secrets*
chapter 07
It was New Year�s Eve. Brooklyn went to New York City with JC to celebrate the holiday. They had been going out for about 2 months. Everything was going great so far. They got a long great. JC called Brooklyn everyday even if it was a quick hi.
Brooklyn got to NYC a few days before New Year�s Eve. She finally got to meet the rest of *NSYNC. She thought they were gentlemen and even a little funny.
After New Year�s, JC was taking Brooke down to Maryland to meet his parents.
�JC I�m scared.� Brooklyn grabbed his hand as they walked up to the front door.
He squeezed her hand. Kissing her temple. �You�ll be fine baby. They already love you.�
JC opened the front door and they walked inside.
�Mom, Dad, I�m home.� He said
�Joshua!� A woman shouted from the kitchen.
His mother came out of the kitchen arms open ready to hug her son. JC�s dad walked in seconds later giving JC a hug also.
�How are you son?� He asked
�Great Dad.�
�Good for you.�
�I�d like you two to meet Brooklyn. Brooke this is my mom Karen, and my dad Roy.�
�Nice to meet you two.� Brooklyn smiled.
After giving them hugs, they walked into the living room to talk and get to know everyone.
*****
That night after dinner. Heather, JC�s sister and Brooklyn decided to go late shopping. Not as many people would be there.
JC was in the kitchen helping his parents pick up the dinner.
�Josh, I like Brooklyn. She�s very nice, wonderful young lady.� JC�s father said.
�Yes she is, I agree with your father and she�s beautiful.� His mom said
JC smiled. �Yes she is mom.�
�How long have you two been dating?� Roy asked
�A little longer than 2 months.�
�How do you feel about her?�
�I think I love her.�
�Have you told her that yet?� Karen asked
�No I don�t want to say it too soon and scare her. I want to tell her the right way, when I know it�s the right place and time.�
�I think you got your sensitive side from your father. You�re such a sweet gentleman. No wonder you�re a ladies man.� Karen said
�Mom I�m not a ladies man.� He laughed.
�Oh right, that�s Joey.�
JC chuckled. He finished drying the dishes then went into the living room to play video games with his brother, Tyler.
A few hours later Heather and Brooklyn finally got home. They were laughing about something when they walked in the door.
�What�s so funny?� Tyler asked
�This one guy walked by Brooke and he�s all flirting with her and he�s like you like my fine ass huh? And she�s like what ass? You should have seen the look on that guys face. It was like he got caught red handed by his mama.� Heather said still laughing.
Brooklyn sat next to JC on the couch. He put his arm around her shoulder, he kissed her lips softly.
�You shot him down huh?�
�Yeah his face was priceless.� She smiled. JC laughed.
�Are you going two staying here tonight or going to a hotel?� Tyler asked
�There�s no room here. Mom turned my room into her office.� JC said
�Are you sure Josh, we can make room?� His mother said
�Nah, it�s alright mom.�
�Ok then.�
JC looked at Brooklyn. �Ready to go?�
�Yep.�
They stood up and said goodbye to everyone. Then leaving to the hotel.
*****
The next day, The Chasez�s were having a barbeque with close friends and family.
Brooklyn was having a great time. She got to meet JC�s aunts and uncles and his many cousins. The rest of *NSYNC was there. Chris and Brooklyn were playing pranks on JC� younger cousins and JC was trying to defend them.
�Ashley, go up to C and say �your mama.�� Chris told JC�s 4 year old cousin. She giggled. �Kay.� She ran over to JC.
�C!�
�What sweetie?� JC asked picking her up and setting her on his lap.
�Yo mama.� She slurred. Not saying it correctly.
He looked up at Chris and Brooklyn sitting on the other table laughing.
�Ash, don�t listen to those two, okay?� JC told her.
�Kay.� She smiled. He set her down back on the ground and she ran back to Chris and Brooklyn.
�You trouble C said.� She said making a tough face.
�You�re so adorable.� Brooklyn said pinching her cheeks.
The little girl giggled loudly.
*****
Later that night the barbeque was finished. Some people left but other stayed around for a little longer. JC was inside talking with some of his aunts and uncles. Brooklyn was still outside trying to play the Nerf ball tennis in the dark with Justin, Chris and Joey.
�Where�d it go?� Brooklyn said
�You lost it!� Joey said
Lance, you�re not doing anything, go get the ball across the fence.� Justin said
Lance sat on the patio, �Who do I look like? A retriever?�
�Exactly.�
�Fuck you.�
�I�ll go get it.� Joey said. Chris and Justin tried to help him jump the fence.
�I�m gonna go get another drink. Be right back.� Brooklyn said. She walked inside the house. She heard everyone talking in the living room. She quietly made her way to the kitchen to get a soda. On her way back she heard her name mentioned in the living room. She stopped for a second to ease drop.
�How long have you two been together?� One of JC�s aunts asked
�2 months.� She heard JC say.
�And she lives in Denver?� Another person said.
