Six

It was extremely strange for her the next day when she was set to leave for the airport. AJ kept apologizing for not being able to take her there himself. When she finally asked what the big deal was, he went somber. "I just feel bad. Being a bad host and all. Can’t even take you to the darned airport to say goodbye," he smiled loosely, showing a bit of playfulness through it all.

Nicole smiled in return. "You bought my ticket and got me a limo to and from airports both here and at home. You’re not a good host?"

With a jerky shrug, "Well, I wanted to be a great host."

She moved toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck while he returned the hug. "You’re being a wonderful host. Through all of this," she emphasized by tightening her hold.

AJ pressed his hands into her back, bringing her closer in their hug. "You’re my Babe," he smiled, thinking of all the times he had lately called her that, eliciting a roll of her eyes every time. "You know I’ll take care of you."

When Nicole leaned back from him, her hands rested at his shoulders and she stared into brown eyes. His lips gave off a crooked smile at her gaze. "I know you will," with a nod. "I’m so glad I met you. I’m so glad I came here and worked with you guys. And I’m so definitely glad I have you as a friend."

"Nic," he quickly admonished. "You’re talking like you’re leaving me." When she shrugged, he interrupted what she was about to say. "For good. Like you’re leaving for good. And you’re not. You promised me. You promised you’d come back."

With a smile, she fully pulled away from him. "And I will. I promised and I will."

Nicole was surprised when AJ moved forward for a soft kiss and even more so when he seemed casual as he moved away and around her to help with her baggage. As she thought over the past few days, he continually acted like that. Pushing something forward of care, then following it up with normal, friendly AJ. In some sense, she felt like he was testing how she would respond. But in other matters, Nicole just went along with it, figuring their friendship was becoming deeper than ever as she did in fact realize he was there for her.

The days she spent at home went by fast, filled with conversations with her closest friends, some with her parents about her decision to go back to visit with AJ. A few, her parents included, thought it was strange for her to go back out instead of staying in Chicago to find a job. But each person could read her insistence that this was what she wanted to do and this was what she was going to do.

Every day, she talked to AJ. Either by his calls, or her own. And as each day passed, she looked even more forward to returning. To spending more time with AJ and to continue with the travelling, all the while realizing that she had no real responsibilities through it all, as she had when she was on their payroll. The idea that she had lost the job was passing on as a more positive and acceptable note, which she was entirely too thankful for.

When she returned to the caravan of all that was Backstreet in New Mexico, she was delighted to find warmer weather than there was in the late winter months of Chicago. She was also delighted when AJ took her out that evening to an understated bar with dim lighting and a calmed atmosphere. There, it was certain he would not be mobbed by people and surrounded by hangers-on. Likely at most other bars they had frequented. And it was there that she realized how much she enjoyed his company as a person and not just as someone who she could have fun with.

From her side in the rounded booth, he fiddled with the straw in his mixed drink. "I think I’m coming to enjoy the fact that you’re unemployed." Nicole simply smiled in return, taking sips from her own glass. "We can actually go out. You were becoming so stuffy. All that talk about early mornings," he scoffed with a lighthearted expression.

"Well, despite the absence of a paycheck, I have certainly been having a better time than before."

His arm stretched out to the top of the padded seat, resting behind her head. "You’ve certainly been a lot more fun to be around."

With a mocking glance of seriousness, "I am trying."

"That’s good. Your effort definitely earns an A."

Nicole chuckled, shifting in her seat to face him at a better angle and watched him as his eyes scrolled over her face. He continued to watch her, putting her at unease with the constant eyes. In a steady, yet soft voice, "I’ve been really enjoying you lately." She laughed again, mostly at the seriousness of his statement and some at the uncomfortable feelings at the idea that he was in all seriousness. "I have," he smiled, putting his glass back to the table. "Without all the Kevin mess, you’ve really opened back up to me."

She sighed and glanced away from him. "I was beginning to wonder when you’d say that."

At the bother in her voice, he tried nicely, "Nicole."

"I mean it’s been a few days since you’ve last mentioned this whole thing. I was waiting for it to be said again."

His fingers touched at her arm to bring her sight back to him. "I’m just saying that without you worrying about him, you’ve been yourself again."

"I wasn’t myself?" she asked oddly.

"No, you weren’t. I was kinda wondering about you, in fact. You were getting pretty wrapped up into him."

"You were worried?" When he nodded, she continued on, feeling it was time things were discussed. "For my sake or for yours?"

His fingers went up to sweep away a bit of her blonde bangs in a caring move. The dark eyes dazed over her face as he talked. "You know, I really care about you. And you mock me like I talk like this just because."

In a soft voice, feeling under a trance to his movements, Nicole tried to sound steady. "I don’t mock you."

"You don’t ever believe me when I’m like this."

Suddenly, it was like everything clicked in her head and Nicole was certain he was acting the way he was lately with a real intention in mind. She was overwhelmed with an immense need to say or do something, but was completely silenced and unable to think. When she could talk, her voice went low and fixed "So, you’re serious when you act like this?"

A smile broke on his lips. "What? You think I act like this to all the ladies." He was pegged with her look. She obviously looked like she was not believing that statement at all. "Okay, okay. Maybe I do. But with you," his hand came up to move hair again. "I mean it."

With a wavering smile, Nicole reached up to pull his hand away from her face. "You’re scaring me."

"Nic," he smiled through her demeanor, which was a cross between being flattered and uncomfortable at being flattered.

She glanced at him. "You’re serious?"

"Completely."

Taking a breath, she looked to her hands, realizing how confusing everything suddenly became. As if things were already confusing and awkward, everything just seemed even more so. Nicole looked to AJ again and gave off a slight wince. "This really complicates things."

Lightly shaking his head, "I don’t see how. We really care about each other." His palm came up to hold against her cheek. "I can see it. You do, too." After a pause, "You do, right?"

With complete honesty, "I do really care about you. I just, I don’t really know what it is."

AJ leaned forward, watching for her to flinch away. When her eyes simply watched him come closer, his lips curled a slight smile and he kissed her with a bit more pressure than he had any time before. The only response she really gave was pressing back, but not doing much more. He soon pulled away, satisfied with the sweet touch.

For the next day or so, the people around AJ could see something sparking within him. And he knew it himself as well. There was something comforting with having Nicole with him and having her return his hugs and gentle kisses and touches with care.

And Nicole was becoming comfortable with what was brewing between them. She had yet to run across Kevin, and with knowing that Kristin was still along for the next few days, she was definitely keeping her distance. Kevin knew she was back; one night his room was next to AJ’s and he heard both of their voices talking and laughing over some thing. It bothered him that she had yet to come to see him and in another matter, it was bothering him that AJ seemed so happy, most obviously with Nicole around.

One evening before a show, Howie had cornered AJ with a friendly smile and instantly asked what was going on between the two. It was obvious that AJ was not coming along with the other guys as often as before and Nicole was back, not coming around the other guys as often either. AJ was more than happy to explain that things were happening between the two, and how wonderful he found it to be, especially since they’d been such close friends before anything formed between them.

Howie seemed a bit skeptical about the idea, but was surely supportive of his friend’s happiness. And the next time he saw Nicole, which was the next night in the elevator, he was smiling an odd smile of which she instantly questioned. "You okay?"

"Yeah."

Nicole eyed him carefully and continued to as she felt AJ grab onto her hand. "You sure? You’re looking kinda funny."

"So are you," he nodded with a smirk. "With your hand attached to his."

She was caught off-guard with his remark and instantly blushed then smiled, trying to hold in her chuckle. "Well, it’s, um, yeah," she finished, with not much else to really say.