“Hey,” Sandy said as she sat up from the couch where she had slept. “Val I’m sorry…” Sandy told her standing up and walking up to her.
Valerie raised her hand to stop her from talking, “No I am sorry for my behavior yesterday it was uncalled for too. It’s just you know me I am not a happy shopper…I will gladly go with you and Leigh to look for the dress,” she smiled to her sister.
Sandy smiled at her sister and then just hugged her, “I’m so sorry for bringing up your past, I know how much you hate to remember that. I was super mad and hurt that you seemed to be annoyed at me and my wedding.”
“Sandy I am very happy for you and that you are getting married, I am. I want you to know that I am a little excited to be the maid of honor,” Val told her sister kissing her forehead.
Sandy chuckled at Valerie’s confession; “Awe, you do love me…” she was happy that for once Valerie was brave enough to share that with her.
“Yeah, yeah whatever I have to get ready for work,” Valerie said walking to her room.
“Wait… you still have to tell me where you were? I was worried sick about you that I called Howie thinking you would’ve gone to his house.” Sandy said walking behind her.
“You what?” Valerie said looking at her sister. “Estas loca Sandra Del Rosario Mendez,” Valerie shouted with a grin on her face. “Why did you that for? I was fine I just stayed in a hotel to clear my head.” She said hiding the truth from her sister.
“Hey what did I say about calling me by my full name? Don’t worry he didn’t answer nor did Leigh.” She told her sister looking at her curiously. “A hotel huh,” she said looking at her closely. “Valeria Patricia Mendez, why are you lying to me? I know you like the palm of my hand…but fine if you don’t want to tell fine.”
“I did not lie,” Valerie said throwing her a pillow from her bed.
“Well when you are ready to tell me the truth I will be in the kitchen making breakfast,” Sandy told her sister throwing the pillow back at her.
“Don’t make any for me I had breakfast already at the hotel,” Valerie told her sticking her tongue out at her.
“Right…whatever.” She heard her sister say from outside the hall. Valerie ran to the door closing it and then ran to her purse; she took out the shirt AJ had given her. “My new sleeping attire,” she whispered as she put it away.
*********
“Your turn,” Chris told AJ as he stood aside.
“I don’t think today will be good day for me,” he said as he swung his golf club. Sure enough he didn’t even hit the ball.
Chris began to laugh at AJ, “So what has you like this now? Let me guess…Valerie. Oh Valerie…” he began to sing to Amy Winehouse.
AJ rolled his eyes, “Lets get out of here today is not a good day. Besides I have a date to plan,” he told Chris as he began to put his stuff away. “Oh and please don’t ever try to sing like that again.”
“What a date?” Chris asked as he followed his friend. “Who is it?”
AJ looked at him and smiled, “Valeeeerrrrriee,” he sang. “That’s how you do it,” He told him walking leaving a smiling Chris staring at him.
“Wait…how did it happen? So she did have the hots for you after all!” Chris asked.
*********
“Yes that’s right. Yes I’ll be out late…I don’t know I’ll call you.” Valerie lied as she spoke to her sister on the phone. She stepped out of the restroom and walked to Dr. Sander’s office. “Doctor is there anything you need from me today?” She gave her new mentor a smile.
“No that’s all for today see you tomorrow same time…” Dr. Sanders told her looking up from her papers.
“Yes tomorrow,” Valerie said walking out and heading for her locker. She had been smart and had brought her other clothes in her tote bag. She headed back to the restroom to change. She hoped he liked what she had chosen for there date…a date that had her thinking all day. Could she really do this? AJ was not just any ordinary man he was a fucking Backstreet boy. He was definitely not ordinary, she liked him though. She closed her eyes remembering him call her beautiful. She stepped out and looked at herself in the mirror, “I don’t know where he sees it…” she said as she took out her brush putting her hair in a loose side ponytail. Her long bangs framed her face, “Ok here I go…” she sighed stuffing her tote bag with her scrubs.
She was almost out of the hospital premises when she heard her name being called. She smiled when she recognized his voice she turned to the voice and smiled, “What are you doing here?” she asked as she went up to him.
“You look nice…I thought I could come pick you up instead of waiting for you at my house like you texted me.” he told her hugging her. “Ready?” he asked her brushing his lips on hers.
“Mhmm…” she told him hugging him. “Where are we going?” she asked him brushing aside her fears from earlier. “Let’s go,” she told him walking a little faster than him. She still didn’t want to let anyone know what was going on with her and his once upon time rival.
