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“I’m fin really,” Valerie said as she walked toward the entrance of the hotel. She was tipsy but she was fine she could still manage to get to her room just fine. “Thanks Saul for everything.” She waved the bouquet she had caught when her sister had thrown it to all the single ladies. Just her luck to be the one to catch and she wasn’t even trying to catch it.

“I can help you up your room,” Saul said a she took her hand before she tripped.

“No serrrriioussly I am finnnee…” Valerie said smiling at him. With that she walked toward the door. She began to look for her key card in her small purse and accidentally dropped the bouquet. “Shit,” she said as she stood in the lobby.

“You ok?”

She jumped and turned to find AJ standing there the bouquet she had just dropped in his hands. “Yes fine thank you very much,” she said with attitude as she took the bouquet and began to walk clumsily toward the elevators that would lead her to her room. She turned and stopped, “Oh and thank you for picking up this thing.” She said waving the bouquet again.

AJ smiled as he watched her and cleared his throat as he picked up the key card from the floor. “Hey Val you might need this.” He said flashing the card.

Valeria glared at him mischievously, “what are you doing here?” she asked him as she walked back up to him and snatched her key away from his hand.

“I followed you…” he told her as he put his hands in his pockets. “But it seems that you are not yourself right now so my plans of talking to you are out the window. Here let me help you to your room.” He told her as he took her key again and wrapped his arm around her waist.

“No!” Valerie said pulling away. “You can’t come back from tour and expect me to just talk to you again and pretend what happened didn’t happen. I told you in the beginning that I was not good for you and yet you convinced me that you were…” she said as she tried to take the card back from his hand.

“I am the one for you… I fucked up Val ok. You have every right to be mad at me for what I did but… let me explain.” AJ said in a low tone trying to not attract attention but then again Valerie was not helping.

“Alex,” Valerie whispered as she got really close to his face. “I forgive you and I have to admit that with you I had the most amazing sex ever but,” she paused and caressed his cheek. “It is better that we go back to before we… you know. I will go back to only hating you and talk to you in foul language. Just like you should.” She sighed and took her key again. “See I’m not that drunk… now you better go before you get seen with me again.”
*********

“Fuck my head,” Valerie said as she got off the taxi and into her parents house. The smell of food in the air attacked her nose as she walked in. “Good morning,” she said as she rubbed her temple.

“Hey you finally got here,” Leigh said as she handed little James to her. “Watch him for me I have to go potty.”

“Where’s Howie?” I asked as I took little James who was smiling at me.

“In the backyard playing dominoes with your father and the rest…” was all she heard Leigh said as she disappeared.

“Hey mom what’s for breakfast?” she asked she walked into the kitchen.

“Breakfast? Vale its almost lunch time, where were you?” her mother asked as she continued chopping onion.

“I think I may have had a little to much to drink at the party…” Valerie said biting her lip. “Who is here?”

“Well yesterday while you ignored the guys I asked them to come over for a good home cooked meal and of course you know I don’t take no for an answer.”

“Yeah she can’t,” Brian said coming in with an empty pitcher of lemonade. “I had to call Leighanne and tell her I would be home later because I had to stay for lunch… so I had to change my flight to Atlanta for later. But I’m glad I did it smells delicious or it delicioso.”

“Wait till you taste it,” Mrs. Mendez said as she smiled at Brian. “This is the least I could do after you all made time to come and grace with your voices at Sandy’s wedding.”

“It’s nothing we all love Sandy and that is why we did it. Talking about wedding congratulations I saw you catch the bouquet,” Brian said grinning at Valerie. “So that means your next and we will gladly sing in your too.”

“I didn’t catch it just sort of landed on me,” Valerie said rolling her eyes.

“Maybe it was fate stepping in,” her mother said looking at her. “I think it is time for you to settle down.”

‘Thanks Brian,” Valerie said as she kissed little James who was busy sucking his hand.

“Well at its not only getting bashed about getting married AJ caught the garter last night after Nick and I dragged him into the crowd of single men.” Brian said laughing. “It was priceless to see him look startled as the garter landed on his head. He wanted to throw it but Nick made him keep it.”

Valerie groaned and was about to say something smart when in came AJ. “Brian what’s…” he stopped talking when he saw Valerie. “Hi Val.”

“Hi,” Val said as she walked toward the fried to get a bottled water. “Mom need help?” she asked quickly.

“No I’m good you should talk to Alex instead.” She told her sternly.

“Excuse me?” Valerie said startled by her comment.

“Oh come one Vale we know about you two… I honestly thought you two were perfect for each other. You know you had found your match. What you expected us not to know about it? Sandy didn’t want to confirm it when we confronted her about it but please we were bound to hear about it. Especially with some of the pictures out of you two showing each other affection.”

Valerie turned to see Alex was blushing it was apparent he did not know that her parents knew, “Mom that none of your business…”

“Yes it is and we have to talk senorita,” she said pointing at her.

“I think Howie just called me,” Brian said as he took little James away from Valerie. “I got him.” He smiled and left quick.

“I can’t believe this! I have to go! I have lost my appetite.” Valerie said raising her hands in emphasis as she walked away leaving.

“Vale ven para aca!” was all she heard as he grabbed her purse and walked to the door.

“Where’s James?” Leigh asked her as she came back.

“Brian has him, I’m out of here.” Valerie said anger apparent in her voice.

She lit a cigarette as she thought of how she was going to get to her hotel. She took a seat on the bench and sighed. “I’m sorry I didn’t know your mother knew and your right she did not need to mention it.” Alex said as he stood beside her.

“I’m sorry she brought that up, I should have guessed she would know I mean you’re famous.” Valerie said as she exhaled the smoke.

“She is right though we need to talk,” Alex said as he finally dared to take a seat beside her.

“No we have nothing more to say AJ you did the right thing. I am not good for you and that is that. Please just let it go… if wouldn’t have been this something else would have broken us up. Like the fact that you travel for long periods of time and I am always at work. It’s better this way.”

“That’s where your wrong.” Alex said as he took a cigarette out and lit it.

“I don’t want to hear anything right AJ just give me space time and then maybe we can talk ok?” Valerie said as she stood up and began to walk. She so badly wanted to kiss him and tell him that yes she would take him back. But the truth was that it was not right. She was not the right person for him and she had taken all this as a sign. She was resigning on AJ for his sake why would he need to feel like an outcast just because he had chosen to date her. No. She was doing the right thing. She couldn’t wait to get back to her life where she could drown in work and her studies.