Chapter 3
Closing time finally came around that night and Briana, being a little more tired than usual, couldn't wait to get to her bus stop and head home. She had just finished the final closing procedures and had just set the alarm and walked out the door, locking it securely, when someone approached her from behind.
"Hi," a male voice said.
Briana froze. Oh God, she thought, Tina had warned me about this and staying late. Okay, okay, just do what he wants and be on your way….
She then slowly turned around and caught her breath at the sight of a familiar face. "Brian! You about scared me to death!"
"Wow, am I really that scary looking?" he joked.
"What are you doing here?"
"I was about to ask you the same. Kind of late for you to be here by yourself, isn't it? I was on my way to grab something to eat after the show and saw you locking up. That's some dangerous shit, lady. Some mad rapist could come through here this time of night."
Briana had to chuckle. "You sound like my manager."
"That's one smart manager."
"Well, thank you for your concern, but I've worked here thirteen years without one incident, and my bus stop is less than a block from here."
"And the lighting here is total shit," Brian pointed out. "Who is to say some nut isn't hiding in the bushes over there waiting to jump you as you go by? Thirteen years or not, sweetheart, you can't be taking those kind of risks."
"Uh huh. And how do I know you don't happen to be one?" she teased.
He pulled out his phone. "I have references on the contrary. Look, here's my best friend's number back home; he can vouch for me too. Oh wait….he's been dropped on his head too many times, so he's also kind of nuts."
Briana began to laugh, suddenly feeling comfortable that this guy wasn't some kind of psycho, and he had been a customer earlier in the day.
"By the way, I got your note from Jean," she added. "Thank you for that and the tip, but wasn't twenty dollars a bit exorbitant?"
"Not for someone who actually knew how to follow directions," he said, and then tilted his head. "So were you ever going to call me?"
She smiled. "Maybe." Sly little fox, isn't he?
"Anyway," Brian cleared his throat, "since I'm here, did you eat yet?"
"No, I haven't, in fact."
"Good, how about joining me for a late dinner? I'm picking up the tab."
"Oh really, I–"
"Come on, live a little. You were just going home anyway, weren't you?"
"Sure, but I usually just don't go with strange men," Briana laughed.
"Who says I'm a 'strange man?' I met you this afternoon, remember?"
She thought a moment. It certainly beat TV and heating up mac and cheese in the microwave and he seemed so sweet. "All right, I don't see how an hour or two will kill me."
"Great. I'm parked right over here." Brian offered her an arm, which she laughed again and took it as they headed off into the night.