It was a perfect fall evening. Just warm enough to sit outside on the patio at the local bar. Veronica arrived just after 7:00. She went up to the bar for a beer.
“Hey Tommy!” She said as she gave the bartender a hug. “How’s business tonight? Seems to be picking up.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty good, and now that my favorite group of girls got here, it’s great!” He replied.
“If I didn’t know you better, I’d say you’re hitting on me.”
“If I was hitting on you, I’d buy you a drink.” He handed her a beer and winked, “it’s on the house.”
“Very funny! You working all night, or just for happy hour?”
“I’m yours all night!” He laughed. Veronica rolled her eyes, “Where’s Kel and Jen?”
“Out on the patio.” He said as he pointed to the two girls sitting by the fire pit. She thanked him and headed outside to join her friends.
“I swear to God! One of these days, I’m just going to go off,” she mumbled as she plopped down into her chair.
“Oh, I’m fine, thanks for asking. How are you?” Kelly replied with a laugh.
“I’m sorry. It’s been another long day at work.”
“Yeah, we were starting to worry that you weren’t going to show up.” Jenny said as she sat down with her drink. “Did you just now get off work, or were you too lazy to put on normal clothes? I mean, seriously, a suit is a little bit of an over kill for the bar, don’t you think?”
Veronica worked at a law firm downtown that required wearing a suit everyday. She had on a black suit with hot pink pin strips and a pink button up blouse, her long brown hair was up in a French twist. She had recently graduated from college and was trying to get her foot in the door, but her boss was driving her more and more insane everyday.
“You will never guess what he said to me today, or should I say what he said to a client about me today.”
“What?” Kelly and Jenny said as the rolled their eyes. They were getting sick of hearing the same thing over and over again.
“He called me his air-headed assistant to a client!! Seriously? I mean, seriously! First of all, I’m not his assistant or anyone’s assistant for that matter! Second of all, he called me air-headed because some paperwork wasn’t filed. Of course this is my fault when he NEVER TOLD ME TO FILE IT! I mean, it was one of our biggest clients.”
“Then why don’t you just quit? I mean I feel like all I ever do anymore is listen to you complain about him. He’s a jerk.” Kelly replied.
“He IS a jerk, but he’s the best. I mean if I really want to go to law school and get ahead staying there is the best thing for me. I just gotta wait it out. They are practically begging me to go to law school and they flat out told me I can have the practice once they retire.”
“Okay, no more work talk. Have you talked to Andrew lately?” Jenny asked.
“No, his girlfriend is back in town. I haven’t heard from him since she got back, surprise surprise. Some best friend he’s being.”
“Okay, so no more talking for Veronica!!” Kelly said with a laugh. “You’re starting to depress me. But, I have some very exciting news!!”
“What?”
“I am moving to Hong Kong to be with Ryan….. in December!” She smiled.
“WHAT?!?! Kel, no, you can’t, you’re not even engaged! You can’t just move across the globe!”
“I can and I am, why are you being all dramatic on me? You knew it was gonna happen eventually.”
“Kel, I think it’s great. If that’s what’s going to make you happy, then go for it! And think of the career opportunities over there!” Jenny added trying to be supportive. Kelly and Jenny continued to talk about all of the exciting things that Hong Kong was going to bring. Veronica just sat there sulking in the fact she was going to lose one of her best friends. ‘Can this day get any worse?’ Veronica thought to herself. Finally she got tired of listening to them. “I’m gonna go get another beer, anyone want anything?” Veronica asked but leaving too quickly to get an answer.
“Her’s wasn’t even close to empty.” She heard Kelly say as she walked away.
The bar was starting to become packed as the happy hour crowd grew. Veronica decided that she to just get a seat at the bar and watch college football for awhile. She was making her way to the bar.
“Excuse me,” He said as he placed his hand on the small of her back trying push past her. She stood there for a minute, trying to place that voice. She knew it sounded familiar. “Excuse me, sweetheart.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” She said as she tried to move to the side, his hand still on the small of her back. Just as she moved someone ran into him causing him to bump into her and drop her glass. Her drink spilled all over both of them. “SHIT!”
