“All right ma’am, I’ll go put your order in, and will be right back with your drink.” Hannah Morgan finished taking an older woman’s order and turned towards the kitchen. ‘Could this day be ANY longer?’ she asked herself. She was just finishing up a seven hour shift at the Sunset and was ready to scream when her boss told her that she had to take this one last customer. ‘As if I don’t have better things to do. My parents are out of town and I am free to do whatever I want, but instead have to stay and take sandwich orders and deal with pushy customers.’ “SHIT!” she said aloud after over-filling the woman’s coke. Quickly she grabbed a towel and started dabbing at the soda, she definitely was not in the mood to spend her night doing laundry.
Hannah had just finished clearing the lady’s table, and picking up a rather small tip, and was headed back to the kitchen. ‘Five minutes tops, and I’m out of here!” she told herself. About two feet away from the kitchen door...
* * * *
It was four days after the Backstreet Boys finished their latest tour, and Nick Carter had just arrived home in Ruskin, Florida, and of course the first thing on his mind was getting something to eat. He drove up and down the all too familiar streets trying to choose where to go. He finally decided on a small restaurant with little cars parked out front. Since he had been away as a Backstreet Boy for nearly five months he wasn’t in the mood for fans. He pulled into the lot, and found a spot near the door.
Upon entering the restaurant he realized that they had carry out, that would be much easier for him. He ordered his food and looking around the restaurant the tension in his stomach eased when he realized the only customers where people of at least forty. His food was ready, and just as he turned around to leave...CRASH!
* * * *
“Oh no, I am so sorry!” a man declared. Broken glass, food, and plates were all over the floor, and all over Hannah. “Oh, it’s OK,” she said trying so hard to sound cheerful without looking up. Hannah was on the floor putting the scattered pieces back on the tray.
“Oh let me help you with that, you don’t want to cut yourself.” His voice said to her.
“Oh wouldn’t that be the perfect ending to a perfect day,” Hannah mumbled under her breath.
“Excuse me?” the man questioned.
“Oh nothing,” Hannah replied, “thank you so much for helping me with this.” She said as she stood up, still not looking at the man, but her clothes! Ketchup and mustard was smeared all over them.
“I’m sorry. It looks like your dress is ruined,” the man told her. As pathetic as it was, Hannah’s eyes were stinging with tears, this was a brand new dress! And she thought a little coke was bad, how would she ever get ketchup and mustard out?!
* * * *
Nick looked the girl over, she looked miserable. He could tell that this girl was about to go off the edge from their little mishap. However, he thought she was rather beautiful. She had long wavy brown hair to about half-way down her back, (he was ignoring the crumbs stuck in it), was about 5’2, tan, and had a knock out figure. Yet he couldn’t get a glimpse of her eyes since they were looking all over the mess she looked like.
“Well, there’s no point in dwelling on it now I guess,” she clipply answered him. “You really should watch where you're...” the girl stopped as she looked up and saw who was standing before her. She just stood there with her mouth hanging open. This is when Nick got the chance to see her crystal blue eyes. The mere sight of them sent a small chill down his spine. “Wha....you’re.....um....oh.. I am SO sorry! I am such a klutz! I mean, walking into people like that, what’s wrong with me?!?” She exclaimed.
Laughing at her reaction, Nick answered, “No, you’re right, I really should watch where I’m going, especially right by the kitchen door. By the way, I’m Nick. And you are...”
“Umm...Ha..Han...Hannah.”
“So, you’re a fan of the Backstreet Boys?” Nick smiled.
“Umm...” she thought to herself, “Yeah! I listen to them, I mean you, all the time!”
“It’s OK if you’re not, actually I’m a little relieved.”
“Relieved?! Why would you want me not to like your music?” She asked sounding surprised.
“Well, we just got off tour, and I’ve had a little too much of adoring fans, if you can understand.” Hannah flashed a little smile at him; Nick couldn’t help but laugh at the frantic girl before him. “So, my food is to say the least, destroyed...”
“Oh, let me get you another order, on me,” Hannah insisted as she turned towards the kitchen.
“Oh no, that isn’t necessary,” Nick assured as he briskly touched her shoulder while trying to stop her. “Actually, I was planning on eating alone tonight, but maybe you’d like to join me for a bite someplace.”
“I’d love to but, well, as you can see I’m not really dressed for the occasion, but thanks for the offer.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that, you could change into something else first, of course I kinda like the look. It’s really, well, artistic!” Nick gushed.
“You know, I think I’d prefer to just eat on my own tonight. I’m pretty tired, but thanks again. Now, if you’d excuse me, I really should throw this stuff away and get going. It was a pleasure meeting you though, I won’t bother you for an autograph,” she laughed a little, “Hope this wasn’t too much trouble.” And with that she turned and walked into the kitchen.
Nick stood in the restaurant dumbfounded by her reaction to him. Shrugging it off he walked back to his car, to head home. He decided it would be safest to just order in.
Chapter 2
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