When we got back to the hotel, I was still worried about John, and shaken up about the whole night.

I had come to New York with all these ideas that John was going to sweep me off my feet. And *that* had to happen.

Nick could read me like a book. He knew I was upset. He knew I was worried. And he knew I wasn't going to sleep anytime soon.

We took the elevator up to our floor - my room was down the hall from their suite - and Nick told me to go to relax. "I'll have them send up something for you," Nick promised, as he headed back to their suite.

I got changed into my pajamas - I had brought a set of powder blue pajamas, and a pale yellow, long negligee. Obviously, I had hoped I'd be using the latter in a romantic situation with John - instead I put on the blue jammies. Nick showed up later, waiting until room service brought whatever he'd ordered for me. He'd changed as well - instead of his normal flashy concert garb, he was wearing a t-shirt and cords.

To my surprise when room service showed up, the bellboy lifted up the silver dome sitting on the cart he'd taken to my room - and sitting under there was a huge plate of Oreos and two mugs of hot milk. Nick gave the bellboy a tip, and sent him on his way, shutting the door behind him.

"Milk and cookies?" I asked, slightly amused.

Nick laughed. "I'm trying to keep this a family show," he replied wryly, reaching for one of the mugs.

Come to think of it, it's kinda funny the way things worked out. Nick and I spent the next hour, chomping on the cookies that I'd remembered fondly from my childhood, and just talking about stuff. Any kind of stuff. He had this thoughtful look on his face when he was listening to me - the same kind of face that I had hoped that John had when he was talking to me on the phone. Maybe John was completely different when I wasn't around - and that was evidenced by the way he partied. I wasn't so sure if me and him were...right.

On the other hand, Nick made me feel completely at ease. He even told me how he'd met, at a party, an amazing woman - her name was Julie Anne. And by the way Nick talked about her, it was obvious the guy was plain nuts over her.

"I think I may ask her to marry me one of these days," Nick confided in me, showing me a picture of the lovely Julie Anne. "If I ever work up the nerve."

It was my turn to be supportive to Nick. "Nicky, if she loves you as much as you love her - nothing can stop it. I sometimes say that love is like a speeding train - it doesn't stop for anybody." Nick grinned at my analogy. "I think you're right. I'm just waiting for the right time, that's all." I soon got sleepy, and after the Oreos were long gone, I yawned deeply.

"Now, I think *now* you can go to sleep," Nick said smiling. "Right?"

I nodded. "I think so. Wow Nicky, you're good. You're real good." I forgot about the scene with John - almost.

Nick pretended to bow. "Thanks, Gracie. I should get some rest. You should too."

Nodding again, I weakly said, "thank you Nick. For everything tonight."

He gave me a hug before he left that night. "Everything happens for a reason. I'm glad I was there for you tonight." He squeezed my shoulders. "Now, get to bed I say!"

The next morning, I woke up reasonably early. I don't sleep that wonderfully when I'm in a strange place, and not in my own bed.

It was still pretty early but I thought I would go over to the guys' suite and see who was up. Right when I was approaching their hotel room, a young girl, probably around my age, maybe younger, came out, looking disheveled. Like she had just gotten out of bed - out of someone's bed that's for sure - and had to peel out of there fast. I actually wondered which of the guys she was "the spoils of war" for. She pulled on a pump onto her foot, as she went out the door.

"Who are you?" she asked condescendingly, as she held the door open, as if to pause and yell something back to someone inside.

"Old enough to know better," I responded coldly, noting her jailbait attitude and considering how young she probably was. "Who wants to know?"

"Yeah, you *are* a little old," she replied in an acidic tone. And if she got a certain satisfaction from yelling it, she shouted something that would resonate in me for years.

"John, I had a wonderful time last night...thank you for making my year. Same time next year honey."

I think she wanted to see my reaction. How did she have any idea that John was who I was in love with? As if John told her...

This girl was jailbait for sure. But she smirked as she strode down the hallway, trying to slip on a jacket onto her shoulders, whistling as she went. I almost fainted. I did have enough to slip through the gap between the door and the wall. Roger was reading the New York Times, and Nick was sitting eating an Eggs Benedict.

I must have looked terrible. I must have been completely green, or completely pale, or a mixture of both. One night to make me upset was enough. But this just took the cake...

Roger dropped the paper. "Oh god Grace, are you all right? You don't look so good." I'm sure he was concerned as anybody. No doubt the whole floor heard that girl - let alone the five of them.

I sighed deeply, trying to steady myself. "I think so..." I collapsed in the sofa near the coffee table.

Nick got up and rushed to my side. "My dear Gracie...I wish you didn't have to witness that."

I would have croaked a "I wish I hadn't witnessed that either!" but I couldn't make it out. Feeling violently ill, I tried to get up but just ended up falling back down.

Willing myself to get up, I pushed myself off the sofa. "Gracie, say something. Anything," Nick insisted. I couldn't say anything. I just ran out of there and back to my room, where I locked the door behind me and sobbed into my pillow.

Grace, why did you even bother coming to New York? You should have guessed this would have happened. John is young, virile, and a little too randy.

I think I was more embarrassed than anything else. Simon hitting on me should have indicated some deeper problem. That they were leapfrogs and I should have just accepted it.

But instead I had put all my faith into John and look where it got me. Look at yourself, Grace Huang, you are a blubbering idiot because some rock star took your heart and stomped on it. There was insistent knocking on my door - but I wouldn't answer it. Part of me wanted that to be John - coming in and apologizing and saying that it was all a big misunderstanding and that it was Simon's girl for the night, not his...

"Gracie! Please, open up! Don't do anything stupid..." a voice resonated from behind the door. A worried voice.

The unmistakable Brummie drawl of Nick Rhodes.

"Nick," I wailed. "Go away. I need time to myself...from that...that...womanizer..."

Nick sighed. Audibly. "Gracie, honey. You guys need to talk. There's no use in hiding from John..."

That did it. I got up, wiping the tears from my eyes, to open the door. "I am *not* hiding from John," I said, annoyed he would say anything of the sort. "Why would *I* want to hide from that...that..."

I trembled slightly, Nick putting his hand on my shoulder. "John has got some personal problems he needs to work out. It's not you, Gracie. Not you at all." Taking my hand, he led me and gestured for me to sit on the bed, him sitting next to me.

My tears still fell. "Nick, why didn't he just dump me? He has the world's women eating out of his hand. He doesn't need me. I'm a frumpy groupie. That's it. A frumpy groupie. I never should have *thought* a rock star would care about me. I think I'm going to try and take the next flight out of Kennedy. I don't want to stay here, Nick. If John doesn't want me here, and wants to get drunk every night and ignore me..."

"Grace, don't talk like that. It's the drugs and alcohol that's talking when he does stupid stuff like that. He can be a bloody louse that's for sure. But that's not the real John Taylor. And the real John Taylor loves you."

I choked back a sob. "It's a little hard to believe that. I know that John would never be completely faithful. I accepted that. It's the rock star's life. Groupies hang around, and every once in a while one of them falls into your bed."

Nick sighed again. "Gracie...it isn't like that..."

"Why are you so insistent on defending John? Why, Nick? Why?"

He thought for a moment. "John and I are the best of friends, and have been for over twelve years. I know him like a brother. We were both only children, you know, and he was the one I went with to see Roxy Music and Brian Ferry, and we both used to race down to the corner music store to get the latest David Bowie 45s together. We know each other so well, I know how John's heart works. And when he makes room in there for someone - it's for life. He might have a fling here and there - but that's different. John won't make the effort for just anybody. You're not just anybody, Gracie. I hope you realize that."