Liz just stayed there, squatted on the floor, mouth a gape, staring up at him.
Justin patted Hunters head and smiled down at her. "Elizabeth Meyers, speechless? Who would have thought?"
"But..but.." She stuttered.
"Yes?"
She stood up to face him and pointed a finger at him accusingly. "You creep! You stalked me down didn't you?" Her eyebrows furrowed and eyes narrowed at him.
"Believe me, I was just as shocked as you are right now, if not more so when I realize who you were exactly."
"But..but you left me. You..you just disappeared, why did you come back?"
Justin smirked. "Fate maybe?"
Her eyes wandered to Hunter, who was half hiding behind his father's leg and then back to Justin's eyes that were gazing into hers. She mouthed. "Bullshit."
He put his hands up in defense. "I swear to you Lizzie, I had no idea who you were when me and you first started talking, but then you started saying things and I had definitely not forgotten you and finally it all just clicked."
"But you said your name was...Oh. my. God." She slapped her hand on her forehead.
"What?"
"Randall? Justin Randall? OH god you are a dork and I'M so stupid for not realizing that." Liz giggled a little bit and smiled at him.
"I..I was really afraid you would run away when you saw it was me."
With a tilted of her head, she glance at her watch and cocked an eyebrows in his direction. "OH, we still got time."
Justin just stared. "You've grown up to be so beautiful."
Elizabeth just blushed. "Oh hush."
"Well you have."
"So have you."
His face turned from mesmerized to shocked. "I'm beautiful?"
"You know what I mean." She nudged him lightly.
"Yeah..."
"Daddy.."
Justin jumped a little in shock and looked from his son to the woman in front of him. "Oh Hunter, this is Liz, Liz this is my son Hunter."
"I kinda figured that...hey hunter, its nice to meet you again..."
Liz stuck her hand towards him and he shook it lightly, turning pink. "You're pweety."
Justin shot a look at Liz and then turned back to Hunter. "Buddy when did you get so outspoken?" Hunter just giggled and hid behind Justin's leg some more.
"Ran- I mean Justin..." She cringed to herself at her slip up.
Justin just smiled. "Yes, Elizabeth."
"We...we have a lot to talk about, and theres..theres so much I wanna ask you. And I really don't wanna do it in Franseca's with..everyone..around."
"I'll call you tonight, would you wanna do something?"
She nodded. "I'd..I'd love that."
"Call you around 5?"
"Perfect." She sounded like a love sick teenager that was talking to her crush in the hallway of her school. Her voice was airy, and breathy, and well not like herself.
"Well..."
She interrupted him with a plea, her hand grabbing his elbow, her eyes boring into his own. "Promise me you wont disappear, like the other 2 times."
Justin looked down to where her hand was holding him. He smiled and looked back up at her.
"I promise Elizabeth. This time I'm not going anywhere."
----
That evening...
With a shake of his head and sexy glance across the table Justin said in a quiet voice. "God you've changed."
"I have?" Liz gulped.
"I mean, you still have your humor but your so...bluntly said, sexy."
She shot him a weird look. "What?"
He blushed and went back to finishing off his meal. "Nothing."
"Oh my...well you're..you're a lot more mature, Curlygay."
He chuckled. "Damn, I actually miss hearing that."
"You're fault."
"I know. Why were you late today?"
Her eyebrows furrowed. "That was random."
"Well..it..it was bothering me. Did you not wanna meet?"
She shook her head and leaned across the table for emphasis. "No..god no. I got stuck at the hospital. One of my patients started..well..ya know, but he's ok now."
"Oh ok. Kinda weird how..how I still met you anyway."
"Yeah, all that fate crap you keep bringing up." She rolled her eyes.
"Wanna dance?" His eyebrows raised in her direction. There was a small dance floor in the fancy restaurant they were in and a jazzy band playing.
"Um..yeah I guess." She stuttered.
Justin placed his napkin beside his plate and scooted back his chair as she did the same. "I'll have to warn you, I haven't done this in a while."
"Me..me either."
They ended up in the middle of the dance floor with a extremely slow song playing. Justin wrapped an arm around her waist, and held her hand in his, while her other hand rested on his shoulder.
