Alternate Ending 2 Chapter 5

Placing the groceries next to Mac's new coffee maker AJ gently bumped her aside at the door and paid the delivery boy for the pizza, the entire time ignoring her protests that he had bought the food for dinner and the least she could do was pay for lunch!

"What a stubborn man you can be at times!" she declared.

Giving her a blank stare for just a second, AJ suddenly burst into laughter. He was so tickled at her statement that soon tears were streaming down his face and he was holding his sides.

"WHAT is so funny?" Mac demanded.

"YOU calling ME stubborn!" he managed to gasp out!

"You think I'm stubborn?"

"No, Sarah…I KNOW you're stubborn!"

"Oh…" she wasn't quite sure whether to be happy or upset with him for knowing her so well, and then she realized that she liked the fact that he did know her inside out. "I guess we're two of a kind then."

"Yes we are, and once I get these things in the kitchen I'd like to talk about some of the other things that we have in common." AJ walked away as she stood there wondering how this day would end. Then when she could finally move again she carried the pizza to the table and followed him to the kitchen to find out what he wanted to drink with lunch.

Taking the sodas, plates and forks into the table, they sat across from each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. They laughed nervously when both of them reached for the box at the same time and AJ, always the gentleman, told her she should go first.

"Would you like to begin our talk now? Or eat first?" he asked her softly as she took two slices and placed them on her plate.

"I'm not sure that I can eat, wondering about what is waiting to be said," she replied.

"Then I guess the pizza can wait and we should talk first.'

"I just want you to know that I never would have said what I did if I had really thought it was you. Please believe me," she pleaded.

"Just answer me one question Sarah."

"Anything," she told him.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

"Not until ten years ago I didn't."

"You've been in my heart since the first time I saw you, and my love has only grown over the years."

"I loved you for that long too."

"Then there is no need to be embarrassed at what happened at Wal-mart today. It's given us the chance to reveal our feelings for each other, and I'm grateful for that."

"Then I guess I'm glad that I mistook you for a stranger…"

"If I had but known that a bit of a disguise was all it took to find out how you felt, then I would have made that party at my home all those years ago, a costume party!"

"If you had only kissed me then, we wouldn't have needed costumes," she sighed.

"Yes, but I was bound by regulations…"

"I know, and you'll never know how often I damned those regulations."

"Yes I will because I've done it so often myself. But now I'm free and clear of them and I can openly tell you that you are my reason for living and there is not a day that goes by that you aren't in my thoughts. Even Francesca became tired of hearing your name. She advised me on several occasions to come after you!"

"I always thought Francesca was a wise woman!" she smiled shyly at him.

"And what would you have done if I had called you out of the blue and asked you on a date?" he questioned.

"Well after I had recovered from my shock, I would have said yes!"

"Then will you consider dating me, Sarah? I know we've known each other for a long time, but I would like to get to know you in a more personal way."

"Personal or intimate?" she asked in a seductive tone.

To be continued…