1Roanoke, Virginia (ECW/SMACKDOWN Taping)

Adam was still in disbelief that not even five minutes after leaving yesterday that she had texted him a yes; the woman who was considered a sister of Jeff Hardy, a man who wanted to rip his guts out. Jeff who had interrupted there conversation and had all but actually said, "Don't mess with my sister, or else." Val was there, and she heard what he had to say, and there was no chance that she misunderstood what Jeff was inferring, and she told him yes anyways. She hadn't hit him as the rebellious type, but what did he care as long as he got to out on a date with the lovely Miss. Valerie, something. He still didn't even know her last name.

He replied to her early this morning saying he would meet her in the parking lot entrance after the show and they could find somewhere to go for coffee. She answered with a quick yes. Adam was mildly concerned about what Jeff would do if he found out, even though Adam had been warned, that he was still dead set on wooing Jeff's sister. What could Jeff do about it really besides beat him half to death in the ring? Valerie was a grown woman who could date whoever she wanted.

Adam was more anxious than a five-year-old at Christmas by the time the end of the show came. He had been in the main event which had made the whole day seem even longer than it normally did, but now that he was done he took the fastest shower of his life, dressed in his jeans and black Metallica t-shirt, and ran out the door as fast as lightning. He ran out so fast that he was almost to the meeting place when he realized that he had forgotten his bag.

Valerie walked with Beth out of the arena doors into the backstage area. The guards asked for their badges and then let them through. "So Jeff said that Adam jumped your battery last night. Leave your light s on?"

"Yeah I was looking for something in my glove compartment and I had turned the overhead light and I must have forgotten to turn it off. I'm just glad somebody was there, I didn't know how long you all were going to wait for Kimo and Yuk. Adam just happened to be walking by," Val tried to keep herself from smiling too much when she said his name, but she almost couldn't control herself.

"Do you like him?" Beth asked with an accusatory expression.

"No," Val defended.

"YOU DO!"

"Don't tell Matt or Jeff, I don't know how they will take it."

"Honey, they won't care if you like him. They'll only care if you're datin' him. To Matty and Jeff he's a predator of the female species. Do anythin' to get them to sleep with him, and that is the last thing I am sure you have thought about. Do you think you'd be ready to do that again? I mean I know it's been years, but are you sure you'd be able to make yourself that vulnerable to another man again? Especially a guy like that?"

Val had never thought about that part of the relationship. She had taken into account the lovey-dovey feelings that came to be. Spending time together, going to dinner, watching movies, but sex? She hadn't given it a second thought in six years. What if Beth, and Jeff, and Matt were all right? Adam was just some man on the prowl? But he seemed so different. And she was going to meet him the day after exchanging numbers only yesterday. But they were only going for coffee, in a foreign city, where nobody knew her. Suddenly the prospect of what seemed like a fantastic night became scary and ominous.

"Beth, you don't think he would do to someone like what Tyler did, do you?"

"Honey, who knows, but if Adam is still the guy that I know, then no there is no way that he would ever think about doing anything that vile or stupid. Who do you think he is?"

"The way Matt and Jeff talk about him, Lex Luthor."

"Come on, we'll go find the boys and head home."

"Bull, you guys aren't driving home tonight. Are you?"

"Yeah, it's not that long of a drive. Only about three hours. We can do that. Be home and sleep in our own beds."

"Okay, well I'm going to head out then. I'll see you guys on Thursday because I have to work tomorrow."

"You do? I thought you always had Wednesday off?"

"Only because of that one class I was taking for my Masters, but I have been done for awhile. Now I am back to working." Valerie felt bad fro lying to Beth, but she wasn't sure how this was going to work out between her and Adam anymore. Before she was sure this was a great way to break free and re-enter the world of dating, but now she was getting cold feet. What if it happened again? What if something worse happens? Then that second little voice in her head, the one that told her yesterday to go for it, kept telling her, 'but everything could work out perfectly and it would be like you were made for each other.'

She couldn't decide which voice to listen to as she walked to the entrance to the parking garage where she knew Adam was waiting for her. She could listen to the scared littlee girl inside of her and walk back to the safety of Jeff and Beth, or she could brave the unknown world and go find Adam. She decided to listen to the small child. She turned around and bumped right into the chest of a man in a Metallica t-shirt. She looked up and saw Adam.

"Hey, fancy running into you here," he smiled down at her. She had never notice the distance in height that the two had as she came to just about his clavicle. It was intimidating, but when she looked at Adam, she was not scared.

"Yeah, what a coincidence," she fumbled with her words because on the outside she looked calm and reserved, but on the inside she was shaking like a she was being pushed around by a jackhammer.

"Are you ready to go? I asked around and I found out about this great little restaurant around the corner that is open late. They said it was only about a five minute walk from here; unless you would rather drive."

Val looked at Adam and it only took a second to decide, "Let's go." He wrapped her arm around his as he escorted her through the door. They had to make a quick stop by his car to drop off his bag and then they made their way to the Texas Tavern.

