Who: Liz Ortecho & Max Evans When: Backdated: Mid December, just before Christmas Where: The magical Christmas Village What: Running into each other at the Christmas Village + Hot Chocolate and a little mistletoe. Rating/Warnings: Family Friendly Status: Complete
To say that this Holiday season had been a strange one for Liz was an understatement. First it had been snowing for most of the month, which was one of the strangest things she had ever experienced in Orange County. When she had moved home, she’d expected to have a nice, mild winter and truthfully, she had forgotten about the snow her parents had told her about until the first snowfall near the beginning of the month. If it were only the snow, she could have handled that, but then on Friday the thirteenth not only had she experienced extremely bad luck for the majority of the day, but the next evening she had seen a clawfoot tub, with three strange children in it, walking down the street past the diner. Had it not been for the fact that a few other diners had noticed it too, she might have thought she was losing her mind.
And then to top it all off, she had received an anonymous invitation to some sort of holiday village. She had thought about simply ignoring the invite, but had decided, instead, to see if Alex and Kyle had received one too and in the end they had decided to meet up there and see what it was all about.
Having arrived early, Liz decided to venture in and check it out while she waited for her friends to arrive. As she entered the gates, she noticed a few other people, but what really caught her eye was the fact that the entire place reminded her of what she had always thought the North Pole would look like. Liz Ortecho was stunned.
Max had also received the anonymous invitation and, as work at his previous position was winding down and before he started ramping up at his new firm, he’d decided to check it out. After all, what better way to get into the holiday spirit than to explore a holiday village? And if he were lucky he might be able to find some gifts, too. Not for his mother - he and Isobel had long ago decided that they were going to gift her a spa weekend. But Isobel needed something. And Michael. Liz, too, though Max wasn’t sure what could possibly be good enough for her.
He stopped right inside the front gate, first in awe of the village itself and then stayed frozen a moment longer because of the familiar figure not ten feet ahead of him. Shaking himself into action, Max moved forward. “Fancy meeting you here,” he greeted, offering the smile that came so easily to him. Especially around her.
It took Liz a moment to realize that the person who was speaking was directing it at her and as she turned she felt her lips turn up into a smile at the sight of Max, “Hey. We seem to have made it a habit of running into each other randomly.” When she thought about the last couple of times they had seen one another they had all been random, but Liz certainly didn’t mind that. “Are you here with Isobel and Michael?” Liz didn’t see either of them, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there or that Max wasn’t waiting for them like she was currently waiting for Alex and Kyle.
“You know what they say...great minds think alike.” Obviously they were on the same wavelength about a lot of things. Max wouldn’t complain about it. He still thought Liz an amazing person. Beautiful,smart, and full of sass.
“No,” he shook his head. “I decided to come on my own. Which...may have been a bit of a miscalculation on my part. This place looks like it’s all about being with the people you care about.” Family Christmases and the like. “What about you? Did you come alone?”
“I did. Well, I’m waiting for Kyle and Alex, but I got here early.” Liz took a quick look at her phone for the time, noting that it would be a little while before her friends arrived, “We could keep each other company until they show up. I mean, unless you’re on a time crunch or something.” If Max has only come to quickly check the place out then she wouldn’t make him stay if he needed to be somewhere else.
“I’m not,” he assured her. Especially not when Liz was around. There was very little indeed that Max would put above spending any time with her. Even just as friends.
“We can even get hot chocolate, my treat.” There was something about wandering through this Christmas wonderland that brought back the magic of the season, and the excitement that had come with it as a kid.
Liz smiled at his offer and nodded, “I’d like that.” She glanced around, trying to figure deduce where they could be able to get hot chocolate and spotted two people coming out of a shop with two cups in hand, “I’m guessing that’s where the hot chocolate is.” She turned back to Max, “Lets go check it out.” Even if that shop wasn’t the right one, they were bound to find it eventually. How hard could it be to find hot chocolate in a magical Christmas village?
“Think they’ll have those little souvenir mugs?” He questioned, falling into step beside her. “Because I’d be a little disappointed if the North Pole only offered styrofoam cups.” It definitely took away from some of the magic of Christmas.
“I don’t even know how you like your hot chocolate, you realize? Marshmallows? Candy cane? Some coffee mixed in?” Max loved learning new things about her.
“Oooh, souvenir mugs would be kind of cool,” Liz laughed softly as they headed towards the shop, “It would be even worse though if they were just paper cups.” It was a magical Christmas village after all, “I usually put a little milk in it and mini marshmallows. What about you?” Reaching the shop, Liz pulled the door open and held it for Max.
“Much worse,” Max agreed. He only hesitated a moment before ducking inside. It would be rude to insist on holding the door for her and, knowing Liz, she would probably take offense at any implication that she couldn’t do something because she was a woman. Like holding a door open. But he would get the next door, that much was certain.
“Extra chocolate and a peppermint stick.”
