The rules of engagement
Max got them drinks, before he returned to the table where Bethan was waiting for him.
‘Thanks,’ she said, before Max sat opposite her. ‘You’re probably wondering what happened back at the sandwich shop.’
‘It had crossed my mind,’ said Max, before he took a sip of his non-alcoholic beer.
Bethan looked at Max, and she smiled a little uncertainly.
‘Honestly, I hadn’t planned on kissing you today.
What I said before about not being ready was how I felt, but there was just something about being with you today, about what happened to Joe and that life is short, I just thought I need to give this a shot.
I’m not saying I’m one hundred per cent ready, Max, but if I wait for that then who knows how long it will take, and where we’ll be.
So, I made the decision to just jump in and see what happens. Is that OK?’
‘Of course it’s OK. It’s what I wanted. I was just a little confused.’
‘Sorry.’
‘No, no don’t be sorry, and you’re right. I’m not sure I’m one hundred per cent ready for this either, but maybe if we take it slowly, it will be the best decision we ever made.’
‘I hope so,’ said Bethan, before she looked at Max and this time with a different smile. It was more certain, and it meant something different. ‘Because I really like you, Max.’
‘I really like you too,’ he replied, before they both took sips of their drinks, the air between them fizzing with romantic energy.
Max looked across at Bethan, and he couldn’t believe his luck.
Bethan was perfect, and despite both of them having their hearts broken, they had somehow found a way to each other.
Just the fact that Max had seen the flyer for Common People on that morning in the coffee shop was in itself quite fortuitous.
Even if he had seen it just weeks earlier, he probably wouldn’t have gone along because he wouldn’t have been ready for that sort of change.
Perhaps on another morning, he didn’t look at the noticeboard, get a coffee, or even see the small flyer tucked in amongst all the others.
The chances of Max finding the run club at exactly the right time felt small, almost impossible, but he had and it had led him to Bethan.
‘How about we go on a date?’ said Max.
‘A date?’
‘Yes. How about tomorrow? I could pick you up around two?’
‘OK.’
‘If we’re going to start going out, it should start with a proper date.’
‘And where exactly will we go on this proper date?’
‘You’ll have to wait and see.’
Bethan looked at him, smiled and then agreed to a date on Sunday afternoon.
Max wasn't sure where they should go, but he knew it had to be somewhere special. Max and Bethan discussed the fact that neither of them had been on a date in quite some time, but they were excited about it, although Max was also suddenly fraught with worry about making it perfect. How could he create the perfect date for Bethan that started at two o’clock in the afternoon?
What was he going to wear? Where were they going to going?
‘And what should I wear on the date?’ asked Bethan.
‘Umm, just something comfortable.’
‘Something comfortable, like?’
Max was flustered, trying to think quickly about where they might go, what they might do, and what sort of clothes you might wear for such a date.
‘Oh, you know, clothes you can walk around in. Trainers probably.’
‘So, we aren’t going somewhere fancy?’
‘That’s right, not fancy, but somewhere fun!
’ Why did he have to say somewhere fun? She wasn’t a child and they weren’t going to Thorpe Park!
It was going to be a romantic date, not an afternoon riding rollercoasters.
Somewhere fun! Max was digging himself further and further into a hole he had created by himself for no reason.
He had to stop digging, and give himself time to actually figure out what he was going to do.
‘Just be ready at two o’clock tomorrow afternoon. That’s all I’m going to say.’
‘Very mysterious,’ replied Bethan, and Max took a long pull of his non-alcoholic beer, wishing for a moment that it actually had a little alcohol in it.
Max and Bethan sat drinking, talking about all sorts of things from the Clapham Half that was coming up with surprising speed, Bethan’s job, Rab’s Sandwich Shop, and Max’s career at the BBC.
After an hour, they decided to leave because Bethan had plans that evening with a friend, and Max wanted to get back to the flat to see Robbie, to see how he was feeling after the soft opening.
They walked outside of the pub, standing in front of each other.
Max reached down and held her hands in his for a moment, smiling and looking deep into her eyes.
‘I’m really excited about this,’ he said.
‘Me too.’
‘Although, saying goodbye now, I’m not sure if I should kiss you again, you know, after our kiss earlier, but with the date tomorrow.’
‘Maybe let’s wait for tomorrow. After all the fun!’
Max laughed. ‘OK. Tomorrow it is.’
‘Tomorrow,’ she replied, before she turned around and walked away.
‘Can’t wait!’ Max called after her.
She turned around and smiled. ‘Me too!’
Max watched her walk away before he slowly walked back to his flat, wondering what he was going to find when he got there.
