CHAPTER ONE

A week later AJ and his dogs set out on their now daily walk to the park. He had YET to see JennaLee again, much to his disappointment. He HAD seen the younger boy, with the same boy from the day he had seen JennaLee and he had also seen the younger boy with a girl who was sixteen or seventeen.

He was obviously not happy. He was also starting to get a little pissed with himself for acting like such a loser over some GIRL.

"If she's not here today, this is IT, guys. No more waiting around like a loser." AJ told his dogs. They all looked back at him like his was crazy and then continued back on their walk. "I mean after all, I COULD have pretty much ANY girl in the world, here. I AM a Backstreet Boy, after all." AJ sighed and shook his head as they reached the park.

As he walked over to "his" bench he let his eyes run a customary check of the park - all the people playing on the basketball courts, the children and their parents on the swing set and other jungle gym equipment, the two boys that had been with JennaLee on the tennis courts. Then his eyes finally settled on the tree he had first seen her sitting against and surprisingly, she was there with the girl he had seen with the younger boy.

He smiled as he let his dogs off their leashes to run free. At least THEY were benefiting from this. Normally Sarah or one of his other girlfriends took the dogs for walks because AJ had thought he couldn't do it before.

'Sooo do  I go up to her or...?' he asked himself, pulling down the bill of his hat so he could watch her without her knowing it. He could feel butterflies in his stomach and this was NOT a normal reaction. Normally, he was more than willing to walk up to the girl and talk to her. This time it was different for some reason. He felt like he was back in middle school, where none of the girls would give him the time of day and every time he tried to talk to one of them he would get this nervous/puke feeling in his stomach. He felt the same way this time...minus the puke.

Then without thinking he moaned under his breath and pushed himself off the bench and set off towards JennaLee and the girl. They were in a deep conversation and didn't notice him until he was standing in front of him. "Hey." JennaLee greeted him, with that beautiful smile of hers that STILL sent chills down AJ's spine. "Alex isn't it?"

"Yup. Haven't seen you in a while." AJ commented, returning the smile and ignoring the butterflies and chills.

"Mmmhhmm...I've been at work." she responded, looking up at him.

"I think I'm gonna go hang out on the swings." the girl suddenly piped up standing up. "Come get me when the boys wanna leave Jen." And then she walked off towards the swing set.

"THAT was my little sister Angel." JennaLee told him, scooting over. "Sit down."

AJ gratefully took the seat next to her. Had he sat an inch or two closer they would have been touching. He didn't want to seem TOO forward though. "So where do you work?" he asked her, pulling a few blades of grass out of the ground and twisting them around his fingers.

"I'm a secretary at a law firm. What about you?"

'What about me? Do I'll tell her I'm a Backstreet Boy?' he asked himself, staring down at the grass in his hands. Mentioning his job could have two totally different effects on a person. They would either shy away or insist on becoming his new best friend to reap the benefits of his luxuries. "I work in the music business." he finally answered, before eagerly changing the subject. "So, I'm judging from your accent your not around here. Am I right?"

"Yup." she said, her smile brightening. Had he not been sitting down, AJ probably would have fallen over because the smile turned his legs to Jell-o. "I'm from New Orleans. We moved here when I turned 16. My dad got transferred. Are you from here?"

"I was born in West Palm and then we moved to Kissimee and then here." AJ informed her, pushing his hat up farther on his face. "So what are you doing this weekend? Hanging out with your boyfriend?" He figured he might as well just cut to the chase. Maybe that would get rid of the goddamn butterflies.

JennaLee rolled her eyes and laughed through her nose. "Pretty slick line there Alex." she teased him, cocking an eyebrow. She had been fed enough lines to know when she was being hit on. Not that she was complaining this time.

"I've got a few more in reserve. And maybe if you don't have a boyfriend, you'll find 'em out."

"OH...well in THAT case - I don't have a boyfriend." she assured him. She hadn't had one in a long time. She hadn't WANTED one in a long time.

"So then? You wanna go out? Say Saturday night?" AJ questioned, nervously pulling up more grass blades.

Jenna chewed on the inside of her lip as she thought the suggestion over. "And where might be we going out too?" she pressed, eyeing the two boys AJ had first seen her with.

"Well...Orlando's got a pretty good club scene." AJ suggested with a shrug, trying to get a feel of what SHE wanted to do.

"I wouldn't know....I don't really go out to clubs that much." More like at ALL. Jenna had never been to an Orlando club in her life. She had been to several New Orleans clubs but that was a different story.

"Hhhhmmm. Well then I've got some pretty good ideas of where we can go."

"Wanna share?"

"How about I make it a surprise?"

"I dunno...I don't really know you..."

"That's a pretty good point. How about I tell you where to MEET me sometime Saturday?"

"Sounds a little better. What time Saturday?"

"Does seven sound good?"

"Sounds pretty good." JennaLee responded with a wide smile that sent her features sparkling.