"I don't think this day could get any longer," Madi sighed to no one in particular.  She pulled her long black hair out of her face and clipped it up off of her neck.  Thumbing through yet another boring magazine, Madi tried not to fall asleep from boredom.

The highlight of her day had been that transvestite that came in this morning.  He... she... whatever, it had definitely spiced up the morning.  But that had been hours ago.  Or was it days?  It was hard to tell at that point.

The bell on the door rang as a customer entered the store.  Madi mumbled a hello, but continued to look through her magazine.  After a few minutes Madi was forced to put the magazine to the side to ring her customer up.

"Did you find everything okay?" she asked without looking up.  Slowly passing the items under the scanner she wished the beeping would go away.  It was going to drive her insane!

"Yeah, plus some," he laughed.  Madi had to glance up to see who that oh-so-sexy voice belonged to.  She glanced up only to be greeted by...well, she couldn't see him.  A cowboy hat, pulled too low of course, covered his head.  And those goofy sunglasses?  Those were covering his face.  The tattoos were kind of sexy.  Madi wondered if they covered his entire body.

"That'll be twenty-two dollars and forty-two cents," Madi said, pulling herself from her little daydream.

He handed her a credit card and she swiped it through the machine.  Trying to keep her mind from wandering back to that tattoo covered body, she checked the name and signature on the card.

Tearing the receipt from the machine, she had to keep herself from screaming in excitement, "Thank you Mr. Mclean."

"Ah, so you did recognize me.  I guess I need to find a better disguise," AJ laughed.

"No, just pay with cash next time.  The name on your card gives it all away," Madi replied, surprised at her calmness considering the situation.

He smiled and grabbed her bag, but turned back to Madi, "What's it short for?"

"I'm sorry?"

He pointed at the nametag on her ugly, plain, company (and by company we mean pervy older boss guy) issued shirt, "Madi...what's it short for?"

"Oh..." she thought for a minute, trying to decide how to reply to that.  If she just told him it might end the conversation right there.  Or she could pull out the flirty side and make him work for it, "Well that's not information I give to just anybody.  You have to work for it."

"Work for it, huh?  Well then what are you doing tonight?  I'll take you out to dinner and I can work for it there."

"If you're really serious about that...give me a call," Madi pulled a strip of receipt paper from the register and scribbled down her phone number, "I just may let you do that."

AJ took the slip of paper and stuck it in his pocket.  Taking his bag, he flashed her a classic AJ grin and turned to leave, "I'll talk to you later."

Madi watched him leave, holding her screams of excitement and shock in until he was well out of sight.  The second she thought she was safe she let it out, screaming and jumping like a little kid on Christmas.  A short, thin, blonde girl came running from the stock room at the back of the store to see what the screams were all about.

 "Omigod Hol, omigod!  You will never believe who was just in here!" Madi squealed.

"Well...judging by the look on your face and that horrible squeaky sound your voice is making...it has to be amazingly good.  Who was it?" Madi's best friend and co-worker Holly sighed.  Madi tended to be a bit of a drama queen, so Holly was expecting much from this, but she had to humor her best friend.

"AJ!  And you'll never guess what happened!"

"Wait, slow down and back up...AJ?" Holly was completely confused.  Last time she checked they didn't know anyone named AJ, so she needed the whole story.

"Keep up here girl!  AJ!  Backstreet Boy!  C'mon now!"

"Right, yeah, okay.  Whatever you say freak-o.  I'm going back to my oh-so-exciting inventory so I can get it finished before I get to leave.  Don't wanna have to be doing this again tomorrow.  You be sure to let me know if any more Backstreet Boys come in though," Holly laughed as she made her way back to the stock room.

"I'm serious Holly!  He said he'd call me this afternoon!  He wants to take me to dinner!" Madi called after her friend.

"Okay!  Whatever you say."

About an hour later Madi had dropped Holly off at her apartment and she was finally home!  She ran up to her room to change out of her horrid work attire before relieving her mom of babysitting duties.  Madi's mom Rita watched three year old Kaiden while Madi worked, though Madi wished it were the other way around.  The phone rang as she made her way back down the stairs.

"I ansa it!" the dark-haired, three year old boy exclaimed.

"Kaiden Montana Grey, do NOT touch that phone!" Rita scolded as she reached the small table holding the phone, "Hello?"

"Hi, I'm looking for Madi.  Is she available?"

"She is...who can I tell her is calling?"

"My name is AJ, ma'am.  I'm a friend of Madi's I guess, or I hope..."

"Just a minute, let me get her.  She just got home," Rita smiled to herself and turned to call for Madi, "Madison!  There's an AJ on the phone for you!  He sounds cute!"

"Mom!" Madi blushed at her mother's comment, but quickly realized the situation, "Omigod he called!  He actually called!"

Rita smiled and handed the phone to her daughter, "I'm going to finish cleaning up the kitchen."

