#1 Fan

by Hess, Andrew

  “Let me worry about all the details. You just make sure you sweep that girl off her feet.”

  Evan exited the Town Car, retrieved his suit and his bag and trudged up the front lawn. The idea of coming back to his parent’s house was like walking into court knowing you were about to be sentenced to a life in hell. The only beacon of hope was knowing he was going to see Sara sooner than he originally planned.

  ********************************************************

  Evan’s life had returned to normal in an instant. His mother resumed her tirade of Evan getting another job or working for his brother’s cell phone store. His father barely acknowledged him, which was the same treatment he was used to getting. Evan also resumed his role at work, putting in ten hours a day, in hopes of getting the weekend off. It was a life capable of slipping into a deep depression, one that would be hard to find a way out of.

  Evan slumped into what his parents considered, his typical demeanor. His hair was a mess, his clothes were scattered across the floor, and his stomach rumbled in demand of food. But by Thursday, all of that had changed.

  Evan sprung from the bed in the late morning. He was eager to get ready, but thanks to the long hours he spent at the store, he was free for the entire weekend. His right hand swiftly typed a message on his phone.

  E: Hey, are we all set for today?

  K: Everything’s ready.

  Evan hurried out his bedroom door and jumped into the shower before his mother heard him moving around the house. He had the quickness of a cat as he washed up, groomed, and slipped back into his room unnoticed. He pulled out the nicest pair of jeans he owned, pairing it with a black polo marked with white stripes on the collar. He slipped his dress shoes on and headed for the door.

  The thin pale woman that he called mother, blocked his way to the stairs. “And where do you think you’re going?”

  “Out,” he replied while trying to step around her.

  “Out where?”

  Knowing she wasn’t going to let up on the question until she got every answer out of him, Evan decided it was best to tell her what she wanted to know while grabbing his bag and escaping the house.

  “If you really need to know, I’m going to Jersey for the weekend.”

  “Jersey? What about work?”

  “I worked my ass off the last three days. I put in over thirty hours so I can have the weekend off.”

  “You took off of work last weekend too. Does this have anything to do with that screwball idea of being some big famous writer?”

  Evan turned around and pointed a stern finger in his mother’s face. The seriousness in his eyes warned her he was on the verge of snapping. “It’s not a screwball idea. I did incredibly well last weekend at the signings; not like you care.” He turned around and walked down the steps to the first floor, toting a large duffle bag behind him. “And for the record, no, this has nothing to do with my writing.”

  “Then why are you going to Jersey?”

  Evan stopped at the base of the stairs. “If you really need to know, I met a girl last weekend.”

  “A girl? You met a girl in Jersey?” His mother started laughing at the thought of her son finding a woman while away at a book signing. “Poor girl must’ve mistaken you for an actual author, and thought you were her ticket out of the Garbage State.”

  Evan threw his bag on the ground near the front door. His anger was bubbling, bringing him to a breaking point. “Sara knows exactly who I am, and likes me for me. It doesn’t matter how successful “Anyone from New York probably looks successful compared to someone from Jersey.” Her words crossed a line that was hard to come back from.

  The fire burning in Evan’s eyes screamed “Big Mistake!” He marched up to his mother, going nose to nose with her. “Don’t you ever insult her or her state again. Just because you amounted to nothing and live a meaningless shitty life, doesn’t mean you have to take it out on the rest of the world.”

  His mother took a step back and fell over the bottom step. She kept quiet for a moment, as her son unleashed his anger at her. “And how do you plan on going there?”

  A horn honked from the street, bringing a smile to Evan’s face. “I gotta go, my ride’s here.” He picked up his duffle bag by the front door, and exited the house. There a bounce in his step as he walked down the front lawn to the hot red convertible.

  The blond in the driver’s seat glanced at him with delight. “Are you sure you ready for this?” Kat asked.

  “I’m a little nervous.”

  “You’re taking a big risk. I’d be worried if you weren’t a little nervous, or at the very least anxious.” Kat sped off with Evan in the passenger seat. The wind whipped through her blond hair, as Evan felt it fly over his short spiky hair.

  “Thanks again for doing all this.”

  “It’s no problem. I just hope the weekend goes well.”

  Evan hoped everything went according to plan. To do that, he needed to rely on others to come through for him, something he wasn’t used to doing. Kat was just the first part of his plan. She picked him up from his parent’s house and was driving him to the train station. He would take the train into Penn Station and connect with the New Jersey line. Kat asked a friend to pick Evan up from the train station and bring him to the nearest car rental place.

  After nearly two hours of traveling by train, driving twenty minutes with Kat’s friend who looked like he just finished with a weight lifting competition, and waited another half hour to get his rental car, Evan was finally ready to surprise Sara.

  His first stop was to a florist to get her favorite flowers. The reservation for dinner was set at Sara’s favorite restaurant, and knew what time she would be home; courtesy of her best friend’s interference. He didn’t know how Kat got her name and number, but was thankful for the information. He pulled up in front of the building he picked Sara up from last Saturday and stood on the steps while dialing her number.

