narrowed her eyes at Max who blocked her path to return to the living room.

"What do you want?" Olivia didn't try to hide her hostility.

Max inhaled fully while controlling his temper. He needs to pacify her and not to make things worse. "Olivia… I know you don't have a good opinion of me. I would like to know, why?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Do you even need to ask?"

"Liz told me that you have a soft spot for good looking guys, and I am aware that first few times we met you had difficulty staying focused when talking to me. What changed?"

Olivia's mouth was half open. How dares he say that she has a soft spot for good looking guys and that she was dazed in front of him? Well, it is true, but he should not just say it so bluntly! She was outraged.

"What changed? I realized that you are a dirty man who wants to spoil that innocent woman." Olivia pointed toward Liz.

"So, if I am not a dirty man, you would like me?"

Olivia frowned and took a step back. "Are you hitting on me?"

Max waved his hands defensively. "No, don't misunderstand. I am only trying to figure out why you suddenly started hating me."

"I don't hate you.", Olivia admitted. "But I hate how you are taking advantage of Liz."

"How am I taking advantage of her? By being close? I didn't touch her even thought I had plenty of opportunities. Shouldn't that prove my sincerity?"

"Yeah…", Olivia said sarcastically. "Sincerity to play this game of seducing a bit longer than usually on an unsuspecting woman."

Max rubbed his chin few times before speaking: "I see. If I understand this correctly, the only part you don't like is that Liz is not aware of my advances. Right?"

Olivia lifted her finger angrily, ready to tell him how he is using the fact that Liz thinks he is gay to get close to her. Then she lowered her finger when she remembered that Liz said how she knows that Max is not gay. Olivia's finger went up again when she thought how Max is hiding the fact that he is a despicable playboy. Then she lowered her finger when she remembered that Liz knows that. After checking that website Liz must know that… What is left? Is she really hating Max only because Liz is not aware of his advances? Is that even Max's fault? Everyone can see that Max is hitting on Liz, except for Liz, so… Olivia's fighting spirit deflated.

She looked him in the eyes, still suspicious of his motives. "OK. Tell me what do you want. You didn't come here just to find out how I feel about you."

Max smirked victoriously. He can see that Olivia dropped her guard.

"I only wish that you don't be hostile toward me. And if you can help Liz accept me as someone who is courting her, that will be a bonus."

Olivia thought about it and concluded that he is not asking for much. She is trying to tell Liz that Max is hitting on her for a while now. Where is the catch? There must be one. "That's it?"

Max nodded and then paused before adding: "Also, I want us to join them for lunch."

"The one with Dr. Snow?"

Max confirmed.

Olivia sneered. "How are you going to accomplish that?"

"Leave that to me. The only thing I expect from you is not to get in the way. I am aware that the doctor is after Liz. I don't want to ruin the lunch, but I want to make it more like an outing of friends…"

"Why are you dragging me into that?"

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Max smiled while reminding himself not to tell Olivia that he included her only as an incentive to cooperate. If he says that he does not care if she will join because the only thing he cares about is that HE joins, it might rub the girl the wrong way.

Max leaned closer to Olivia and spoke in a low voice: "I hear that he is good looking. And other than a free lunch, there might be some other benefits as well."

"Like?"

Max smiled mysteriously. "Don't spoil the surprise. But you will not be disappointed."

...

About ten minutes later…

The doorbell rang.

Liz frowned while wondering, who can that be? Why Joshua didn't call?

"I will get it…" Olivia stood up when she saw that Liz is just sitting next to Max on the sofa and not responding.

Olivia opened the door and inhaled sharply. She wanted to pinch herself few times because right there in front of her is a mysteriously super-handsome Hunter Anderson.

Hunter leaned on the door frame lazily and flashed a charming smile. "Is Liz home?"

"Hunter?", Liz turned to face the door.

"Hey!", Hunter called cheerfully while making his way inside next to non-responsive Olivia.

Hunter's steps stopped when he saw Max's warning glare. He understood that he just passed by girl he should charm. Hunter turned to Olivia and closed the door before holding her hand in his.

"Hi, I am Hunter."