�Yeah.�
�Do you love her?� His uncle asked
Brooklyn froze. �Oh my god! What is he going to say?� She thought to herself.
�Yes.� JC said smiling.
Brooklyn�s heart skipped a beat. �He loves me.� She smiled then continued to walk back to the backyard.
*****
Brooklyn got to work at 4 p.m. When she got there, there was a line of girls outside. She walked inside, Sara was at the front desk.
�Hey Brooke.� Sara said
�Hi, why the hell are all those girls outside?�
�Justin Timberlake is staying here. He has a concert in 2 days.� Sara said
�Oh�I�ve met him before. He�s a nice guy.�
�Are you serious? When did you meet him?�
�Around New Year�s Eve when I went to New York.�
�What�s up with you always going on these trips recently?�
�I don�t know, just go to have fun.�
�And you can�t even invite your best friend?�
�Sorry I thought you had to work.�
�Brooklyn��
�What? I�m sorry, next time we�ll go somewhere.�
�I�ll remember that.�
�Ok, you do that.� Brooklyn walked back into the staff only area. She clocked in and began her evening of work.
*****
1 a.m.
Brooklyn was sitting behind the front desk reading a magazine. It was dead for the last hour or so.
�Brooklyn?� She heard someone call her name.
She looked up seeing Justin.
�Hey Justin.�
�You work here?�
�Yeah, didn�t JC tell you?�
�I think so, I was probably blocking him out.�
Brooke chuckled. �So what�s up? Why are you up at 1 in the morning?�
�Midnight snack.� Justin smiled.
�I think the chef went on his break a while ago, but come with me and we�ll find you something.� She said. He followed her to the kitchen.
�So do you like working here?� He asked
�Yeah, I like the late hours cause not too many people come in. It slows down around like 11.�
�That�s cool�.So how long have you and JC been together?�
�Um�this month will be 3 months.�
�Oh how exciting.�
Brooklyn laughed. �Yeah.�
�You�re so awesome Brooke. You�re a great girl and you make JC happy.�
She smiled. �Thanks�so what do you want to eat?�
�What do you have?�
�Anything and everything.�
�Got a turkey sandwich?�
�That�s all?�
�And a soda.�
She got out the already made sandwich and a soda. She looked around in the frig.
�Ooo�cheesecake.�
�Some of that too.� He laughed.
She got out 2 forks and they ate from the whole cheesecake.
�If I get in trouble for this, I�m blaming it on you.� Brooke said
�It�s all good.� He smiled with his mouth full. He swallowed the food down. �Hey did you know JC is coming here tomorrow?�
�Really? No I didn�t. Ever since you got here, you�ve made my mostly boring nights interesting.�
He chuckled.
�It was crazy today, it was about 5 and these 2 girls started bitch fighting outside and I had to go stop it.�
�Are you serious? What were they fighting about?�
�You. One of them was dissin� on you and the other one got a little mad.�
He chuckled. �Girls, you can�t live with them or without them.�
�Oh gosh!� Brooke laughed.
Brooklyn heard the front desk phone ring. She jumped up running to answer it.
�Hotel Monaco, this is Brooklyn.� She said
�Hey baby, I wasn�t sure if you were still there.� JC said
�Hi, yeah I�m still here. I get off at 2. So like another half an hour.�
�That�s cool. What are you up to?�
�Making Justin as midnight snack.� She laughed.
�That kid is weird sometimes.� He said
�Why you talkin� you were taking a shower at midnight.�
�Oh yeah.� He laughed. �Well that�s not unusual for me�.anyway, I forgot to tell you I�m going to be in Denver tomorrow.�
�Yeah Justin told me. What time are you going to be here?�
�About noon. Do you have school tomorrow?�
�Yeah till like 3.�
�Why do late?�
�I don�t go in till 11. And I have 2 classes, each of them are 2 long hours of lectures.
�Oh fun.�
�Yeah right.�
�Can I ask you a question?�
�Sure.�
�What are you doing next week?�
�What�s next week?�
�Valentine�s Day.�
She smiled. �Um�nothing that I know of besides working and school�no wait, we have 4 days off from school. Some mini-break thing.�
�Can you take those 4 days off of work and come spend it with your wonderful boyfriend?� He smiled
She laughed. �I�ll have to see if I can get off, okay?�
�Ok.�
�So what are we going to do?�
�You�ll have to wait and see.�
�Would I be going to LA?�
�If that�s ok with you?�
�That�s fine.�
�Cool. Well I better let you go. It�s almost 2.� He said
She looked at the clock. �Yeah�sleep.�
He laughed. �I�ll call you tomorrow.�
�Ok, bye.�
�Bye.� JC had to bite his tongue not to say I love you. There had been so many time when he was close to telling her. He hung up the phone and went to bed.
Brooklyn hung up the phone and went to find Justin still in the kitchen. He finished his food and then went back up to his hotel room. Brooklyn clocked out, leaving to go home.