  “Hey Sara.” There was a shakiness to his voice. He was stepping beyond his comfort zone, but knew she was worth every risk he was about to take.

  “Evan, hi,” Sara said. The sweet sound of her voice had a mix of happiness and confusion. “How are you?”

  “I’m good.” He fumbled for the words to tell her there was a surprise waiting for her, or a way to get her to come downstairs and find him standing at her front door. “I was wondering…Do you wanna go out sometime?”

  “I’d love to. When?

  “How about now?”

  The silence on the other end of the phone indicated she was not prepared for Evan’s suggestion. “What do you mean?”

  “Maybe you should check your front door and find out.” Evan could hear the sound of a door opening and feet running down a flight of stairs. The doorknob twisted and opened. Sara stood in the doorway in a pair of tight black yoga pants and an oversized t-shirt that hung off her left shoulder. She smiled and launched herself at him, flinging her arms around his neck.

  Chapter 10-Sara

  He’s here…He’s really here, Sara thought as her arms squeezed Evan closer to her. She thought about him all week, even considered calling or texting him one or two times. With nothing but silence between them for several days, Sara started to lose hope that she would see him again.

  She got home from work fifteen minutes later than usual. Had she arrived home on time, she would’ve missed Evan completely.

  She pried her arms from his neck, allowing him to get a good look at her. “I like the pants,” he said with a grin. “I’m not so sure I like the shirt.”

  The oversized t-shirt was to hide the sports bra she wore underneath, shielding her from the gawkers while she worked out. “Sorry, I was about to head out to the gym.” She shook her head. “Wait, why are you here?”

  “I wanted to see you. So I switched my work schedule, called in a few favors, and got here about an hour and a half ago.”

  “You did all that for me?” Thinking of what Evan must’ve done, and t
he lengths he must have gone to surprise her sent a deep shade of pink rushing to her cheeks. “Oh my god.” She looked down at her clothes, seeming mortified by her appearance. “I can’t believe I let you see me like this.”

  He wrapped his hand around the bottom of her shirt and brought her closer. “What do you mean? I don’t see anything wrong, except this baggy shirt.”

  Sara tried to brush his hands away. “Stop it; I look horrible.”

  He grabbed a handful of the shirt again. “No, you look beautiful.” He pulled her close, placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

  The sparks in her chest and stomach begged to ignite into a blazing inferno. Evan’s touch, his kiss, made her body respond in ways she couldn’t explain. Her hands reached up, brushing Evan’s five o’clock shadow. She wanted to take him upstairs, and pick up where they left off on Saturday, but she knew it wouldn’t be right. He traveled too far and put too much effort for his surprise to be ruined by sex, even if she believed it would be something she never felt before.

  “Let me go inside and change.”

  “What if I like what you have on?”

  She placed her hands along his jawline. “Trust me; if you like this, then you’ll love what I come out in next.” She smothered his mouth with a kiss before running back inside the building.

  Oh my god! Oh my god! What am I gonna wear? Sara bolted up the stairs to her room and yanked the closet doors open, the force of which almost ripped them off the hinges. Shit, what the hell am I gonna wear?

  Sara ripped the clothes from her closet, trying to piece together an outfit that would make Evan’s jaw drop. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a polo, which meant she couldn’t dress too fancy. Whatever he had planned was designed for something nice but casual. Jeans were her best option, but she needed just the right ones.

  She slid on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans that hugged her hips tightly while showing off her best assets. Heels were out of the question. It made her taller than Evan and would kill her feet by the end of the night. Sara pulled a pair of black ballet flats to wear while in search of the right top. She slid every shirt forward, sifting through each one until she found an aqua V-neck blouse.

  After applying a brief layer of makeup and pulling her hair back into a ponytail, she was ready to wow Evan with her outfit. She casually strolled down the steps and opened the door. The plunging V-neck line of her shirt caught Evan’s attention. A bit of drool formed at the sides of his mouth.

  “Was it worth the wait?”

  “Absolutely,” he said while presenting the bouquet of lavender roses he picked up earlier.

  “These-these are my favorite. How’d you know?”

  “A little bird told me.” Astonished, Sara wondered who would’ve told him what her favorite flower was or how he would know any of her friends. “Shall we go?”

  She hooked an arm around his while smelling her flowers. “Where are we going?”

  “It’s a surprise, but just know I have something special in mind.”

  Sara was immersed in a state of confusion. Evan was far from her typical type of guy she dated. He was sweet, caring, and creative. He went out of his way to surprise her, and found a way to learn what her favorite flower was. How did she get so lucky to find a guy like him?

  “So no limo tonight?”

  “No, this is all me. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “I told you last time you didn’t need to impress me.” Sara secretly enjoyed being picked up and driven around in a limo, but was happier with Evan being himself.

  They parked the car across the street from the restaurant. Two small pillars of bricks stood off to the side, sandwiching the large see-thru window and glass door. A green awning hung above with the word “Sergio’s” written in white script letters.

  Sara stared in amazement. “How did you…” It was obvious Evan had inside help to set up their date. “Okay, out with it. Who told you about this place?”

