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During the two hour time span that Vanessa was gone, Rachel worked hard to get the house ready for the surprise party. She baked several batches of wings, filled bowls with chips and dip, and arranged the dining room table buffet style. Leaving plenty of room for the cake, she moved into the living room to assure the music was ready. Tidying up the pillows on the couch, she glanced over at the door when she heard someone coming inside. A smile crept across her lips as she saw AJ entering the house with Brian, Kevin, and his wife Kristin.

“Perfect timing, guys,” Rachel said as she stepped toward AJ, giving him a soft kiss on the lips.

“Luckily the cake was ready so all I had to do was pick it up,” he said after returning the kiss and lowering the cake for her to see it.

Rachel observed the round chocolate cake with the words, “Welcome to Florida, Vanessa” written in white icing. “It’s perfect,” she said happily. “Just put it on the table with the rest of the food,” she said as she opened her arms to give hugs to everyone coming in. “I’m glad you guys could make it.”

“We couldn’t miss this,” Kevin said with a chuckle. “You talk about her so much that we pretty much already know her.”

“I assure she knows all about you guys too,” she said with a laugh as she hugged everyone else. “Where’s Nick and Howie?” she asked with a slight disappointment in her voice.

“Howie had a prior engagement and Nick wasn’t feeling well. He sends his love though,” Kevin said as he held up a couple bags with beverages. “We brought soda.”

“Just put it in the kitchen,” she said as she pointed in that direction, glancing at the clock above the TV. “Vanessa should be here very soon. She sent me a text not long ago.”

“What do we do we do until she gets here,” AJ asked as he emerged from the kitchen.

“Just hang out in the living room. I’m sure she’ll be--,” Rachel said with an abrupt stop as she heard a car door close outside. “She’s here. Everyone be quiet,” she said as she gathered everyone by the door.

As the door opened, everyone shouted at the same time, “Surprise!”

Vanessa stared at them in shock and laughed in surprise. “Oh, wow, I wasn’t expecting that,” she said with a laugh and hugged Rachel. “I knew you were up to something.”

“You know me too well,” Rachel said with a laugh as she hugged her back. “I wanted to give you a proper welcome.”

“You certainly did that,” Vanessa said with another laugh and moved over to hug AJ. “You guys are the best.”

“You’re one of us now,” AJ said as he hugged her tight.

Rachel grabbed Vanessa by the elbow and steered her over to Kevin and Kristin. “Nesa, this is Kevin and his wife Kristin.”

“Hi, so nice to meet you!” she said as she happily shook their hands.

“Welcome to Florida,” Kevin said as he smiled.

“Thank you,” Vanessa replied as she turned to Brian, her heart immediately stopping as she stared into his big, blue eyes. “Hi…”

Rachel smiled as she placed her hand on Vanessa’s shoulder. “This is Brian. He’s Kevin’s cousin and also a member of BSB.”

“Hi, there,” Brian said with a wide grin as he offered her his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too…,” Vanessa said with a shy smile as she shook his hand.

“Vanessa, why don’t you put away your bags and then we can eat. I made wings.”

“Great, I’m starving,” she said softly, nodding politely at everyone as she headed upstairs to her bedroom.

Rachel smiled and looked over at Brian who was watching her go upstairs. She laughed and poked him in the ribs. "Brian, close your mouth you're drooling."

Brian jumped at her statement. "Huh? What?" he said as he quickly drew his attention to Rachel. "Oh...sorry," he replied while blushing a little.

“Uh huh,” Rachel said with a chuckle, stepping over to AJ who instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I think Vanessa likes your idea for the surprise party," AJ said as he kissed her cheek.

"I should hope so. It took me forever to get her out of here this morning. I thought she'd never leave."

"What do you think, Brian?" AJ asked with a grin.

Brian shrugged casually as he shoved his hands into the pocket of his jeans. "She's cute."

Rachel looked up at AJ and smiled, her voice low so no one else could hear. "That was easy. Now comes the hard part."

"What's that?" AJ asked as he hugged her tighter.

"Getting Vanessa to warm up to him. She doesn't exactly have the best opinion on guys right now."

"You think you can do it?"

Rachel gave AJ and evil grin. "I know I can,” she said as she chuckled, patting his cheek lightly as Vanessa came downstairs.

“Let’s eat!” Vanessa said eagerly.

“Well, you’re the guest of honor so go ahead,” Rachel said as she urged Vanessa into the kitchen

"Okay," she replied as she lead the way into the kitchen. “Everything smells great, Rach,” she said as she grabbed a paper plate.

“Well, if I had known we’d be missing two guests I wouldn’t have made so much food,” Rachel said with a soft chuckle.

“Oh, well, plenty of leftovers,” AJ said with a grin as he grabbed a paper plate and began filling it up with food.

“True,” Rachel said as she followed his lead with her own plate. “You guys can take whatever you want home with you,” she replied with a smile.

“Sweet,” Brian said as he filled his own plate.

Rachel grabbed a few chips and poured herself a drink and headed out to the living room where AJ had already turned on the music. Brian came in behind her and Rachel smiled as she nodded over toward Vanessa who was already sitting on the couch.

“Brian, you can sit next to Vanessa. I’ll sit on the love seat,” she said as she took a seat across from them, grinning as she chomped on one of the chips on her plate.

Vanessa frowned as she bit into a chicken wing, raising a brow at Rachel, silently eating. Holding back a chuckle, Rachel licked her fingers of the wing sauce and took a drink of her soda.

“So, Brian, maybe this weekend you can take Vanessa out on a tour of Tampa.

“Sure, if that’s something she’d like to do,” Brian replied as he looked over at Vanessa. “Would you?”

