"What are you thinking?" Zoe asked.
"What do you mean?" Max replied.
"Well you've barely spoken in five minutes, there's something on your mind?"
Max laughed. "It's nothing."
"It's clearly something otherwise you'd not be thinking it!" Zoe told him.
"Do you think this is going to work?" Max asked.
Zoe was stunned, she didn't know how to respond. "You don't?" She asked.
"I hope so Zo but is it really as ridiculous as it sounds? A porter and a consultant? Will you end up resenting me cos I have no money? I mean, I look around here and all I can think is how I don't fit in here, how alien this is to me. I once went camping in France, that's the extent of my holidays. I don't want to be an embarrassment to you, they'll have a field day at work when we go back. Are you going to spend your life thinking you could have done better? What if I can't give you what you want?"
"Wow, that's a lot to take in in one go Max." Zoe replied. "Ok, so maybe the concept is a bit strange but surely we should be judged as people and not what we do?"
"That's easy for you to say, you tell people you're a consultant and they immediately have more respect and treat you differently. I hardly have that standing Zo." Max said.
"It genuinely doesn't matter to me what you do Max, I'm with you for you, not your job." Zoe tried to reassure him. "And as for here, believe it or not, this is the first real holiday I've had in years, I work too much to take a break, this is hardly the norm for me. I don't want money to come between us, I'm not going to apologise for earning more money but I'm hardly a millionaire!"
"Closer than I'll ever be." Max said quietly.
"Are we really going to do this Max? Does it bother you that much?" Zoe asked.
"Yes, no, I don't know. I don't want to disappoint you."
"You won't, I know that. I may have money but look at it from my side, I'm ten years older than you, you could have anyone you wanted, are you settling for a washed up 40 year old?" Zoe asked.
"Age is just a number." Max told her.
"A job is a job." Zoe replied.
"Touché." Max said.
"See, you got something out of that holiday to France." Zoe winked.
Max smiled. "There's something else."
"I thought so." Zoe replied.
"I don't know what you're feelings are on having kids but I don't want to get your hopes up." Max began.
Zoe started to feel uncomfortable, she dreaded this conversation, with anyone.
"Max.."
"Please Zo, I need to tell you now, before this goes any further. It's unlikely that I can have kids, I've got a low sperm count, I found out last year." Max told Zoe who was listening intently.
Zoe nodded before laughing.
"What's so funny? This is serious." Max looked annoyed.
"Sorry, I know it's serious, I'm not laughing at you."
"Then what?" Max asked.
"I can't have kids either, I'm infertile Max." Zoe told him.
Max looked at Zoe and laughed. "Match made in heaven eh?"
"Absolutely. Besides, we've just got together, it's not on the agenda, thank you for telling me though." Zoe said.
"And you. Ok, I'm going to stop been ridiculous, this is happening, I don't care what anyone says, as long as we're happy, what does anything else matter?" Max said.
"I couldn't agree more." Zoe said.
Max raised his wine glass, "to us."
"To us." Zoe clinked his glass.
"To my sugar mumma." Max joked.
Zoe frowned.
"Not appropriate?" Max asked. Zoe didn't need to reply.
"I will say this though, I've never had a proper first date in the Maldives before!" Zoe told him.
"Really? I do it all the time!" Max laughed.
"This has been lovely Max, this meal by the sea, definitely the best meal I've had, thank you for organising it. You're quite the smooth operator." Zoe thanked him.
"You're welcome. I may not have money but I do have an imagination." Max winked.
"Should I be worried?!" Zoe asked.
"Stick with me Zo and time will tell." Max replied his cheeky grin plastered all over his face.
"Sounds interesting." Zoe laughed.
"As long as it keeps you interested. Anyway, I've had an idea. Jacuzzi, champagne, moonlight? Fancy it?" Max asked.
Zoe stood up. "What do you think?"