When they arrived it was nothing like what Valerie thought she would find in Virginia. It was just a little place made out of white bricks. There was a big neon sign formed into an arrow shape that said EAT on top of a sign declaring the restaurants name. They walked in and took a seat at the steel counter. The seats were red vinyl, and the place looked like a time trip back to the fifties or sixties. There was a coke machine in the corner and an old register.

She picked up the menu and read Texas Tavern: Roanoke's Millionaire Club! Established 1930. The waitress came out and asked for their drink orders.

"What's good here?" asked Adam.

"Well it's all good," she replied. She had her curly red hair up in a ponytail and was wearing a yellow shirt with blue jeans and a well worn apron that said Texas Tavern. She took a second and then added to her response. "Well we are best known for our cheesy Westerns and our world-famous Chili. Our owners Jim and Velma have been traveling the country looking for chili that trumps ours, but they haven't found one yet."

"I'll try one of each, how about you Val?"

"Same here."

The waitress took the menus and left them alone. They were the only two in the restaurant so Val took this as her time to begin some sort of a conversation. She didn't want to get to blunt, but she wanted to know who was right. She had to know where this might be leading because if all this was to get her into his bed she wanted nothing to do with it.

"Adam I have to be honest with you. I'm unsure of your intentions in this relationship. I mean I am not bowing to Jeff's will, but he makes a valid point about you. You aren't quite known for your fidelity. If to you this is just another roll in the hay then you may as well stop right now because I have been very hurt in the past and frankly, I'm not able to go through anymore hurt in my life."

Adam was dumbfounded. His first thought was how could she not see what he felt for her, and he was offended that she thought he could hurt her, but he understood why the thought would cross her mind. His second thought was who in their right mind could possibly be able to hurt Valerie? "Valerie, I can tell you with all of my heart that what I feel for you is true," he reassured her. "You shouldn't always listen to those around you because they may be spreading the word, but they may not have the whole story. Besides, whatever they say is going to be clouded by their biases."

"What are you getting at?"

"Why don't you take the time to make an opinion for yourself because after all that is the only opinion that matters," he looked deep in her eyes while he waited for hes response.

"You're right, it is, and I would be lying if I said I hadn't already formed an opinion of you already."

"Oh," Adam said broken-hearted, "I guess this means this is going to be a one-time deal." He said with the disappointment in his voice.

"Why do you always assume the worst?" she laughed.

"You said you ad already …" she placed her index finger on his lips.

"I said I had an opinion, I never said that it was a bad one." They smiled at each other as the waitress came back with Valerie's chocolate and Adam's strawberry milkshakes.

"Your food will be out shortly," she said setting their drinks in front of them.

"Nothing like a heart-attack inducing meal after performing in front of thousands of people," Adam commented stabbing his shake with his white and red stripped straw. He took a couple of sips on his straw, but nothing came up, so he grabbed his glass and put it to his mouth. When he pulled the glass away Valerie couldn't help but start to giggle. On his nose was some of the whipped cream that topped the milkshake. "What's so funny?" he asked not realizing what had happened.

She pointed to the mirror across from them. He turned and made fun of Valerie's laughter in a sarcastic manner. He stuck his finger in his whipped cream and placed it delicately on her nose, "Now we match." Their laughter continued as the waitress came back out carrying their chilies, and she had a look of wonder on her face. She probably thought that they were idiots, but Adam and Valerie didn't care.

That is how the rest of their night went, until finally at midnight the staff had to kick the couple out, so Adam and Valerie walked back to the parking garage. They had been walking for about five minutes when Val felt Adam grab her hand. At first she began to think that they were moving too fast for her, but at the same time she felt that it was just right having her hand clasped in his own.

There was a cool breeze as they walked the calm, quiet streets of Roanoke, Virginia. The night had seemed so perfect that Val didn't want it to come to an end. Her heart even sank a little when the reached her car. She stopped and turned to look at him, "I had a great night."

"Me, too," he now was holding both of her hands, "I'd like to do this again."

"But when? You live in Florida, I live in North Carolina."

"Well I have a flight to Florida in the morning. I can cancel it and meet you in Raleigh."

"I can't let you do that. You need to go home."

"Home to who? My family all lives in Orangeville."

"Friends?"

"I have a cell phone, if they want to talk to me they'll call it. I would rather spend my time with you. I'll call you tomorrow around eight, and you can tell me where to go." His big smile was glowing in the dark parking garage.

Val had to think about it a minute. Was this moving too fast? Yes. Did she care? No. So why was she trying to tell him to go home? "Okay, I'll think of somewhere to go. I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Great!" He squeezed her and looked like he was going to kiss her, but instead he let go of her hands and opened her car door. He helped her in, said his good byes and shut the door for her. She thought about how she would have felt if he had kissed her. Would she have let him? She wasn't sure. What she did know was that for the third time in three days she was going to be seeing Adam, and that she had yet to tell Matt and Jeff. She knew the longer she waited, the worse it would be, but right all she could think about was the swarm of butterflies slowly forming in her stomach every time she thought about Adam.