Olivia had troubles seeing the handsome man in front of her because pink hearts were obstructing her view. With Max and Quentin, she told herself that they are despicable and that suppressed her impulse to get lost in the beauty, but with Hunter… there are no defenses.

Olivia shook his hand limply and giggled.

Hunter saw many girls fall for him, but this one is an extreme case.

He placed his palm on Olivia's back and guided her to the living room, while his charming smile didn't fade from his face.

"What brings you here?", Liz asked Hunter.

Hunter tilted his head at Liz and spoke while mimicking her: "Hi. How are you doing? Let me introduce you to my friends…"

"Oh, sorry…" Liz shrank in the sofa and cleared her throat awkwardly. "Hi Hunter. These are my friends, Brianna and Mia. They are visiting from New York. And you met Olivia, she is local."

She turned to her friends. "Mia, Bri… This is Hunter. He is Max's brother."

Liz waited until they exchanged greetings and offered Hunter to sit before repeating her question: "What brings you here?"

"I was in the area and thought how I didn't see you in a while. I wanted to check how are you doing and to invite you for lunch. I see you have company, so how about we all go for lunch together?", Hunter ended with a charming smile.

Olivia would realize that this is the 'other benefit which will not disappoint' if she cooperates with Max, but she was too dazed, and her brain was not working.

Max responded before Liz could: "Bad timing, brother. Liz has a date."

"A date?", Liz snapped at Max. "Who said it's a date?"

Max shrank in the sofa. "Sorry. But I heard from the girls that you are going with someone from your work, and we can't join, so I assumed it's a date."

"It is not a date!", Liz exclaimed.

"Cool…", Hunter said. "So, I can join you then?"

"That…", Liz was not sure how to answer. It's not that he can't join, but she is not the one who organized this afternoon. Dr. Snow probably placed a reservation for four in some restaurant. Can he add more people? Suddenly, Liz felt sorry that she didn't tell Dr. Snow to keep his invitation for some other time.

"I told you it's a date.", Max told Hunter. "If Liz has no feelings for that man, then she would not mind if someone else joins."

Liz frowned and started scolding Max: "What date? What feelings? Don't talk randomly! It's just a lunch and an afternoon. We don't even know where we are going or what we will be doing, but it will NOT be romantic because other than a professional relationship, nothing else is going on between me and Dr. Snow!"

Max lifted his hands, like he fears that she will hit him. "If there is nothing other than a professional relationship, why are you meeting with him outside of work hours? And why are you snapping at me?"

Liz was embarrassed that she raised her voice. And she wondered if he is right... should she meet with Dr. Snow outside work? But she will keep that topic for later. Now she needs to apologize to the man next to her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

Max looked at Liz apprehensively. "Yeah… I saw you glare at me and you yelled."

Max turned to Hunter and spoke in a voice laced with grief: "I can see that since lunch with Dr. Snow is approaching I'm not welcome here. She was fine using me last night, but now…" Max exhaled sadly. "Let's not try to force Liz to have a meal with us. We can go and have something by ourselves…"

Max leaned to stand up and Liz held his hand.

"Don't go. I said I'm sorry. It's not true that you are not welcome. The lunch is only a friendly gesture from Dr. Snow's side. I'm confident that he will not mind if all of us go. Besides Bri, Mia and Me, who else wants to join?"

Liz observed that everyone raised their hands, Olivia included. How she sees it, it's better if all of them go together especially considering that Mia and Bri are getting along well with Quentin, Olivia and Max. And she knows that Hunter is a nice guy as well.

Liz took her phone from the side table and said: "I will call Dr. Snow now and ask him to add four more to the reservation. If he can't do that, he can cancel it, and we will figure something out." She moved toward her bedroom.

Mia and Bri looked at the situation with their mouth half open. They realized that Max is not a person they should play with.

Quentin gave Max a silent thumbs up. This was executed… perfectly. He didn't need to say a word!

The door behind Liz closed and Max leaned into the sofa. He was unable to suppress the smile which bloomed on his face.

"You owe me for this.", Hunter said and took a bite of the pastry in his hand.

"Mhm…", Max made a sound of affirmation and enjoyed the moment of complete victory.

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