“Here let me help you.” She had almost forgotten about that voice. ‘Why do I know that voice?’ She thought to herself. They both bent down to pick up the glass, and it hit her when she came face to face with him. She did know the voice and her heart stopped as she gazed into his eyes.
Turn around,
Turn around and fix your eye in my direction
So there is a connection.
Now I can't speak,
I can't make a sound to somehow capture your attention
I'm staring at perfection.
“I am so sorry” Veronica said completely embarrassed and trying to wipe her drink off the front of his shirt.
“No, it’s my fault don’t worry about it. Please let me buy you another drink.”
“That’s not necessary and it turns out I’ve had a bad day and it keeps getting worse and maybe having my drink spilled all over my new suit and you, is God’s way of telling me I should just go home, and now I’m rambling to a stranger and I’m still wiping off your shirt, okay I’m going to stop talking now.” He gave her a strange look and then started to laugh.
‘I just made a fool outta myself in front of HIM!’ she said to herself.
“So, that’s a no on the drink. And as it would be I don’t drink myself, so how about we go get a cup of coffee?”
“Their coffee here isn’t very good, I’m not sure that’d be a wise choice.”
Again, he just started to laugh, “no I meant, why don’t we get a cup of coffee somewhere else?”
“Oh,” She hesitated, “that sounds nice but I don’t think I should leave with a stranger.” ‘Oh, but he isn’t a stranger and God only knows what I’ll say to embarrass myself if I actually go with him or if I could keep myself from jumping him!’ she thought to herself.
“I’m AJ, you’re?” She just stood there for a moment, “and this is when you say your name.” He couldn’t help but smile at her, she was beautiful. Not that model/actress fake beauty, but the beauty of a woman that just doesn’t know she’s beautiful.
Take a look at me so you can see
How beautiful you are.
You call me a stranger, you say I'm a danger,
But all these thoughts are leaving you tonight.
“Veronica.” She replied yet again embarrassed and trying to remain calm and collected.
“See, we’re not strangers anymore, so where’s a good café?” How could she resist? Okay, so she’s always been one of the those closest teeny boppers, so there is no way she could actually let herself say no, even if she wanted to. Inside she wanted to scream, but was able to hold it back. “Actually there’s this really cute café just down the road within walking distance.”
They made their way through the people toward the exit. AJ again placed his hand on the small of Veronica’s back, guiding her through the crowd. She couldn’t help but to smile. ‘Okay you really need to settle down.’ She thought as she tried to wipe the grin off her face. Just as their reached the door they heard someone yell, “Hey V, you gonna leave without saying bye?” Veronica turned around to see Tommy standing in front of the bar. “Yeah, it’s always best to leave you wanting more.” Tommy motioned a knife being stuck in his heart, “Good night, Tommy.” She rolled her eyes and laughed. They walked down the street in silence.
“So, you go there often, I take it?”
“Kinda, I mean, we started this tradition after like our junior year of college where we’d meet for happy hour every Friday and we promised each other that we’d continue it after we graduated so that we could keep in touch.”
“And who would ‘we’ be?”
“Oh, just a couple of friends from college. Unfortunately, our group has decreased in size since we started the tradition. A couple of them moved away, some of them we’re not talking to anymore, some of them have boyfriends/girlfriends and don’t have time…” They reach the café after just a couple of blocks. There wasn’t anyone inside other than the person working.
“I’ll have a white chocolate mocha with caramel, please.” Veronica said without looking at the menu. She smiled and turned to AJ.
“Um, I’ll just a French roast, black.” Veronica raised her eyebrows, “I’m simple when it comes to coffee.”
“I guess so, I love my coffee, but it’s gotta be sweet.” She replied with a smile. “Do you want to sit out on the back patio or go for a walk?” She didn’t really know what to say or where to go, she was just in total awe of the whole situation.
“Hmm, how about a walk it’s pretty nice out, and from what I’ve been told it doesn’t stay nice here very long.”
“Ha, isn’t that the truth. The winters are pretty much miserable. I still have no clue why I haven’t moved south.” They grabbed their coffees and continued on their way. AJ held the door open and noticed Veronica’s 4 inch stiletto heels.