Liz wouldn’t have taken offense, but it simply hadn’t occurred to her to wait for Max to open the door first since she had reached it before him, “You’re in luck then cause they have peppermint sticks.” Liz said, noting that they had in fact entered the correct shop. Now Liz had been to many different cafes over the years, but this was like nothing she had ever seen before; the shop was decked out for Christmas, which was no surprise, but it also had every possible option for hot chocolate toppings one could ever think of, “Wow. This place is crazy. Have you ever seen anything like it before?”
“I didn’t even realize there were so many options,” he answered with a shake of his head. “Hot white chocolate? With lavender? I think I’ll skip that one. It seems like it would taste like a garden. I’m a traditionalist. But I might try the dark chocolate with my peppermint. What about you? Sticking with your marshmallows?”
“Me neither.” Liz glanced up at the menu, brown eyes scanning the various kinds of hot chocolate that was available, “Maybe I’ll go with Salted caramel hot chocolate this time.” It sounded good and after all, wasn’t Liz all about trying new things these days? “Yeah, I think that one sounds good. No marshmallows this time.” She smirked up at Max as they approached the counter to order.
“You’re making me feel unadventurous and unexciting,” he teased. But Max would stick with his safe order. At least for the first round. Perhaps he’d get some more chocolate before the night was through.
“Do you want anything to go with it? Gingerbread?”
Liz laughed and placed her hand on Max’s arm without even realizing it, “I don’t think you’re unadventurous or unexciting, Max.” When she did realize that her hand was on his arm she quickly removed it, her cheeks heating up slightly as she shook her head, “No, I think I’ll pass on gingerbread right now.”
After ordering they moved aside to wait while their drinks were being made, “So, what’re you doing for Christmas? Spending it with your family?” She chewed her bottom lip a little as she looked up at him, recalling the way his arm felt under her hand.
He couldn’t help the way his smile widened, both at the feel of her hand on his arm and the way her cheeks flushed before she pulled away. Maybe he wasn’t the only one who felt something? Or maybe it was just wishful thinking.
“Yeah,” he nodded. “I think my mom would have a conniption if Is or I tried to have Christmas anywhere else. She loves the fuss. And since Isobel and I are on better terms it should be a bit less painful. What about you? Any plans with Kyle or Alex?” Given her strained relationship with Rosa.
“It’s just gonna be me and my parents on Christmas. Rosa is...she was here for Thanksgiving. She probably figures that was enough family time for her.” Liz wished that she could figure out what was going on with her sister, but she had been trying for so long that she finally decided that if and when Rosa wanted to talk, she would, “No plans for Christmas with either of them. That’s why we decided to meet up here tonight.” Their names were called and Liz turned to get her drink.
“Well hopefully one day she realizes just how lucky she is to have a sister like you.” It was said casually as Max turned to get his cocoa and sipping it. But he meant it sincerely. Liz Ortecho was unique - no one else like her in the world as far as Max was concerned. Beautiful inside and out and even her flaws he found attractive.
“Shall we? That is if you’re okay to wander a bit. It seems like there’s a ton to see.”
Liz smiled and nodded, “One can only hope,” Her sister would have to grow up one of these days and when she did, Liz would be there for her, “Yeah, lets go.” She didn’t want to do too much without Alex and Kyle, but there was so much to see that she didn’t think that would happen, “So, at the risk of being thrown into Christmas jail for the wrong answer, what is your favorite holiday?”
“I feel like that’s a trick question,” Max grinned, looking over at her. “Especially given where we are right now. But I really do like Christmas. Time with friends and family, good food, presents, catchy songs...what’s not to like? What about you? Anything surpass Christmas for you?”
Okay, so maybe it had been a bit of a trick question, but Liz had figured it was an easy way to get to know a little more about Max, “Christmas is my favorite holiday. Even if my whole family isn’t always together. I just have a lot of good memories from when I was a kid,” Liz smiled and took a sip of her hot chocolate, “Mmm, this is really good.”
“I think any other hot chocolate is pretty much ruined now,” he teased. “And I will probably be having a few more cups before the day is done. Mmm..let’s check out the candy store. Is and I got my mom a spa package but some gourmet chocolate wouldn’t be completely unappreciated.”
Stepping forward, he held the door for her, and then couldn’t help but grin as she stepped forward. “Liz…” A nod upward. Right above the door hung a sprig of mistletoe. Though he’d wait for her confirmation before leaning in.
Liz nodded in agreement to Max’s suggestion and followed him to the candy shop, “I think she’ll love that,” Stepping into the shop, she was thrown off by Max’s gesture and glanced up to see the mistletoe, eyes widening slightly, “Oh….well, I guess we can’t disrespect the mistletoe.” Liz would be lying if she said she’d never thought about kissing Max Evans, but this wasn’t how she’d ever pictured their first kiss. However, she wouldn’t pass up a chance if this was what the universe wanted.
“No, I guess not,” he agreed softly. And before she could change her mind or he could chicken out, Max leaned in, lips gently brushing against hers, lingering a moment. He had dreamt about that so long as it entirely lived up to his expectations, made all the sweeter by the trace of hot chocolate on her lips. And even after the kiss, Max couldn’t quite bring himself to pull away.
“One more reason to like Christmas,” he advised, smiling down at her.