Chapter One "Nick, Come here... Hurry!" yelled Ashley "What's wrong girl?" He said walking into the kitchen from where Ashley had been calling for him and saw her with a bowl of jello in one arm and a plate of hambugers in the other. "Get this. I am about to drop it" She said as she handed Nick a huge bowl of Jello "What the hell do you need all this Jello for? The only person that eats it is Sam. And I know she can't eat THAT much!" Nick was refering to Ashley's little girl Samatha "Shut up! Lots of people eat Jello." "Yeah whatever girl! You ready to get this party rollin?"He said as he stepped stepped out the door onto the back porch where there were people starting to come for the big 4th of July party Ashley was having. Ashley and Nick were becoming good friends. He met her at a show in LA where she was working as their personal trainer since theirs was sick. She and him hit it of instantly and have been friends since. Her family always had a cookout for the 4th of July and this year she wanted to have it at her new house her dad just built for her. "Nick. Come on! I want you to meet my mom and dad. They are going to love you! I know it!" She said as she grabbed his arm and pulled him off to her parents. "Geez girl! You don't have to pull me I can walk on my own!" "Ahh. I see them. Come on." She said as she walked up behind her dad and jumped on his back "Daddy!" "Hey sweetie. You did and your mother did a great job w/ this place." He said refering to all of the red, white, and blue decarations she and her mom had put up earlier that day. "Thanks daddy. I have someone for you to meet!" She said as she pulled Nick a little closer to them "Mom, dad, This is Nick." "It's nice to finally meet you Nick. We hear about you all the time between Ash and Sam." Said Becky, Ashleys mom as she gave him a hug. "It's nice to meet you too. And I hope it was nothing mean they were talking about. Ash makes fun of me all the time." "Haha nothing bad Nick. I've heard some funny stories though." She said laughing "Nick! Come on I need you to help me out some more food!" Said Ashley as she once again grabbed his arm and pulled him off. "Damn girl. If you keep tugging at my arm you won't have to anymore.. you will have it for good!" Nick said laughing ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Hmmm. I say between two wks to a month." Becky said "I think they are too good of friends right now. I give it a couple of months, maybe longer." Gary, Ashley's dad said. " I just hope they get together. I like him.. He seems like really good guy." Said Becky grabbing a bowl of fruit. "Yeah. He is the kind of guy that Sam needs to have around and Ashley sure deserves to a guy that is nice to her." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ " Hey babe. It was a kickin party you had here. I'm glad you invited me. I'm going to go now though. It's been a long day and I need to get some sleep to come back over tomorrow to go swimming with ya'll" AJ said hugging Ashley "Thanks for comming. Get your rest. Are you going to bring that girl Nick was telling me about that you met the other day?" Ashley asked "I don't know. Probably not. You know it's only been two days since I met her. I can't be calling and asking her out on a date already. Later girl." He said as he kissed her cheek. "Boys" "Excuse me but I'm a man" AJ giggled walking out the door. " Whatever J.. Goodnight." Ashley said as she closed the door and walked out back to see Nick out there helping her parents clean up. " Mom , dad, why don't you go home Nick and I can clean up the rest of this." Ashley said picking up a couple of cups and throwing them into the trash can. "Are you sure honey?"Asked Becky "Yeah Becky. We're fine. You and Gary go home and get some rest. Ash and I have got it from here. There isn't too much more that we have to do tonight." Said Nick "Okay. Take care you Nick. It was nice meeting you." Said Gary as he walked up to Ashly and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Love you baby girl. I will see you on Sunday." "Love you too daddy." Ashley said as she gave him a hug and then walked up to her mom and gave her one "Bye mom love you" "Bye sweetie. Nick, It was nice meeting you. You should come to breakfast with us on Sunday morning." "Sure. I would love to." "Alright. Bye you two." Gary said as him and Becky walked into the house. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Ahh. I'm pooped. I think I am going to head to bed. I have to go pick Sam up from Karen's house at 10 then I think I am going to go to Target and get some new floaties for her cause she lost them somewhere. Do you need andything while I am out?" Asked Ashley as she and Nick were walking up the stairs. "Na, I'm fine I don't think I need anything. Goodnight girl. I had fun tonight." "Me too Nick. Nighty Nighty" She said winking to him because he always thought it was funy when she talked baby talk to him. She walked down the hall and to her bedroom and got all ready for bed. It had been a long day and she was about to fall asleep before she even got into bed.