Waking up in Justin's arms, with the sun rising over that New York City skyline in the window was breathtaking. It was a scene I will never forget.  I get up and wrap a sheet around me and step out onto the balcony. As I am standing there I think of all the heartache and all the pain that I have gone through in just the last couple years. If this is why I had to go through that pain, it was worth every ounce of it. To feel this kind of love was beyond any of my wildest dreams.

I feel Justin wrap his arms around me and we stand there taking in this moment. He rests his chin on my shoulder, "I have never watched the sun come up with someone before. I lived in New York for nearly a year a couple years back and woke up every morning just to see this, I was alone every morning. I'm happy I get to share this with you." I turn and kiss him, "Now you have watched the sun rise with someone, you have kissed someone as the sun was rising in NYC, and now you are going to make love on a balcony in NYC as the sun comes up." He smiles as we have a replay of last night's events.

He asks what I want to do today. I smile really big and say, "We are in NYC, what else there to do? Can we go shopping, or at least window shopping?"

He chuckles and says, "Of course you would want to go shopping. Every female wants to go shopping. Why not, I could use some new clothes. Let me make a few calls and arrange for us to go. Since you're some big celebrity and the paparazzi won't leave you alone."

"Haha" I joke, "I am going to need to stop at the bank and get a loan before we go. Shopping with you in NYC is going to make me go flat broke."

"Don't even think you are spending a dime today or this weekend for that matter. Everything this weekend is on me." I interrupt him, "I don't want your money Justin. I want to be here with you, that's it. I will..." he interrupts me now, "I will win this argument, and let's not worry about it, just enjoy the day."

We start the day at William Rast. He seems to have a few connections there. We are in the storage area trying on clothes for the summer line that are being put out this week. I tried on nearly every piece of clothing, I had to see everything." I picked out a couple items and went to the next store. Christian Louboutin. Do I have to say anything else? Putting a shoe on is like having an orgasm. It is truly amazing. I fell in love with about a dozen pair. I ended up not buying a single pair. I couldn't choose which ones I wanted.

 As Justin picks out some clothes, I try on more shoes. I found an amazing pair of Yves Saint Laurent black crocodile pumps. I walked over to Justin's dressing room, he is in nothing but boxer briefs, and whisper to him, "I am going to buy these... and wear them tonight... and nothing else." He raises his eyebrows with excitement and says, ‘We'll take those for sure!' We shopped all morning. Clothes, shoes, furniture, paintings, purses, anything we could look at and purchase, we did. I spent an entire month's salary on a single pair of shoes, but those YSL shoes were smoking hot.

We had a picnic lunch in Central Park before he had to go to Madison Square Garden for more rehearsals. He was hoping he could cancel tonight because I was in town, but I insisted that we go. He had only a short time to get ready for all the appearance he had to do for the album.

We arrived at the venue a little late. We were only ten minutes late due to traffic but you would think that we were hours late by the reaction for his co-manager. He walked over to me and made a snide comment and I turned to him and said, "I know you don't like me and you seem to think I have ulterior motives however I think you need to realize that I'm not going anywhere. If you think that I was going duck and run your wrong. I'm not that person anymore."

"What are you plans, why did you choose Justin?" he asked.

"I don't have any plans. I didn't choose Justin; we met by accident on a plane. Trust me all the events let led me to be on that very flight would not be planned on my part."

"If you think he is going to choose another fame hungry person over his career again, you have another thing coming. I will stop him this time. I won't let someone else come into his life and tare him down again."

I got very defensive, "I would never, nor will I ever make him choose me over his passion for music. I understand that we are going to have challenges being together but that won't stop me from standing beside him and letting him makes music, tour, or whatever else he wants to do. I'm not that person and if you make him choose, that's a decision you will have to make and have to live with everyday. However you need to remember that I'm not going anywhere. I am here to stay so it's either going to be easy or its going to be hell for you." I walked away from him. This guy was not going to talk to me like that. He barely knew me. He had no clue what kind of person I was. Johnny had better come back from vacation soon before I hurt this guy. Justin told me he has a power trip when Johnny isn't around, I didn't think he was that bad.

A couple hours later we went to dinner and back to the apartment. The weekend was going by too fast. I wanted to freeze time and let this be what it was. We arrived at his apartment and found all the bags of stuff that he purchased today. I notice there is way more stuff that I remember him saying he wanted.

"These are for you. " I looked at the area he was pointing at. There were fifty or so bags everywhere. "I .. I.. I can't accept this stuff. It's way too much money." He said, "You will accept all of it, I won't take no for an answer." He is kissing my neck, my collarbone, and down to my chest. "Now, you should do a little fashion show for me and I can help remove the clothing." I guess this is how he lives and he is used to dropping seventy-five thousand dollars and not thinking twice about it.

