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Continued...

Liz stares out the window in a daze as she thinks back to a certain kiss she shared with a friend last spring- a kiss that meant so much to both she and Rick , yet was one they could never seem to speak of again. She reminisces about the feeling of his lips pressed against hers ever so gently...

"I know Liz...I just haven't been as vocal about things. I really appreciate you listening though; it seems you're all I've had recently"

Suddenly Rick gently pulls her hair back behind her ear and pulls her lips towards his for a kiss... A momentous Kiss that would change things in many ways...

Suddenly there's a knock at the door which breaks her daze. She raises a brow as she looks at the door and realizes she has no appointments this late in the afternoon. She slowly rises to her feet and walks towards the door.

"Who may I ask is there?" Liz calls out.

"Your favorite man in the world," Rick smiles on the other side of the door.

Liz quickly opens the door with a beaming smile. "Hey there, I was just thinking about you."

"May I come in?" I am bearing gifts...If I know you well, I'm sure you haven't eaten much today."

Liz notices the box of assorted bagels and croissants Rick is holding. "You are just too good to me, you know that?"

"Just a good friend," Rick replies as he flashes a quick smile.

Liz nods and accepts the box, setting it onto her desk. She bites her lip, not necessarily wanting to respond to Rick's statement.

"So what do you have planned for your evening?" Rick inquires.

"Not too much; trying to get the hell out of here. It's been another long day"

"I hear you there. Not necessarily at the office, but it will be a long nightI'm going to approach Kayla about counseling when I get home."

Liz's eyes grow wide with surprise. "Counseling, eh?"

"Yeah, I was speaking to Val and she suggested we try marriage counseling. I don't know what else to do at this point. I mean, after her latest stunt, what am I supposed to do? I still can't believe that she befriended that guy and invited him into our home just to make you feel uncomfortable."

"Well, I certainly believe it...Do you think counseling is really going to help though?"

"I don't know, it seemed to help when she saw that doctor last year for her anxiety. She saw that Doctor Michaels who seemed pretty helpful. I think that's who we'll be going to, so she feels comfortable."

"I actually read Dr. Michaels' book and she's a pretty insightful woman. I just don't know if she'll be able to get through to Kayla."

"Let's hope she's a miracle worker then." Rick laughs.

"Damn right."

______________________________________________________________


Scene: Chez Rendezvous. Northern Heights District.

Valerie Preston shivers as she stares out into the ocean through the lobby window. She is awaiting the arrival of Terrence Bordeaux , the man she recently met at a dinner party and had an instant attraction to. She is glad she took the opportunity to get his number so they could arrange to meet for dinner. With high expectations, a smile begins to completely cover Valerie's face. It has been months since she has gone on a real date and the butterflies have been fluttering away in her stomach all week.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Terrence startles her from behind. "I knew it was you from across the room- that's a beautiful dress you're wearing."

"Thank you," Valerie begins to blush. "You look quite handsome yourself."

"Well, I have to keep up if I'm going to be seen with you here," Terrence replies with a smile.

The two stare at each other for a moment, butterflies aplenty swirling within. Terrence soon tells the maitre that they are ready for their table and they are promptly directed into the main dining area.

"So I heard you just moved back from Boston. How was life there?" Terrence inquires as he picks up the menu.

"Fun...interesting..." Valerie trails off.

"Oh? How so?" Terrence seems intrigued.

"Let's just say that things didn't exactly work out how I originally had planned them to. I moved there about three years ago with such high hopes...things fell flat a bit, I suppose. I ended up losing my job and had a pretty rough time finding another." Valerie lowers her head. "I'm not exactly sure why I'm sharing all of this."

"Well, you obviously feel comfortable with me," Terrence replies. "That's a good thing, right?"

"Yeah, I think it is." Valerie returns his smile.

"So you are here for good now? I'm not going to learn you're moving away soon?" Terrence raises a brow with sarcasm.

"I can't say I will. I've had my time to explore what it is that I want and I've realized that this is where I belong. I've established some good solid friendships out here- and, of course, this is where all of my family is." Valerie reveals.

"That is very important."

"So what family do you have in the bay area, Terrence?"

"Just my mother and a sister who lives in San Francisco. What about yourself? Any other siblings besides your brother, Rick?"

"Other than my twin, just a younger sister who's away at a private school right now. Is your sister older or younger than you?"

"Just a year older," Terrence reveals. "My parents actually adopted her right before they had me. They were told they couldn't conceive a child at all. Then I somehow popped up."

"Well, that is quite a miracle then." Valerie smiles and raises her glass.

Terrence laughs, "my mother could argue that sometimes. She's a pretty hard-headed woman sometimes and people can be put off by her demeanor."

"Thanks for the heads up...just in case we ever meet?" Valerie teases.

"Just in case." Terrence winks.

"So, if it's not too personal, where is your father?" Valerie inquires.

Terrence pauses for a moment before responding. Valerie can instantly tell that she has hit upon a sore subject.

"He actually passed away when I was young; the whole family was in shock. It was pretty hard on us."

Valerie regrets asking and replies, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring up any old wounds."

"Don't worry at all. I'm glad you're wanting to know more about meI definitely want to get to know as much about you as I can."

"Well, then we're exactly on the same page." Valerie smiles, realizing her anxiety has finally subsided.

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