Madi took a deep breath, curled up on the couch with Kaiden and tried not to sound like a freak, "Hello?"

"So you're mom thinks I'm cute.  I guess I have someone to fall back on if you reject me tragically," he laughed, "It's beautiful."

"Hmm?" Madi was trying to concentrate and she was afraid she'd missed something he said between her blushing and her trying to keep calm.

"Madison...it's beautiful."

"Oh...thanks..."

"I've found out your secret...do I still get to take you out for dinner?"

"Well...hang on," Madi covered the mouth piece and called for her mother.

"We're leaving tonight Mad!  Whatever you want, you're on your own!" her mother called back without having to hear the question her daughter was about the ask.

"Right...okay then," Madi sighed, trying to figure out what to do, "Well, unless you want a three year old tagging along, I'm going to have to take a rain check."

"Kids are cool.  I really want to see you again, so...I'll make dinner and you two can come over here."

"Ah, I don't know about that.  He'll terrorize your house.  Are you sure you want that?"

"No worries, it'll be fun.  I'll come by for you at six.  We'll make it a traditional date, plus one."

Madi gave him directions to her house and they hung up.  She immediately picked the phone back up to dial Holly's number.

"Yo people!  It's Holly!  You know what to do!  Oh, and if it's Madi, Nick called looking for AJ," and the message trailed off in Holly's laughter.

Madi laughed at the message, even though she was mad her friend didn't believe her.  She would now!  "Hol, it's me.  Nice message freak.  Where the h-e-l-l are you?  Call me back now!" she hung up and turned to her son curled in her lap, "Kaid baby...we're going to mommy's friends house for dinner tonight.  Mommy needs you to be really, really super good, okay?"

"Tay momma.  It's AJ momma?" the child asked, reminding Madi how much of an unintentional eavesdrop and parrot her son was.  He had obviously been paying attention when AJ had called.

"Yeah baby, his name is AJ."

"Like da moosic one?" Kaiden asked, referring to the Backstreet Boys, who were played quite often around this house.  It seemed Kaiden knew more about them then other kids his age.

"That's right babe.  The music one...a Backstreet Boy.  It's the same person."

The phone rang while Madi was explaining it all to Kaiden.  He'd long since stopped paying attention-he knew all of this already!-and he saw his perfect opportunity.  He snatched up the phone to answer it.

"Yo people!" he parroted his Aunt Holly's typical greeting, grinning up at his mom.

"Kaiden?  Are you supposed to be answering the phone you little monkey?  Where's your momma?"

"Momma's here, I get her," he replied, a look of pure satisfaction on his face-he'd finally gotten to answer the phone-and he handed the phone to Madi.

"I told you her was real!" Madi said in an ‘I told you so' voice.

"What the hell are you talking about? Holly was completely confused, yet again, "Who is real?"

"AJ."

"Um, I never doubted he was real.  I know for a fact he's real, or else who would you be drooling over twenty-four seven.  I just don't believe he actually came into out little store and asked you out."

"Well believe it.  He'll be here in about two hours.  I need you to help me get ready.

"Are you serious?" Holly was beginning to believe her friend, "What about Kaiden?  Aren't your parents leaving with mine in like...twenty minutes?  What are you going to do with him?"

"Yes they are.  He's coming with.  I don't have any choice.  I was going to talk my mom into pushing the vacation back one day...but she wouldn't even listen to me," Madi sighed.  Her parents were great friends with Holly's parents and the two couples had a nice week-long vacation planned together.

"You're bringing your three year old son on your first date with the man you've been drooling over for the last, I don't know how long?  You've got to be kidding me!"

"What else am I going to do?  I can't very well leave him here alone!"

"Julia and Michele are staying with me for the week while our parents are gone," Holly said referring to her four and seven year old sisters, "I'll bring them over, we'll have a slumber party with Kaiden.  They'll have fun, you'll have your date, and then you'll give me every single detail when you get home.  Then you two will fall in love, introduce me to Nick, and we'll fall in love, and then we'll all live happily ever after!" Holly trailed off as her daydream took her away.

"Yeah, let's take our time on that last part.  But about the sleepover...Kaid would love to see your sisters.  It would be a great help...and it would give me some leeway on explaining the whole Kaiden situation.  You're totally awesome!"

"I know!  We'll be there in about a half hour.  Get yourself showered so you're ready for me."

The girls hung up the phone and the smile on Madi's face grew, "Change of plans baby boy.  Auntie Holly is bringing over Julia and Michele.  You're going to stay here with them while mommy goes out with her friend.  Then we'll get to hang out all week.  We'll go to the zoo tomorrow like I promised.  And if you're really good maybe we'll fill our week up with fun stuff!"

"S'otay momma.  I tell Juji and Chele dat momma lubs da Backsteet Boy," Kaiden laughed.