I know just what you’re doing
You don’t want to put the hurt
On someone
You’ve been trying to convince yourself
You’re better off if you just turn
And run
But I’m gonna hold on tight
I’ve got a feeling
You’ll only happen once to me …
-Rick Springfield “Don’t Walk Away”

Isaac and Taryn walked into Crazy Jake’s, and she was quasi-horrified to see Cam and Gregor at a table with a group of friends.

“I knew they’d be here if they thought we’d show up,” Taryn said under her breath.

Isaac didn’t hear her, as he was busy letting the doorman put the bright orange “under 21” wristband on him.

Taryn decided she was going to be the bigger person. They want to gawk at me and judge me, huh? She thought. Fine, let them. I am not going to let them ruin this evening for us.

Isaac came up behind Taryn and surveyed the scene. It didn’t take him long to spot Cam and Gregor.

“Hey, we can leave if this makes you uncomfortable,” he said.

Taryn smiled at Isaac. “No way,” she said. “I’m proud to be here with you.”

With that, she took Isaac’s hand and strode over to the table where her old friends were sitting.

“Hey, fancy meeting you two here!” she said.

Cameron was genuinely surprised.

I should have guessed, Taryn thought. Gregor likes nothing better than for it to come out that he was privy to a big secret.

“Hey,” Cameron said slowly. “What brings you two here? I thought your story was done.”

“Oh, it is,” Taryn said, looking pointedly at Gregor, who returned her gaze boldly. “Isaac and I are here on a date.”

Cameron almost spit his beer across the table.

“Funny,” he said. “Now how about the truth?”

“That is the truth,” Isaac said. “I just took her to the restaurant Gregor suggested, and now we’re here, also on his suggestion. I wanted to take Taryn to places where she felt comfortable, so I asked Gregor’s advice.”

Taryn bit her lip to keep from laughing. Little 18-year-old Isaac Hanson, whether he had done it intentionally or not (and she doubted he had) had just made Gregor duBois look like a complete jackass.

“Perhaps you’d like to join us,” Gregor said tightly.

“No, thank you,” Taryn said brightly. “Isaac’s leaving town tomorrow afternoon, and we’d like to be alone. But thank you so much for thinking of us.”

“Well, have a good evening,” Cameron said.

“You too,” Isaac said. “And hey, Gregor, thanks for the tips. It’s been a great night.”

“Anytime,” Gregor said. Taryn hoped that Isaac missed his snide undertones.

Isaac and Taryn sat at a corner table.

“I hope you won’t think less of me if I order a drink,” Taryn said.

“Of course not,” Isaac said. “I’m hardly that much of a prude.”

He slid a $20 bill across the table to Taryn.

“Take this to pay for it, though. They won’t take my money for alcohol.” He held up the wristband proudly. “I’m under 21, you know.”

Taryn cracked up in spite of herself and Gregor.

The waitress, who looked all of 16, came to the table, eyeing Isaac unabashedly.

“You’re Isaac Hanson!” she said.

“Yes.”

“Oh my God!”

“Um, listen, it’s great if you’re a fan, and I’ll sign an autograph, we can talk, whatever. But right now I’m kind of on a date, so if you could help us keep it low-key, I’d sure appreciate it.”

The waitress’ hand flew to her mouth.

“Oh, God, I’m sorry to be acting like such an idiot,” she said, looking apologetically at Taryn.

“No problem at all,” Isaac said. “Taryn, what would you like to drink?”

“Tanqueray and tonic with a lime, please.”

“May I see your ID again, please?” the waitress looked like she wished the floor would open up and swallow her. “Sorry,” she said. “We’re supposed to ask on the first drink order in case you slipped past the guy at the door.”

Taryn chuckled and produced her driver’s license, careful to avoid letting Isaac see the picture. The waitress looked at the license closely.

“You’re 27.”

Obviously not a math wizard, Taryn thought.

“Twenty-eight, actually.”

“Cool,” the waitress said.

Isaac ordered a diet cola, and Taryn began the conversation.

“I love Gregor like a brother,” she said. “But he set us up. He wanted to see me squirm. I don’t know why he expected this date to flop, but I can tell you right now that he did.”

The waitress brought the drinks, which Taryn paid for with Isaac’s money.

“Well, I guess we fooled him, huh?” Isaac said. “I guess we did.”

As Taryn and Isaac took drinks, the band announced that they were taking a short break. The break tape began, and Taryn heard the familiar strains of Bread’s “Everything I Own.”

“I love this song,” she said. “I can remember my parents dancing to it in the kitchen.”

Isaac looked down at the table.

“Would you like to dance to it with me right now?”

Taryn smiled widely. “I’d love to.”

Taryn and Isaac got up and went to the dance floor. As they began to sway, Isaac closed his eyes and buried his face in Taryn’s hair. At almost six feet tall, he towered over Taryn’s five-foot, seven-inch frame.

We fit together perfectly, he thought. It feels like this has been meant to happen my whole life.

The same sorts of thoughts were going through Taryn’s mind as she laid her head on Isaac’s shoulder and let the music wash over her. This shouldn’t feel so good, she thought. I should be scared to death.

But she wasn’t.