Twenty-two

He watched the scenery whiz past on the JFK Expressway and grinned. Just another hour or so and he’d be in Woodbridge, his hometown and the starting point of all he’d planned just days before. Pushing the intercom button he watched as the privacy window slid down. “There’s a car dealership at the next exit man, stop there.”

The limo driver nodded as his gaze flicked back to the big man in the back of the limo. Hell he was sitting in the lap of luxury in the limo, and could hire any plane or mode of transport he needed, so why stop at that kind of dealership? Less than half an hour later the limo driver pulled away from the dealership shaking his head. He was paid, tipped and sent on his way and all so Mr. Sambora could buy a RV. Rock stars were known to have strange needs, and he’d seen some strange shit in his time, but what did this guy want with a RV?

Richie placed his luggage behind the drivers seat and then settled himself into that same seat. With a quick flick of a button he had had adjusted the seat so that he was more comfortable. Adjusting the rear view mirror and side mirrors he cranked up and pulled onto the I-278.

He drove quickly, his internal compass taking him straight to his old home town. Hell it was like he still lived there, the way still as fresh in his memory as if he’d driven the route yesterday and not years and years ago. Reaching for the radio he turned it to one of his favorite stations and started to sing along. God damn usually he felt exhausted at the end of a tour leg, but the excitement of finding his writing buddy had him all jazzed up. He just prayed she’d be as pleased to see him as he was at the idea of seeing her.

He turned onto NJ 35 and was soon making his final turn off of Convery Blvd and onto Main Street. After a few minutes he pulled up in front of the Woodbridge Township Town Hall and took a deep breath. Damn if his hands didn’t feel clammy and sweaty. That pulled a chuckle from deep within him, him Richie fuckin’ Sambora was nervous about meeting a lady.

As he stepped from the RV he glanced around and smiled. Nothing much had changed over the years; Main Street was still pretty much as he remembered it, complete with the old florist shop on the corner. The florist Shop!! Girls dug flowers. Turning left, his long legged stride had him at the florist shop in moments. Walking inside he grinned to see the same lady there that he remembered. He’d gotten quite a few bouquets from her in his youth.

Gladys glanced up at the tinkling of the door bell and started to smile. “Well as I live and breathe, if it isn’t young Richard. What brings you back to Woodbridge?”

Richie grinned and leaned over the counter as he brushed the pad of a finger over Gladys' cheek. “What always brings me to you Gladys?”

The white haired lady’s brow arched as she snorted. “Always a girl.” She gave him an intent look and snorted. “Finally tired of the Hollywood bimbos then? Trying to find a normal girl?”

Richie groaned and started to laugh. “Not you too. Damn, did everyone see that but me?”

Gladys grinned and patted his hand. “Well it always took you longer to see certain things than it did most people.”

Richie rolled his eyes. “Don’t rub it in Miss Gladys. Now I need a dozen roses.”

Gladys studied him a few moments. “Can old Gladys ask which lucky Woodbridge girl it is?”

Heat crept up his neck and turned his swarthy cheeks a nice pink. “Nice young lady by the name of Lindsay. She works at the Township Hall. I’m headed there next.”

Gladys turned and started pulling fresh flowers from their varying storage spots. “Then you don’t want roses honey. I know her, she loves wild flowers.”

Richie grinned. Well fuck if he didn’t just get lucky. He stood and watched as Gladys fixed up a beautiful array of every wild flower imaginable. As Gladys handed him the bouquet and he paid he leaned over to plant a gentle kiss on the fragile old ladies cheek and got a wild blush for his efforts. “Just between you and me right Miss Gladys?”

She twittered as she tried to force away the blush. Damn Richie Sambora always made her feel like a young one again. “Always Richie honey, always.”

Richie stepped from the florist’s and made his way to the Township Hall. As his hand reached for the door he took a deep breath and held the flowers closer to his face, he’d just start it off as being a delivery kind of person. God help him if all the women there figured out who he was. Stepping up to the receptionist he uttered, “Delivery for a Miss Lindsay Waters.”

The receptionist looked up at the tall man whose face was obscured by a massive array of flowers. Lindsay never got flowers, hell as far as she knew Lindsay wasn’t even dating. “Miss Waters is out for lunch. She should be back in a few moments. I can sign for those if you like.”

“Ahh no, this is a personal delivery, I’ll just wait outside.” Richie frowned behind the flowers. Well that would just figure. She wouldn’t be here and he had no idea what she looked like, so he couldn’t exactly go find her. “Maybe you can help me. What did she wear to work today?”

The receptionist caught a peek at the man as he turned. “My god you’re….”

Richie sighed and lowered the flowers. Fuck he’d been found out. Turning around he smiled and looked straight into the face of Glenda, one of his good friends from high school. He hadn’t seen her in an eon. “Woah, Glenda, how ya doing?”

Glenda’s eyes widened. Shit it was him, and he remembered her? “Well I’m doing fine, but damn, never thought I’d see you in Woodbridge ever again.” She watched him shift back and forth on his feet as the reason he was here finally sunk in. “YOU came to see Lindsay? How do you know her?”

Richie grimaced and played it off. “We met months ago, accidently, now I just wanna reconnect. So can ya help me huh?” He grinned that grin of his again and within moments had pulled Glenda into the plan with the agreement, along with a promise to keep it silent. Leaving the flowers with his new compatriot he made his way to the RV and settled in to wait, patting himself on the back for the Sambora Charm working yet again.