Dawn and AJ
awoke to the phone ringing.
"Lo?" Dawn asked groggily.
"Hey there."
"Hi Noah. What’s up?"
AJ lifted his head and looked at Dawn and then to the clock annoyed.
‘Eight o'clock? Why the hell is he calling so early?’ He thought to himself.
"I just wanted to give you a wake up call tell you that we have to leave for the signing at eleven. I’d like you to come by my room beforehand. I have something for you."
"Um, okay," she said, puzzled. "I’ll be ready."
"Great".
"Okay…I’ll see you then."
"Oh, I almost forgot. Is AJ planning on coming to the signing with us?"
"I think so, why?"
"I don’t think that’s a good idea. He will be a distraction. All eyes should be on you."
"Umm…okay. I’ll tell him."
"Good. See you soon."
"Bye."
Dawn hung up the phone and looked over at AJ. He was staring up at the ceiling. He shut his eyes and sighed.
"What do you have to tell me?" He asked quietly.
"Noah said you shouldn’t go to the signing."
AJ turned his head and looked at her.
"He said you’d be a distraction."
AJ stared at her a minute and looked back up at the ceiling. He was fuming inside.
‘Who’s he to tell me I can’t go to the signing. She’s my fianc� for fuck’s sake. I can go if I want to.’
Dawn turned on her side and placed her hand on his chest.
"Baby, you know that he’s right."
AJ flinched at the words ‘he’s right’. He hated when Noah was right.
"I know. I just really wanted to be there with you."
"I wanted you to be there too, but I want you in one piece, I don’t want the fans to rip you apart. "
She gave him a light kiss and started to get out of bed.
"Where are you going?" AJ asked, seductively, trying to grab her before she made it off the bed.
She giggled at his failed attempt.
"I have to get a shower. Noah wants to meet me before we go to the signing," she explained, walking into the bathroom.
"Why does he want to meet you? For what?"
"I don’t know. He said he had something for me," she yelled back.
AJ got up from the bed and walked to the doorway of the bathroom.
"What do you mean he has something for you?" He asked, putting his hands on his hips.
Dawn turned to him and looked at him strangely.
"I don’t know Alex…he didn’t tell me."
"Hmmph," he snorted, walking back into the bedroom.
Dawn followed him.
"What is your problem. What is everyone’s problem? D and Noah haven’t gotten along all tour and I’ve noticed that you have something against him. What is it Alex?"
AJ just looked at her. He wasn’t really expecting her to ask him that. What was he going to say to her? He couldn’t tell her the truth.
‘Think of something AJ!!’.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"It’s not that I have a problem with him. I just hate that he’s with you all the time and I can’t be. I want to be with you everyday of this tour and it kills me that I’m not."
Dawn came over to him and wrapped her arms around him.
"Oh baby, I wish you were here everyday too," she whispered.
AJ smiled to himself, ‘Nice save, McLean’.
"I would give anything for you to be in Noah’s place."
AJ held her as he closed his eyes and silently thanked God that she said that. She wanted him there with her and not Noah. Not that he doubted it, he just really needed to hear it. She pulled away and kissed him.
"I love you, Alex."
"I love you too, Angel."
"I’m gonna get my shower now. Care to join me?" She asked, giving him a sly smile over her shoulder.
AJ smiled and ran after her.
A little while later, AJ came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He went into the bedroom and slipped on a pair of jeans. Dawn was still in the bathroom drying her hair and putting on her makeup. He wanted to talk to D before she came out…he had to make sure she was going with Dawn to the signing. He walked down the hall to her room and knocked on the door.
"Yeah?" Nick said from inside.
It sounded like he was in the middle of something.
"Dude, get your dick outta your woman so I can talk to her."
"Oh my gawd," D groaned, pushing Nick off of her.
"I’m gonna kill him!" D put her robe on and opened the door and glared at AJ, who was leaning against the wall laughing. D crossed her arms.
"What do you want, J?"
AJ stopped laughing and looked down the hall to make sure Dawn wasn’t out of the bathroom yet.
"Can I come in and talk?"
D rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in the air.
"Sure, why the hell not. It’s not like we were busy or anything."
She sat down on the bed and looked at him annoyed.
"Do you want me to leave?" Nick asked.
"No man, it’s ok. I don’t think you could get up anyways," AJ chuckled.
Nick just gave him a "very funny" look and lay back against the headboard.
"First off I want to apologize for last night. I shouldn’t have gone off the way I did. It’s just that…"
"You don’t have to explain, J. I understand. I’m sorry that I got mad too. I just hate lying to her."
"So do I but you know it’s for the best."
"Yeah…I know it is."
"Are you going to go to the signing today with Dawn?"
"I wasn’t planning on it. Nick and I were going to go out to lunch and do some shopping…as long as the fans behave."
"Can you go with her?"
D looked at him, confused.
"Why can’t you?"
"Because it will be a bad idea. There may be too much attention on me. It’s Dawn’s day. Besides, I need you to watch Noah."
"Come on, J. Give me a break," D whined.
"D…please?" He begged, getting on his knees in front of her.
"I wanna spend the day with Nicky," she said, crossing her arms defiantly.
"I know you do. I’m sorry but you have to do this for me."
