Hot Dam – Whoop-de-do – Hallelujah – Sumabitch - a one-hundred-and-ten-yard kick-off return for the touchdown and the woman can kiss my ass, and I didn’t lose everything I have worked so fucking hard for eighteen years. If I listened to Sammi Jefferson and left that woman alone as she had warned me. I would have to go through all of this legal bullshit. Beer -thirty here I come.

“Oops, damn, miss, excuse me. I didn’t see you there. I am so sorry.”

“I’m not hurt, but I must say you have expressed my feelings perfectly, except for losing everything. I am officially divorced, with the scarlet letter “D” embedded on my forehead. Fair prey to every asshole trying to get laid.”

“Geez, miss, I hope that doesn’t hap – Valerie, Valerie Hudson. Are you Val – “

“Yes, I am, and if I’m not mistaken, you are Jeff Thurman, right?”

“Yes, holy cow, yes. How long has it been?” Jeff asked.

“More importantly, do you remember our first meeting?” Valerie asked with a sly grin.

“It wouldn’t have anything to do with a grass bush in my dad’s backyard, and I said to you, “You show me yours and I’ll show you mine”, and I know it did. I never forgot that day, and how cute you looked. Cute face, red hair, and freckles, I thought of you at least a thousand times since the grass bush.”

“Jeff, you are correct. It was behind the grass bush at your dad’s house. I wouldn’t have done that, but you were so cute to me. I had a full-blown crush on you. Your dark brown hair and those green eyes, I have never forgotten you. So, what’s your next move?”

“Well, Miss Valerie Hudson, I mean Miss Valerie, - ah – “

“Hudson, Jeff, I kept my maiden name. I wanted a complete restart.”

“Same, here. So, Miss Valerie Hudson, my next move is to ask if you would like to join me in a celebration at the Broken Bottle?”

“Mr. Jeffery Thurman, I would gladly take you up on your kind offer, with one exception. To put a twist on our first meeting, I will buy you a beer, if you buy me one. Deal?”

Jeff started laughing to the point where other people were looking at him.

“Yes, Valerie Hudson, you have a deal. I suggested the place, I will ask you to suggest the time.”

“Jeff, let’s meet at the Broken Bottle at seven. I promised Mom I would stop by after the court. God loves her, but she is still a worrier. We lost Dad six years ago. Mom, well, you know what I mean. How about your folks.”

“Car crash on highway seven. A guy crossed the median, and it was a head-on collision. No one survived the crash. As near as the medics and doctors could tell, the other driver suffered a heart attack or something like that.

He never knew he crossed the line according to the doctors. My family said I should sue the family of the other guy. The funeral was the last time I had spoken to them. Even my ex was pissed because I didn’t sue. Money-hungry bitch.”

“Damn, I’m sorry, Jeff. It must have been,“ Valerie was cut off by another woman.

“I knew there was another woman. You left me with nothing, asshole,” Jeff’s ex-wife shouted.

“Anastasia, meet Gloria, my ex-wife.” Valerie gave Jeff an odd look. “And Gloria, if there was someone else, she would have been more of a woman than you ever thought you were. Now, fuck off or I will call the police and have you arrested for harassment and verbal abuse.”

Gloria stormed off. Her usual response. Then Valerie looked at Jeff. “Anastasia?”

“I didn’t want you in it. That’s why I called you Anastasia. She would give a bottle of acetaminophen a headache. So, seven at the Broken Bottle. This will be a dream come true for me.” Jeff was all smiles.

“Jeff, it will be a dream come true for me as well. I, well, never mind. Maybe later.”

The two parted, both wanting seven o’clock to hurry.

When Jeff got home, there was a quiet he always dreamed about. No yelling, cursing, nasty accusations, just quiet. His apartment wasn’t much, but Jeff didn’t need much, ever. He rescued a cold beer from the fridge and daydreamed about Valerie. He remembered so well, seeing her little cookie for the first time. His dad would have killed him.

Valerie went to her mom’s house. She knew her mom wanted her to divorce Ed for years. This would be a happy occasion for Valerie and her mom. They had talked about Valerie moving in with her mom. That’s why Valerie was so easy to give up the house to Ed. The memories in that dungeon, Valerie wanted to forget. Yelling, screaming, the times Ed slapped her. Go away.

At seven o’clock sharp, Jeff walked in the front door of the Broken Bottle. He saw Valerie immediately. Her shining red hair. Her beautiful smile when she looked up and saw him. When he showed her the daisy on his way to the table, Valerie let a few tears sneak out of their hiding place.

“You remember, oh Jeff you remembered. Valentine’s Day in fourth grade. You walked three blocks to my house and gave me a daisy. Oh, you wonderful man. I wouldn’t think a guy would remember something like this.”

“Every Valentine’s Day, I placed a daisy on my desk at work. Most of the guys razed me, but Charlie knew. I told Charlie all about you, ah, not your cookie. I’m sure he knew I still had strong feelings for you.”

“Jeff Thurman, you are blushing.” Valerie giggled.

“C-c-can I order a drink for you?”

Valerie said a good cold beer would be fine. Jeff ordered their beer and the grill’s open-face roast beef sandwich for them. Jeff kept looking at Valerie as though he wanted to tell her something but wasn’t sure how she would take it.

“Valerie. I have to tell you something. When things were getting bad with Gloria and me, Charlie and I started talking, talking a lot. I didn’t hold anything back when he asked me questions. I was honest. It wasn’t until this afternoon that I realized Charlie was right all along.”

