We headed towards downtown Orlando and pulled into the parking lot of one of the restaurants. I could tell that it was fancier than anywhere I could afford. We headed inside and, after AJ whispered something to the hostess, we were taken to the back of the restaurant. There were French doors that led us to an outdoor eating area, with a view of Lake Eola. There were white lights that gave the area a romantic setting, as well as fans overhead to battle the Florida summer heat.

I felt under dressed, although the restaurant wasn’t strictly coat and tie. I sat down across from him, taking in the view of the water.

“This is…” I trailed off, watching the lights from the buildings reflect off the lake. I didn’t know what I’d been expecting, but nothing like this. He hadn’t seemed like a nice, quiet dinner type of guy.

Then I couldn’t help but wonder how many other girls he’d taken to places like this.

“Not what you were expecting is it?” AJ asked.

I was trying to figure out how to answer. Luckily, the waiter cut my sputtering short.

He offered us a glass of wine. I accepted; AJ quickly shook his head. I started looking over the menu. The prices were… well, pricey. I bit my lip.

“Get whatever you want,” AJ urged.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” he laughed.

After we ordered, I tried to think of something to say. “How was your trip?”

“Um,” he shifted in his seat. “It was good.”

“Uh-huh,” I said. “That doesn’t really sound believable.”

“It’s… well, it is what it is. You know all about my job though. We haven’t ever really talked about you.”

“Oh,” I said. “There’s really nothing interesting to say… I mean, I serve coffee. Heck, I’m not even worth the management job.”

“Why do you stay there? You really should be in management. You keep things running smoothly at that place.”

“I don’t know. Where else would I work?”

“It’s called the want ads.”

“I… well, I guess I’ve gotten used to working there.”

“Have you always lived in the area?” he asked, munching on a breadstick.

I paused. I hadn’t thought about questions I’d have to answer tonight. “No.”

“So…” he laughed. “Where are you from?”

“Maine,” I said finally.

“Wow. Doesn’t get much further from here than that. How’d you end up in Florida?”

“I liked that it was far away, actually. I guess I got sick of the snow,” I said. That wasn’t a total lie, I tried to tell myself.

“Don’t blame you. God, I’d freeze up there. It’s hard to tour sometimes. One day, you’re enjoying the sun, the next day you’re flying north and trudging through the snow.”

The food came out shortly, and the conversation moved onto other topics.

“You know, I need to take you out like this more often.”

“Why’s that?”

“I don’t think you’ve said one sarcastic thing all night. Kind of a miracle.”

“Maybe that means I’m saving up,” I shot back. “The second we get away from the civilized society…”

“Oh, I see. At least I’ve been forewarned,” he said, taking the last few bites of his food. “You ready?”

I nodded, he paid the bill, and we headed outside.

“You want to go for a walk?” he asked.

“Sure,” I said, as he linked his arm into mine. “Thanks for dinner.”

“No problem.”

“So…” I said, wanting to go back to an earlier conversation. “What happened on the Nashville trip? Are you having problems with the new CD?”

He sighed, glancing at me as if he were deciding whether or not to confide in me. “We fought with Kevin… a lot last time around. He was just on a different page than us when we were recording and touring. This time, the rest of us are on a different page when it comes to him.”

“I guess its weird not having the fifth group member around.”

“I can’t even remember the last time I saw him.”

“Well, I’m sure you guys will be fine with just the four of you.”

He nodded, but looked out over the lake. I tried to read his expression.

“That’s not it, is it?”

“I thought it was the big issue. I just… hadn’t realized what having him in the group meant to me personally.” He paused again. “A few years ago, I got sucked into the rockstar lifestyle. What’d you call it? The popstar bubble. It ain’t as grand as everyone thinks… I was doing drugs and drinking way too much.”

A Backstreet Boy with a drug problem? This was news to me. I remembered them for the squeaky clean image that had so many of my peers in adoration over them. “What happened?”

“Kevin realized that I had a problem. He stepped in. He yelled at me. I yelled at him. He told me that I was dead to him, actually. But he woke me up to what I’d been doing. Long story short, I went to rehab, and, well, I owe him a lot.”

“Well, just because he’s not in the group anymore, doesn’t mean he’s not still around, AJ. I mean, if you needed him, I’m sure he’d be there for you.”

AJ nodded.

We walked in silence for a few minutes. I couldn’t believe that he’d surprised me again. It seemed like this was yet another layer to him. I appreciated that he’d opened up to me. I felt foolish for doubting him because of Carmen’s comments. I couldn’t picture him opening up to just anyone about this. I was grateful he trusted me.

And guilty that I couldn’t trust him with all of my problems.

“So, did I pass your test?” AJ asked. “Before I killed the mood with talk of drug addictions, anyway.”

“Test?”

“Tonight. What made you change your mind and decide to come out with me?”

I thought about how to put it. “You weren’t as bad of a jerk as I thought you were.” I laughed.

“Oh, this is that built-up sarcasm, right?”

“Perhaps,” I said.

