Theme song: Someone Like You (Van Morrison)
Susan knew she should feel worse. Good thing Mark gave her that glass of water, she thought, forcing her eyes opened. He wasn't in his bed. She then saw him outside. He was coming in so she shut her eyes again, not wanting to be known to be awake, for not particular reason. She could hear Mark breathing heavily and peaked through her eyelashes. He'd clearly been running. He went to the bathroom and she went back to sleep.
She was woken by a tray being put down beside her on the bed. She opened her eyes, surprised to find a full bowl of tropical fruit, cinnamon and sugar on a thin piece of rye toast and a tall glass of orange juice. "Coffee's coming." Mark went back to the kitchen.
"Mark, this is amazing." She sat up, picking a strawberry from the bowl and popping it into her mouth.
"How are you feeling?"
"Oh, alright. Considering." She yawned and got out of bed. First thing: toilet. Then breakfast.
"Where's yours?" she returned to her bed and sat cross-legged in front of the tray.
"I was hungry. You were sleeping." He stole a grape from her bowl and sat on the side of her bed.
"Oh, help yourself. I'll never eat all this anyway."
"I know you better than that Suz." He got up, hearing the jug had boiled.
"No, honestly, it's the side affects of a hangover."
"Should I keep my voice down and pull the curtains?" he handed her a mug of coffee and sat on the end of her bed with his.
"No, it's not that bad." She yawned again. "This looks fantastic." She started on the toast. "I'm sure I don't deserve this."
"No, you're quite entertaining drunk."
"I know you better than that Mark." She met his eyes. "You weren't entertained. I wasn't that drunk – I could still see you and hear you and I remember most of it very clearly."
He laughed, "Don't worry about it?"
She ignored him. "I'm just trying to thank you for treating me like a princess when I behave like a spoilt child."
He rolled his eyes, "Okay, you're welcome."
"And I think, for my punishment, we can do whatever you want today."
"Well, I can't turn that down. There is one thing I've always wanted to try."
"Go on."
"Well, I mean you don't have to come, but I would love to go diving."
"As in coral reef, sharks, oxygen tanks, all that?"
"That's the one. But thanks for the shark reference."
She laughed, once again frustrated at how adorable he managed to be in the most unlikely ways. It was disarming. One moment she thought she was doing so well at keeping up platonic distance, and the next… "Diving it is." What was she getting herself into?
"I'll go ask for some details at the office while you finish your breakfast." He took off excitedly.
She laughed at him and finished her coffee. He was so good to her… damn it. And sometimes she was SO sure he wanted her. All those unguarded moments when he stared too long, or said too much, or gave too much. He was so generous with himself – he just kept looking after her and putting that little extra effort into everything. Jenn had been a fool.
"This is insane." Susan leant back off the boat.
"You'll be fine." Mark shouted from the water, though he'd been almost as nervous only minutes earlier.
"Any time." The instructor smiled at her.
"Yeah, yeah." She pushed herself off.
Mark swam toward her and she came up gasping, "It's freezing."
"Not it's not." He splashed his hand into the water between them.
"Oh no, we're not doing that again." She laughed, kicking her legs furiously to keep afloat. He was doing the same and they kept brushing against hers, so soft and warm in the cool water.
The instructor joined them and they put their masks on, following him down into the clear water.
"Okay, highlight so far?" Mark kicked his feet as he walked in the shallows, spraying water ahead of them.
"Um," Susan couldn't stop smiling, this was ridiculous, "Well, diving was amazing, but I'm still going to say the treasure hunt – the imaginary version where we find treasure."
"So guess what we're doing tomorrow." He laughed.
"How about you?"
He shook his head, "No idea."
"Well you've got three more days to find one."
"There's too many already. The view from the mountain was pretty good. I can't wait to see the photos."
"Yeah, that's cause you took them. Of me I might add."
"Oh, I know I should have asked," he teased, "But where's the fun in that."
She kicked water at him and he just laughed at her, "See, even this is pretty good. I think the highlight of my holiday is the company." He was working up to telling her but he wasn't ready yet. He'd be braver in the dark. Maybe after dinner. It was late afternoon but the sun was still warm on their faces.