I noticed the bag that has the YSL heels in it. I opened them and was going to wear them with a pair of jeans and a top he had bought me. I take out the box and the receipt hit the floor. It was a credit card slip, saying my card payment had been refunded. He paid for these shoes as well. As excited as I was for all the stuff, a part of me felt bad. I didn't want him to think he could do this all the time. I wasn't going to let him pay for everything.

We arrived at the arena, to a massive crowd of cameras. Justin laughs and says, "Melissa, I'm tired of these people following you around. Do you have to be such a diva and need twenty photographers taking your picture?"

"You just jealous that I can get twenty and you can only get ten."

 "I guess that's true. We all can't be you."

You have to take it all with a grain of salt. Even though he gets pissed off at them when they are all up in his face sometimes, they were not going anywhere, there was no use in making the scene worse than is already is.

This was his last night rehearsing in New York City, his stage and all the music instruments were being shipped to L.A. so they could rehearse there. These were basically to get everyone ready for what was going to happen in L.A. They haven't played together for a couple years, they needed to get back into the flow of things and bring back their sound together.

***

The next morning we went to the studio. He was hoping to at the very least get the vocals done and finish up the music when his is back in L.A. I wanted to finish the track today. I wanted to hear the finished product. The first moment in that booth I felt like I was a fish out of water. I had no clue what I needed to do.

"Just relax, and sing. That's what the studio is for."

 I am shaking. I can feel my knees quivering.

"I am so nervous. I don't want to screw this up for you."

"I don't think that's possible. If for some reason this track doesn't work out well then it's not meant to be."

 I take a deep breath and sing. The lyrics are in front of me. I can do this. Breath in and out, breath in and out.

There is no demo of the lyrics for the track. He finished the lyrics this morning while we were in bed. He wanted this to happen the way it happened. I actually surprised myself with how well I was doing. I did the first chorus probably ten or fifteen times, and then he did a chorus. He wanted to figure out how he wanted the lyrics to be portrayed. Then he said, "I want us to be standing in front of one another and sing as if we were doing it live for the first time. I want the raw emotion and everything."

It sounded better with the both of us feeding off the other. It was like we were singing to the one person we love most in the world instead of us singing to a microphone. I thought it was perfect, but he wanted more. He thought that I should use that powerhouse voice that I didn't know I had. I knew that I could sing, but I never imagined that I would classify as ‘powerhouse'. It was a true power ballad. I was extremely happy with it. I almost didn't think that was me singing on the track.

I was trying to perfect this "powerhouse" sound he wanted. I wasn't even sure I could get my voice to do that. He wanted something that I could pull off for every performance but still surprise people. He wouldn't do a show unless it was completely live. I never thought I would be actually performing this with him. That scared me a little. I assumed it would be on the album and that's it.

 I walked out of the booth and see that there are more people here. Justin's mother, Lynn, and his cousin, Rachel came to visit and see how the track was coming along. Plus they brought us lunch. They walked in as I was in the booth. I didn't know they were here. Lynn is the first to say something, "You sound amazing." I blush and say thank you. Rachel, who I was the most nervous to meet, she is the closest to Justin other than his mother. She is very protective of him.

She smiles and says, "So this is the Melissa I have heard so much about, it's nice to finally meet you. You have an amazing voice, that track is perfect with you on it. I have heard Justin playing the melody for months and he couldn't get the right lyrics for it. I guess everything happens for a reason."

I was stunned, "Thank you. It means a lot coming from the both of you."

 Justin steps in the booth, to fix what I don't know, his tracks are flawless. So I am left with his mom and cousin. I wasn't really nervous I was watching Justin, watching how he works. Creepy but that's how I learn, I watch how others do it. Then flip it and do it my way. Rachel comes over close to me and says, "It has to be perfect. He will be in there for the next 12 hours if he has to. This is why we brought you lunch. He won't leave until its perfect to him."

I laugh, because I know this to be true. "I couldn't imagine having a track that he wasn't completely happy with though. That's just who he is."

Lynn chuckles to herself, ‘Sadly you have only known him for a short time and you know that. The moment you meet him, you just know instantly that he is a perfectionist."

Rachel fires out with a question, "So what are you plans?"

I was confused, "Plans for what?"  Everyone seems to think I have this master plan with him.

"Well knowing Justin as well as I do. I know he is very interested in you. I would put money on the fact that this whole relationship was love at first sight. I know you are both stubborn with the word ‘love'. You both feel it but can't express it yet because it's only been two weeks. Love isn't determined by time it's by a feeling. You guys should just say it and get it over with. Anyways back to my question. Are you going to move to L.A. or are you going to attempt a long distant relationship?"