“Can you tell me, Jeff? Or is it too hurtful? We were always honest with each other when we were kids “dating”.”

“When I bumped into you, I looked into your eyes, I saw your beautiful red hair, your cute freckles, and I realized Charlie was right. It wasn’t just Gloria, I would not have been happy with anyone. I was and still am, in love with you.”

“Jeff, I, I don’t know what to say. I have always had very strong feelings for you. Even my mom would mention it from time to time. I just chuckled and gave her the “Oh Mom” routine. But when she brought it up. My heart always snuck in an extra beat or two.”

They continued to relive the days of grade school and high school. They were in the same grade, so they walked home together many times. Every time their eyes met, Jeff was mesmerized for that split second or two. Valerie would blush and lowered her head a bit. The same cute, quiet, and shy little redhead that had lived in Jeff’s memory. He was seeing it again tonight.

The server came up and told them it was the last call. They ordered the last round. But it didn’t break their reverie. They continued their conversation, even as they walked to their cars. Jeff stared at Valerie in the moonlight. Her hair cascaded past her shoulders, her eyes glistening in the light of the moon. From somewhere, there came a force, and the two kissed. A soft loving kiss.

“Valerie, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be so for-“

“Jeff, shut up and kiss me again,” Valerie demanded.

Jeff was looking deep into Valerie’s eyes, he traced her sweet lips with his finger. They embraced and kissed a long deep passionate kiss. The night was covering the two lovers so that no one would interrupt. They were invisible to the world, but not to their world.

“Jeff, take me home, Take me home with you. I don’t want tonight to end.”

When they got to Jeff’s apartment, He opened the door, looked at Valerie, picked her up, and carried her into the apartment. The entire time she was in his arms, she did not take her eyes off him. Her heart was beginning to beat a little faster. She wanted to stay in his strong arms.

When he put Valerie down, they had a long passionate kiss. When their lips parted, Valerie let out a long soft sigh. She was getting weaker with each kiss. When she looked up at Jeff, she felt as though her heart was going to beat through her chest.

Jeff pulled off his tee shirt. Seeing his bare chest made Valerie weaker and wetter. She explored his chest with her hands. She wanted to feel his chest against her firm breasts. Valerie pulled off her top and unhooked her bra. She was in his arms bare chests touching before her clothing hit the floor.

Jeff was kissing her neck and had a firm grip on her butt cheeks. He pulled her to him. When Valerie felt his hard cock through his shorts against her, she whimpered. Jeff held her tighter against his groin and continued to nuzzle her neck and kiss her soft lips. Their lips parted for a second, and when they were reunited, Jeff slid his tongue to find Valerie’s. Valerie moaned.

Jeff gently removed Valerie’s shorts and panties. As he did, he licked her belly and nipped it slightly. Valerie’s moaning was becoming panting. Valerie whispered, "Jeff, oh feels so good."

Jeff stepped out of his shorts and briefs, Valerie reached down and when she felt his hard cock, she inhaled sharply, Jeff.

He led Valerie to his bedroom. The heavy scent of his cologne made Valerie hotter. There was no way she could deny anything Jeff wanted. She had dreams of a moment like this with Jeff. Valerie was starting to lay back on the bed, Jeff was next to her. He rolled her onto her side and sucked her breast into his mouth. Valerie grabbed his head and pushed her breast into his mouth.

As he was sucking her breast, Jeff reached between her legs. Valerie spread her legs to give Jeff access to her wanting pussy. He was rubbing between her vaginal lips when Valerie reached for his cock. She moaned and began to stroke his cock. Jeff’s moans told Valerie he loved her hand job. He would push it into her hand when she was stroking him. Then felt for his balls, she knew they were filled, and she wanted him to empty them inside of her.

Jeff rolled on top of Valerie, and she spread her legs for him. She wanted, demanded to feel him separate her pussy lips and fill her insides. He was sliding his cock into her, Valerie raised her legs so his balls would hit her ass cheeks. All his cock would be inside her.

When Valerie felt his pelvis against hers, she started to moan. "Mmm, oh Jeff, yes." That was when he started his slow long stroking in and out of Valerie. Valerie’s sex juice was dripping all over Jeff’s cock. She pushed her hips up every time he slid into her. Their sex rhythm was almost perfect.

Valerie was almost there. All she needed was one more push. That came as Jeff was pumping his pre-cum juice into her he sucked her tit into his mouth and flicked her stiff nipple with his tongue. Valerie’s orgasm was explosive. Her pussy juice sprayed Jeff’s cock and balls. That was just when Jeff shot his first stream of molten lava into Valerie’s spraying pussy.

They pushed their bodies to the limit. They wanted to give and get all they could from each other. Every ounce of sex fluid would be spent. Every movement, every breath, every bead of sweat, every cell would be used up before they would finish. Jeff almost collapsed on top of Valerie, but just caught himself.

“Lay on top of me. I want to feel your body, your weight. I want to feel your sweat. Cover me with the love I’ve longed for and missed.”

“Valerie, I have loved you forever.”

The two lovers lay next to each other listening to their hearts beat in unison and their breathing returning to normal. Jeff put his arm around Valerie’s neck. She cuddled deep into Jeff’s neck. She was enjoying the scent of their love.

The following morning, they retrieved Valerie’s car from the parking lot of the Broken Bottle. Jeff followed her home and walked her to the front door. They were holding hands and saying what a wonderful time they had. They knew this was the beginning of a love that started behind a grass bush.

They looked into each other’s eyes and started to kiss.

Mom turned the porch light on.