| CHAPTER 3 |
| On Monday morning Brittnee arrived at work at her normal time and turned on her computer. After she got her Starbucks coffee downstairs she came back to her office to check her phone messages and her emails. Work, work, work. One email was from an 'unknown sender.' Dear Brittnee, It was good meeting and talking to you Saturday night. I don't have much time but I just wanted to touch bases with you and hopefully see you at Atlantic Taxi again Friday night. After next weekend I'm going to be on the west coast for a couple weeks. Looking forward to your company again. Later, AJ A few moments later Gracie peeks her head around the door. Brittnee laughs and gives her a hug. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you for one night and I thought you had died." "I did die. I died and went to heaven and the angel's name is Keith. Oh, Brittnee he is great." "That's great, G. How do you know he's so great?" She sat back down in her chair and looked back at AJ's email. "How do you know that the guy you're interested in is going to be some great, spectacular person?" "You don't! You just try it and if he isn't then you move on to someone else. But I don't need to move on with this guy. He's the one I think." Brittnee picks up her coffee and sits back for the story. "He took me home Saturday night and that was just the beginning. He lives in a loft on 32nd Street that overlooks the park. It's perfectly decorated. His bed is so comfortable. I didn't want to get up yesturday or today." "You came from his house?" "No I showered at his place but changed at home." Gracie took a drink of Brittnee's coffee and sat down in the chair on the other side of her desk. "Anyway, yesturday morning he made me heart pancakes, sausage, hashbrowns and toast. He even freshly squeezed the orange juice. Britt, I've never had that before." "I've only read about that. How did the rollerblading go?" "I never fell but we didn't blade that long. We sat and talked for most of the afternoon. We have so much in common. He's a Capricorn which is the best match for my Taurus. He has sister my age, which is weird because my brother is his age. We both want four kids, two boys, and two girls. And what is the funniest thing, we both drive the same car!" "He drives an Integra?" "Yea isn't that crazy? I think this is going to be it. We never have a dull moment... Hey!!" Gracie stood up and walked to Brittnee's side of her desk. She sat on her desk and asked intently, "What happened with you and the Gucci skirt guy?" "Read this." Brittnee had Gracie read his email. "So you guys hit it off? Great!! We can double next week!" "NO!! I'm not going next week." "But he said he was going to be gone for a couple weeks. Sounds like he really likes you." "I don't know if I like him." "Why not? He's pretty cute. Kinda scruffy looking but on the sexy side." "He's a Backstreet Boy." "WHAT?!?! No way." "He is. He's AJ McLean from the Backstreet Boys. I just Googled him. There he is." Gracie screamed. "Girl that means he's rich. Go for him. Except for his growing forehead he's a good cover of a book." "Grace! I'm not a gold digger. I'm just not going to write him back or meet him at AT on Friday. I don't want to be a fling girl anymore. I need the security in a steady relationship and he can't give me that." ~*~*~*~ Soon Friday came. AJ emailed Brittnee yesturday to tell her that he was looking forward to seeing her again. She didn't respond to that email either. As Gracie was getting ready to go to the club, Brittnee was sitting on the couch in her pjs watching tv. "Are you sure you don't want to atleast call him and tell him you aren't coming?" "No." She didn't even flinch. "Britt..." "What Gracie," Brittnee snarled. "What?" Gracie hesitated before she headed out the door. "Don't... don't drop chip crumbs on the floor." ~*~ Gracie arrived at Atlantic Taxi for the first time without Brittnee. She hurried in and searched for Keith right away. When she saw his face her pace quickened. She gave him a hug and sweet kiss. "Hey gorgeous," Keith said as he handed her an Appletini. "Hey," she said not as enthusiastic. "What's wrong?" "Brittnee is not here and I feel really bad." "Why didn't she come?" "Because she didn't want to meet someone here. He's the VIP tonight." "We don't have a VIP tonight." "You don't have a Backstreet Boy here?" "Not to my knowledge. Let me check." Keith steps away from the bar and picks up the phone behind the counter. A few moments later he returns to Gracie. "No one was notified in advance. Who's to know who shows up tonight? The room is just vacant for now but will most likely get filled later in the night. So Brittnee hooked up with a boy band mate?" "She talked to him, he's sent her a couple emails and he said he was going to be here to meet her. I'm gonna go upstairs to see if I can find him, okay? I'll check back in with you, baby." Gracie kisses Keith and heads upstairs. At the top of the stairs she stops to scan the room. All the pool tables were being used but one, the exact one that they were at last weekend. AJ was waiting at the table. He noticed Gracie and a smile turned up on his face. She frowned and shrugged as she approached him. "Where's Brittnee?" "I'm sorry, but she's not coming." "Did she say why?" "She wasn't feeling well. She's been under a lot of stress this week and needed a rest." He nodded in agreement. "Well, tell her I hope she is feeling better." He began to walk away but turned around. "I'm going to be out of town for a few weeks." "Yea she told me. I'm really sorry." "I'll email her next week. Thanks." Gracie took a breath. "Umm... AJ? She's always wanted someone to give her pink Poppies. She has a Yoga class tomorrow at 10, but she'll be at our place by 12. Are you leaving tomorrow? ~*~*~*~ Gracie sat on the couch staring at the clock and acting like she was reading a magazine. It was 11:53 and Brittnee had just gotten home from her Yoga class. She let her bag fall to the floor in her room as she grabbed her robe and headed for the bathroom. "Brittnee," Gracie called from the living room. Brittnee walked out with an annoyed look on her face. "Umm... don't get in the shower yet." "Why?" "Can I talk to you?" "Yea, I guess," she said as she sat on the arm of the couch. "What about?" "I wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed it so much." Brittnee smiles. "Its okay. I'm over it. I'm over him." "You're over him?" "Yea. It would have never worked out. Plus, $20 says I never hear from him again." She laughs and took her hair out from her ponytail. "I'm gonna take a bath and relax." Right at that moment the doorbell rang. Brittnee looks to Gracie who shrugs. Brittnee put her hair back up in a ponytail and opened the door to see AJ standing there with pink Poppy flowers. Brittnee looks back to Gracie. "Do I get my $20 now or later?" "What are you doing here," Brittnee asks as she folds her arms. "I heard that you weren't feeling well and wanted to stop by and see you before I left." AJ smiles and hands her two dozen pink Poppies. Her eyes light up and her face fills with a smile. She takes a big sniff of them and looks up at AJ. "Thank you. Come on in." Gracie takes the flowers from Brittnee who puts them in a vase that she has prepared already filled with water. The two sit on the couch as Gracie puts the flowers on the coffee table. They all look at each other in silence. "Well, I have to go and meet Keith. See you guys later," Gracie says as she grabs her purse and is out the door before they could say a word. Brittnee looks at AJ who's mouth is open and ready to talk. "How come you didn't come to the club last night?" "AJ, I uh, I don't want to get into anything right now." "What will you be getting into?" "A relationship. I don't want to worry about it right now." "Okay." "Okay? What's okay?" "We were just talking." "Oh, great! Here we go again." Brittnee puts her head on her hands which were proped on her knees. "We were just talking for now. I don't know you but I want to get to know you better. From the articles I've read of yours and talking to you last week, you've intrigued me. I was really hoping to spend some more time with you before I left, and also when I come back." Brittnee looks at AJ and ponders her next move. "When do you have to leave?" "In a couple hours. I can hang for a bit." "I'd like that. Want something to drink?" Chapter 4 Featured Stories Main Page |