It's opening night of yet another club on South Beach and Elliott, David, Samantha, her girlfriend Tamara and I are all on the dance floor. I can't believe I got in here, it's all because of Elliott I'm sure, before I met him I never would have been able to get in, I never would have thought about it. Elliott gives me a signal and I follow him off the dance floor and to the bar. Just as we make it there I see JC Chasez from NSYNC walking through the crowd with Tara Reid and their crew. I've already seen Ricky Martin and Alex Rodriguez, this is so surreal. Elliott hands me a drink and I smiled as he leaned into me,
"So, the boyfriend doesn't mind you partying without him?" I roll my eyes and shake my head,
"No, besides, I don't need his permission." He laughs,
"Yeah right. So you didn't tell him?" I smirk and shrug my shoulders,
"No big deal." He laughs as I take a hold of the back of his shirt and we make our way across the room. John and I have been dating for four and a half months and it is a really cool relationship. In fact, it was damn near perfect. All that matters to my parents and my brother is that he's black. He is a little older, twenty-eight, so he's out of the boyish bullshit and he is a junior executive at Carnival Cruiselines. Which works out great for cheap cruises, in fact, he is in Jamaica right now. He and his sister took their parents on a cruise for their thirtieth wedding anniversary. I look to my left and no way, it can't be. It's Nick sitting with a couple of guys and a couple of girls. I don't see Larry, I guess he only has him when he's working. I watch as one of the girls runs her hand through his hair and either kisses his ear or speaks into it. Elliott and I join the others at a table as I sip on my drink and people watch, Nick out of my line of sight. I hadn't seen him in nine months, I hadn't talked to him in nine months. The last time we had any contact was at the airport in Los Angeles when we departed the plane from Mexico and he hugged and kissed me and told me he'd call me. He didn't even walk me to my gate, that should have been a clue right there. I lean over to Elliott,
"I'm gonna go to the restroom, be back." I didn't have to go to the restroom and I didn't have a reason to get up except to go get a closer look of Nick and hope he remembers me. I walk by slowly and just as I make it directly in front of his table a guy held onto my arm. Any other time I would have given him a dirty look and pulled away but it gave me an excuse to stand near Nick. He smiles and we exchange names. I manuever so his back is to Nick and I stand before him and look directly at Nick. A couple of minutes go by and we finally lock eyes for a second before I go back to giving the guy my full attention. Suddenly, everything becomes funny as I laugh and step to the side just a little so Nick can get a full view of me. I'm glad I decided to wear the short black skirt and the little top that left half my boobs out, I felt particularly sexy. It was Miami, it was the night life and it was summer, why not. When I think he's looking at me I run my tongue over my lips slowly and catch Nick's eye. The look on his face let's me know he sees me but other than that I wouldn't know so I figure he doesn't know I see him. I walk away from my suitor after letting him know I wasn't interested and made it around the corner towards the restroom. Once I go in I look at myself in the mirror and take a deep breath, my heart is racing and I am so nervous. I don't know what I'm doing, why I'm playing this game as I walk back out but I still can't help but walk the same path but this time I was very close to his table. He couldn't help but see me, but the question was did he give a damn. As I make my way through the crowd I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn,
"Hey, are you Quinn?" I nod my head and he points over his shoulder,
"Nick wants to see you later." I look over his shoulder and nod my head,
"When? Ok." He shrugs and shakes his head,
"You have a cell phone?" I shake my head,
"Not with me." He nods and looks around,
"Follow me." We go up to the bar and I hear him tell the guy he's with Nick Carter and he needs a something or other, I couldn't hear much else. He turns and hands me a clear pager,
"When this goes off come over to the table." I nod and he walks off as I look at the pager, what kind of club is this? The rich and beautiful think of everything don't they. I make it back to the table and keep the pager in my hand so no one sees it. Jesus, I'm carrying a fucking pager. Now, I'm at his beck and call, I think as I shake my head.
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Chapter 76a