�I can help,� Sunshine said. �God gave me a few good limbs.�
�You�re doing a good job with what you�re doing now,� Kevin rebutted.
�And what�s that?�
�By staying out of my way so I can pack.� He didn�t even look at her and went back into his closet.
�I understand.� She got up. �And I also know when I�m not wanted. I�ll be downstairs if you decide you need me for anything.�
�Sunshine!� She ignored him and walked out. Kevin stayed upstairs for another ten minutes before going downstairs with Sunshine. He searched the whole downstairs before finding Sunshine outside on the patio. He stepped outside and just looked at her a moment.
�I�m not upset because we �broke-up�. I�m upset because of the tone you used with me. Not once have you ever used that kind of tone with me. It hurt so ya know.�
�I�m sorry. Maybe we should talk about this.�
�What�s to talk about, Kevin? We�re not even a couple so there�s nothing to talk about.�
�I thought we were a couple.�
�Well ya thought wrong.� Kevin looked at her. �Did I have to actually say that we�re not a couple for you to understand it? I continuously told you I wasn�t anyone�s girl yet you chose to ignore it which pissed me off, because you kept insisting we were an item.�
�That�s the impression I got.�
�How? I didn�t act it. Hell, I never left ya kiss me for crying out loud.�
�You�re constantly with me.�
�Because I like your company. Is it so wrong to hang out with friends now? Dani and Nick ain�t an item and they�re hanging out when we�re in town. And the same with Venus and Howie.� She sighed. �We would never have worked, Kevin, and that�s why I never went that step with you.�
�Why not?�
�God, Kevin.� She got up and ran her fingers through her hair and it reminded Kevin of Nickolas. �Ever since you saw me and Nick in front of the fireplace you�ve been acting differently. You never leave us alone in a room together. When you think we�re alone together you�re right there. How do you think I feel when a guy acts like that with me? I don�t like it. It�s like they�re trying to suffocate me or something. You were getting so controlling.�
�I�m sorry, Sunn.� He joined her at the banister and she looked at him. �You should�ve just told me from the beginning.�
�I didn�t want to hurt your feelings. I thought telling you without telling you would be better, but it didn�t work. Plus I didn�t think you would care and just continue your little obsession with us being an item.�
�I would�ve cared.�
�If it bothered ya so much ya should�ve just opened up.�
�I did now.� They looked at each other and she grinned.
�We can be friends if that�s what you want.�
�It is.�
�Alright.� Sunshine hugged him and he hugged her in return. �I did get the hint.�
�Excuse me?�
�This morning at Brian�s.� She just looked at him. �When you and Nickolas were sitting at the bar. I seen the way you two were looking at each other and I realized that I couldn�t compete with that. You look at Nickolas the way my parents looked at each other.� Sunshine just looked at him. �I�m ok with that, because we�re two completely different people and it would�ve taken a miracle for it to work out.�
�Yeah.� She sat back down.
�I have a confession.� Sunshine looked at him. �When we first met I knew you liked Nick.� She looked at him surprised. �I think everyone did.� She nodded. �And I liked you. I thought by asking you to lunch you�d like me back. I knew it was a long shot, but it was a chance I was willing to take. For the past 2 � months I was hoping there was a part of you that wanted to give us a shot, but I was wrong.� Sunshine was ready to speak, but Kevin continued, �Let me finish. I was trying to make whatever this was work. Remember that first night when the power went out?� Sunshine nodded her head. �Well the next afternoon, when Nick came by to tell me how he felt about you and I got that call and had to leave the room.� Sunshine nodded again. �When you and Nick were talking I heard what was said between you two.� Kevin sat beside her and she just looked at him. �I heard him confess how you�re all he thinks about and inspire his song writing. And how you make his life worth living now. When I heard it all it broke my heart.�
�So you heard what I said to him?�
�Yeah; I wasn�t sure if you were going to say how you felt when you said you weren�t a prize to be won.� He sighed. �That�s why I never asked him how he felt about you, because I already knew.�
�I told him not to tell you, because it�d hurt you and I didn�t want that to happen. Why didn�t you tell me you knew?�
�I thought you�d deny it and I didn�t want you to hate Nick for it.�
�I almost did, but I realized how stupid it was, because a person has a right to tell people how they feel.� They sat there in silence and Sunshine said, �I did like you the way you liked me a little bit if that helps any.� He grinned.
�But I�ll never take that place in your heart you�re keeping for Nickolas. I don�t think anyone ever will.�
�You may be right.� She left out a deep breath. �I feel really bad now knowing you knew all along how I felt for Nick and didn�t say anything. What else do ya know?� He smiled. �What?�
�I know that something happened that night in front of the fireplace.�
�Like what?�
�A kiss.� She looked at him. �We all saw it.�
�Great.�
�I figured that if you were going to tell me you would do it on your own.�
�I didn�t want to upset you.�
�Don�t worry about it, because the truth is out now.� She nodded. �Are you still going to come to New York? I know you really didn�t want to.�
�I don�t know. I�ll think about it.�
�I guess that�ll do.� She grinned and they got up. They went inside and walked to the kitchen, as they heard laughter. They walked in and saw the others sitting there.
�What�s up?� Nickolas asked.
�Nadda,� Sunshine said. �You?�
�Nadda,� Nickolas said.
�Cool,� Sunshine said.
�Is everything all right?� Danielle asked. �We seen ya out there. It looked pretty intense.�
�It�s all cool now,� Kevin said. �We straightened everything out.�
�Cool,� Danielle said and Nickolas smiled. �Ya finally figured out ya weren�t a couple.�
�Yeah,� Kevin said. �Something like that.�
�Why not?� Brian asked.
�It would never have worked,� Kevin said. �And I realize that now. I realized it this morning actually during breakfast.�
�So did everyone else,� Alexander replied looking at Sunshine and Nickolas and they just smiled and shrugged. �Well it�s cool anyway.�
�Yeah,� Sunshine said.
�Are you still coming to New York?� Nickolas asked. �It won�t be the same without you.�
�I�m thinking about that,� Sunshine said. �I really don�t want to go, since ya�ll know I hate New York, but if someone gives me a perfectly good reason to then I just might.�
�You�re coming with,� Josephine said. �Even if we have to drag you.�
�Whatever,� Sunshine said walking to the door. �I�m going to my room now if you don�t mind.�
�We�ll let ya know when supper�s done,� Kevin said.
�Thanks,� Sunshine said walking out.
CHAPTER 24
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