Alternate Ending 1 Chapter 3

She didn't know him! Could he really kiss her after all these years? Would it be fair when he knew the truth and she didn't? When it came down to it though, he was still a man and he had to take this possibly once in a lifetime chance to kiss her. Then he was going home, cleaning up, and calling her for a date!

As their lips met, she sighed and called him AJ, at once his heart melted and he wanted to tell her the truth right there on the spot. But then he thought better of it. When he finally confessed his true feelings for her he wanted it to be somewhere private so if things progressed the way he hoped they would they would not regret being in a public place.

The kiss was not very long, and AJ didn't let it deepen much either. It was simply a pleasant first kiss. One that he wouldn't be ashamed of later when he told her it had been him that she had kissed in Wal-mart.

When AJ lifted his head, he looked down into her face and found that her eyes were still closed. It was as if she were still trying to see the man she loved rather than the stranger. Finally she opened her eyes and said, "Thank you, and by the way I like the mustache."

"Your AJ is one lucky man. You should tell him how you feel about him."

"How did you know his name?" she gasped.

"That was what you called me right before we kissed. Tell him how you feel."

"I couldn't! What if he was horrified or worse yet, laughed at me?"

"You'll never know until you try. Do you always want to wonder? And if he is as kind as you say, he won't be horrified or laugh. He would at the very least be honored, and at best you could find that he returns your feelings."

Not able to believe the words of the handsome stranger, Mac once again said, "Thank you, for the kiss and the advice. I will think about what you said." She turned and just grabbed the first coffee maker that she touched and was about to put it in her cart when he stopped her.

"I'd get this one, I think it better suits you," AJ told her placing a different model in her cart and taking the other one out.

"Thank you once again," she said and walked away.

"You're more welcome than you know, Sarah," he said as he watched her go. After finishing the shopping he had come to the store to do, AJ headed back to McLean. Once there he dropped into his regular barber shop and found the barber just finishing someone so he could get right in.

"Admiral Chegwidden!" Bill exclaimed when AJ removed his ball cap. "I didn't recognize you!"

"There seems to be a lot of that going around today," AJ chuckled.

Bill gave him a quizzical look, but when AJ failed to relate the story behind his comment, Bill got down to business. "So a cut and shave today?"

"No, actually I think I will keep the mustache. Just trim it up a bit and make it presentable. My…lady says she likes it."

"That's great! I didn't know you had a lady, this is the first time you've said anything about her," Bill fished for more information.

"She's not really mine yet. I just found out that she could be interested in me and I need to find a way to approach her."

"What do you mean?"

"Well we've been friends for years without a hint of anything more, but I recently and inadvertently discovered that she may have feelings for me."

"Then this is the perfect time of the year for you!"

"How so?" AJ inquired.

"It's Halloween weekend! What better time to disguise yourself as someone else and go after her?"

"I don't want to deceive her!" AJ protested.

"So don't. But at a costume party everyone feels a little freer to let their guards down and hide behind the character they are for the night. You wouldn't have to wear a mask so she didn't know it was you, all you need is enough of a change so she sees you in a different light, not as her old friend," Bill advised.

"That sounds like it just might work. Thanks I'll try it."

"Just promise to let me know how it all works out."

"Will do," AJ promised as Bill finished. Looking in the mirror, he liked what he saw. He looked the same and yet enough different that Sarah might just see him in that different light.

To be continued…