An Address Book Romance

You're Stuck With me

Grace didn't even have time to glance at her address book until Jen and she pulled up to a gas station to fill up Jen's old blue Mazda that always seemed to guzzle way too much gas. Grace knew she had no right to complain though.

She'd been riding home with Jen for months now since her beaten up hand-me-down station wagon from her older sister, had finally decided to bite the dust.

She managed to reach up and locate an over head reading light pressing it on as she opened her address book. She began to flip through the pages making sure that there were no pages missing.
She widened her eyes as soon as she realized that though nothing was missing something had defiantly been added.

“I can't believe him.” Grace blurted out thinking out loud. She jumped as she heard Jen speak up as she climbed back into the car.

“You can't believe who?”

Grace turned her head frowning as pointed over at a brand new entry into her address book. “Tre added himself into my address book.”

Jen couldn't help but to smirk as she stared down at the entry. Sure enough written down sloppily in blue ink was Tre's name, address, home phone and cell phone number, and his email address.

“You know you could make a fortune if you sold that on eBay.” Jen joked watching her roommates stunned reaction.

She rolled her eyes as she heard this. “That isn't the point. He had no right to do that. It's my personal property.”

Jen let out a huff ignoring Grace's rant until she heard her speak up again sounding even more flustered. “Oh my god what an idiot.”

“What did he do?” Jen asked ready for another round of her friend freaking out over something that wasn't really even a big deal.

To tell the truth she found it kind of amusing to see Grace this riled up. It had been too long since Grace had let anyone get to her this much.

She glared at Jen sensing her amusement at this whole situation. “He penciled himself into my planner. He's penciled himself in to see me every Saturday for the rest of the year.”

Jen couldn't take it anymore and she finally let the laugh that had been bubbling up in the back of her throat out. “Seriously. That's actually kind of sweet.”

“I was thinking more along the lines of kind of creepy. I mean I don't even know him.”

“Hey you know that he's a cute ridiculously talented famous musician who obviously wants to date you. Oh not to mention the fact that he's probably financially set for life. That sounds like it's more than enough for you to need to know for now.” Jen stated not hiding the slight envy in her voice.

Grace rolled her eyes as she heard this. “Well why don't you date him then. I mean you're so enamored with him.”

Jen smirked as she heard this. “Yeah I would, but I think he wants you not your starstruck roommate.”

She only heard a huff from Grace in response to this. Jen shook her head speaking up again. “You know not all men are like Brent. You shouldn't let him ruin your idea of what a healthy relationship should be about. I mean seriously Grace don't get all emotionally retarded now.”

Grace flinched as she heard her ex-fiance's name. Brent and Grace had been dating since they were sixteen and they'd gotten engaged when they were only nineteen.

They had never made it down the aisle because of a multitude of reasons and Grace preferred to pretend as though she had never met Brent at all.

“I don't want to talk about this. I'm going to go get a diet coke.” Grace blurted out climbing out of Jen's Mazda and making her way into the convenience store.

Jen huffed not surprised to see Grace avoid even the mention of Brent's name. She crossed her arms knowing if Brent Reid were here right now she'd kill him for doing such a number over on her best friend.

She glanced over at the still open address book automatically deciding that no matter what it took she wasn't going to let Grace push Tre away.

From what she saw he was good for Grace and Jen was going to make her realize it.
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It was bright and early the next morning when Tre burst though the Armstrong's front door and into the kitchen smiling when he saw Billie Joe Armstrong's long time wife Adrienne.

“Hey Tre.” She greeted not surprised to see her husband's band mate and long time friend take a seat at the dinning room table.

He didn't have time to respond since a sleepy Billie entered the kitchen rolling his eyes when he noticed who was at the dinning room table. “Don't you ever knock you dip shit. Or I don't know you could start to call us like a normal person before just showing up.”

“Hey your home is my home. So are the boys here?” Tre stated as he got up and helped himself to a cup of coffee.

Billie rolled his eyes as he heard this. He pressed a quick kiss to his wife's cheek as he spoke up. “Joey's at a friends house and Jakob's still asleep. The poor kid has some sort of stomach bug going on. What do you want Tre? It's way too early for this.”

Tre shrugged as he sat down “I need your wife's advice on something. I have a date.”

“Oh god not that Cassandra chick again. She was nuts Tre.” Billie whined mock shuddering at the memory of Tre's last girlfriend.

Tre rolled his eyes before going into the long explanation beginning with how he had met Grace and ending with him writing in her address book before returning it to her.

“Tre you didn't really write anything down in her address book did you?” Adrienne asked glancing up from her own cup of coffee.

“Yeah I don't see what the big deal is. So Adie do you think I should buy her flowers for this date or is it too much?” Tre asked ignoring the shared look on Billie and Adrienne's faces.

“I think she may be a little freaked out by the flowers you moron. Especially after you had to be a weirdo and pencil yourself into her address book and daily planner.” Billie grumbled as he helped himself to a glass of orange juice.

