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Chapter 78


“So…he actually came to see you, can you believe it?” Carla asked as she finished wiping the slicer down.

Veronica shook her head, “No, not at all. It’s still very…surreal to me.”

She’d been having a hard time focusing since she’d left Nick’s car. For the last fifty minutes, all she could think about was him standing there, him waiting for her. The more she thought about it, the more nervous she became. Nausea had crept up on her more than once.

“What’s gonna happen? I mean…is he gonna stay with you or something?”

“Nah, he’s got a room at the Marriot.”

“Wow, I can’t believe it. I knew he looked familiar but wow.”

Veronica chuckled, “Yeah. God Carla, what do I do? I’m taken totally off guard. I start my vacation tomorrow and he’s gonna be here. What do I do with him? This is Rochester, there’s not a lot going on here. It’s boring here! He’s used to clubs and…and…a lot of women.”

“Veronica, I’m sure whatever you do will be fine. Go to a movie or to a club or something. Hell, hang out at your apartment. I’m sure he’s not expecting to go out everyday.”

“I guess, but I don’t want him to regret coming either. I’m not that great or exciting.”

“If he thought that, he wouldn’t be here Veronica. Just enjoy it!”

“Yeah I know.”

“Hey, you’d better go, didn’t you say he was gonna be in to pick you up?”

“Oh yeah,” Veronica looked at the clock, untying her apron and pulling it over her head.

“Hey look, have fun ok? Stop in and introduce him to everyone ok?”

“I will,” she smiled, making her way out of the department.

“Have a happy birthday! Enjoy your vacation!” Carla called.

“Thanks!” Veronica gave a small wave and headed back to punch out when she saw Nick make his way over to her, he was right on time.

“Hey.”

She could feel herself blushing, wishing his first encounters with her, wasn’t in her work uniform.

“Hi, I’ll be right back; I just have to punch out.”

“Ok sure, oh, nice hat by the way,” Nick winked, reaching out and tugging on the bill of her hat.

Veronica smiled shakily, “Thanks, it’s the latest style don’t ya know?”

“You’ll have to get me one.”

“No problem,” she winked, reaching up to quickly pull the hat off, turning and hurrying towards the back.

Nick looked the store over again, they didn’t have anything like this in Florida, and he really wanted to take a good look at it at some point. He wanted to see her world, what she saw and where she spent a lot of her time. Looking over, he noticed a few people where staring at him, he saw a girl watching him intently, he gave her a small smile and chuckled when she winked, giving him a wave. It’d been a long hour, he’d gotten settled in his room, but he’d been restless. He couldn’t wait to spend more time with her, to really get to talk to her, to get to know her better.

Turning his head, he saw Veronica making her way towards him, a small smile forming on his lips. She really did look cute in her uniform, it wasn’t anything special. Black pants and a white dress shirt. Nick could tell that she was uncomfortable with him seeing her in it though.

“Ready?”

“Yeah, glad to be done.”

“I hear ya, freedom.”

“Oh I know it; I consider my vacation officially on as soon as I punched out. I‘ve been looking forward to this vacation since the end of my last one.”

Nick smiled, walking with her, unconsciously placing his hand on the small of her back again as they started out the store.

“How was your day?”

“Eh it was alright. It drug by you know? It’s always like that the day before vacation.”

Nick nodded as they made their way out.

“It’s like that for me too, ya know when we’re overseas or whatever and it’s the last day before we head home. It’s like the flight back takes forever and the ride home, ya just can’t get there fast enough.”

“Exactly.”

“So…where are you parked?”

“I’m right over here,” Veronica led him to her small car.

“Nice car…”

“Right, it’s a clunker, but it gets me where I wanna go. I’m saving up for a better one.”

“Are you gonna take a loan out?”

“Nah, I don’t think so. It’d just be one more bill you know? I’ll just keep saving up. It’s a good car and all; it doesn’t need to be fixed often so long as I keep up with it.”

He nodded, looking over at her.

“So…umm, if you want, you can meet me over here and then just follow me from here.”

“Ok, I’ll be right over.”

Veronica watched as he jogged off, slumping against her car. She prayed for the strength to not crash her car. Unlocking her door, she slipped in and started the engine. Leaning forward, she let her head hit the steering wheel. She had to get it together, had to stay calm. He’s just a guy, she’d been talking to him for almost a year now, she could do this. Veronica heard a car pull up next to her and she lifted her head, seeing Nick smiling at her.

She could do this, right.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

At Veronica’s Apt…

Veronica pulled into the parking lot and then into a parking spot, Nick parked right next to her. The whole ride home, she’d been trying to sike herself up for whatever was to come in the next few days. Taking a deep breath she unlocked the door and swung it open, grabbing her purse and keys before sliding out. She locked the door and slammed it shut. She watched as Nick got out of his car and made his way over to her. Her heart started pounding yet again, her mouth dry. She was trying desperately to remain casual about all of this, but was finding it harder and harder.