He laughed again and then waited, obviously wanting a more sincere answer.

I decided that he’d been honest with me, so I owed him the same in return. Maybe I could let him in, just a little. “You reminded me of… someone I used to know. I’ve learned from my mistakes, and I didn’t want to waste my time on anyone who wasn’t worth it. But you ended up being much different than I expected.”

“Well, good to know,” he smiled.

“Stop,” I pointed a finger at him. “Don’t get cocky. That was an initial turn off, remember?”

AJ laughed. A real laugh this time, the one that made his whole face light up. The one that I knew was the real him.

At least, I hoped that it was. That was the AJ I was so quickly falling for.

He stopped to look into the window of a shop we were passing. It was some kind of urban-clothing store. I moved back to the other side of the sidewalk to get out of the way of a group trying to pass us.

A moment later, I heard, “AJ!” A tall, slender blonde quickly approached him, throwing her arms around him.

“Uh, hey, sweetheart,” he said, surprised.

Sweetheart?

“You were supposed to call me back last week! Where’d you disappear to?”

“Oh. Out of town. Recording, you know.”

“Well, hon, when are we going to get together again? That night we had was magical…”

I didn’t want to listen to anymore of this crap. I headed down the street, sitting on the first park bench I came to that wasn’t occupied. Everything that Carmen had said rushed back to me.

It was several minutes later that AJ found me. “Hey,” he said, awkwardly, sitting down next to me.

“What happened to Sweetheart? I can get a cab if you two want some alone time. You know, a continuation of ‘that magical night.’” I rolled my eyes.

“First of all, I call everyone sweetheart. Second of all, she’s no one. And, not that it really matters, but I didn’t call her back for a reason. And I’m not planning on it.”

“Why not?”

“That was before you said you’d go out with me. Not that we’re exclusive or anything,” AJ added, trying to make that perfectly clear.

I cursed. “I guess I don’t technically have a right to be mad.”

“You’re pretty sexy when you’re jealous though.”

I scowled at him. “Is that you’re usual type of date? I’m nothing like that. So tell me something. I let you know why I decided to go out with you, now you tell me why you wanted a date in the first place.”

“You’re different.”

“Different? Oh thanks,” I said, sarcastically.

“She, to put it bluntly, is infatuated with me.” He smiled as I rolled my eyes again and then continued. “A lot of people are. Comes with the being famous thing. You, on the other hand, don’t put up with any of my crap. Makes life interesting.”

“So I’m the female version of Kevin?” I managed to laugh a little as I said it. The fact that he hadn’t called her because we were going on a date was sinking in. “Calling you on everything, I mean.”

“You are much, much prettier than Kevin,” AJ smirked. “He’s not really my type to be honest.”

“Loser,” I punched him playfully on the shoulder.

“Michelle,” he turned serious. “I’m not claiming to be perfect. I’ve screwed up. I still screw up, all the time. But I’m trying here.”

There was so little chance this could turn into something with us, as far as lasting went, I reminded myself again. Carmen was probably right about him not settling down anytime soon. And I didn’t know how forgiving I could be with the screw-ups. My heart was still putting itself back together.

But I believed in him. My judgment didn’t have a perfect record, but I gazed into his brown eyes. There was something there. It didn’t matter that the tramp- I guess not all of my jealously had faded- had shown up. That he’d been to rehab. That he was admitting to still sorting everything out. In his eyes I could see that he wouldn’t let me down.

As much as I went back and forth on the subject, the sincerity in his eyes had been a constant.

We headed back to my apartment. He walked me to the door.

“Thanks for tonight, Alex.”

He looked at me, his eyes sparkling.

“What?” I asked, suddenly self-conscious.

“You’ve never called me that before. Always AJ.”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t even realize it…”

“No, it’s okay.” He flashed a grin again.

“Um… do you want to come up?” I hated to think what he’d say if he saw my crappy apartment. It would be the total opposite of what he lived in. But he’d shown me the real him, I thought, tonight. I figured I should return the favor and open up a little more of my life to him.

AJ paused, about to nod. Then he stopped. “No, it’s getting late. Thanks, though.”

“Oh,” I said, feeling a little rejected that he wanted to end the date. “Well, night.” I turned to go.

He slipped his hand in mine. “I’ll call you, okay?”

“Really call me? Or… like that chick thought you were gonna call her call me?”

He laughed. “Really call you.”

I was too lost in his eyes to realize that he was leaning towards me. He kissed me, soft and slow, putting his hands on my waist. Just as my head started spinning, he broke it, smiling widely.

“Good night,” he said, heading back down the sideway.

“Good night,” I answered, unable to keep the sigh out of my voice. I headed inside, on cloud nine. The recent bout of luck was unexpected and perhaps undeserved, but I was grateful for it.

I got back to my apartment and closed the door behind me, still smiling. I threw my purse down, and grabbed my cell phone. I’d forgotten to turn the volume back up after dinner. I had a text message from a number I didn’t recognize.

I dropped the phone, suddenly feeling unsafe in my surroundings.

You can run, but you can’t hide.