Maxine has always been able to take on a challenge, no matter what size. However, when she opens her bakery, Sweet Tooth, in Freeridge, she has no idea that she's in for the challenge of her lifetime: surviving the Los Santos gang leader, Oscar "Spo...
The next few weeks went by with nothing dramatic happening. As each day passed by, Maxine continued her work at Sweet Tooth, feeling that her life was slowly getting back on track.
"Hey, Maxie!" Dom yelled, rushing into the store quickly.
Her eyes lit up but she stayed where she was, behind the counter, placing scooped-up balls of cookie dough on a pan for baking. "Hey, Dom."
"Look what I got you."
She turned around and covered her mouth when she saw the beautiful white rose in his hand. "Awww, thank you so much. It's so beautiful!"
"I know. I thought of you when I saw it."
"You're too much. Come here." Maxine accepted the flower and embraced him. "I wish I could take a lunch break to be with you, but the bakery is so busy today and Nova took a sick day."
"That's fine. Maybe we can make it up tonight at the Santos party? We don't have to if you're not up to it, and-"
She grinned and put a finger on his mouth to shush him. "Of course."
LATER
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"Do I look good?" Maxine asked, unconvinced, as she stared at herself in the car mirror.
"Of course you do, Maxie. You always do. Are you ready to party?" He asked, backing out of the driveway and onto the main road, where he turned the wheel and started on the drive to the Santos house.
"I am, but I'm nervous. I don't really know how to party."
"There's nothing to be nervous about. All we'll do is dance and have fun. Maybe make a couple new friends. That's it," Dom assured her, taking her hand in his.
As the car slowed to a stop, Dom got out and opened the door for Maxine, who smiled and looked up at him. "So, what should we do first?"
"Let's get a couple drinks, then we can go party."
"Sounds like a good plan," she replied, leading him inside.
THREE DRINKS LATER
"I think that's enough drinking," Dom laughed. "How about we dance?"
"Okay." A loud song was playing on the big portable speakers, and Dom helped Maxine up from her seat, leading her to the clearing in the middle.
"You ready?"
"Uh huh," Maxine beamed, taking his hand. She blushed as she felt his sturdy hands on her: one on her hip, the other on her back, steadying her. She watched his feet move with hers in time to the beat until she felt him lifting up her chin so her eyes were on his.
The music enveloped them in a sort of trance. As Dom suddenly pulled Maxine into a dip, she clutched at his arms and he lifted her up, spinning her around his body, a full 360 degrees before her legs wrapped around his waist for support. After a few moments, Maxine slipped from his grasp, her feet hitting the ground, but she didn't notice, her eyes still trained on Dom's.
Dom's hand gently brought her body closer to him, and his other hand slid into her hair, pulling her into a soft kiss.
Maxine's eyes fluttered shut and she finally let herself relax, giving in to his touch. She allowed herself to be totally and utterly in tune with the night. The music was still blasting, the people were still drinking, and everything was still going on, but to Maxine, it was just her and Dom.
The perfect end to a beautiful night.
-------
"Good morning," Maxine greeted Nova, Steph, and Dom, who were at the table, eating scrambled eggs and toast. She took a seat beside Dom and he gave her a kiss on her lips. Looking up, her cheeks colored with blush when she realized that Nova was staring with Steph, both their eyes wide.
"We need to talk about this later," Steph declared, biting into a piece of crunchy toast.
"No, we need to talk about this now!" Nova interrupted her. "When did this happen? Was it last night? I want details right now."
Maxine looked down at her plate and stabbed a piece of egg with her fork. "Yeah, it happened last night at the party."
"So you're official?" Nova asked, then yelped when Steph flicked her. "What?"
"Nova, you're too nosy. Give them their privacy."
"So? You still think I'm cute," Nova replied, smiling cheekily at her.
"You're right." Steph scooted closer to her, giving her a long kiss on the lips. "I think you're the cutest little ass ever, but you're a nosy ass too."
"I don't care. You called me cute and that's what matters."
"This is too cute for me to handle," Maxine said, smiling at the two, who were too busy teasing each other to even care.
From her pocket, her phone began to ring, and she picked it up, curious to see who it was. After all, the people she mainly talked to were sitting beside her, unless it was her mom. "Hello?"
"Maxina!" A girl yelled into the phone.
"Who is this?"
"You're telling me you don't recognize your drinking partner's voice?" She wasn't yelling anymore, but her voice was still loud and Maxine held her head in one hand.
"Wait...Kinsey?"
"Don't 'Kinsey' me! How do you not recognize me?!"
"I'm sorry, I was pretty drunk last night."
"That was my work," Kinsey said proudly. "Anyway. Now that you've recognized me, I have a huge favor to ask you. So, I found out that my boyfriend cheated on me and I need a crew to help me confront him. And maybe key his car afterwards. But priorities. Please? If you can bring any friends, it would mean the world."
Maxine looked at Nova, Steph, and Dom, and then back at the phone. "I guess I don't have that much to do. I can come. But how long will it take?"
"Like an hour. Please?""
"Fine," Maxine told her.
"Thank you so much, I owe you big time! Meet me at the Santos house in like an hour and get ready to kick some ass."
