"Whiskey and coke" a husky voice said from my left as a wall of heat sat down in the bar stool right next to mine. "Alison?" the voice asked making me look up, the shock obviously registering on my face because he laughed slightly "Randy, how are you?" I asked leaning to give the old high school associate a hug. "Can't really complain" he shrugged "what about you" he added "Not too bad. Could be worse" I sighed finishing off my drink and ordering another one, not really wanting to tell the mega star that I didn't have a job or a boyfriend at 27 years old. "You wanna find a booth where it's quieter?" he asked as the couple other guys at the bar got real rowdy. "Sure" I nodded grabbing my drink and following him to the back corner of the bar, the spots where couples generally went to get handsy. "What is a girl as beautiful and kind as you doing in a place like this?" he asked gesturing to the run down and dirty bar around us. "Today is a bitter sweet day, lost my boyfriend but finished my first book" I shrugged taking a drink "What about you handsome? Last I heard you finally hit the big leagues in wrestling and were doing really well" I sighed tilting my head to watch him as he frowned and nodded "got a divorce, had court for custody of my daughter, lost because I'm on the road all the time. She cheated while I was gone." He sighed shrugging "what do you do" he asked rhetorically "find a rebound? Or find a girl who wouldn't mind giving you the world as long as you stayed true to who you are" I suggested giggling slightly as he winked at me "I could fire that right back at you sweetheart" he nodded "So you finished your first book huh?" he asked "What's it about" I debated lying but decided hell with it "Vampires, fairies and other mythical beings with a whole lot of sex in between" I nodded pouting when he bursted out laughing. "Wait, you're serious?" he arched an eyebrow "Well…now I wish I would have lied. I didn't think you'd laugh so hard." I pouted pulling out the only finished copy of the book so far. Flipping to the front page I scrawled out my name and number before sliding it across the table to him. "Read it, you won't laugh I promise" I smirked finishing my drink and walking away the book in his hand.
I honestly didn't think I would see or talk to Randy after that but less than a day after we had met at the bar he texted me. From then on it was almost constant back and forth with occasional phone calls in between. He hadn't returned to St. Louis in the last four months and I hadn't asked when he would be back. It all felt like those relationships where it's the wrong place, wrong time, right kind of love. A bittersweet tragedy that would never work out. At least, that's what I thought until Billy, the owner of the seedy bar, was calling me at 8 am saying I had to be done at the bar at open.
"SO remind me why I'm here at open?" I asked rolling my eyes towards Billy, a heavy set man who had owned the joint for as long as I could remember. "Because Randy called me and said he was coming and wanted to see you" he sighed handing me another drink "He could've texted or called me" I mentioned softly "10:30 in the morning Billy and you're going to get me drunk" I laughed with a shake of my head as the door chimed and Randy walked in sitting closer to me this time than the previous time I had seen him. "I take back laughing at your book" he muttered handing me the copy of my book, it looked well read. "There's a lot of adventure in there for someone who has never left Missouri" he pointed out making me blush a lot "Was it written that bad?" I sighed absentmindedly flipping the pages "Not bad, just inexperienced." He shrugged "I'll make you a deal, and I've been thinking about this quite a bit." He paused making sure I was paying attention before he spoke again "You come on the road with me and help me keep my schedule clear and any free time can be used for adventuring and writing" he suggested my jaw dropping open at his offer "I, Randy" I shrugged honestly not sure what to say to the offer. "Sh. For once in your life Ally Cat, take a chance" he teased for someone reason I trusted him enough to travel the world for who knows how long. "Okay" I nodded giggling when a huge grin broke on his face "Good, now come on we have to pack bags and get to the airport" he snickered grabbing my hand and dragging me towards the door "What? Already?" I screeched as he led me over to the only car in the parking lot "Yes. I don't want you having time to change your mind and back out." He laughed opening the passenger side door for me "You and me are getting out of here. Gonna head South for now, I have a show there tomorrow and then we're going overseas for a few weeks." He smirked leaning in and brushing his lips on mine "Relax Ally, this is the start of a grand adventure" he whispered before closing the door. All I could think was, a grand adventure indeed.