It became official for the Boys when we got to Cincinnati. Nick and Jessica gathered them into his hotel suite and told them the �big news�. From what Nick told me Ms. Jessica did most of the talking. Then after the stunned silence they all congratulated them both lead by Brian who already knew about the �big news�.
I remained skeptical of Jessica. She may be pregnant but is the baby even Nick�s? I thought. Nick told me about her �outrageous flirting�. Hell, even AJ told me, being that he was a target once. Nick also told me how he thought she was just with him until the next newer, faster, shinier, richer boat came along. I couldn�t help but be suspicious.
Nick was starting to withdraw from everyone again. This time I knew it was all his own doing. After he told me everything, he stopped talking to me almost all together. He was avoiding my chair like the black plague. Most if not all of my text messages were going unanswered. I eventually just stopped trying. Being completely shut out of Nick�s life hurt probably more than I�m willing to admit.
Ms. Jessica, on the other hand, was in her element. It became painfully obvious that the relationship between Nick and her had changed. While he wasn�t doting on her every chance he got, he was paying more attention to her than before. This set the trend for everyone else; even those who didn�t know about her pregnancy. I couldn�t take the �Jessica Lovefest� that was going on. I started spending more of my free time with Cookie and, on very rare occasions, Zeke as well.
�What�s wrong with you, girl?� Zeke asked me one day out of the clear blue sky. The Boys were onstage and I had wearily sat into my chair and remained there to contemplate the makeup brushes. I was really thinking about Nick and the way he had been acting towards me while in the makeup room. He basically ignored me.
�What do you mean?� I asked still staring at nothing in particular.
�Well you seem distracted. Obviously something�s wrong with you. Maybe I can help you out with it.�
�I�m fine,� I said facing him and giving him an almost sincere smile. Then curiosity got the best of me, �How would you help me out� if there were something wrong with me?�
�I don�t know. Maybe dinner or something? That�s what you need. A nice night out to get your mind off your troubles,� he said.
�Ok�,� I replied without thinking. For a long moment Zeke didn�t say anything. I think he either didn�t believe me or was afraid he�d mess up his chances.
�Is that an �Ok, I�ll go.� or an �Ok, whatever Zeke.�?� he asked finally.
�Ok I�ll go,� I told him.
�Really? Are you serious? Are you sure?�
�Yeah, I mean why not? It�s just dinner. We�ll just be hanging out. We don�t have anything better to do, might as well do it together.�
�Ok, well then when?�
�We could probably grab a bite tonight. Unless you�re thinking about doing something in particular.�
�Let�s wait till we get to Chicago. I know that area a little better. I know the perfect place we can go,� he said looking as eager as a newly adopted pup.
�Ok� why not. That�s the next stop I think I can handle my �troubles� until then,� I told him.
I know what you�re thinking, �Why did you just make a date with Zeke?� Truthfully, and I can say this now that I look back on the situation, I did it to have something to do. I realize that sounds so bad but I had to do something. I couldn�t continue to think about Nick and his problems. There was nothing I could do about them. So, why should I worry myself over them? I needed a distraction. Zeke would do as well as anyone else. Besides, this was not a date. We were just going to have dinner. . . as friends. That�s what I was thinking anyway.
As soon as we got within the Chicago city limits Zeke approached me.
�We still on for that dinner?� he asked.
�Huh? Oh! Yeah, yeah we are,� I said looking up from my magazine. �Where are we going?�
�Some place nice and cozy,� he replied with a wink. I honestly couldn�t believe he said that to me for a moment.
�What does that mean?�
�Dang girl! Can�t it be a surprise?� he asked slightly irritated.
�You know that this is just a friendly dinner, right?� I asked looking him straight in the eye. For the briefest moments he stared back before nodding his agreement. I still noticed the look of determination in his eyes. �Ok good. I just want to know because I need to know what to wear. So where are we going?�
�It�s this little rhythm and blues joint that I know. Nothing fancy. They got good music and good soul food,� he replied grudgingly.
�Ok thanks. I think I know what I�ll wear then,� I said with a satisfied smile. Zeke stared at me for a long moment. Then he gave me a very beautiful smile, winked at me and walked away. I chuckled to myself that that evening should prove to be interesting.
Zeke called my room to let me know he would be coming to pick me up soon. For the most part I was ready. I was dressed in dark blue jeans, a black tank top and my black leather bomber jacket in case it got nippy. On my feet I wore black low heel ankle boots. I brushed my hair down into a low ponytail, fastened my silver hoop earrings to my ears and my silver chain necklace around my neck.
�I still can not believe it,� Cookie said watching me from the middle of her bed.
�Can not believe what?� I asked.
�You! Or, actually, you going out with Zeke. I just can not believe it.�
�We�re just going out as friends, colleagues, associates, buddies, ya know. I�m tired of sitting around here waiting for Nick to start talking to me again. I need to do something to occupy my time and my thoughts. Anyway, I can handle Zeke.�
�I�m just saying it�s no secret that he wants you.�
�Oh please! Zeke wants every woman that crosses his path. He�s like a high school boy. Like I said, I can handle him. Just because he wants me doesn�t mean he�s going to get me.�
�Be that as it may, Zeke has got you on his radar screen and tonight is just the beginning. He�s a very determined man. While you�ve been trying to save Nick from the clutches of his girlfriend I got a chance to get to know Zeke a little bit better.�
�Really? And just what did you find out?� I asked stopping what I was doing to give her my full attention.
�I learned that he�s a very determined individual who would stop at nothing to get what he wants. He�s an only child and was spoiled heavily because of it. He told me that he has always gotten what he wants. . . it just takes a bit of patience, determination and a whole lot of balls. And to use his own words he has �enough of it to spare�.�
�Oh, would you stop prophesizing, Yoda. He can want me all he wants. He can be as patient and as determined as he wants, but I don�t want Zeke. I doubt very seriously that tonight will change that,� I said tossing my lip gloss into my bag. There was a knock on the door. �Well that should be for me.�
�Go on. I hope you have a good time.�
�Me too,� I said with a smile. I opened the door to Zeke. I won�t bore you with the details of our �date,� even though it was anything but. We had fun and that was that. There was good food, good music and surprisingly good company. I have to give Zeke credit. He was a complete gentlemen and gave me the distraction from Nick that I needed. To ensure that Zeke knew it wasn�t a date I offered to and paid for my share. The only thing I didn�t pay for was the cab ride. I tried to when we got back to the hotel but Zeke insisted and practically shoved my money back into my purse. Even though the �date� meant nothing to me it apparently meant something to someone as it was the topic of discussion the next day. I guess news travels fast even amongst tour buses.
