JC searched the sidewalk tables of the cafe. Dismissing each occupant he sighed and looked at his watch.

11:45.

He was fifteen minutes late. Getting past Lonnie and Mike had been trickier today. They hadn't expected him to sneak out two days in a row but had been ready. Caught him each time he tried to get in the elevator. At 11:30 he finally made a break for it and ran for the stairs. His lithe body moved faster than his stockier bodyguards. Once he was in the lobby he didn't slow but ran out onto the sidewalk and quickly got lost in the crowd.

It was all for nothing. Rachel wasn't here. She had given up on him. Probably thought he'd been playing when he asked her to lunch yesterday outside Central Park. Playing a trick on her. Or maybe the trick was on him. Maybe she had never planned on showing up in the first place.

JC scanned the tables one final time and sighed. His shoulders slumped. As he turned to walk away he collided with another patron. This time he was able to grab her arms and steady her before either of them could end up on the sidewalk.

"We gotta stop meeting this way."

JC recognized the smile first. His lips parted in his own smile. Rachel was here! "Are you okay?"

Rachel nodded her head, telling him she was fine. "Least we didn't end up sprawled on the ground like yesterday. Come on, let's eat." She tilted her head toward the door and the waiting hostess who seated them at a table outside at her request. "I hope you don't mind." She asked as she took her purse off her shoulder and took a seat.

"Not at all." Sitting outside meant he could keep his hat on. The sunglasses might come off but he hoped the hat provided enough cover. "Sorry I'm late. I couldn't get away."

"Same here. I am currently back at the hotel lying down with a headache." Rachel's smile widened at his laughter. "I was hoping you wouldn't think I stood you up."

"I thought you thought I stood you up. I didn't see you..." Her smile warned him from the inside out.

"No way." Rachel ordered a water with lemon and browsed the menu. It all sounded delicious. She'd been too nervous to eat breakfast. That had bode well when it came time to fake a headache. "What brings you to New York City?"

JC froze. He was certain she hadn't recognized him. Did he tell her the truth? Did it matter? When would he see her again? He was leaving after the show that night. "Work."

Rachel nodded. "Me too. Well family really but it feels like work sometimes."

JC laughed, relaxing a little at his skirting of the truth. Work did bring him to New York. "I know how that is. You guys here sightseeing?"

"Yeah. Mom has a whole week jam packed with stops. All scheduled out. The military should have snatched her up."

"What are you missing out on?"

"Statue of Liberty. It's okay. I will be sitting through the slideshow for decades to come so it will be like I was there."

"I didn't think anyone did slides anymore?" JC asked after their drinks arrived and their orders were taken.

"Oh my mom loves messing around with her computer. She's discovered PowerPoint. I wouldn't be surprised when she writes the family Christmas letter this year if she doesn't include a CD in it with a slideshow."

"Okay I didn't think anyone still did those either. Christmas letter?"

"She starts working on it right after Thanksgiving so it's all finished by the time she sends Christmas cards the first week of December. I think it's great. Except last year when she put in that grandkids weren't looking good."

"No...."

"Oh yeah," Rachel slipped her drink and sat it back down. "Man I was ticked off. My brothers and sisters thought it was the funniest thing they ever read. I had gotten a promotion at work which meant I was relocated to Chicago. The guy I was dating at the time didn't think I should take it. He didn't want to do long distance so I said goodbye. His mom is my mom's best friend. So I foiled her plans. I called her up unleashing holy terror and told her under no certain terms that my reproductive organs were off limits. So we'll see this year."

JC laughed. "How many brothers and sisters do you have?"

"Four. Two of each. I'm the oldest. I turned 24 in March. Then it's Nate. He's 22. Bethany is 20. Ben is 18 and Lindsay is 16."

"Wow. I just have a brother and a sister. Tyler is 19. Heather is 22. I'll be 24 in August. How'd your mom get everyone to agree on this trip?"

"If you'd meet my mom, you'd understand," Rachel explained. "She plans something and we just all fall in line. It doesn't matter if I live in Chicago now. I'm expected to be where she tells me. And she does understand I can't be everywhere now. I'm smart enough to know which ones I'm supposed to attend. Twice removed cousin's christening? A card will do."

Their food arrived and they settled in to eat. Conversation continued more slowly as they ate. She spoke about growing up on a farm outside Omaha. Going to college at the University of Nebraska. Landing a job in Des Moines. Her promotion. Chicago living.

"Sounds like you've turned in to a city girl." JC pushed his plate away and wiped his mouth with his napkin. "You've been bouncing city to city since you graduated high school."

"I'm not sure I'm a full fledged city girl. I do love the hustle and bustle. The night life. So much to do within walking distance. I never pass up an opportunity - schedule permitting - to go back home. Take a backroad. Kick the dust up. Windows down. Visibility for miles and miles. The sunsets. You don't see sunsets in the city like you do in the country. I'll go home and saddle up a horse and just ride off as fast as I can."

It was an image JC wanted to see. Could picture it. The tight jeans. Plaid print long sleeve button on. Cowboy boots. Cowboy hat holding down the blonde hair blowing in the wind. His mouth watered. He wanted. Wanted to join her on that farm in Nebraska. Even on a horse next to her racing across the ground. Could hear their laughter as they chased the sunset.

"So what about you?" Rachel asked breaking the image.

"What about me?" JC asked awkwardly. He kept the conversation on her all afternoon. Partly because he didn't want to reveal who he was, mostly because he was intrigued about who she was.

"We've talked all about me this whole time."

"I didn't mind." JC sent her a wink, watching as a blush appeared on her cheeks.

"Come on, tell me about you." Rachel pleaded. She crossed her arms on the table and leaned forward. "You don't have to hide from me. I know who you are."

Nothing could have surprised JC more. All this time he thought he'd kept his identity hidden. She'd known all along. "You know?"

Rachel nodded. "I recognized you after we'd fallen. When your sunglasses fell off."

"You didn't make a big deal out of it."

"You were so dazed it was cute," Rachel smiled at him. She gave the table a couple taps with her hand. "Come on. Talk. You don't have to talk about ‘work', talk about you."

"I don't think the two are separate. Me and work," JC started and it flowed from there. He talked about his family. His parents and siblings. The Mickey Mouse Club. The group. His writing. How he loved being on the other side in the studio, producing and putting the sounds together almost as much as he loved singing. He told her how he had escaped yesterday needing to get away which led to their meeting. Told her the trouble he had gotten in to and how hard it was to escape to meet her for lunch.

"Sounds like you need to escape on horseback chasing the horizon."

JC reached across the table, lying his hand on hers. "That sounds amazing." They smiled at each other, staring into each other's eyes. His fingers caressed the back of her hand. He never wanted to leave. "I'm really glad you showed up."

"Me too."

We grabbed a bite to eat and talked all afternoon.