Twelve

The next few nights, AJ tried his best in talking with Jessica, convincing her to allow Nicole at the shows. He quickly argued it was the last week of the tour, not allowing much time for any sort of hoopla to boil. And the fact that Kristin was not due in until the last two days, allowed Nicole’s presence to be.

She took the first show in from the front row, nestled between Marie and Melissa. Each of the girls were commenting freely on their boyfriends, while Nicole simply laughed along with the banter. She was just happy to finally be among them all again, and in such an open way.

After that show, Nicole was in one of her better moods, and AJ quickly recognized it. yet, he didn’t note on it until later that night, when they went out for a late night meal.

They found themselves at a drive-in styled place half-way across town. Far enough away to give them space, yet not too far so that they felt out of place. Nicole brought back two cups of ice cream, giving one over to AJ as she settled onto the picnic table just beside him.

"Ice cream?" he chuckled. "Nic, we’re not at the equator."

She watched as he willingly took it and began to dig into the dessert. "You said get a treat. You didn’t specify which." He scoffed lightly in return and Nicole smiled, still watching him eat. "You don’t seem to be complaining."

AJ nudged an elbow against her side. "I guess it’s not too cold, is it?"

Nicole looked straight above them, taking in the sky and all the stars on the black backdrop. "No, it’s actually nice tonight."

He kicked on leg over the side of the bench so he could face her, still finishing up his treat. "Whatcha starin’ at?"

"The sky," she answered gently, reveling the beauty of it all. She had always been fascinated with nighttime and the darkening sky.

Seeing she was watching it so intently, he smiled. "See anything you like?"

She was shaking her head with a smile at his playful ways. When Nicole turned back to him, her head stopped its movement, but she kept the smirk on her face. Although it wasn’t rare to find AJ with a hat on, she found it rare to find him so dressed down in jeans and a sweatshirt, with a baseball hat to accompany the laid-back, regular guy look. His light-weight jacket was also one of his more casual ones of a dark brown color.

Nicole reached out, tugging at the bill of cap. "Maybe I like you," she spoke playfully.

He leaned in closer just before taking another spoonful of ice cream. "Just maybe?"

She smirked, and closed the distance between them. Having to tilt her head to clear the bill of his cap, she pressed a kiss to his lips quickly. "Yeah, maybe."

"Maybe is good."

"It’s better than a clear no," she laughed.

"Yes. Yes, it is." After a few moments, AJ’s eyes were to his cup while he continued to move the spoon around. "I’m glad Jes lightened up a bit this week."

"Yeah, me, too. It’s good to see daylight again."

He glanced up to see her open face, knowing she was just being honest, and not trying to be spiteful or bitter about the situation they’d had for the past few weeks. With a soft voice, "You know, I really wish it would have been different. That you couldn’t been out there more."

She shrugged with a short sigh. "Well, that was the deal, right? It’s not like I really had to stay."

"I wanted you to."

Nicole smiled softly. "I know you did. And that’s why I did."

"Did you stay just because of that?"

With a scoff, "Of course not. Alex, you asked me to stay, and it’s not like I wanted to leave … " As she finished up her ice cream cup, she added thoughtfully, "Even though I wasn’t here to be working, I still liked being here."

"With all the arguing, too."

She tilted her in thought. "We didn’t argue that much."

AJ lifted on shoulder awkwardly. "It’s more than normal."

"Well … we were stuck in the same hotel room the entire time."

"So?"

"So?" she laughed. "So, I had to see your mug everyday and night. Before, I had my own room to escape to."

This time, he scoffed. "I was the one who was always making you leave my room before."

"Yeah, so you could your piece done quickly."

AJ paused at her remark, causing Nicole to rethink what she’d just said. Upon reliving that moment, Nicole was stuck at an awkward point. She hadn’t realized how easy it was to refer to his promiscuous behavior. Let alone, how it now bothered her on a higher level than ever.

He scratched at his face, trying to avoid immediate eye contact. "Nah, that wasn’t it."

Nicole swallowed hard. "I was just kidding."

Regarding her seriously, he asked gently, "Do you really think this isn’t much?"

She knew what he was asking, but was afraid to allow herself to answer honestly. She knew her answer.

"Nic, I’m not taking this lightly. And I’m not thinking of you as anything not worth anything."

Her hand went to her ear. She began fiddling one her earrings and looked to the tabletop. "Yeah, I know."

"You really think I’m not gonna keep in touch with you?"

"I didn’t say that."

"Do you really think that, though?"

It took her some time to give a decent answer. "No, of course not."

AJ tried to look into her eyes, but she kept looking away, or just off to the side. He read her nervousness to contradict what she was saying. He took a deep breath then looked back to her. "Nicole, just grant me one thing, please … when this week’s done, don’t just walk away from me."

"I wouldn’t," she replied honestly, shaking her head from side to side.

"I don’t just mean in general. I mean, give me a chance. Give this a chance."

Nicole swallowed down her emotions and asked gently, "How’re we to do that when you’re home and I’m home."

Instantly, he responded. "Come with me."

"Oh, no, Alex."

"Come on. Just stay at my place for a li’l while."

She was pleading, not so much with emotions. Just with her pride. "Alex, I was actually looking into work."

"A few weeks that’s it," he continued to ask of her.

"I’m serious. I can’t just not work."

He breathed deeply once again. "Then let me come with you."

"Home?" she questioned with wide eyes.

"Yeah, to Chicago."

"What for?"

"To see you. To be with you."

A hint of a smile appeared on her lips, just thinking of that kind of situation. "You gonna stay at my place? In my parent’s house? Sleep in a single bed with me?"

AJ was ready to agree – just to agree to spending time with Nicole without such a great distance. But, then he shrugged lightly and realized how tough of a situation that would be. "Stay at a hotel with me then."

"I can’t just go off gallivanting around in your lifestyle."

"I’m not asking you that."

With a heavy voice, "This is a big thing to be asking. Period."

He smiled lightly, still pleading. "Yeah, I know. But, Nic, I can’t go from being with you every day to not seeing you at all."

"This isn’t a ‘not at all’ type of situation. It’s not like we’ll never see each other."

"You’re really able to just push this away? Like it was some sort of learning experience?"

She was shocked with the way his voice went hard. Nicole leaned a bit of distance away from him. "AJ, I’m just being honest with you." She watched as he seemed to bit his lip, and whatever other words he had to say. Nicole reached out a hand to his upper arm, rubbing, then gripping at the cloth of his sweatshirt to get his attention. "Can you at least let me think about it?"

Shaking his head, with a light shrug, "Why do you even have to think about it? How hard could it be to decide if you want to give it a chance."

"Alex," she smiled lightly. "I’m not like you. Not everyone can just go and make a decision on a whim." After a few more moments of peace, "I’ll think about it. It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just sort of an unrealistic thing for me."

His eyes met hers and she could see the seriousness. "It’s totally realistic for me."

With a nod and soft voice, "I know that. Just let me get used to your world and realities? Okay?"

He barely nodded. It was barely readable to Nicole. But, she saw it because she was watching him so intently.