During the next week, Mackenzie settled into her new place and new job. Denise hadn't hired anybody to replace her yet but truthfully Mackenzie didn't mind. She was enjoying it too much. She had finally been introduced to the other three members of the band although she remembered Nick from when they were kids. She was pleasantly surprised to see what a handsome man he had matured into. All of the people she had met so far in the Backstreet organization proved to be as pleasant and cordial as their five bosses.
The only thing that marred her happiness was Charles's silence. She had called his office on Monday but his secretary had informed her he was "unavailable." Mackenzie had left her aunt's phone number and address but now, four days later, she had yet to hear from him. She sighed, resolving to put her fiance out of mind, at least for the rest of the day. AJ had invited her to have lunch and go shopping with him this afternoon and she was looking forward to it.
"Hey, sweetheart," AJ said, sticking his head in Mackenzie's office. "You ready? Oh, hey!" he exclaimed stepping into the room. "I like the hair!" he said reaching out to run his fingers through her now red tresses. "You look more like the old Mackenzie now," he said, nodding his head in approval and continuing to play with her hair. Mackenzie blushed with guilty pleasure and turned toward the file cabinet. "Just let me get my purse and I'll be ready," she said bending down to retrieve her purse from the bottom drawer. "There's just one thing though, Alex."
"What's that?" he asked, leisurely enjoying the view of her backside. She looked over her shoulder at him. "I'm not eating at McDonald's."
"Oh. . . . are you sure?" he asked disappointedly.
"Very sure," she said emphatically.
*******************************************************
Shopping with Alex was an adventure, Mackenzie soon found out. If he wasn't signing autographs or talking with his fans, he was buying anything and everything that caught his eye. In fact, Mackenzie learned quickly not to admire anything she didn't intend to buy. For AJ would insist on buying it for her, no matter how much she protested. He had already gifted her with a black leather mini skirt, a leopard-spotted bare midriff t-shirt, and a cowboy hat. They shopped at upscale jewelry stores and vintage clothing shops, department stores and boutiques, records stores, book stores, and even a candy store. They were accumulating so many packages, Mackenzie had begun to doubt they would all fit into Alex's vehicle.
They finally stopped for a late afternoon lunch at Max and Erma's which, much to Mackenzie's amusement, was nothing more than a high-priced burger joint. "Well, it's not McDonald's," AJ said in his own defense.
"Next time I'll remember to be more specific," she told him, laughing. "At least I can get a good stiff drink here."
"Don't tell me that one day of shopping with me has driven you to drink," he joked.
"I'm not sure if it was the shopping part," she told him, "or just the you part."
"You're so funny," Alex retorted. "Why don't you take your funny ass to the restroom and try on those new clothes?" He slid his keys across the table to her.
"All right," she agreed. "Hey, I want a fuzzy navel, okay?"
"Okay," Alex said, "but what do you want to drink?"
"Oh," Mackenzie groaned, shaking her head as she got up to go get her bags from the car, "the man thinks he's a comedian." She jumped as AJ swatted her behind . When Mackenzie returned from the ladies room, Alex was talking with several young women. She wondered if the man ever got to eat a meal uninterrupted. As she approached the table, he began giving each girl a hug, trying to send them on their way. Mack slid into her seat and sipped her drink as she waited for Alex to finish with his fans. "I love you so much," the last girl said, staring adoringly into his eyes and clutching his arm.
"Thank you, sweetheart. Thank you so much," AJ responded. The girl turned to leave, flashing Mackenzie a triumphant smile. Mack turned away from her, trying not to laugh. "McLean," she warned, "I'd better not turn up on the Internet as your newest girlfriend. I don't need any hate mail from irate teenyboppers. Or from Marissa either, for that matter," she said. AJ just shrugged and laughed, letting his eyes caress her. "You look great in those clothes," he told her. "I knew you would."
"Thanks," she said. "I don't know where I'll ever wear them though." Alex reached out and tugged on one of the small braids she had plaited in her hair. "Wear them the same places you'd wear anything else," he told her.
"Yeah, right," she said as the waiter arrived with their food. They enjoyed a leisurely meal and for the most part were left alone. Alex switched to water after his first drink but he made sure Mackenzie always had a fresh drink in front of her. She lost count of exactly how much she'd drunk, three maybe four, she thought. She was definitely tipsy, though, when they left the restaurant. AJ kept his arm around her shoulders to steady her as they walked to the car.
They made one last stop on their way home at AJ's favorite tattoo parlor. He wanted to discuss his idea for a new tattoo with Bodean, the owner. As they talked, Mackenzie wandered around the studio looking at the various tattoos. "I want a tattoo," she announced suddenly.
"No you don't," AJ said before resuming his conversation with Bodean.
"I do," she insisted.
"Mackenzie," Alex said patiently, "the first rule about getting a tattoo is never get one when you're drunk."
"I'm tired of following the rules," she informed him. "I wanna be a rule breaker, like you."
"I can ink it on for her," Bodean told AJ. "If she still likes it after she sobers up, bring her back and we'll do it for real." AJ raised his eyebrows and looked questioningly at Mackenzie. "Take it or leave it, Mack, but it's all you're getting today."
"I'll take it," she said gleefully.
"Do you know what you want?" Bodean asked her.
"I want a ‘69'," she told him, reaching out and lifting up AJ's shirt. "Just like AJ's," she said, running her hand across the tattoo on Alex's belly. "Same place. That'll really freak Howie out." She grinned at AJ.
"That oughta do it," AJ agreed.
******************************************
AJ pulled into the Doroughs' driveway. He had refused to take Mackenzie back to the office to pick up her car. He knew Howie wouldn't mind riding with them to get her and her car home safely. Alex opened her car door for her and held out his hand. "Come on, beautiful," he said. "Let's get you inside."
"Do you think Howie'll notice?" Mackenzie asked, stumbling slightly.
"That you're drunk?" AJ said grinning.
"No," she said. "You know." She pointed at her belly. "The tattoo," she whispered loudly.
"Oh, the tattoo," AJ laughed, peering at her bared stomach. "Yeah, I think he'll definitely notice that." AJ opened the front door and stepped aside, allowing her to enter before him. She looked up at him laughingly and winked as she stepped into the house.
"Where in the hell have you been!"
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