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They both laughed softly.
“You better call your brother,” she smiled tearfully, looking up at him.
Max nodded, hesitated, and leaned down to kiss her softly. His warm lips captured hers, gently, reverently, lovingly before he whispered against them.
“I knew the moment I saw you, nothing would be the same.”
Only to hear the song play again as Max groaned, rolling his eyes in frustration, making her laugh. She smiled at him and informed him she was going to get ready to go while he handled the call – and he nodded, answering his phone.
“Important conversations are happening, so this better be good…” and she heard Max pause before he groaned and then chuckled, walking toward the room where she was pulling out a dress from the closet. “Yup. That sounds great, Reese. No, we’ll be there soon, and I’ll let Elana know.”
“Let Elana know what?” she asked the moment he hung up the phone. “What’s going on?”
“Remember how I love chili?”
“Yes… you might have mentioned that.”
“Reese got volun-told that he’s a judge in a chili cookoff at the local church by the mayor, which is why he was calling so many times. They had to cancel our dinner reservation at the steakhouse and wanted to know if chili was okay.”
“Of course.”
“Picnic tables and benches… and who knows what else,” he said simply, looking almost worried. “Do you mind, because it won’t be fancy… but it will probably be good.”
She smiled at him and nodded.
“Are jeans okay?”
“I’m wearing my running shorts because they have an elastic waist,” he grinned, not bothering to hide his excitement as he rubbed his belly. “Oh man, I’m gonna try every single pot too.”
“What if they have fifteen contestants?” she chuckled.
“Then I’m gonna have fifteen bowls of chili. We might need to stop and get Tums later on the way home,” he winked. “And Gas-X…”
“Oh, be still my beating heart,” she muttered, shaking her head and laughing. “You know how to win a girl over – don’t you?”
“Nope. I’m clueless,” he confessed, not bothering to hide it. “But I’m learning all the time… so no fart jokes?”
“No, Max. No fart jokes, please,” she chuckled. “You know, there is probably a reason you have a sensitive tummy – and I bet it has to do with chili, chili peppers, jalapeños, habaneros, and other gastro-intestinal delights.”
“Yummmm habaneros…” he sighed – and then yanked on the elastic of his pants deliberately. “I’m ready, and you look beautiful. Let’s go.”
“Like this? Are you sure?” she panicked, looking down at her T-shirt and leggings.
“Heck yeah,” he chuckled. “If you drop chili, you might not see it as much on that black T-shirt. Plus, those legs and that butt… perfection!” and actually made a chef’s kiss with his hand.
Elana laughed nervously, but the moment Max extended his hand toward her, smiling, she was ready to go as well. He was so good for her ego and looked at her like she was the only woman in the world. Him, the guy everyone wanted to date in high school, and she was married to him.
And falling in love.
CHAPTER 14
INFERNO
“Ohhhh, owww, my belly,” Max groaned openly and heard Elana laugh beside him as she put one arm around his back where they sat on the picnic bench opposite Eileen… and rubbed his tummy playfully.
“Don’t push! Don’t push!” he gasped out nervously, gingerly putting a hand over hers – and this time, both Elana and Eileen were openly laughing at him. Eileen reached out and started counting the bowls pointedly.
“One… two… five… seven… eight, nine, oh man… Max!” Eileen laughed uproariously. “You had TWELVE bowls of chili?”
