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“Val?” Howie asked with a curious smile on his face. “What are you doing here?” he asked as he hugged her.

“She is here for me,” AJ said before Val could answer.

Suddenly everyone in the room was quiet even Brian who really hadn’t been around lately. But he knew the not so good friendship AJ and Valerie had, who didn’t. “Val don’t hurt him we need him alive for this tour,” Brian joked as he grinned up to see Val blushing.

“I- I,” Valerie suddenly felt like bolting out but one look at AJ she knew she couldn’t. What was the worse that could happen? “Yes I’m here because I have a date with AJ after your rehearsal,” she said fast.

AJ by then had made it to her side and took her hand with his, “So I guess I really don’t need to introduce you here, but just in case. Guys this is Val my girlfriend officially,” he said staring at Howie.

Valerie felt her face redden at Nick’s sudden hysteric laughs, “Not funny Nick,” she finally said looking at Nick with annoyance.

“Oh yeah it is…” he said still laughing but giving Brian a smirk.

“I can’t believe this,” Howie said ignoring Nick’s stupidity. “I don’t understand when did this happen? I’m happy for you both but I am still trying to figure out when this happened, last time I remember you two were barely tolerating each other. How long?” Howie had to stop himself before he drowned them both with to many questions!

“Yeah when did this happen,” Brian said smiling and then turned to Nick.

“I am happy for both of you though,” Nick smiled toward Val.

“We have a lot in common actually,” Val told Howie ignoring Nick’s laughter. “We haven’t been going to long actually just since I arrived right?” she turned to AJ who was just smiling at her.

“Yeah I believe so,” AJ said not taking his stare away from her. “We thought it was time to finally tell you.” he finally looked up and rolled his eyes at Nick.

“Oh come on AJ I just didn’t expect it,” Nick said. “Are we the first to know?”

“Yes,” Valerie said finally looking at them with more confidence.

“No,” AJ answered, “Chris,” he whispered to her.

“Oh right,” she nodded… “For me you are the first.” She corrected.

“Well congrats,” Brian finally said breaking the sudden silence. He hugged Valerie and then looked at AJ. “You need someone like Val,” he told AJ with a smile.

“I should’ve guessed something was up with you two,” Howie said still a little pessimistic eyeing AJ and then Val. “I mean I am really happy for you two but, I was the main witness to both your hostility toward each other… so you have to understand my incomprehension. Just give me a few minutes so it will sink into my head.”

“Well I wanted you to be one of the first people to know, it means a lot to me that your ok with it or I hope you are?” Valerie said eyeing him with curiosity.

Howie took a deep sigh and spoke again, “Ok I’m good, I couldn’t be happy with this out come to of my best friends being together. I just hope this is serious and you two are not pulling a fast one on me,” he pointed AJ first.

“No games,” AJ said, “I can prove that to you,” He said turning and taking Valerie’s face with his hands crashing his lips on hers.

“Okkkkk,” Nick said rubbing the back of his neck. “We get it no need to show anything,” he said pretending to cover his eyes.

Valerie had kissed him back but she was sure she was beet red from embarrassment, “Thanks for that,” she whispered to AJ as she stopped the kiss.

“Ok,” Howie said clearing his throat, “I guess we should call it a day for today…”

“Great idea,” Brian said.

“Please come for dinner tonight both of you, I would like to talk to the both of you in a more suitable place,” Howie said in a pleasant yet worried tone.

“Ok,” Valerie said.

“What time?” AJ asked as he fished out his keys from his pants…

*******

“A little awkward but good right?” Valerie asked AJ as he turned on his car.

“Yeah I guess you could say that, babe relax they are fine about it. It just took them by surprise.” AJ said reassuringly.

“I hope your right,” Valerie said smiling at him. “I do have to confess it felt…I felt good not having to hide this from Howie he’s like my brother.”

“I know,” AJ said as he took her hand in his. “I can’t wait for my mom to find out, she is going to happy I am with someone like you,” He said elated.

“Your mom?” Valerie said swallowing hard.

“Yes my mom she is coming down for a visit and I want us to have dinner with her. I want to introduce you as my girlfriend not my once upon a time rival,” he looked at Valerie with an arched brow.

“Denise is a very nice woman but I really never talked to her, just a polite hello here and there when I would show up at your rehearsals as Howie’s friend.” She shook her head, “I don’t know if I can do it, what am I going to say? Denise I used to hate your son but now my feelings have changed?”

“I will be there too babe don’t worry my mom isn’t like that and I know she will like you… relax it’s not happening tomorrow. You have time to prepare I can tell you a little about her so you don’t feel so intimidated. My mom is cool…I am dreading your family except for Sandy. I clearly remember your mom and dad… not the easiest people in the world when they are so conservative.” He took a deep sigh realization hitting him too… her family was not going to like his look at all.

“Oh please don’t mention my family…” Valerie rolled her eyes. “We don’t have to worry about them yet…” she sighed heavily and spoke again. “I hope your mom does like me, I am not your average girl you know I come with extra weight!”

AJ rolled his eyes at her comment, “Please Val what did I tell you about your comments about yourself? You are beautiful… I like the shirt by the way.” He said trying to lighten the mood. “Ok enough about this… Val we can worry more when go to dinner with Howie, even though I know he is fine. Let’s just enjoy our afternoon ok?”

She smiled at him and leaned in to kiss his cheek, “Ok where are we going?”

“My place,” AJ said giving her a grin. “I want to change first…”

“You look great like that,” she told him.

*********

Valerie waited patiently in the plush couch for AJ to come back from changing. She rubbed AJ’s dog head. “Hey buddy you look bored…” she told him as he lay on her lap.

AJ came back out still pulling his shirt over his head; he smiled as he saw Val’s reaction. “Like what you see?”

Valerie cleared her throat and spoke, “Eh it’s ok…” she laughed and then before he could say something else she spoke again, “Just kidding I do like it a lot actually.”

“So I was thinking?” AJ said smiling as he saw how flushed she was after her comment. “We could stay here for a little and just talk?”

“Hmm…” Valerie said as she leaned into him, he was already sitting next to her. “Sounds fine by me…what are we talking about?”

“About how you never gave me an answer to my offer the other day during breakfast.” He knew that this conversation might ruin the moment but he was really worried about her. He felt her tense and sit back up straight staring at him with a guilty look.

“I don’t need your help with that AJ… I am fine I promise. I just want to make sure I look good in my dress, I don’t want to ruin Sandy’s wedding by looking like a hippo in a pink dress.” She sigh with her eyes shut remembering that morning clearly and his offer of seeing a friend of his a nutritionist he had said.

“Val…please stop that I just want you to understand that not eating is not helping you at all…yes the results you want are showing but you out anyone else should know what its doing in to your body.” He sighed and then he raised his hands in truce, “Never mind Val lets drop the subject, I promised that I would trust you and I know you will do the right thing right?”

She was fuming again but the look he was giving her didn’t help and she agreed by nodding. “I will do the right thing,” she whispered to him as she forced a smile on her face.

AJ didn’t feel any relief with her words he knew better, it sounded like him when he was having issues with his addictions. He would always tell his friends and family that he would do the right thing and quit yet he couldn’t. He knew it was the same for her except her addiction was physically… she was trying to hard to be skinny not caring how she did it. “You are beautiful,” he said before taking her lips in his. “I am here just remember that ok?” he said between the kiss.

“Yes,” she murmured silencing him again with her lips.