"I'm not used to this." She shook her head. "I wasn't the best company last night and if I remember correctly I managed to be a wet rag the night before as well. You're the one who deserves that compliment."
Love is blind, he thought, and he was close to saying it. Getting it over with.
"I'd prefer the ugly truth to meaningless flattery." She didn't realize how harsh she sounded until the words were said and gone.
"I meant it," he said quietly, not looking at her.
"I know, I'm just…" she sighed and stopped walking, hoping he would too.
He turned around a few steps later, when he was ready to meet her eyes.
She shook her head, "You're amazing, you know that?"
He swallowed, holding her eyes bravely.
"You deserve friends as incredible and selfless as you are."
"You've had a tough week."
"I'm in Maui."
"Yeah, but, I mean with trying to decide about Phoenix. I'm hardly going to expect you to be unaffected. It's okay to react the way you do."
She knew she didn't deserve it but she didn't want to argue. She wanted to kiss him. She smiled and shook her head in disbelief, stepping forward to thank him with a hug.
He let her but hardly moved.
She stepped back a little awkwardly and smiled at him to hide the tension.
"I love you." He whispered, his eyes vulnerable and desperate and adoring her.
Her mouth opened slightly in surprise.
"I know you probably don't I just… I mean if you're thinking of leaving then you might as well know."
"Mark." She shook her head, "I'm not leaving."
"When did you…?"
"Now." She held his eyes with anticipation. "I love you. I'm not going anywhere."
He kissed her with a passion she wasn't prepared for. But she caught on, pulling her body closer with his eager cooperation.
When they stopped he just looked at her stunned. She was smiling a smile he knew so well but it was brimming with uncommon emotion. "I thought you didn't want me," She whispered in awe.
"Are you kidding? How could I not want you? I have loved you… you have been my dearest friend." His eyes were brimming with tears.
She cupped his face with her hands and then pulled him into a tight embrace, afraid to let go.
"I've barely been able to speak a sentence without telling you all week."
"Why didn't you?" she laughed through her own tears, pulling back only enough to see his face.
"Because I couldn't believe you wanted me."
"I've never wanted anyone more." She kissed him desperately.
He picked her up, spinning her around, their lips not parting till her feet reached the ground. She couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, I love you." She took his hand, kissing his palm cheekily.
He laughed, cause a smile simply wouldn't cut it, and pulled her to his side, kissing her hair as they continued their walk along the beach.
Susan pulled him close, her arm around his waist, her head resting in his shoulder. "You know, today has been the best day. I watched the sun rise with you and now it's setting and it's only better."
"Today will be hard to beat."
"No point trying really. I've found my meridian." She turned her head to kiss him and they stopped walking. "I've wanted to do that for so long." She confessed.
"I was so afraid to tell you. And then these past few days… I was so close, so many times."
"You kept pulling back and I tried so hard to keep my distance so it wouldn't be harder to say goodbye if I had to."
"Wouldn't have made any difference to me. How could I say goodbye to you?" he ran his fingers back through her hair and kissed her forehead.
"I found a reason to stay so you don't have to – so I don't have to – I couldn't bear a goodbye to you. Everyone else, I'd survive, but you… you are my best friend, my confidante. I don't know what I'd ever do without you."
"Good." He kissed her again.
Eventually he pulled away, "I think we should get dinner." He grinned cheekily.
She laughed. She'd been ready to take him home to bed. But he was right. They had plenty of time. No hurry.
Not that she noticed what she ate for dinner. And she didn't order desert, or coffee.
"Dance with me." He slipped his foot between hers as they finished eating.
She stood up wordlessly and took his hand. The band were playing 'Moondance' as Mark pulled her lightly closer, stepping back and forth, side to side.
This was intoxicating. And definitely an improvement on last night's version. She let herself fall into the rhythm of the music and the enticing touch of his body against hers.
Mark sang along, barely audibly, just above her ear. She liked that.
"Mark."
He pulled back to see her, an irrepressible, adoring smile gracing his lips.
"Let's go."
He couldn't speak. He nodded and let her go so she could get her bag from their table while he paid the bill.