  “Your friend Julie helped me plan everything.”

  “Julie, but how’d you get her name? How’d you get her number?”

  “Honestly, I have no idea. My agent’s personal assistant volunteered to help me. I told her what I wanted to do and she got me all of the info I needed, including Julie’s name and number. We talked a couple of times during the week. I guess she wanted to make sure I was a good for you.”

  “That bitch!” Evan turned his head with a confused expression. “I called her a couple times this week, and she kept blowing me off. She made up one lame excuse after another. Now I know why.”

  “Sorry, I just wanted to make tonight special.”

  Evan opened the door for Sara and let her enter first. She could feel his gaze fall on her backside, taking in the view of the jeans showcasing her assets. She turned quickly and caught him staring. “Enjoying the view?”

  “Yes…I mean no…I mean I wasn’t staring at…”

  “It’s okay. That’s why I wore these jeans.” She giggled and continued inside the restaurant. Evan spoke to the hostess. The woman motioned for them to follow her to an intimate little table in the corner, secluded from everyone else.

  Sara skimmed through the menu, but her eyes were locked onto Evan. Her heart felt warm and tingly at the thought of sitting across from him. It was something she could get used to. When he looked at her, she felt like the most important person in the world, his world.

  They placed their orders and stared lovingly into each other’s eyes. Evan moved the small flower arrangement and candle out of the way before reaching for Sara’s hand. His grasp was firm and a little sweaty.

  “So why’d you do all this for me,” she finally asked.

  “I don’t really know how to explain it. That night at the club was the first time I ever stepped out of my comfort zone and tried to be the person I person I wanted to be. When I met you, something inside me clicked and I felt complete. I was the person I always imagined I could be, and still felt like myself at the same time. The first time I kissed you, I didn’t want to stop. I wanted you that night.”

  Sara’s tongue brushed the edge of her lips at the memory. Then she remembered why they stopped. Julie came outside looking for her, and broke up their make-out session. “Sorry about that night.”

  “It’s okay. I understood your friend was looking out for you. She didn’t know who I was or what my intentions were.”

  “So what are your intentions?”

  “It depends on where you see this going.”

  The spotlight was shining on Sara. She was in control of where their relationship went. “I-uh, I mean…I don’t want us to be a onetime thing.” She watched as Evan’s eyes lit up.

  “Good, because I don’t want that either.” The sweatiness of his palms dried, but his grip tightened. “I haven’t been able to get you off my mind since the other night. It was great, but…”

  “Then I left before you woke up.”

  “I don’t know how to explain it. When you left me that morning, it felt like something incredible was missing from my life. I realized today that the incredible thing I was missing was you.”

  Sara brushed her thumb over his knuckles. “I didn’t want to leave you that morning, but the thought of that night being just a one-night stand was unbearable.”

  “I never said it was a one-night stand.”

  She tried to hide the tears that were about to spill down her cheeks with her free hand. “I have a confession to make.” Sara watched Evan’s eyebrows raise, no doubt questioning his judgement in visiting her. “I knew who you were the moment we met in the club. I read your book prior to Friday. You’re an incredible writer.”

  “So you knew who I was when I bought you the drink?”

  “It took me a few minutes to realize you were Evan Taylor. It wasn’t until you told me your name that I was completely convinced.”

  “I don’t get it Sara. Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

  “Because I didn’t want you to think I was some groupie t
hat wanted to fuck you.” She pulled her hand away from Evan’s and covered her face with both hands.

  The chair scraped across the floor as Evan moved closer. “I never thought of you as a groupie. I went to the club that night looking to take the edge off before doing the weekend of book signings. When I met you, I didn’t think I had a shot. But ever since, I only pictured you as someone I wanted to spend time with; someone I wanted to get to know; someone I could see myself dating.”

  “And now?”

  “I don’t like that you hid this from me, but I get why you did it.” Sara felt Evan peeled away her fingers from her face. “There’s something thrilling and special about you, something I don’t want to miss out on.”

  Hearing Evan express his feelings renewed Sara’s hope. Everything he said about her reflected in his eyes. “So what are you saying?”

  “I’m saying, I want you to be my girlfriend.”

  Sara cupped a hand to her mouth. “But the distance?”

  “Is this what you want?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then screw the distance. It’ll be hard, but we’ll find a way to make this work. I don’t care if I have to take the train out here every weekend. I’d do it just to see you.”

  It was the biggest gesture a man had ever made for Sara. She wasn’t sure if the two-hour separation would be an issue or not, but she was willing to try if Evan was.

  She chewed the inside of her lip as she nodded excitedly. “Evan, I’d love to be your girlfriend.” She moved her chair closer, placing a soft kiss on his lips. He placed a hand on top of her thigh while stretching his arm around the back of her chair. Remembering what happened the last time they made out at a restaurant, Sara broke away. “Sorry, I don’t want us to get kicked out of here too.” They shared a laugh as Sara placed her chair back in its original spot. “How long are you staying?”

  “I don’t know yet. I have off the whole weekend.”

  “So why aren’t you staying?”

  “I have to look for a hotel to stay in.”