I honestly didn't know at this point. "I haven't made a choice yet. I know that I care a lot about him. I know that I want to make this work. I am leaning towards just moving to L.A. but then I have to find another job and all those kind of details. It's only been two weeks. Everything has happened so fast."

"You know that if I had an issue with him being with you, I would have stopped this by now. I wouldn't let him get so attached to another woman that will break his heart. He deserves better than that. I am putting my trust in you. All I ask is that you don't let me or him down."

I wasn't expected that reaction from her. You would almost think she was his mother, but I understand she is protecting him. Lynn chimes in, "On a much lighter note, how is your first time to NYC going?"

"It's actually pretty great. I have a great tour director. Despite all the attention that Justin draws in, simply by walking out of his apartment we have got to see and do a lot of things. I would love to come back here. I leave tomorrow afternoon so I didn't get to spend much time here."

"Next trip is to L.A.?" Lynn says it as a comment more than a question.

I paused for a second, "Yes. It might be a move, not a visit though."

The smile on Rachel and Lynn's face lit up and Lynn said, "That would be a great move for you."

Justin walks out of the booth, "Are you people grilling my girlfriend. Leave her alone." We all laugh.

Rachel with her constant snide comments adds "It's not like that, and we actually like this one."

Justin replies with, "Well, hell lets go to Vegas and get married. My mom and Rachel agree on the same person for me. That's a first."

"Have they not liked any your ex's?"

"Not a single one of them. There was something with all of them they didn't like."

"I guess that means I am a keeper" and walks over to me and kisses me with those wonderful lips, "You bet your marry booty you are."

We finish the track. The other producer said he would have it mastered and mixed in a couple hours if we wanted to stop back and get it. We decided to go see a movie while we wait. If not I would be totally impatient and wanting to hear the end result of the song.

It's strange to have a low key night, simply going to the movies and having twenty people in tow following you around. Justin seemed to have mastered how to do normal things and be in this career. He has been in it for a very long time.

We decide on a romantic comedy, mostly because that's what I wanted to see. The theater was sold out, not a great choice on my part. We do however find two seats in the very last row on the top. We sit down and he is holding my hand, being very flirty with me. The person sitting next to Justin says, "OH MY GOD! You're like... Justin Timberlake!"

He laughs and says, "No, I'm pretty sure I am just Justin Timberlake. It's nice to meet you, what's your name?"

She couldn't say a word, not a single word could form at this moment. Then her friend says, "Hi, I'm Heather, and this here is Jennifer. We are huge fans of yours. Don't mind her she will calm down in a second."

Justin points at me and says, "This is Melisa, she is my girlfriend. I would really like to impress her tonight so if I could just be Justin that would be wonderful!"

The girls nod their head and turn to the screen. You could see the fidgetiness of both of them. They let us watch the movie, they would turn once and a while but they really respected our space.

After the movie I had to run to the restroom. He was signing autographs for a couple people. It was great to step back and watch these people being so gracias to be in his presence.  The restroom is packed, I get in the stall and I can hear people talking about me.

"Who is the chick with Justin?"

"They were so cute. He was like rubbing on her hand the whole time. There's no way they have known each other only a couple weeks."

"She is gorgeous and so lucky"

I step out of the stall and it is now completely quiet. I look up in the mirror and everyone is looking at me. I turn and reach out my hand to shake theirs, "Hi, I'm Melissa. This is very weird; however it's nice to meet all of you."

I shook some hands and turned to walk out the door and one girl was like, "Have you really only known him two weeks? I read somewhere they you have been secretly dating him for a year?"

I laugh. "Don't believe everything read. I have only known him a couple weeks. We are still getting to know each other. I really have to go. It was really nice to meet all of you. Have a great night."

I see him standing next to the pillar waiting for me. I stop for just a moment to take it all in, simply taking all of it in. He wraps his arms around my shoulder and kisses my head. "Are you ready to here the track?" I am giddy about hearing the track.

 "Just in time, Hot off the Press! ‘My Last Name' is finished and mastered." Jay the producer begins to play the song. I sit down and take it all in. I will never get to hear the first listen to the first song I ever recorded again. The song gave me goose bumps. I was crying by the end, I couldn't imagine it coming out any better than it did. The producer said, "If this doesn't make the cut for this album, you are crazy. This track is going to set you to new heights. Not to even mention what it's going to do for her career." My career, I didn't have a career.

 I looked at him then Justin. Then Justin said, "I'm taking it to the label in the morning. I want it on this album, no doubt about that. Let's just hope the listen to me."

