Page 46 of A Love So Sweet
“Maxinetonight,” she said with a wink and a toss of her long brown locks.
“You look beautiful,Maxine.” Treat glanced at Max. “This is my girlfriend, Max.”
Max extended a hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“My man Treat does not dogirlfriends. You must be someoneveryspecial if you’re up here with him. Get in here and give Maxine some love.” Maxine drew her into a warm embrace and said, “And I can see why. You aregorgeous. I absolutely love your red frames, and your name!”
“Thank you,” Max said, touching her glasses.
“Everything going well?” Treat asked. “How’s Howie?”
“Oh, sugar, he’s just as painful as ever. The man has more mood swings than a pack of PMSing women. But you know I adore him.”
Treat put his arm around Maxine and lowered his voice. “And his cancer?”
Maxine’s excitement waned for a second, and then she righted her smile and said, “He’s hanging in there. He really appreciates—wetruly appreciate—you pulling those strings with the hospital.” Her eyes welled with tears, and she wiped them away and fanned the air. “Whew. I can’t go there right now, sugar. I have to perform tonight.”
Treat hugged her again, longer this time, as his father had embraced Max. “I’m here, okay? If you need me, call me anytime. You know that. Give Howie my love, please.”
“Will do, Treat.” Maxine leaned in closer to Max and said, “The man is a saint.”
Treat could feel a million unasked questions from Max as they continued walking along the sidewalk, passing a street performer who looked as though he’d been dunked in thick gold paint, standing still as a statue while tourists threw money into a hat at his feet and took pictures standing beside him. Treat waited for her to ask about Howie and Marcus, and when she didn’t, he fed her unspoken curiosity.
“Howie lost his health insurance a while ago,” he said as they walked into Shop Therapy, a small retail store that specialized in retro clothing. “I made a deal with the hospital and medical providers here so when he needed care, they’d bill me directly.”
“That’s so generous of you. Who is Marcus…Maxine?I mean, how do you know him,her?”
“He’s a friend. I’ve gotten to know many of the year-round residents over the years.”
“So many people would have trouble embracing a man in drag, and you had no hesitation.”
“You didn’t seem to have trouble,” he said with a question in his eyes.
“No, but some guys are weird about that stuff. I don’t know. I guess I’m wrong.”
“I’m not most guys.”
“You can say that again. I actually fell for you a little harder when I saw you hug him,” she admitted.
“I’ll have to remember that,” he teased. They walked toward the back of the shop, and Treat said, “You know, dressing in drag isn’t who he is. It’s what he does for a living.”
“Oh. No, I didn’t know. I assumed that drag was a way of life.”
“No, at least not for him,” he said as they looked through a rack of shirts. “He’s a fantastic performer. If you’d like, I’ll take you to a show sometime.”
She slipped into the space between the clothing rack and his body. “I would really like that. Love is beautiful, and it should be praised, not picked apart. I’m glad we share the same view where that’s concerned.”
“The more I learn about you, the more I love you.”Loveslipped so easily from his lips. He liked the way it felt. He lowered his lips to hers, intending a chaste kiss, but once he tasted her, he didn’t want to stop there. Max leaned into him, putting pressure on all his greediest places. He reluctantly pulled away, knowing if he didn’t, he’d be walking around aroused all night.
Max laced her fingers with his and flashed a rascally smile. “Paybacks are so fun.”
He groaned.
She looked at the staircase where a sign with colorful arrows pointed up and asked, “What’s up there?”
He guided her away from the steps, which led to an adult toy shop. “Nothing, babe. Let’s go get some gelato.”
They walked to the Purple Feather Café for gelato and then headed to the beach to eat it. It was chilly, but they cuddled and fed each other tastes.
