Accident Prone

Sabrina had no problem staring at the kissing couple. She was too excited to think that she is too close or that she is intruding on their lovey-dovey time. In Sabrina"s opinion: if they want privacy, they will go to their room.

"Don"t rush because of me. Whenever you are done, let me know. I want to be the first one to congratulate you!", Sabrina said with a grin.

Hunter and Mia stood up and Sabrina"s arms circled around them while she rained good wishes.

Sabrina likes Mia and she likes that her brother is in love and it"s mutual. That is good enough for her.

Liz glanced around and saw that one of the staff members has a camera and is recording. It must be that Hunter planned for this. She wondered what the camera is capturing and glanced at the faces which are obviously still in shock.

"Wow… dude!", Ashton"s cry snapped Jake, Derek and Mike out of their frozen gaping. But they were still not sure how to react. Didn"t Hunter and Mia meet like… a week ago?

At the table in the back...

Madeline was gripping Nathan"s hand and struggled to take in shallow breaths while her eyes didn"t leave Hunter and Mia.

Nathan"s face was arranged in a deep frown and he heard Madeline say under her breath: "Nate… Background checks… As soon as possible…"

To Madeline, everything looks like a dream and she is not sure if this is a good one or a nightmare. She is struggling to stay seated and not dash there to grab Hunter"s shoulders, give him a good shake and ask him what he is thinking. Hunter told them that he has a girlfriend two days ago, yesterday they met Mia and today they are engaged?! She was not ready for this. She didn"t see it coming. Heck, two days ago she didn"t even know that Hunter has a girlfriend?

Back to the newly-engaged couple... 

"Welcome to the family.", Sabrina told Mia while pulling out of the hug.

Liz was next. She hugged Mia and Hunter and stifled a laugh. "I wish you all the best and I hope that you know what you are doing."

Mia hugged Liz and spoke only for Liz to hear: "This is love, sweetie. I don"t know what I"m doing, and I can"t do a thing about it because when it relates to Hunter, there are no words available to explain how he makes me feel. By staying in this relationship, I am willingly giving my heart to Hunter with a faith that he will take good care of it. But even if he breaks my heart it will be the same as me giving up on what we have because the pain of missing him when we are apart is unbearable."

Liz had so many questions, but she saw that Max is waiting by her side for his turn, and Ashton, Jake, Derek and Mike are approaching, probably to offer their well wishes. Her questions will need to wait, and she stepped aside to allow others to congratulate the newly engaged couple.

One staff member made his way toward Hunter and Mia, carrying two lush leis made out of red and white orchids.

He placed one lei around Mia"s neck and the other one around Hunter"s while explaining: "Lei garland signifies devotion, love and everlasting commitment to each other. In the name of everyone at this resort, I wish you eternal happiness…"

Staff descended around the tables and swiftly removed existing plates and utensils before arranging the next set of snacks and desserts, and the birthday cake was already cut and served to everyone.

Loud music created with drums and ukuleles started on the stage again and dancers were back with the "hu-ha" sounds and their vigorous dance moves.

Liz sat in her chair and enjoyed the show.

Occasionally Max would put a piece of food in her mouth, and she would just take it obediently. At this point, she stopped resisting his pampering. Well, it is nice, and he seems to enjoy it.

The cake was yummy: soft and moist vanilla base with a hint of coconut and layers of fresh strawberries, pineapples and mangoes. Fruity and light.

Max chuckled when he saw some blue frosting at the edge of Liz"s lips. He used his thumb to remove the frosting before putting that thumb in his mouth.

"Hmm…", he hummed in satisfaction. "This is the sweetest piece of cake."

Liz could see that he is implying how it"s sweetest because of her… because she is sweet. He is a flirt. Liz did her best to look back toward the stage, unable to prevent her lips from curving into a smile.

Liz remembered that this is luau: a Hawaiian feast accompanied by entertainment. The yummy food seemed endless and the entertainment was not lacking. Hawaiians know how to throw a party.

When few songs were done, dancers ran off the stage and seven male hula performers emerged from the left, each with a torch carrying fire on both ends. They skillfully twirled the torches and threw them in the air, and the flames created various shapes. It was a bit scary and also impressive.

The performers took turns and it lasted more than an hour before they all bowed and took their leave.

The dancers were done, but musicians were not. They switched to slow and soothing music, setting up the mood for guests to chat and relax with endless refills on food and drinks, and maybe to dance as well.

"My lady, can I interest you in a dance?", Max asked Liz.

She accepted the offer. If she keeps on just sitting there and eating, her weight will suffer. Her stomach was full a while ago, but the food is tasty, and she can"t make herself refuse it whenever Max brings the next bite close to her lips.

Max made Liz twirl few times before pulling her toward him and guiding her hands to rest around his neck. He placed his hands low on her back and they moved slowly, following the beat of the drums.

Now that they are out of the earshot of everyone, Max asked Liz: "What do you think about Hunter and Mia getting engaged?"

Liz was not sure how to respond. "I am still processing it. I mean… I am happy for them because they look happy but… they met a week ago. They don"t know each other."

Max saw that Liz stopped talking, and he summarized: "You think that they are rushing?"

Liz confirmed and asked: "Don"t you?"

"Is it fast? Yes. But both Hunter and Mia are smitten with each other to the point of glowing. I believe that the two of them know what they are doing."

Liz sighed. "Does that mean how they will be happy six months from now? What if they find out that they are not compatible?"

"It can go either way. Dating for a long time does not mean how it will work out. Some are lucky to know immediately when they meet the right person, and some take years and still get it wrong."

Liz heard sadness in Max"s voice when he spoke about a failure after years of dating and she was not sure if he is talking about Sabrina or about that long-term relationship he had or is just a random statement. And she didn"t want to ask for clarification because part of her feared that he is talking about himself.

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