The next morning, Cassidy had a meeting with some clients. She got back to her room about 11:30 and decided to start getting ready for her lunch with AJ.
"What am I gonna wear??" she paced the length of her hotel room. "Okay Cass, just calm down. He's just a normal guy, that's why you like him, remember? Now just chill out and pick out something to wear that's simple, yet nice".
She searched through the clothes she had brought, settling on a light yellow sundress that came right above her knee and white chunky-heeled sandals. She liked how the shade of the dress brought out the emerald color in her eyes.
She played around with her long, dark brown hair, trying to figure out if she should wear it up or down. She finally decided to leave it down, she didn't want to look like she had spent all day getting ready. As she stood and admired her reflection in the mirror, a terrible thought came to mind.
"What if he had no interest in getting to know me? What if he thinks he's gonna get me in the sack then drop me?"
Although that's not the impression she got from him over the phone, she couldn't help but consider it as a possibility. Surely he wouldn't go through so much trouble to find her just so he could say hi. He had to want something.
She sat on the edge of the bed, trying to think of what she should do. She wasn't about to be someone's big conquest. She had enough of being taken advantage of by men, but still, she knew Alex was different. She glanced over at the clock.
"12:15, still plenty of time to call him and cancel, Cass," she whispered.
She started to pick up the phone but something made her put it back down.
"I can't let this opportunity pass me by. I'm the one who started all this by writing the letter, the least I can do is meet him face to face," she sighed. "I have an idea," a smile spread across her face. "We'll see exactly what he's after."
She got up, checked her makeup, swiped some light lip gloss across her lips, grabbed her purse and walked out the door.

As AJ and Marcus drove to the hotel, all AJ could do was think about what he was going to say to Cassidy. He didn't know, and even if he did, he was sure he wouldn't remember it when he came face to face with her.
He met people every day, he performed onstage in front of thousands of people almost every night, he loved it, he thrived on it, why was he so nervous about meeting Cassidy? She was just one person...but one person that saw through him, the one person that saw the real him.
He looked down at his watch. '12:40, plenty of time'.
"Why so nervous?" Marcus asked.
"What are you talking about? I'm not nervous," AJ answered defensively.
Marcus looked over at him puffing away on a cigarette and chuckled.
"So, when is Ashleigh coming back from her fun in the sun?"
"Huh?" AJ said, his mind obviously elsewhere. "Oh, yeah, she'll be back in two weeks."
Marcus smiled to himself and turned his attention back to the road. A little while later they pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. Marcus parked as close to the front door as possible, so as to assure that as few people as possible noticed AJ.
They walked in the front door and AJ looked around for the entrance to the restaurant. He studied every woman that walked past him wondering if it was Cassidy.
'She could have at least told me what she would be wearing,' he complained to himself.
They had only been standing there for about 5 minutes when a short, dark haired woman approached AJ.
"Hi AJ, I'm Cassidy", the woman held out her hand for him to shake.
"Nice to meet you", he smiled, pulling her into a hug.
He had to admit, he was a little disappointed. There was absolutely no vibe between him and this woman, along with zero physical attraction. It didn't even sound like the woman he spoke to on the phone.
'Oh well, looks aren't everything. It was her words and her heart that drew me to her'.
"Shall we?" he asked extending his arm for her to take as they headed into the restaurant.
"You know, I can get you out of this, just say the word," Marcus whispered to him as they waited for their table.
"Don't be an ass," AJ was appalled that he would be so shallow.
Marcus sat at a nearby table while AJ and Cassidy sat and talked for a little while. It seemed strange to him that whenever he would mention something about her letter or would bring up something that they had discussed on the phone, she would change the subject. She never went into detail about anything.
Something was not right. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he felt almost no connection whatsoever to this woman sitting across from him. How could he be so wrong about what he felt all this time leading up to this?
As he sat there with her he felt someone watching him. He looked around the room, his eyes settling on a beautiful young woman sitting at a table across the room. Her piercing green eyes mesmerized him. When their eyes met, she quickly looked away. He didn't know why, but he felt a strange feeling shoot through his body, almost a feeling of comfort, of love. He felt like he knew the woman. He shook it off.
'Probably a fan. Maybe I've met her before. I probably have if she lives here in Orlando.'
He turned his attention back to Cassidy. He had to admit, she was funny, not the same sarcastic humor she had on the phone, but funny nonetheless. Suddenly she plunked some money down on the table and started to get up from her seat.
"Where are you going?" he asked, surprised.
"I'm sorry, but I have some stuff I have to do before my meeting later tonight." "Are you sure you can't stay longer? I was having a good time talking with you..." his voice trailed off.
Regardless of how she looked, he couldn't let this woman walk out of his life. He had to tell her how much he appreciated her letter, how it made him feel, how SHE made him feel.
"Are you sure? You're really enjoying yourself?" she asked surprised.
"Of course I am. Why would you think I wasn't?"
A smile spread across her lips.
"I don't know," she said softly and looked down at her hands. "Well, I'll be right back. I have to use the ladies'room".
"You better come back," he teased as they both arose from their seats and she walked away from the table.
As he sat back down, he looked over and noticed the woman that was watching him earlier looking at him again. When she saw him looking at her, she turned away quickly.
'There's something about her,' AJ thought to himself,unable to shake the feeling that washed over him. She didn't make him uncomfortable at all, which he found strange. He just couldn't explain it.
"Sir, would you like another drink?" the waitress asked.
"Yes, please," he smiled as he looked up at her. She took his glass and walked away.
He turned his attention back to the woman only to find that she was gone.
'What, was I hallucinating??' He joked to himself then let out a deep sigh.
He glanced down at his watch and realized how long Cassidy had been gone.
"I hope she comes back," he thought.
"Alex," a familiar voice said behind him.
He turned around and was stunned to see the woman that had been watching him standing there. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. The first thing that caught his attention was her beautiful green eyes. Her long dark hair lay delicately on her shoulders. The yellow sundress she had on brought a glow to her face.
His eyes locked with hers, he was so drawn to her, he just couldn't figure out why. He stood up and held out his hand.
"Um, do I know you?" He asked, puzzled. "Because I feel like I do. It's the weirdest feeling."
"Alex, I'm Cassidy," she said softly. "The REAL Cassidy." She smiled while he stood looking at her stunned and confused.

Chapter 8
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