“Oh, I don’t know…I mean, I wouldn’t want to put you out or anything,” Vanessa replied softly as she moved her chips around on her plate.

“It’s no problem at all,” Brian insisted. “I’m free on Sunday, after church.”

“What a coincidence, she’s free on Sunday,” Rachel piped in with a grin to AJ as he sat down beside her.

“Well, I mean, I just got here and everything. There’s a lot to do. You know, unpacking and stuff,” Vanessa said shyly.

“Ah, there’s plenty of time to unpack, Nessa. You’ve got me helping you,” Rachel replied.

Vanessa nodded as she took a sip of her soda then looked over at Rachel across from her then back over at Brian. “Could you excuse me for a moment,” she said while looking at him.

Brian nodded. “Of course.”

Vanessa stood up and placed her place on the couch and looked over at Rachel. “Rachel, can I talk to you in the kitchen?”

"Yeah,” she said as she stood up and set her plate down on the coffee table. “ I'll be right back," she said as she followed Vanessa into the kitchen and leaned against the counter. “What’s up?”

"What the hell was that?" Vanessa huffed with her hands on her hips.

"What was what?"

"You pawning me on your friend Brian. Why would you do that?”

“Sorry, I thought you’d have a good time with him,” Rachel said flatly as she crossed her arms.

"What the hell are you trying to do?"

"Nothing, I was just making conversation,” Rachel replied with a shrug.

"No, you were trying to set me up with Brian. I thought I told you I didn't want to date any guys right now."

Rachel sighed and uncrossed her arms, slapping them on her thighs. "You don't have to date him. Just talk to him. Make a new friend. Hell, dance with him. This is a party after all."

Vanessa’s eyes grew wide as she shook her head. "No, that's out of the question. I am not dancing with him."

"Why not? Vanessa, it's not gonna kill you to dance with him."

“I don’t dance and you know that,” Vanessa said with a sigh. “Why are you pushing me into this?”

“Because I want you to have a social life, Nessa. I brought you out here to start a new life. That includes making new friends. What are you gonna do when I’m not here to keep you company?”

“I’m not afraid to sit at home with a good book or a movie,” Vanessa with with a frown. “I don’t have to be out and about all the time. That’s where we’re different. You’re the social butterfly and I’m your quiet sidekick. That’s the way it’s always been, Rach. Why do we have to change that now?”

“Because you came out here for a new life and I’m trying to give you one. Come on, Vanessa, stop being so stubborn and talk to him. He doesn’t bite.”

Vanessa groaned and ran a hand over her face. "You just don't get it, do you?"

"Obviously, I don't. You tell me what I don't get," Rachel said as she started to feel herself growing angry.

"You know what it's been like for me with guys. I haven't exactly had the best of luck. Every time I get involved with a guy he winds up hurting me in the end. I don't want to be hurt anymore. I'm tired of it. And the only way I can avoid it is to keep guys out of my life."

Rachel frowned as she looked at her best friend, crossing her arms again. "Nessa, shutting guys out of your life isn't the answer. It's only going to make things worse,” she said with a loud sigh. “Look, I've known Brian for a long time. Almost as long as I've known AJ, and he's the sweetest guy you'll never meet. He wouldn't even think of hurting you like that. Besides, he thinks you're really cute and it would hurt his feelings if you didn't at least dance with him. It's not going to hurt you any. One dance doesn't make you become a couple."

Vanessa sighed and pursed her lips. "Al right, fine, I'll dance with him. But that's it. Don't expect me to do anything else."

"I won't," Rachel said, shaking her head as she went back to the party. She walked back over to AJ and groaned as she picked up her plate, popping a chip into her mouth. "Ugh, she's so difficult."

"What happened?" he asked as he sipped his soda.

"She is so negative toward men and it's pissing me off. I know she's been hurt and everything, but she's not helping anything by avoiding contact with guys."

AJ wrapped his arms around Rachel and held her tight. "Don't worry about what she thinks or does. Let Brian handle it."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "I don't think Even Brian could work his magic on her. She's so stubborn."

AJ chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Just relax and enjoy yourself, babe. If it doesn't work out between them then don't sweat it."

"I know, but I just don't want Brian to get his hopes up and then he gets hurt. That's not fair to him."

“I think he can take care of himself, Rach.”

“I don’t know about that. She can be really, really stubborn when she wants to me. Worse than me,” she said as she bit into her chicken.

“Babe, don’t force it to happen. It’s not worth getting stressed about. It’ll all work out as it’s supposed to.”

“Yeah, but if he gets hurt then it’s my fault because I introduced her to him in the first place, you know?”

AJ smiled lovingly at her and brushed a stray hair from her cheek. “You worry too much, but that’s why I love you.”

“Yeah?” Rachel said with a soft smile.

“Yeah,” he said then kissed her cheek.

Rachel rubbed her hand on his thigh as she chewed her food. “You know I’m not gonna stop worrying over this, right?”

AJ snickered and nodded his head as he took her plate from her and set it back on the coffee table. "Come on, let’s dance," he said as he led her out to the middle of the living room.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and slowly swayed along with the music. Rachel looked up at him and he kissed her lightly on the lips. She couldn’t help but sigh slightly, turning her head away from everyone and resting it on his chest as they danced. They turned to the left and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and looked up at him, noticing the smirk on his lips. Rachel tilted her head quizzically and he nodded his head across the room. Rachel arched her neck back and saw Brian stepping out onto the patio with Vanessa. A soft smile spread across her lips as she looked back at AJ. He grinned and leaned down, kissing her softly as the continued to dance. The anxiety lifted from her shoulders and she relaxed against him, deciding to let fate take over the situation.