He took a deep breath and could smell the perfume she had on her. He cleared his throat and smiled. "So you still an obsessive Dave Matthews fan."
The comment must have made her at ease because he felt her relax in his arms. "Oh yeah, I cant believe they did their last tour last fall. But I have a feeling they will be back."
"I'm sorry I left you."
She shuddered when she felt his breath brush across her cheek. "Why did you?"
"Honestly I don't..I don't know what it was. Whether it was just me being stupid, or afraid or what."
"Afraid?"
Justin dropped her hand and brought them around her waist. Her hands held on to his neck, as they got closer. "Yeah, you were so different than any other girl I had ever met Liz, you were so special to me. Almost not even real."
"But I am real."
"I know. Believe me, after..after a week ago..I KNOW that."
"What? oh nooo..." She took her hands and buried her face in them, realizing what he was insinuating about their last phone conversation. She immediately turned bright red.
"Are you blushing.." He stopped swaying and bent his head to look at her.
"Yes." She mumbled.
Finally after he chuckled a bit at her shyness she cleared her throat and stated. "New topic, what ever happen to you and pop princess anyway? And what ever happen to you in the business?"
He sighed and brought her hands back around his neck, and his arms around her waist. "Britney and I divorce a few years ago. She wasn't quite ready to be a mother, and I...I sacrificed my career for him, I'm now getting it back a little bit. I'm recording some with Josh."
"What ever happened to Lance and that girl?"
"Happily married." He smiled.
"Wow. Looks like I've got some catching up to do, everyone else has tied the knot but me."
Justin shrugged. "Well I untied mine."
"yeah..."
"God..I cant believe its you." She nestled her head in his shoulder and held him tighter.
"You are shaking Lizzie." He whispered.
"Justin?"
"Hmmm.." He leaned his head on hers and ran his hand up and down her back.
She pulled away and whispered close to his face, looking in his eyes. "So are you."
------
At Liz's apartment.
Liz sighed and pushed her door open, letting him walk in after her. "It's not much, but...waa laa..."
"I like it." He stated looking around.
"You can have a seat or whatever." She motioned to her couch as she sauntered to her kitchen and put her keys up.
"Well I..I cant really stay late. Hunter, sometimes he has trouble going to sleep if I don't tuck him in. His grandma is wonder woman herself, but there are some things he just is real finicky about."
"So, you need to go?" She came back in with a sad look on her face.
Justin cringed and signed. "Yeah, I need to. What I want is another story."
"What..what do you want?" She stepped further towards to where he was standing in the middle of her living room.
"To see you again, and not just as a screenname Lizzie."
"I'd like that." She smiled.
"So I'll call you."
"Yeah sure." She nodded and walked with him towards the door.
"Well bye Elizabeth. He turned and she held the door open.
"Bye Justin, thank you for a perfect evening."
"Thank you for a second chance."
"Sure." He turned to leave, but whipped back around, biting his lip.
"Would..would you..nevermind."
"no..say it."
He hung his head and finally after a few moments of silence, look back up at her and asked quietly. "Would you mind if I kissed you?"
She smiled slowly. "Only if you don't leave me hanging and waiting and alone like last time."
"God I'm so sorry Liz." He said sincerely, almost pleadingly.
"It's ok Justin. I forgive you."
"You do?"
"yeah, now kiss me before I change my mind."
Justin smiled and stepped closer to her. He brought his hand to her face and cupped her cheek. Seconds later his lips were locked with hers for the second time in their lives. He felt her jump slightly and then melt towards him, opening her mouth and accepting his tongue, deepening the kiss. She heard him moan slightly against her lips and she felt his ragged breathing across her face when he pulled away.
He grinned, and so did she. With once last dip of the head and a brief kiss Justin whispered. "Happy Birthday, Liz...good night."
"You remembered." She stated surprised as he backed away from her, and out her doorway.
"You know what I just realized..." Justin said, walking backwards down the hallway of her apartment building. "... Ever time we've met its been around this time. Sometime in April."
"Well like you said..." She looked down at her feet and then back into his eyes. She smiled and laughed a bit "...it's fate."