"They usually do, I remember when they didn't want to release ‘SexyBack" as the first single, they said it would never work. Boy was they wrong about that."

"Yea, I was right about that song being the first single, they have for the most part let me do my own thing."

Then he turned to me and asked, "When are you going to start recording your album?"

I looked confused, "Me? I'm not signed to a label."

"You are telling me that there is not a single label out there that wants you? They are crazy people"

"I haven't tried to get a deal yet."

"Well I'm glad to hear the ‘yet' in there."

We get back to the apartment, and Justin says he needs to talk to me. Of course my mind immediately goes to some other place. Is he going to break up with me? Does he want something else? Did I totally screw up today? What was going on? Then I thought to myself, hey stupid if you would just listen to him you would know what is going on.

"I want to sign you to Tennman Records. I want you to record the album exactly the way you want to. I don't want to have some big label telling you what to record."

"Are you serious? You want to sign me to your label?"

"I'm dead serious. I think that we as a team could be great together. It's not something that happens overnight. But let me tell you that as soon as my album drops and people hear that single they are going to want to know who you are and when you're releasing an album. I have to get all the loose ends tied together, but yes I want to sign you to my label."

With the shocked looked on my face I snap out of whatever trance I was in. "I want to record an album; I want you to be completely involved. I only have one request."

"Anything" he says.

"Well now, I guess I can pretty much have anything I want." With that smirk on my face he seems to oblige "I'm just kidding. I want our professional relationship to be separate from our personal relationship. I don't want any advantages or perks because I give you sex."

"Done" He says,

"I will have the label draw up the papers and have you a check in the morning."

"A check?"

"Well yes, you will receive an advance for this track we recorded today. This does mean you have to make a decision very quickly about moving."

That is the question of the decade.

I have always wanted to be that person to move. I didn't like being the small town girl. I wanted to be in a big city and close to the fashion world. Being in Ohio wasn't getting me far. Why was it that I had the opportunity right in the palm of my hands and I was second guessing it? Life was piecing together for me and I wasn't grabbing a hold of all the pieces and putting it together.

The next morning was crazy. We were going to Justin's label to play the song for them, see if there was a stamp of approval. According to Justin, at this point in his career he makes his own song choices for an album however if they completely hate it they can pull the money for the promotion of the album. He had insisted that regardless of their opinion it was going to be on the album.

We walk into this huge marbled floor entry way. The receptionist says, "May I help you."

Justin laughs and says, "I'm Justin Timberlake and I'm here to see the boss."

She realizes who he is and why he is here, "Just a minute I will let him know you are here."

He turns to me and says, "Breath, it will be fine" I don't think I took a breath from the moment I walked off the elevator.

"Mr. Timberlake, Mr. Weiss is ready for you now. Just down the hall to the right." Justin mumbles, "Like this is my first visit here."

"Hello Barry, how are you doing this fine day in New York City?"

"Well I guess we will find out when I hear some of these tracks for the new album. I'm delighted that you decided to record another album and release it so soon."

"Well, I thought I had better get back to doing what I love to do before the public decides they don't really like my music." Justin laughs "I am getting old."

Barry looks up and says, "What's that supposed to mean? "

"Well you know how this business works."

"That's the truth. Okay enough staling I want to hear the tracks."

Justin plays twelve songs that he brought and Barry said, "I'm impressed. You never seem to disappoint. It's going to be a success. The first single is releasing to radio next week, and it looks like it already leaked to the internet but the buzz on it is great."

Justin looking a little nervous, a side I haven't seen in him. "Well, I have one more track I want you to hear. It's different from those songs. It's actually a ballad, a duet."

Barry was surprised. "A duet? An actual power ballad style duet? That's a first from you. I have to hear this, put it in."

Justin hands the single track over to his assistant, who was wearing a skirt that was inappropriate for any type of office, the music begins to play. I don't look at anyone except my beautiful new shoes. I was really nervous. I could feel my palms really getting really sweaty.   Justin grabs my hand under the table and whispers in my ear, "Look up, he is enjoying it. He is happy with it." I look up and he is really listening to it. I couldn't tell if he was happy with the song or not. He was looking straight ahead, focused only on the song. When it finishes, there was silence. Oh no! Did he hate it?

"Who is that female? I want to sign her right now."

Justin looks at me, "That is the beautiful woman sitting next to me. This is Melissa, and actually you are already too late. She has agreed to sign to Tennman Records."

Barry shakes his head, "Damn you, I would have signed her in a heartbeat. I would be more than willing to sign her with Tennman as the parent company and I partner up with you for her album."

