Twenty-three

Lindsay wandered back along Main Street a slice of Pino’s Pizza in hand. It was her daily routine, a slice of pizza and a little window shopping. Today’s window shopping however included a stop at the computer store. She needed a new computer and quick. She’d been saving for the last few months knowing her computer wouldn’t last and now was the time to spend every saved penny on the best of the best in computers. A very hot response to Richie’s last chapter had been brewing in her head for the last two days and it was time to write. Grinning as she finished her slice of pizza she stepped into the computer shop to kill the rest of her lunch hour.

Thirty minutes later, a new laptop in hand, she exited the store and made her way back to the Township Hall. She gave a cursory glance to the RV sitting in front of the Township hall and couldn’t restrain the snort of laughter as memories of her RV story filtered into her mind. Well that’s unusual, you don’t often see RV’s parked here. Someone must be going on vacation and getting their utilities shut off for the duration. Shaking her head she pushed the door open and stepped through into the coolness of her workplace. She threw a free hand up in greeting to Glenda and started towards her office only to be halted as the receptionist called her back. “So what’s up Glenda? Any messages for me or did you just want to gossip a few?”

Glenda grinned and held the bouquet up. “These are for you sweetie, came while you were on your lunch break.”

Lindsay took the bouquet of wild flowers and frowned. “But who would be giving me flowers? It’s not my birthday and I’m not seeing anyone.” She studied the beautiful array to find a card or anything to let her know who had sent her flowers. She had no family, no one to send them just because, it just didn’t make sense.

Glenda grinned. “Oh there’s a someone attached to those flowers sweetie. It was a personal delivery even.”
Lindsay glanced at Glenda, confusion in her crystal blue eyes. “But who?”

Glenda winked Lindsay’s way. “You’ll find out I’m sure honey.” She picked up the phone dialed, then grinned as the call connected. “Time’s up.” She hung up the phone and turned back to Lindsay. “I can’t say as I understand how or why, but honey you gotta be the single-most lucky lady in the world.”

Lindsay’s confusion grew as she watched her co-worker. “Ok Glenda, what do you know about these flowers?”

Glenda shook her head and said nothing, her smile growing by the second. Of all the people in the world who deserved a bit of adventure and excitement it would have to be Lindsay, and it seemed she was going to get it in spades. As the door to the Hall opened Glenda lifted her hand and pointed. “Well lookie there, seems the delivery man returned. Why don’t you just turn around and see who brought you those pretty flowers.”

She turned slowly, her eyes going wide in shock at the man who was standing just inside the door, hands crossed over his chest, dressed all in black with assorted bling hanging from his neck. It couldn’t be, it just couldn’t. She was seeing things she had to be. Seeing the RV and plotting the story on her lunch break had her delusional that’s all there was too it. There was no way in… She closed her eyes, counted to ten and opened them again as startled blue eyes finally registered one inescapable fact. The man in the door WAS Richie Sambora and he had without a doubt came to Woodbridge.

He watched as she turned and felt his heart drop to his feet. He studied her intently and liked what he saw, from her shoulder length brown hair to her crystal blue eyes. She was dressed in a little sweater dress that had to be red or green, damned if he could tell and fuck if he cared. She wasn’t tall and willowy, if he had to estimate he’d bet her head would come to the mid of his chest, but goddamned if she wasn’t the prettiest thing. There was a fresh wholesomeness to her, something that screamed how real she was and it had the smile on his face growing.

His brow furrowed as she started to laugh. Well what the hell? Was she laughing at him? Did he have something on his clothes? Was his cock hanging out of his pants? “Well that’s a fine way to say hello Lil’ Darlin’.”

She looked up at him shook her head then looked out the main window, the RV in her direct line of sight. Oh he so didn’t come in an RV? Hell yeah he would that’s so totally him. She pushed down the burgeoning panic that he’d come to find her based on a few messages and chapters of a story Pointing at the window she took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice as nonchalant as possible. “That yours?”

He nodded and chuckled, “Yeah I couldn’t resist actually.”

She shook her head and fought back the panic. He’d come in an RV, he’d… Shit.. Why’d he come in an RV? Did he want to live that fantasy? Was it a way to poke fun at her? She doubted that, he didn’t seem to have a cruel bone in his body really. “Well you parked in a no parking zone and I think you’re getting a ticket.”

He whirled around, his brow furrowing as he started to curse. “Well I’ll be goddamned.” As he rushed outside to take care of a over zealous meter maid he never saw Lindsay scoot quickly down the hall to her little inner sanctum at work.

Ten minutes and one parking ticket later Richie walked back into the Township Hall, his dark brown eyes narrowing at the absence of his little friend. Glancing up at Glenda with the question in his eyes he started to smile as she pointed down the hall. “Office 22 Richie.”

He nodded and started off down the hallway, worry in his gaze. Why’d she run? Why’d she try to get away? I’m not that fuckin’ scary am I? She said she’d treat me like a regular guy, ya don’t run from regular guys do ya?

He reached office 22 and grinned to see the door ajar. Easily pushing it he leaned against the door and watched as she paced and muttered. He’d thrown her off balance, but he expected that. She had probably figured it would never go further than online, and the only way to fix that was with a bit of humor. “You know if most people saw someone talking to themselves they’d think they had issues.”

She whirled at the sound her brow lifting quizzically. Damn if he didn’t look good just leaning against her office door, looked just like he’d done it a million times before. “Yeah well whose to say I don’t have issues?”

He straightened and advanced, his eyes boring into hers with an intensity that had her belly doing odd little flip flops. “And what would those be lil Darlin’?”

She looked up at him as her brow quirked and opened her mouth to reply only to be interrupted. “Miss Waters?” A rather portly older man glanced at Richie and shook his head. “Can I have a moment of your time?”

She nodded quickly and stepped to the door. She brushed by him on the way out the door and whispered, “Excuse me a moment umm, Stephen. Shouldn’t be too long.”

She brushed by him and her scent nearly sent him reeling. It was an exotic scent that had a hint of what seemed to be cinnamon and lavender mixed in. Damn if he didn’t wanna run his nose along each inch of her body just to see where she used the perfume most. He watched her cute little ass sway as she walked down the hall and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that coming to Woodbridge was the best idea he’d had in years.

Before fifteen minutes had passed he watched as she exited the office she’d walked into and his brow raised at the look of shock on her face. What the hell had happened in that office? She brushed by him again as she moved to her desk and he had to force himself not to grab her. Damn he wanted a taste of those lips but knew doing that too quickly would do more damage than all of David’s stupid jokes in the world could do.

He continued to watch as she pulled a box from under the counter and started placing things from her desk inside, all without saying a word. Something was up and he was sure from the look on her face it wasn’t something good. He tilted his head as his voice rumbled out between them. “So Lil Darlin’ you were saying?”

She stopped and looked up at him, her emotions tumbling around like mice in an exercise wheel. She’d done everything right, worked her butt off, treated people right and she was the one laid off with the new budget cuts? Hell what else could go wrong? Shaking her head it hit her then, one thing had gone right. Against all odds, against every conceivable improbability the man of her dreams was standing there right in front her.

A smile began to flash in her eyes as she realized one thing. He wanted to be just a guy, and she had always promised him that. True he wasn’t just words on a screen anymore, and his way too fine self was now standing less than two feet away, but life had handed her the cherry of all cherries and she was gonna run with it.

“Well, my issue is….” she winked, “I saw the RV but where’s the wig?”