Tre rolled his eyes at Billie's answer. “Billie is your name Adie?”

Adrienne spoke up ignoring her husband's and Tre's bickering. She had gotten used to it a long time ago. “I don't know Tre. I guess buying her flowers probably wouldn't hurt. I mean as a way to make up for everything you've done to her so far.”

“What have I done to her?” Tre asked as he downed the remainder of his coffee.

“Do you seriously need us to answer that?” Billie exclaimed staring at his clueless friend.

Tre shook his head as he put his dirty glass in the sink. “Whatever. I think I can probably win her over with a big bouquet of roses. Thanks for the help guys.”

Billie and Adrienne watched him leave the kitchen before they heard the front door shut. They stared over at each other sharing a equally puzzled look.

Then again should they really be that shocked about anything Tre did anymore.
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Grace rolled her eyes as Jen stuck her head into her bedroom around noon. “I just realized you need to call Tre and tell him where we live. I mean neither of us are working today and he probably thinks that he's supposed to pick you up at the salon”

She pulled her orange comforter over her head not happy to be woken up on her day off. “You call him.”

“I would, but I'd probably die from embarrassment if I had to have a conversation with him.” Jen stated as plopped down on Grace's queen sized bed causing the mattress to wiggle a little.

Grace glared as Jen shoved the cordless phone underneath the comforter. “Call him.”

“If I call him will you let me sleep?” Grace asked pulling the comforter down far enough so just her eyes were peaking out at Jen.

“Nope. You still have to wax your legs and your bikini line before I help you figure out what to wear. Not mention the fact that you need to do something with your hair.” Jen said poking Grace's side with the cordless phone.

Grace felt her cheeks flush as she heard Jen mention her bikini line. She had long ago decided Jen didn't possess that thing in your brain that was supposed to filter out embarrassing things when you were talking to people.

She sat up in bed taking the phone and her address book from Jen before dialing Tre's cell phone number.

It rang three times before she heard Tre's excited voice on the other end. “Hello.”

She took in a deep breath almost surprised that Tre didn't answer his phone with some sarcastic comment instead of a simple hello. “Uh Tre hi....this is Grace.”

“Grace I was just thinking about you.” Tre blurted out sounding more than thrilled to hear her voice.

She rolled her eyes ignoring Jen practically shoving her head against her trying to hear her conversation.

“Okay...well I was calling to give you my address since you already took it upon yourself to give me yours.” She stated trying to give a hint in her voice about how unhappy she still was over what he'd done to her address book.

“Just let me get a pen and something to write on.” Tre said as she heard a little bit of movement on the other side of the phone.

“Okay let her rip.” Tre blurted out when he apparently found what he was looking for.

Grace pulled the phone away as she cleared her voice before finally speaking up. “I live at 5016 peach avenue. It's a really little two story white brick house with a blue Mazda parked out front and a really ugly tree in the lawn. Uh there's a mail box that looks like a duck right next door. You can't miss it.”

“A duck huh? Well I'm looking forward to it. I hope you like Chinese food.” Tre said sounding amused at her description of her and her roommates house.

She nodded her head feeling a little dumb as she did so. “Okay then. I'll see you at seven I guess.”

She glared at Jen's amused face as soon as she hung up.

Jen spoke up not hiding her mile wide grin “Awe he was thinking about you and he's looking forward to it. I think someones in love”

“Shut up Jennifer.” Grace mumbled as she shut her address book.

“Bite me Grace.” Jen stated back still smiling like an idiot.

Grace rolled her eyes wishing that she could just go back to bed.
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Grace let out a sigh as she heard Jen speak up. “You look like a nun.”

She frowned staring down at her dress. It was black and it went down to about her knees. It had quarter length sleeves and it didn't show any cleavage what so ever.

Jen hopped off of Grace's bed as she made her way over to her closet. She rolled her eyes searching all the way to the back of Grace's closet before pulling what she was looking for out.

“Here this should work.”. Grace widened her eyes as she saw what Jen was holding.

It was probably the lowest cut thing she owned. It was a spaghetti strapped bright purple dress that Grace usually only wore when she went clubbing which was rarely ever.

“Uh can we just find a happy in between.” She pleaded ignoring the dress Jen was still holding.

Jen sighed going back to the closet finally finding a short sleeved knee length gray dress. She knew that it would show enough cleavage without making Grace completely freak out.

Grace rolled her eyes as Jen tossed the dress at her before speaking up. “Wear those black peep toe heels with it and please do something cute with your hair.”

Jen left the room leaving Grace alone to slip the dress on over the matching lace bra and boy-shorts that Jen had deemed appropriate enough to wear.

She was still trying to figure out exactly why she was doing this, well excluding the fact that she'd agreed to do this in order for him to leave the salon yesterday.

