This is the third story of three that tells my little take of what could have been, last story of the three. Another AU. Thanks to my beta team Cindy, Molly and Tania for reading. Any errors are mine. My net story will be the last chapter of "It's About Time." Happy holidays!

***SMK***

"Hi handsome," Amanda said, walking up to the table in the hotel restaurant where a rather attractive man was seated. She kissed him on the cheek then sat down next to him.

"Hi yourself."

"I'm sorry it took so long," she said as she placed her purse in one of the empty chairs at their table.

"That's okay," he responded. "The others aren't back yet anyway."

"Oh, good."

"How did it go?" He asked.

"About as well as I expected."

"Really? That's too bad," he replied though you could tell he didn't feel bad about it at all.

"Oh, you!" she said slapping him playfully on the arm. "Don't be so smug, if you hadn't come to your senses who knows it might have been you I was meeting for a drink to catch up."

He grunted and frowned but then said, "Well, I'm just glad I did come to my senses."

She smiled. "Thanks for being so understanding about it though…I know how it can be. I'm not sure how I would've responded if you'd said you needed to meet with one of your exes."

"I don't know, I think you would be okay," came the reply.

"Well, I don't want us to run into one to find out," she ran her hand along his arm.

"Neither do I," he said with a smile, lightly touching her cheek with his hand.

"What else could I say but yes, considering I ran into him while I was out shopping and you were at a meeting—"

"Yes, funny, your running into him in New York of all places. You would think you would have seen him in Washington."

"Well, we aren't in the same circles anymore. I'm still at the agency and apparently, he has a consulting firm that takes him all over the world."

Her companion picked up his menu and absentmindedly looked at it. "So, what did you talk about?"

Amanda looked at her husband and smiled. He would never come right out and say what he was trying to ask her but she knew what he was thinking nevertheless and she couldn't blame him. She'd probably be the same.

"Mother, Curt and the kids will be here soon, so let me tell you about it quickly."

"Sure," her husband said, putting down the menu.

"Well, you know he knew about our relationship; he was still at the agency when you came back to town and asked me out. Remember?"

"Yes of course I remember," Alan replied quickly. "I always suspected that was the reason he left."

"Well, you were right. Lee came right out and said that his feelings for me had begun to grow stronger, but he was scared. Then you came along and you didn't seem afraid."

"Wow!" Alan said. He always figured as much but… "So, is that why he left, the agency that is?"

"Yes. Exactly."

"But he never told you? That he cared for you I mean."

"No, in so many words, no…he and I did go out once or twice for drinks, food and no work talk but then, that was it."

"Lucky for me."

Amanda ignored his comment and went on with her story. "He said he thought about it but then by that time, I don't know, I guess he got cold feet. Anyway, it was good seeing him; he was a good partner and friend."

"Did you have feelings for him?"

"Yes, you know I did but once he didn't reciprocate," she shrugged her shoulder. "And there was this one woman he was seeing around the time I was interested and thought we were going somewhere but then, he just, dropped the ball." They were quiet for a moment. "And then you kept coming back to Washington and the initial chemistry we had when we first met, grew and we had things in common."

"And before long you fell in love with me." His smile grew bright.

"Exactly. I love you very much."

"And, I love you," Alan said, then began. "I know I shouldn't ask this but, Amanda—"

"If he had told me how he felt then, would I have stopped seeing you?"

"Well, yes. What would you have done?"

"I honestly don't know. I guess it would have depended on when he told me, but you know what?"

Alan frowned, "What?"

"It doesn't matter; I'm happy with the way things turned out."

"No regrets?"

"No, none."

"Good." Alan reached over and lightly kissed her on the lips.

"You two cut that out—" Dotty said walking up to the table. "You might end up with another one of these." She said tilting her head toward the toddler in her arms. "And, I'm not quite ready for one more…yet."

Amanda smiled as she looked up at her son, sleeping in his grandmother's arms.

"No point hinting mother, you know Alan and I decided that one child was enough."

Alan smiled.

"Well, I—you can't stop a grandmother from trying. A little girl would—"

"Mother, where are the boys and Curt?"

"Oh, they went upstairs to change for dinner. I'll take little Carl here upstairs and let him rest a little longer then we will come back down and join you for dinner. Boy, the time we had seeing the sites, Amanda." She said and turned away. "Oh, Amanda, I could have sworn I saw that co-worker, you used to work with, Lee Steadman or was it, Stetson. I never could get his name right. Anyway, but I must've imagined it."

"I don't know," Amanda said smiling at Alan. "Maybe it was him."

"I met him once…you know for a minute there I thought you were seeing him. Oh well, Alan here is a great son-in-law and I couldn't be happier." She said leaving even before Alan or Amanda could even say a word.

"Neither could I," Amanda said, moving in to give her husband another kiss.

"Me either," Alan said, then added. "I'm so glad I called you a few months later after that incident with my sister and asked if you would give us a chance. That was the best day of my life; that and the birth of our son."

"Mine, too!"

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The end.

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Thanks for reading.

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