Susan knew she should feel worse. Good thing Mark gave her that glass of water, she thought, forcing her eyes opened. He wasn't in his bed. She then saw him outside. He was coming in so she shut her eyes again, not wanting to be known to be awake, for not particular reason. She could hear Mark breathing heavily and peaked through her eyelashes. He'd clearly been running. He went to the bathroom and she went back to sleep.
She was woken by a tray being put down beside her on the bed. She opened her eyes, surprised to find a full bowl of tropical fruit, cinnamon and sugar on a thin piece of rye toast and a tall glass of orange juice. "Coffee's coming." Mark went back to the kitchen.
"Mark, this is amazing." She sat up, picking a strawberry from the bowl and popping it into her mouth.
"How are you feeling?"
"Oh, alright. Considering." She yawned and got out of bed. First thing: toilet. Then breakfast.
"Where's yours?" she returned to her bed and sat cross-legged in front of the tray.
"I was hungry. You were sleeping." He stole a grape from her bowl and sat on the side of her bed.
"Oh, help yourself. I'll never eat all this anyway."
"I know you better than that Suz." He got up, hearing the jug had boiled.
"No, honestly, it's the side affects of a hangover."
"Should I keep my voice down and pull the curtains?" he handed her a mug of coffee and sat on the end of her bed with his.
"No, it's not that bad." She yawned again. "This looks fantastic." She started on the toast. "I'm sure I don't deserve this."
"No, you're quite entertaining drunk."
"I know you better than that Mark." She met his eyes. "You weren't entertained. I wasn't that drunk – I could still see you and hear you and I remember most of it very clearly."
He laughed, "Don't worry about it?"
She ignored him. "I'm just trying to thank you for treating me like a princess when I behave like a spoilt child."
He rolled his eyes, "Okay, you're welcome."
"And I think, for my punishment, we can do whatever you want today."
"Well, I can't turn that down. There is one thing I've always wanted to try."
"Go on."
"Well, I mean you don't have to come, but I would love to go diving."
"As in coral reef, sharks, oxygen tanks, all that?"
"That's the one. But thanks for the shark reference."
She laughed, once again frustrated at how adorable he managed to be in the most unlikely ways. It was disarming. One moment she thought she was doing so well at keeping up platonic distance, and the next… "Diving it is." What was she getting herself into?
"I'll go ask for some details at the office while you finish your breakfast." He took off excitedly.
She laughed at him and finished her coffee. He was so good to her… damn it. And sometimes she was SO sure he wanted her. All those unguarded moments when he stared too long, or said too much, or gave too much. He was so generous with himself – he just kept looking after her and putting that little extra effort into everything. Jenn had been a fool.
"This is insane." Susan leant back off the boat.
"You'll be fine." Mark shouted from the water, though he'd been almost as nervous only minutes earlier.
"Any time." The instructor smiled at her.
"Yeah, yeah." She pushed herself off.
Mark swam toward her and she came up gasping, "It's freezing."
"Not it's not." He splashed his hand into the water between them.
"Oh no, we're not doing that again." She laughed, kicking her legs furiously to keep afloat. He was doing the same and they kept brushing against hers, so soft and warm in the cool water.
The instructor joined them and they put their masks on, following him down into the clear water.
"Okay, highlight so far?" Mark kicked his feet as he walked in the shallows, spraying water ahead of them.
"Um," Susan couldn't stop smiling, this was ridiculous, "Well, diving was amazing, but I'm still going to say the treasure hunt – the imaginary version where we find treasure."
"So guess what we're doing tomorrow." He laughed.
"How about you?"
He shook his head, "No idea."
"Well you've got three more days to find one."
"There's too many already. The view from the mountain was pretty good. I can't wait to see the photos."
"Yeah, that's cause you took them. Of me I might add."
"Oh, I know I should have asked," he teased, "But where's the fun in that."
She kicked water at him and he just laughed at her, "See, even this is pretty good. I think the highlight of my holiday is the company." He was working up to telling her but he wasn't ready yet. He'd be braver in the dark. Maybe after dinner. It was late afternoon but the sun was still warm on their faces.