Grace wasn't exactly sure what she should call this then. Was this just her meeting up to her end of the deal and letting him take her out to make it up to her, whatever that meant. Or should she think of this as just a normal first date.

She hadn't been out a date in a while, well a while being two years actually. Yes it did make her feel a little pathetic to know that she hadn't been on a decent real date in two years.

Anytime that someone had tried to take her out though she'd shot them down or tried to scare them off. She knew that it was unhealthy and she needed to put a stop to it.
Jen had spent more than enough time telling her that she should put a stop to hiding from men and maybe she was right.

She didn't have too much time to think about this whole dating dilemma since she heard Jen's excited voice on the other end of her door. “He's here. Come on he's waiting for you.”

She frowned staring it the mirror. Damn she didn't do anything to her hair. She quickly picked up hair clip pulling her long hair back into something that looked somewhat tidy before she left her room shutting the door behind her.

She ignored Jen's glare that seemed to be telling her 'I thought I told you to actually do your hair', as she entered the living room.

She felt her cheeks darken a little as Tre stood up from his place on their worn down black couch. She studied him thankful that she hadn't seemed to have over dressed since he was wearing a black short sleeved button down shirt and some black pants with a beaten up pair of converse.

He took her by surprise when he held out a bouquet of orange-red roses as he spoke up. “I wasn't sure what kind of flowers you liked. So I thought that these were a safe bet.”

Grace managed to work out a quick thank you while ignoring Jen's grinning face. She put the flowers in the kitchen in the only vase that they seemed to own, before she made her way back to the living room grateful to see that Jen wasn't talking Tre's ear off.

“Okay I guess we should go.” She stated still ignoring the look on Jen's face.

The last thing she heard before she shut the front door behind her was her roommates voice stating. “I won't wait up for you.”

Grace raised an eyebrow as he opened the passengers door to his car to reveal a stuffed blue T-Rex sitting in the seat. Tre spoke up widening his eyes as he noticed it. “Oh crap. Sorry that's my son's....Frankito tends to leave his things everywhere. I have no idea how this got up here.”

She watched him grab the stuffed animal and toss it into the back seat before running over and climbing into the drivers seat.

She finally spoke up feeling a little surprised as she put her seat belt on. “You have a kid?”

“Yeah uh two actually.” Tre stated reaching in his pants pocket and pulling out his wallet before handing it to her.

She started down at the picture he was showing her of two children a girl and a boy. “Their both really cute......they look a lot like you.”

“Oh so you think I'm cute.” Tre blurted out smirking as she rolled her eyes and handed him his wallet back.

She spoke up as she watched him shove his wallet back into his pocket. “I think your kids are cute I wasn't including you in that description.”

“Humph well I never.” Tre stated pretending to be offended as he pulled out of her driveway.

He finally spoke up again knowing he would have to explain this all to her. “My daughter Ramona is nine and she lives with her mother in New York. So I don't get to see her as often as I'd like. My son Frankito he just turned three a couple of months ago . I still live with him and my ex wife. It's a little awkward but it's whats best for him. That doesn't bother you right”

She glanced over at him noticing his anxious look. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she spoke up. “No I guess it doesn't I mean it's whats best for your son. You've been divorced twice.”

“Yeah.”. He said not wanting to overload her with everything all at once.

He couldn't help but to fear that he'd ruined this date and they hadn't even made it to the restaurant yet.

She glanced out the window as they stopped at a red light. She spoke up taking him and herself by surprise. “I was engaged. When I was nineteen....It didn't work.”

“Why not?” Tre asked automatically regretting it.

She shrugged giving him a nervous smile. “Lots of reasons. The main one being I wanted kids and he hated kids. We were way to young to be engaged anyway.”

“Oh.....well uh are you from Oakland originally?” Tre asked trying to change the subject to something more pleasant.

“No I'm from a little gulf side town in Texas.”

“I'm from northern California. I grew up in a little town called Willits. We didn't really live in town we actually lived up in the mountains with all these hippies, but I was born in Germany. My dad was stationed there at the time. He was in the military.” Tre said beginning to feel a little more at ease with the hope that he hadn't completely ruined this date..

“My dad was a funeral director........I actually kind of grew up in a home run funeral home. It's kind of been the family business since like the 1800s. I mean his dad was one and his dad before that. One of my older brothers is in the business too. I hope that doesn't' completely freak you out.” Grace blurted out staring at his face looking for any sign of horror.

Tre widened his eyes as he heard this. “Why would it freak me out?”

She couldn't help but to snicker at this question. “Well hearing that I grew up in a funeral home usually makes people a little wary of me. It's not like I really had anything to do with the whole funeral business, but people still aren't too comfortable with it.”

“Well you aren't going to get rid of me that easily. Trust me you're completely stuck with me” Tre stated grinning over at her.

She let out an anxious sigh. Somehow she wasn't sure how she felt about being stuck with him.