One Step At A Time

Chapter 3

One month later.

" Well I think I'm going to call it a night." Haley said. as she walked in the kitchen. Washing her hands, before looking over at Peyton. She and Peyton have bonded pretty fast over the last month, even against Lucas's demanded that they stay nothing more than coworkers, she thought Lucas was crazy, Peyton was very fun to hang with, she was crazy and loved to cook as much as Haley did, Haley has never really had a good girlfriend before, and that what Peyton was turning into, and she be damn if she lets Lucas stop it. She never asked, Peyton about Nathan, or was the rumor true that he spent some time in jail, she figured if Peyton wanted her to know, she would tell her about, she wasn't going to listen to rumors.

" Okay, I'll see you tomorrow?" Peyton said, as she gather her stuff together.

" No I'm off tomorrow, I'm hoping to meet that guy I've talked to online for the past month, tomorrow night." she told her with a hopeful smile.

" You want to meet him." Peyton asked in a disproving tone.

" Yeah," she sighed. " I like him a lot more than I plan to, so I want to me him. "

" Haley do you think it's safe? You know meeting some stranger that you really don't know." she asked in a concern voice. Over the past month of getting to know each other, Haley has went on and on about some guy she was talking to on the phone. Peyton just listen she never told Haley that she to, was talking to some guy she met online to.

" You sound like my brother." she teased. " he totally freaked out last night when I told him. Peyton I get that everyone is worried but I really believe that Sawyer is who he says he is, he's seems really sweet and honest and. we have this connection," she stop, as she noticed Peyton's look. "What? What is it?"

" Sawyer?" Peyton said after realizing what she said, no way she thought, could it be? she questioned herself.

" Oh right I never told you his name, yeah his name is Sawyer he lives here in New York, he's between jobs right now. He's got a sister, and he's a...,." she stopped noticing the look on Peyton's face again . " What is going on with you?"

Peyton minds was spinning, how could this be possible. " Are you using your real name or a fake one?" she needed more info

" I'm using my middle name which is Jamie, why?"

Her eyes got bigger, she wanted to jump up and down. She told Haley that she would be prefect for her brother a few weeks ago. But Haley told her she was really into this online guy. Now it turns out that this online guy she's crazy about is actually her brother. " yes screw what your brother says. I think you should meet him. Tonight..."

" Tonight?"

" Yes, tonight right now actually.. Call him tell him to meet us at Mike's Bar and Grill."

" Us?" Haley questioned..

" Yes us, I could never let you go alone."

" Peyton its ten clock at night he's probably in bed "

" Please, what guy is in bed at ten clock at night on a Friday night, "

" Fine I will call him and see what he's says. "

" Good." she smiles as she watches Haley call her brother, knowing he's a wake waiting up for her. She goes around the restaurant making sure all the windows are locked and turning off the lights. While Haley talks to Nathan.

"Well, he said yes." she said in an excited voice as Peyton walks back in the kitchen.

" I knew he would, let's get going." she tells her smiling widely.

" I need to call Lucas, he waits up for me and he will freak if he looks out his window and doesn't see my car. "

Peyton nods knowing how she feels Nathan does the same to her, she doesn't have to call Nathan though she's knows she will be seeing him soon.

Twenty minutes-later they pull up to the bar, Peyton gets out of her car at the same time Haley did. " How do I look?"

" Beautiful like always, " Peyton told her as she grabbed her hand. " He's going to fall more, when he sees just how beautiful you really are in person."

" Thanks " she said nervously. " Oh my brother is on his way, I told him you was here with me. But he insisted that he had to be here to, just in case the guys a prev."

Peyton rolled her eyes, " Don't worry I'll keep your brother occupy "

" Maybe you two could go out tonight." Haley says as they walk into the bar. She to has been trying to get Lucas to come meet Peyton, he thinks Peyton would change his mind on what he thinks of the Saywers.."

" I'm not looking for a guy right now Haley, "

" But Peyton he is so prefect for you I told you that you guys have so much in common. "

"Now you are starting to sound like my brother, " she teased, Nathan has wanted Peyton to meet Lucas since he started working with him, telling her about his love for art and music, and that he loved to read, everything that Peyton was into it seemed so was this Lucas guy. He did sound like someone she could talk with, but she had Scott, he was actually just like the way Haley and Nathan described Lucas. " Two red wines please." Peyton tells the lady at the bar. " Look I haven't been completely honest with you."

" What do you mean?"

She thanks the lady as she takes the wine glasses. She then walks over to corner booth. So they can have some privacy " I've also been talking to this guy I met online. "

" Shut up.. Why didn't you tell me."

She shrugged. " I don't know, it's really wasn't suppose to be anything but emails and chats..."

" Now it's more?" she asked taking a drink of her wine.

" We talk on the phone all the time, he's got this smooth trusting voice like I could tell him anything. It's like we have this soulful connection, It's crazy."

" You're falling for him, do you want to meet him?"

" No... I can't" she said shaking her head. " I like talking to him, but meeting him will make things more...

" Real?" Haley filled in for her.

" Yeah, and it scares me." she tells her honestly. It was then that Peyton noticed Nathan walking in. " I'm going to go to the restroom I'll be right back." She walked away in watched as Nathan and Haley saw each other.

Nathan walked over to the table, " Jamie?" he questioned even though he knew it was her for her profile picture.

" Sawyer?" she stood up extending her hand out to him.

His eyes scanned her body, " Your beautiful." he says as they sit down across from each other.

She blushed, " Thanks," she said, giving him a smile, her heart beat rising, " So I'm happy you wanted to meet tonight, I was going to plan something tomorrow, but my friend Pe...

" what the hell is going on here?" a voice stops her from talking,

Haley turned to see Lucas standing behind her. " Lucas, " she said as she stood up. "what...

" why are you two together alone?" he asked interrupting her, and staring at Nathan,

" Luke man I don't know what you're talking about." Nathan said, confused to what had Lucas so upset. he looked up at Haley...

" You two know each other?" Haley asked confusedly

" Yeah this is Lucas he's my boss, where I work at, "

Haley raised her eye brow, " Your boss. I don't... Wait your Nathan Sawyer," she said, in compete shock, how is this possible.

" Yes. "

" Why didn't you tell me your first name, "

" I didn't setup the account my sister did it. I'm sorry, I was going to tell you.".

"Peyton." she said as she closed her eyes. " that's why she was okay with us meeting tonight." She looked around the bar. " I'll be right back." she told them as she walked over to Peyton. Leaving both guys confused. " Your brother is actually Sawyer?"

" Sorry I wanted to tell you when I first realized it, but I wanted to see if their was a spark their first. I knew when I first met you, I saw you somewhere before, I just didn't know where till tonight."

" Oh there's sparks alright." she sighs as she wondered if Lucas was going to show his ass. " I need you over there with me distracted my brother so Nathan and I can talk more." she wanted to still talk to him, even though in the back off her mind, red flag flew up, he was in jail Haley, this isn't a good idea,

" Yes ma'am.."

They walk back to the table Nathan was looking down at his hands. Lucas was still staring at him, till Haley cleared get throat " Haley I don't think you should be here..." he stopped as he noticed the blonde beside his sister. " Elizabeth?" he whispered..

Peyton's eyes widen, " Scott? " she whispered in total disbelief.