"NO, I DON’T. She’ll be fine with Noah by herself. She’s in public with him. He’s not gonna do anything."
"I don’t care if he’s in public with her, I still don’t trust him…never will."
D stared at him not saying anything.
"She needs someone there that she knows to give her support."
"She knows Noah and we both know he supports her."
AJ lowered his eyes at her.
"Low blow."
She smiled at him smugly.
"Come on, D. Go with her to the signing. Nick won’t mind, will you Nick?"
Nick held his hands up in defense.
"Don’t drag me into this man. I already caught hell for agreeing with you last night."
D looked back at Nick and he nodded. She looked back at AJ.
"Okay, fine. I’ll go," she sighed, defeated.
AJ smiled brightly and hugged her.
"Thank you so much. I owe you."
"Damn right you do. Now get the hell out so we can get back to what we were doing before we were rudely interrupted," D said, pushing him out the door.
"Have fun and be done by 11!!" He called over his shoulder as D slammed the door after him.
AJ walked back into the bedroom just as Dawn was walking out. He smiled at her and pulled her in for a kiss.
"I have to get going," she giggled, pulling away and walked out of the room. AJ followed her.
"We have a little time," he said seductively.
"As appealing as that does sound, I wanna stop by your Mom’s room and check on Arianna. I’ve barely seen her, I miss her."
He didn’t want to sound childish, but he just couldn’t get used to Dawn being pulled in so many directions and never staying put for very long. He wanted to spend time with her, too, but he knew how the business worked, so he tried to just deal with it. He went into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. D came into the kitchen and got a cup of coffee as well.
"Morning," Dawn said to her.
"Morning."
"That was quick, did you wear Nick out already?" AJ whispered to her.
D hit him playfully in the arm.
"Fuck you J."
He laughed and took a sip of his coffee.
"So what time does the signing start?" She asked Dawn.
"Noon…why?"
"I’m going with you…if you don’t mind."
"No, that’s fine. Alex isn’t going and I need someone there to calm my nerves," Dawn smiled, grabbing her purse. "Meet Noah and I down in the lobby at 11."
D looked at her watch. It was only ten o’clock.
"Where are you going so early?"
"To say good morning to my little girl and then to Noah’s room. He says he has something for me."
‘I bet he does’, D thought to
herself.
She rolled her eyes and looked at AJ. He looked back at her and shook his head, silently
fuming.
"So, will I see you before the signing?" AJ asked, walking her to the door.
"I don’t know. I think we’re heading there after I see Noah."
She gave him a tender kiss and opened the door.
"I’ll see you after the signing."
"Bye babe, good luck.," he pulled her into his arms and gave her another kiss.
"Thanks. See you at eleven D!" she yelled over AJ’s shoulder.
"OK!" D called from the kitchen.
Dawn gave AJ another kiss and left.
At ten thirty, Dawn knocked on Noah’s door. He opened the door with a smile.
"Hey you. Thanks for meeting me," he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"No problem."
She walked in and looked around. His suite was neat as a pin. It almost looked like no one was staying in it. Noah was always very neatly dressed and organized so it didn’t really surprise her. ‘The maids must appreciate the fact that they don’t have to do much cleaning compared to our suite.’ She thought with a smile. Noah came up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. Dawn turned around startled and smiled at him.
"I just wanted to give you a little something to celebrate this important day," he said, holding a small box out to her.
"Oh Noah, you really didn’t have to," Dawn said, taking a step back.
Noah stepped closer to her and placed the box in her hand.
"I insist."
Dawn smiled and sighed.
She looked down at the box and wondered what it was. She knew it was jewelry, she could tell by the box. She opened it slowly and gasped at what she saw. Inside was a beautiful gold bracelet of musical notes. It was beautiful.
"I don’t know what to say," she said quietly.
"Just say thank you," he smiled.
"Ummm…thank you. But I really can’t accept this Noah."
His smile faded to a look of disappointment.
"Of course you can."
She nodded her head no and held it out to him.
"It was sweet of you but I can’t take it."
"Dawn, it’s just a bracelet. It’s my way of showing you how proud I am of you…of reminding you of how far you’ve come and how far you’re going to go. Please accept it. I insist."
Before she could answer he took the bracelet out of the box and put it on her wrist.
"Perfect," he said, admiring the way it fit.
He kissed her hand before he grabbing his suit jacket. She couldn’t help but feel a bit uncomfortable.
"We better get going. We don’t want to be late."
He walked to the door and opened it. Dawn looked down at the bracelet again and sighed. ‘I guess I’ll deal with this later.’ She walked out of the room and Noah closed the door behind them.
When they got to the lobby D was waiting for them. She smiled when she saw Dawn coming. She noticed the bracelet right away and glared at Noah. He glared back at her and went to make sure the limo was waiting for them.
"So, what did Noah want?" D asked, playing dumb.
"He wanted to give me this bracelet," she said, holding up her wrist.
D took her wrist and admired the bracelet. ‘Boy is J gonna blow a gasket over this’
"Wow. It’s gorgeous."
"Yeah I know. I feel weird accepting it."
"It is a little extravagant."
"I know. I told him I couldn’t possibly take it but he insisted."
‘Of course he did’ D thought to herself as Noah approached them.
"The limo is here. Let’s go," he said, ushering the girls to the awaiting limo.