CHAPTER TEN

2 weeks later (Hartford, Connecticut)

"I was crying when I met you-"

"Jeff..."

"Now I'm trying to forget you."

"Jeff.."

"Your love is sweet misery-"

"Jeff!"

As if just realizing that he wasn't the only person in his hotel room right now, Jeff practically jumped out of his skin while turning around to face a half amused/half annoyed Chris Jericho.

"What?"

"What do you mean what? You called me over here a half-n-hour ago saying you had something really important to tell me, but have done nothing but sing-rather badly, I might add-old Aerosmith songs since I got here...spit it out already!"

Without even bothering to hold back his small chuckles, Jeff finally gave in and let the impatiently waiting man know the real reason he had asked for him to meet him in his room that evening. "All right...I have sort of a confession to make...I haven't been totally honest with you guys these last couple of months...for the last several weeks, I've been kind of seeing someone...a diva."

Trish, you mean.. Chris thought to himself, having known for quite some time now that his friends were both secretly seeing one another behind everyone's back. The worst kept secret I've ever seen.

With that thought in mind, Chris confusingly asked: "Don't get me wrong, if you're happy, then I'm happy for you..but why exactly are you telling me this right now?"

Knowing that this was where his part of the gangs plan was supposed to kick in, caused Jeff to take a seat on his bed-trying to make it seem like he was trying to gather his thoughts together-and then nonchalantly replied: "I was thinking about how me and Matt were riding you the other day about how you and this girl Marie met one another, and it got me to thinking about me and my relationship...with Trish."

As if waiting for Chris to make a comment about his announcement, but to no avail, Jeff continued with: "I'm not as oblivious as some people think I am. I hear the rumors about her...I know some people think she worked her way up in this business by sleeping with everyone she came into contact with and that she really has no business being here. But I also know her, and I also know that she isn't like that...she's smart, she's funny, she's beautiful and most importantly she's honest to a t."

Well, it's about damn time he admitted how he truly felt about her...Chris thought to himself, before again asking Jeff what all this had to do with him and his date for the evening, Marie.

"I just wanted to tell you that because sometimes, even though we-as your friends-think we know what's best for you and really do have good intentions at heart, sometimes we forget that not everyone's out there to get us...so, with that being said, even though I still don't approve of how you two met, I support you and if you want to continue talking to this girl Marie and maybe even meet her one day, I support that decision as well."

Wow...

Having not seen that one coming from a mile away caused Chris to let a small smile slide across his face as he told his friend: "Thanks man, I really appreciate that."

"Anytime.." Jeff replied back, before giving his friend a brotherly hug and inwardly thinking to himself:

I just hope my support is enough to get you to tell Stephanie how you really feel about her.

2 hours later (Carmine's Italian Grill)

Hey! Sorry I'm running a little late...was harder than I expected to get rid of Matt and Jeff. Be there shortly.

Well, then that makes two of you cause he's not even here yet, Stephanie thought to herself, before sending that text message back to Amy and then placing her phone back in her purse; afterwords absentmindedly making sure she hadn't missed anyone walking in the door while checking her messages.

Doesn't look like anyone remotely matching Keith's description is here.

The last time she had talked to the older male, he had told her that he was exactly six feet tall with short blond hair and baby blue eyes.

The only people here are middle aged italian men with dark hair and dark brown eyes...but what did I expect when suggesting we meet at an Italian restaurant?

With that thought in mind, Stephanie let out a small sigh while telling herself that she was going to give the missing in action man another fifteen minutes before asking the waiter to bring her out the drink menu.

Hey! At least if he doesn't show up, me and Amy can always have another girls night out whenever she gets here.

Twenty minutes later

"That'll be 15.30, sir."

Without even bothering to count out the exact change, Chris placed a twenty dollar bill in the cab driver's hand and then after quickly telling him thanks for the lift, he hurriedly made his way into the Italian bistro in front of him; hoping that he had made it there before his date for the evening had figured she'd been stood up and left for the night.

That's the last time I take a cab anywhere in Connecticut..they are the slowest drivers in the world.

Knowing that he'd be taking that comment back later on when he had to hail another cab to take him back to his hotel room later on that evening caused Chris to let out a small sigh before scanning the restaurant in front of him; trying to spot someone who matched the description that Marie had given him of herself the previous night before.

She said she's 5'9, with long brown hair and dark brown eyes...hell, that's every girl in here-and their all here with someone else.

"Damn, I must have just missed her.."

"Jericho?"

Turning around at the sound of the familiar voice, Chris was surprised to see Stephanie McMahon standing in front of him, coming out of the ladies restroom. "Stephanie? What are you doing here?"

After taking a second, he assumed, to get over the surprise at seeing him there as well, Stephanie commented that she was supposed to be meeting Amy for dinner, but the younger woman was running late, "You?"

While inwardly thanking his parents for giving him the gift of being able to think quickly on his feet, Chris threw out: "I was supposed to be meeting an old friend of mine here for dinner tonight, but I guess she took my tardiness as a bad sign and left-that'll teach me never to take public transportation from here on out, you think?"

Taking his little white lie as the truth, Stephanie let out a small laugh while gesturing towards one of the empty tables in front of them. "I think Amy is having that same problem right about now 'cause she's running a little late, as well. Would you care to join us for the night?"

Even though he didn't want to be the third wheel in their obvious girls night out, not wanting to pass up the opportunity to spend some one on one alone time with Stephanie right now caused Chris to nonchalantly shrug his shoulders while jokingly replying back: "Why the hell not!"

After smiling at this response, Stephanie led Chris towards a table that was located near the back of the restaurant, and then after getting the eye of the waiter who had been standing by the hostess booth, she outwardly told the latter male: "We're still waiting on one more party to join us, but I think we're ready to order our drinks now."

Figuring that Stephanie was the kind of girl who usually ordered either white wine or maybe a glass of champagne every now and then caused Chris to be somewhat surprised when the next words out of the woman's mouth were:

"I'll have a gin and tonic with a double shot of 151 on the side."

A double shot of what...?

As if reading his thoughts, Stephanie let an amused grin spread across her face while replying: "Hey, don't look at me like that...remember, I am a McMahon. My dad taught Shane and I a long time ago that if we wanted to do business with the big boys, then we had to learn how to drink like the big boys. None of that weak girly crap for me."

Now I see why her and Amy get along so well, Chris thought to himself, before telling the waiter that he'd have the same thing Stephanie was having.

This should make for one interesting night.

Okay, so what are you guys thinking so far? =)