It was like he was here out of her dreams and fantasies. He was never supposed to be this real, he wasn’t ever supposed to invade her space, her territory, and yet…here he was. All she wanted to do was reach out and touch him, make sure he was real and that this wasn’t some dream. She gave him a smile and turned, leading him across the parking lot to the door; she opened it and motioned for him to go ahead.

“No no, I got it,” he smiled, holding the door open so she could get through.

“Thanks,” she hurried through and over to the second door.

Using her key, she unlocked it and held it open. Nick followed her through and they made their way down the small hall to her apartment. Bending down, she quickly untied her shoes and kicked them off, setting them in the shoe tray by her door. Nick followed suit.

“Aww you don’t have to, I just do it cause I’ve got all this crap on my shoes from work.”

“It’s alright, no problem.”

Smiling, she unlocked the door and made her way in.

“Apartment sweet apartment. Come on in, make yourself comfy.”

Nick walked in, looking around as Veronica shut the door. Turning he watched as she walked over and grabbed a small key from a hook next to the phone.

“Be right back, gotta get the mail,” she announced, walking past him and back out the door.

He made his way into the living room; it was a small neat apartment, just right for one. Walking over he sat on the couch, resting back. Slowly he let out a breath, he had to relax. He didn’t know why he was so nervous, but he was, being here with her made him very nervous. Quickly he sat up when he heard the door open, Veronica made her way through the kitchen and over to the table as she sifted through her mail before tossing it down on the table. Nick wondered if that’s what she’d done when she’d found his letters. She turned to look at him, chuckling softly.

“Relax Nick, I’m just gonna hop in the shower and we can head out for dinner or whatever, ok?”

“Sure, ok.”

“Here…” she made her way over, turning the TV on and handing him the remote. “I’ve got digital, hopefully you’ll be able to find something you like.”

“No problem.”

“Ok, be right back,” she smiled, turning and making her way out the room.

Nick watched her leave a few minutes later he heard the door to the bathroom close then the spray of water. He stilled, listening to the sound of the water. She was just there, out of his reach, standing naked under a spray of water.


Shaking his head, Nick turned back to the TV, flipping through the stations. He had to stop it; he couldn’t think those thoughts about her, about Veronica. He stopped on a station and stared blankly at the screen, not really watching. He couldn’t focus on it, it was his own fault. Standing, he started looking at the various pictures. There were some of her from school, and some of who he assumed to be her Brother, they did look alike. Smiling, he made a note to say something to her about it.

Walking over, he noticed her DVD collection. She had a lot of different things, his eyes widened when he saw several BSB DVD’s and videos, his enhanced cd and the movie “The Hollow” that he’d been in. Smiling, he reached out and plucked one of the videos, looking it over. The Backstreet Boys as a group had all different kinds of things out, but most of the time, they never got to actually see any of it. He looked the case over, putting it back before grabbing another. He put that one back and noticed that she also had a Playstation 2. Veronica had never mentioned that she played. Leaning in, he looked over the games that she had, it appeared that she was a Harry Potter fan, for she had all of the games for that and all of the movies he’d noticed as well.

“Not a large collection, but I’m working on it.”

Nick turned to find Veronica standing behind him; she’d changed into a light sundress.

“Yeah well games are expensive. I see you’re a Harry Potter fan, I know you told me before online that you liked it, I didn‘t realize just how much.”

“I like it lots, love it actually.”

“You did tell me before that you read all the books right?”

“Yup, I read the sixth one in thirteen hours,” Veronica grinned.

“Oh right, how could I forget calling you crazy?”

“Yeah yeah, whatever.”

Nick winked, turning fully to look at her. “You look very pretty.”

She blushed, looking down at herself, “It’s just a sundress, but thank you.”

He moved in closer to her suddenly, leaning in right by her ear, inhaling deeply. “What’s that you’re wearing? It’s really nice.”

Veronica cleared her throat, wringing her hands together, “F-freesia, it’s freesia.”

Nick’s eyes lit up as he pulled away, “Wow really?”

She nodded, “Yup.”

“So that’s what it smells like, yeah, I have smelled that before. It’s very nice; I see why ya like it.”

“Well thanks,” she swallowed hard, forcing herself to smile. He too she’d noticed, had been wearing some kind of cologne, she’d smelled it the first time she’d gotten close to him. The scent had been intoxicating, but she’d been too nervous before to really enjoy it.

“Nothing to thank me for. You look nice and you smell nice, I’m a lucky guy.”

“Oh yeah? Are you around a lot of bad smelling, badly dressed women?” Veronica groaned inwardly as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

Nick grinned, “I think you know the answer to that.”

“I plead the fifth.”

“Right,” he laughed.

“Anyway,” Veronica cleared her throat, fighting back a laugh. “Where would you like to go for dinner?”

“Umm…how about The Olive Garden? Do you have one close by?”

“Ohh yeah, I love that place! Yup, there‘s one not too far from here.”

“Ok cool, so we’ll go there.”

“Great, let me just get my purse and we’ll leave.”

Veronica hurried off to her room grabbed her purse and they headed out.