AJ realized what was happening when Valerie looked around making sure no one had seen them, “I got the door,” he told her as he took her stuff so he could put in the trunk.
She sat on the passenger waiting for him to get in, she smiled when he got into the drivers side and buckle his seatbelt, “So are you going to tell me where we are going?” she asked him. She reached for his hand brought to her tracing his tattoos with her hand. She wanted to talk to him about whatever this was.
“You’ll see,” he told her looking at her hands on his hand. “Are you ok?” he asked her as he began to drive.
She looked up at him and gave him a smile, “No, not really. Let’s just get to wherever you are taking me and we will talk there.” She told him kissing his hand.
He smiled at her and focused on getting to where they were heading, “Ok…you look beautiful by the way,” he told her. The black dressy slacks and greet top looked good especially because the top was low cut. He tried not to look at her and realized that she was right they needed to talk.
**********
“Where are we?” Valerie asked as she followed AJ throw the dock. “Wow that’s nice,” she said as she saw him stop in front of a boat. “Is it yours?” she asked.
AJ chuckled as he hopped in and helped her in. “No it’s my friends, but he owes me one so he lend it to me.” AJ said taking her hand and guiding her inside the boat. “So I came here first and had this prepared,” he told her as he helped her sit on the table.
Valerie was in awe as he saw what he had prepared, “Wow your such a softy,” she told him grabbing his hand pulling him back to her. “I like it,” she told him pulling him down for a kiss.
He was caught off guard and for a second he felt like he might fall as she kissed him, he smiled as they kissed. “I’m glad you liked it but this is not all…” he said as the boat began to move.
“Oh my god we’re moving…” where are we going.
“Let’s just enjoy our dinner,” he told her caressing her cheek and sitting in the other chair.
She forced herself again to eat good thing she hadn't eaten since the morning. “It’s good and I like that you remembered about my salad,” she told him.
“Of course I do since it’s all you order when I am around.” AJ said as he looked up at her. She looked like she was in a better mood today, “So how did it go with Sandy?” he asked her.
“Good we talked and apologized,” Valerie said as she took a drink of her Ginger ale. “You were right,” she finished.
“See it was all misunderstanding,” he told her reaching for her hand. “But I do have to thank Sandy for fighting with you…” he told her as he kissed her hand. “It brought you to me and I was finally able to tell you that I liked you.”
Valerie blushed as she heard him talk, “I have a secret to tell you too.” She told him a she grinned at him.
“What you check me out when I am not looking?” he asked raising his brow at her. “I don’t know what you check out though because I have no booty.”
She laughed at his comment, “Your eyes…” she told him looking into them. “But no that’s not what I was going to say…now I don’t know if I want to share it with you.”
“What no you can I told you mine,” he told her standing up and walking up to her. “Are you done?” he asked her as he bent down and kissed her cheek.
“Yeah I need a smoke,” Valerie as she took his hand and stood up. She stumbled a little since the boat was moving. “I hope I don’t get sea sick,” she told him.
“You’re from Florida Val,” he told her pulling her with him out to the deck.
“Crap I forgot my purse in your car so I have no cigarettes,” she told him as the made it to the deck.
“No worries did you forget I smoke too,” he told her as he reached inside his pocket and took out his packet. “Fuck there’s only one left…” he sighed heavily handing it to her.
“Well I guess,” she began to laugh and accepted the last cigarette. “Do you have a lighter?” Val asked as she stared at him.
“Yes,” he said pulling it out and helping her light the cigarette. He watched her inhale and he suddenly had a craving. Why hadn’t he remembered he needed more cigarettes?
“Here,” Valerie told him handing her the cigarette. “I will gladly share,” she told him. “That way we both get a little tar in our lungs.”
AJ smiled and took it from her, as soon as his lungs received the smoke he felt better. “Much better even if the way you described wasn’t that nice.” He told her handing her the cigarette again.
***********
“I still can’t believe you had a crush on me back then. It explains the hostility I got from you though,” AJ told Valerie as they sat in the dock just taking in the full moon. “Val,” AJ said facing her. “We need talk…” he told her kissing her softly on the lips. “About this…us.” AJ said taking her face with his hands kissing her fully.
A few seconds later Valerie pulled away to breath and smiled, “Yes we do…I like what we have.” She told him caressing his cheek, “but I don’t think I am ready for anyone else to know about it,” she said looking down…
AJ sighed as he heard her words, “why not?” he asked as he made her look at him.
Chapter End Notes:
one more... please review.