Robbie had left with Eve, and he didn’t know what their plans were for the rest of the day.
Max was too caught up daydreaming about Bethan to really care about anything else at that moment.
It had been the perfect day from the successful soft opening of Rab’s, to kissing Bethan, and agreeing to a date.
As Max walked through Clapham, back to his flat, he hadn’t been that happy or content since before his parents had died.
It was definitely the happiest he had felt in a long time.
He actually smiled to himself as he opened the door to his flat, and then walked inside, getting ready to tell Robbie all about his kiss with Bethan, and his date the following day.
Instead, he was met with the sight of a mostly naked Max, behind the sofa with a half-naked Eve.
‘Oh my fecking Christ!’ exclaimed a mortified Eve.
‘Fuck! Sorry,’ said Max, immediately covering his eyes with his hands.
‘Fuck!’ said a desperate Robbie, pulling up his jeans, while hopping on one foot, as Eve dashed into Robbie’s bedroom, covering herself up with her hands, while grasping a pile of clothes.
Max heard Robbie’s bedroom door close, and he slowly took his hands away from his eyes, and then opened them because he had his eyes closed behind his hands, just for good measure.
The last thing he wanted to see was Robbie naked, even for a moment.
He didn’t want Eve to feel embarrassed either, or for there to be any semblance of awkwardness between them.
After a moment, when it was all clear, Max walked into the kitchen and put the kettle on.
After everything, he really needed a strong cup of tea.
As he waited for the kettle to boil, he took out his phone and went to messages.
He found Bethan and then typed out a quick text.
I can’t wait for tomorrow x
He pressed send, and then the kettle boiled and he made himself a cup of tea. As he plopped a teabag in a cup, Robbie’s bedroom door opened, and then a rather shaken Eve appeared.
‘Eve, it’s fine, I didn’t see anything,’ said Max, but she kept walking towards the door.
‘I’ve got to go, Max, I’ll see you at Common People.’
‘Eve, it’s fine, honestly. No drama.’
‘See you later,’ said Eve quickly, before she opened the front door and then vanished, just as Robbie appeared from his room.
‘Mate, I’m so sorry.’
‘It’s no your fault, pal. We got a wee bit carried away.’
‘So, things are going well between you two?’
‘Aye, they are. Really well, actually.’
‘That’s great, mate. I’m happy for you, and in other news, I’m going on a date with Bethan tomorrow afternoon!’
‘What?’ said an incredulous Robbie. ‘I thought youse weren’t in the right place or something?’
‘Me too, but today at the shop, we kissed. Then we went for a drink, and tomorrow we’re going on a proper first date. Which reminds me, any ideas for an amazing, incredible date?’
‘Umm, well, let me see,’ said Robbie, walking into the kitchen, and grabbing a beer from the fridge. ‘Youse could go to a swanky restaurant, really push the boat out.’
‘Can’t. I already said to wear something comfortable and casual.’
‘Why?’
‘I panicked. Oh, it also has to be fun.’
‘So youse promised her a fun, casual date?’
‘Exactly.’
‘Right,’ said Robbie, taking a sip of beer. ‘What about one of those wee boats youse can hire? Youse could bring a picnic. It’s called, umm, Go Boat, I think. It’s in Paddington. Me and a few pals did it a while back.’
‘That’s actually not a bad idea. Boating is quite romantic, and I could make a picnic.’
‘Aye, they do some nice bits at M&S.’
‘Cheers mate. That’s a great idea.’
‘Och, no worries, pal. So, did everyone love the sandwiches?’ said Robbie, sitting on the sofa. Max brought his tea over and sat next to him.
‘They all said they were delicious. I think it was a real success. There were lots of social media people there too. Have you looked online?’
‘Aye. There were lots of posts, videos, and I heard from two that they’re going to put out videos on YouTube in the next week or so.’
‘The official opening is in two weeks. Are we ready?’
‘Aye, I think we are.’
‘Nervous?’
‘A wee bit. You?’
‘A wee bit,’ said Max. ‘Although right now all I can think about is my date tomorrow. I have to pop to St Albans in the morning first.’
‘Why?’
‘I’m going to see my parents. I’m trying to be more regular about visiting them, and tomorrow would have been their wedding anniversary.’
‘Sorry pal.’
‘No, no it’s fine,’ said Max with a smile. ‘I think I’m finally in a good place. I have Common People, the sandwich shop, my job, and now Bethan. I think my parents would be happy for me. It really feels like I’ve turned a corner.’
‘They’d be proud of youse.’
‘Thanks,’ said Max, and then his phone buzzed with a message from Bethan.
Me too x