"I'm not used to this." She shook her head. "I wasn't the best company last night and if I remember correctly I managed to be a wet rag the night before as well. You're the one who deserves that compliment."
Love is blind, he thought, and he was close to saying it. Getting it over with.
"I'd prefer the ugly truth to meaningless flattery." She didn't realize how harsh she sounded until the words were said and gone.
"I meant it," he said quietly, not looking at her.
"I know, I'm just…" she sighed and stopped walking, hoping he would too.
He turned around a few steps later, when he was ready to meet her eyes.
She shook her head, "You're amazing, you know that?"
He swallowed, holding her eyes bravely.
"You deserve friends as incredible and selfless as you are."
"You've had a tough week."
"I'm in Maui."
"Yeah, but, I mean with trying to decide about Phoenix. I'm hardly going to expect you to be unaffected. It's okay to react the way you do."
She knew she didn't deserve it but she didn't want to argue. She wanted to kiss him. She smiled and shook her head in disbelief, stepping forward to thank him with a hug.
He let her but hardly moved.
She stepped back a little awkwardly and smiled at him to hide the tension.
"I love you." He whispered, his eyes vulnerable and desperate and adoring her.
Her mouth opened slightly in surprise.
"I know you probably don't I just… I mean if you're thinking of leaving then you might as well know."
"Mark." She shook her head, "I'm not leaving."
"When did you…?"
"Now." She held his eyes with anticipation. "I love you. I'm not going anywhere."
He kissed her with a passion she wasn't prepared for. But she caught on, pulling her body closer with his eager cooperation.
When they stopped he just looked at her stunned. She was smiling a smile he knew so well but it was brimming with uncommon emotion. "I thought you didn't want me," She whispered in awe.
"Are you kidding? How could I not want you? I have loved you… you have been my dearest friend." His eyes were brimming with tears.
She cupped his face with her hands and then pulled him into a tight embrace, afraid to let go.
"I've barely been able to speak a sentence without telling you all week."
"Why didn't you?" she laughed through her own tears, pulling back only enough to see his face.
"Because I couldn't believe you wanted me."
"I've never wanted anyone more." She kissed him desperately.
He picked her up, spinning her around, their lips not parting till her feet reached the ground. She couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, I love you." She took his hand, kissing his palm cheekily.
He laughed, cause a smile simply wouldn't cut it, and pulled her to his side, kissing her hair as they continued their walk along the beach.
Susan pulled him close, her arm around his waist, her head resting in his shoulder. "You know, today has been the best day. I watched the sun rise with you and now it's setting and it's only better."
"Today will be hard to beat."
"No point trying really. I've found my meridian." She turned her head to kiss him and they stopped walking. "I've wanted to do that for so long." She confessed.
"I was so afraid to tell you. And then these past few days… I was so close, so many times."
"You kept pulling back and I tried so hard to keep my distance so it wouldn't be harder to say goodbye if I had to."
"Wouldn't have made any difference to me. How could I say goodbye to you?" he ran his fingers back through her hair and kissed her forehead.
"I found a reason to stay so you don't have to – so I don't have to – I couldn't bear a goodbye to you. Everyone else, I'd survive, but you… you are my best friend, my confidante. I don't know what I'd ever do without you."
"Good." He kissed her again.
Eventually he pulled away, "I think we should get dinner." He grinned cheekily.
She laughed. She'd been ready to take him home to bed. But he was right. They had plenty of time. No hurry.
Not that she noticed what she ate for dinner. And she didn't order desert, or coffee.
"Dance with me." He slipped his foot between hers as they finished eating.
She stood up wordlessly and took his hand. The band were playing 'Moondance' as Mark pulled her lightly closer, stepping back and forth, side to side.
This was intoxicating. And definitely an improvement on last night's version. She let herself fall into the rhythm of the music and the enticing touch of his body against hers.
Mark sang along, barely audibly, just above her ear. She liked that.
"Mark."
He pulled back to see her, an irrepressible, adoring smile gracing his lips.
"Let's go."
He couldn't speak. He nodded and let her go so she could get her bag from their table while he paid the bill.