Justin seems to like that idea, "We will have to discuss it more in detail at a later time." "Sounds great, but you know the business very well Justin, you know the moment that track is heard they are going to want details of who she is and where can they get her music."

"I explained that to her. We are going to get in the studio as soon as we can."

His assistant interrupts us. He comes back and says, "Justin when are you headed back to L.A.?"

He looks at me as if I knew his schedule, "Tomorrow afternoon sometime I'm not sure on the time."

"Well if you want to head home tonight they are telling me that my new ‘star' wants the private jet to pick her up in L.A and take her to Paris because she doesn't want to fly commercial. Some people have demands. Back to my point, if you want to go home tonight you can use the jet. I would hate to have it fly empty across the country from no reason."

"Sure that's fine, can you have it arranged to stop it Pittsburgh first? Melissa is flying out tonight and I would like to have her with me until she has to leave."

"Pittsburgh huh, Steelers fan?"

"Oh, yes. I am a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan. It would be really hard to not be in that area." I smile that really big cheesy smile and think ok stupid stop it. I was a proud fan.

He looks at Justin "I will have it arranged." Then he looks at me, "It was very nice to meet you. I look forward to hearing what you can do. If it turns out half as good as that track I just heard is, I will be extremely happy."

Holy crap, It was a success. As great as I thought it was, it's still a surprise to hear someone in his position saying things like that. In the car I was still in a state of shock.

I called Kia to see if she could pick me up at the airport a couple hours later than originally planned and she said yes. I told her about my adventures in the studio, I told her I would bring the song home for her to hear it.

The flight home was short, quicker than I wanted it to be. I step off the plane and Kia was not there, Steven was. I knew I was in some kind of trouble with him. "Hi Steve, how are you?"

"Just wonderful" However it was in that I am so going to kick your ass voice.

 Justin steps off the plane to tell them which luggage was mine, and what bags. Steve's eyes get huge, "How many pairs of shoes did you buy?"

"I didn't buy anything. He did."

"Thanks man, that's what she needs, more shoes."

"Yea I noticed she has a shoe problem, but they were hot and well..."

Steve looks disgusted "I don't need to hear any of that. She's like my little sister."

"Oh yea, I wasn't thinking."

We get in his truck and I know instantly something is wrong. He isn't acting right. "What's wrong? Why did Kia not pick me up?" He looks at me in that way that he just edging to scream about something.

"I told her not to pick you up that I wanted to and that I wanted to talk to you."

"So what's up, you're scaring me?"

"We will talk at dinner, we need to talk. I made reservations and I am starving."

 I didn't have a clue what was going on. I know I didn't do anything to make him worry or be disappointed or anything. I had no clue what this was all about. He didn't talk to me the entire time, from Airport to Robinson. He was building up everything to blow up on me in public, great. Yet I wasn't sure what we were driving fifteen minutes in the wrong direction to simply have dinner and to talk. Maybe he wanted to be in an area where there was a better chance we wouldn't know anyone. Not sure about anything at this point. At least it was a public place, there would be witnesses.

Steve doesn't deal with people staring, pointing, or photographers who won't leave us alone. I have learned pretty quickly to just let them be. He didn't have that quality. We sit for dinner and I say, "I'm not ordering anything to eat. I am not doing anything until you tell me what this is all about." I couldn't take the silence any longer.

He finally speaks. "I am worried about you. I have known you for nearly a decade. I have never known you to be this head over heels for a guy in ... ever. Are you sure this is the real deal or is this guy buying you thousand dollars shoes and buying your love. I know you this isn't you; you normally wouldn't be this person. But sometimes we get sucked into things."

I interrupt him, "I know that the last couple guys I dated were not good for me, but this is a good one. I promise you that I am happy. For the first time in a long time I am happy. Do I know what is going to happen tomorrow or next week, no? However I am taking the chance. I am being human and taking chances again. I let myself become almost non-existent for the last couple of years. I'm trying here. I'm taking baby steps."

"Taking baby steps, is not flying to New York City for the weekend, baby steps is not him buying you, what $20,000 worth of stuff." "It has to be different with him. He lives a different lifestyle than we ever have. Flying to a different city every other day isn't abnormal for him. Dropping $50,000 on a window shopping adventure isn't abnormal for him. It's how he lives his life."

It gets quiet again.

"I just want you to be happy. If he is what makes you happy, I will approve over time. But the moment he hurts you... I swear to you Mel, I will hurt him more than he has ever been hurt before. You're an amazing person, and you deserve someone as great as you are. I love you, so if you say this is what you want, this is what should have."

"Thank you for caring about me. I love you too!"

Having the friends I do, is truly amazing. I am very blessed.