“We don’t have to walk if you don’t want you, with heels on and all.”
“I almost forgot. I’ve learned to ignore the pain of high heels between going out and working.”
“Okay, so nice suit, high heels, you got me, what do you do?”
“Well, I pretty much do bitch work.” She laughed, “naw, I work at a law firm and I do everything pretty much, and then the lawyers sign their names and get the big money. Very sweet life, right? You?” ‘Why are you even asking that? You know exactly what he does.’
He gave her a funny look, ‘she doesn’t know who I am?’ “I am actually in the entertainment industry, a singer.”
Veronica smiled and then there was an awkward silence, ‘quick change the subject!’ “So, what you are doing here, of all places?”
“Some radio shows actually.” AJ stopped walking and looked around. “You know where we’re at right?”
She looked around and started to panic, “yes of course…”
“Yea, that sounds reassuring.”
“No, I really do…” she looked around again, “this way.” They walked into a nearby park and sat on a bench. “How long are you in town?”
“Just a couple of days, this is actually our last stop on the radio shows thing. Then we’re headed back to LA.”
“We?”
“Yea, there’s a couple of us in our group.” ‘Okay, does she really have no clue who I am?’
“That’s cool, where are you staying?”
“Trying to get me to invite you back to my hotel, huh? A bit aggressive don’t you think?” He laughed.
“NO! no no no no no!”
“Ouch!”
“Wait, no I didn’t mean it like that, I just meant that I wasn’t trying to be into your pants, I mean shit. I give up.” She just shook her head and laughed.
“Naw, this is pretty entertaining, please continue.” He crossed his arms and in the process exposing numerous tattoos. She stared at them for a moment. “Staring because you’re mortified or because you’re intrigued?”
“Interested?” She said with a smile.
“That wasn’t one of the options.”
“Well, I’m original, what can I say? It seems like you’re original yourself.” She said biting her bottom lip.
“You could say that.” Everything about her right then was sexy. The way the slight breeze had caused some of her hair loose and it just brushed over her face, the way she smiled, the look her eyes that were so honey colored they were almost orange. His hand brushed her cheek as he wiped the loose pieces of hair behind her ear. Goosebumps went her back. “You have the most beautiful eyes.” She wanted to laugh at the unoriginal line but couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. A soft thank you was all she could whisper. She shifted uncomfortably at the compliment just proving AJ’s earlier thoughts of not knowing just how beautiful she is.
“So, about my hotel… do you wanna come back?”
She was shocked. ‘AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys wants me to go back to his hotel? Seriously, am I dreaming?’ She couldn’t think straight. The words came out before she could even process what she was saying. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She diverted her eyes to her stilettos.
AJ was stunned, ‘seriously, who is this girl?’
“Maybe I should go” she got up and started to walk away. He ran after her.
“Wait! I don’t even know where I am. At least walk me back or give me your number.” She stopped and turned around and contemplated it for a moment.
She smiled, “Four blocks up turn right on Vine Street and you’re back at the bar. As for the number… if you’re as good as I think you are, you’ll be able to find me.” She turned and continued to walk in the opposite direction.
AJ stood their bewildered, “did that really just happen?” A smile crept across his face, “yes it did.” He shook his head and walked back to the bar.
Your beauty seems so far away
I'd have to write a thousand songs
To make you comprehend how beautiful you are.
I know that I can't make you stay
But I would give my final breath
To make you understand how beautiful you are.
Understand how beautiful you are.
You call me a stranger, you say I'm a danger
But all these thoughts are leaving you tonight.
I'm broken, abandoned; you are an angel
Making all my dreams come true tonight.
You call me a stranger...
You say I'm a danger...
You call me a stranger...
Secondhand Serenade – Stranger
Story Notes:
Okay I suck at summaries! This is my first story and to be honest I'm not totally sure where this story is going to go. But hopefully you'll enjoy!!
Author's Chapter Notes:
Like I said this is my first story. I'm really nervous to be posting it. I hope ya'll like it and I'll try to update as often as possible!
