Sunshine and Nickolas sat at the condo out on the balcony. They sat there talking and waited for Josephine to get out of the shower so Nickolas could take her to work. Sunshine got up and went back inside then a few seconds later Nickolas heard music. Sunshine rejoined him and sat on the bench beside him. They sat in silence a few minutes listening to the music.
Sunshine broke the silence by saying, �I can�t believe V broke up with Alex.�
�She had her reasons,� Nickolas said looking at her. �Just like you had yours.�
�That�s different.�
�How so?�
�It just is.� Nickolas grinned and took her hand and kissed the top. �Nick, I want you to do something for me.�
�What�s that?�
�Break up with Josephine.�
�What?�
�I�m serious. I�ve been thinking about it a lot and that�s what I want you to do.�
�But why?�
�Because I want to be with you.�
�You are.�
�No; I want to be with you and everyone knowing. Not this sneaking around secret stuff.�
�Don�t you find it fun though?�
�Yeah, but I want to kiss you in public and letting everyone know we�re together. That�s what I want to do when we all go out, but I can�t because you�re with someone else and it kills me, because I ain�t the one with you and that it�s Josie. Please break up with her.�
�Are you listening to yourself, Sunnie? You�re asking me to break up with my girlfriend.�
�For the girl you�re in love with. Unless you�re not in love with me anymore.�
They looked at each other. �Of course I am, but are you?�
�If I wasn�t I wouldn�t be asking you to ditch Jo.�
Nickolas got up saying, �Are you even thinking about what you�re saying? How would you like me to do that?�
�It�s not that hard. Just tell her you�re in love with me and want to be with me.�
�I can�t.�
�Why not?� He looked at her. �She already knows you�re in love with me and she said she�d be stupid if she tried to keep us from getting back together. You already refused my marriage proposal so what�s the problem, Nickolas?�
�Nothing.�
�Yes there is.�
�How so?�
�By the way you act.� He continued looking at her not saying anything. �You refused my proposal and now you�re refusing to break up with Josephine. Something has to be wrong and I want to know what it is.�
�There�s nothing wrong.� He put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.
�Don�t lie to me. I just want the truth.� Her tears welled up in her eyes and they just looked at each other closely.
�Hey, Nick, are you ready?� Josephine asked interrupting them. Nickolas removed his hands from Sunshine. Sunshine looked at him a second then walked away. �Did I interrupt something important?�
�Of course not,� Nickolas lied, as Josephine put her arms around him.
�Are you sure? It looked pretty intense.�
�I�m sure.� He gave her a quick kiss. �We better go so you�re not late.�
�Right.� They went inside.
They saw Sunshine, as she sat down on the sofa with a bag of chips and a can of soda. The three of them just looked at each other then Nickolas and Josephine walked to the door. Sunshine watched Nickolas and shook her head in disgust.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�So what�s his problem?� Sunshine�s friend, Drake Jackson, asked, as they talked on the phone.
�Only God knows,� Sunshine said. �He tells me nothings wrong, but he refuses my proposal and now he refuses to break up with Josephine to be with me.�
�I thought things were going good between you two? I mean you spent the past couple days in L.A. together.�
�I have no idea anymore. He doesn�t want to fight yet he keeps pissing me off. I have no idea what to do with him anymore.�
�I have no idea what to tell ya.�
�I so wish he would get that stick out of his ass, ya know.� They laughed. �I�m so ready to just move on and tell him to hit the road. All he�s been wanting from me lately is sex. I mean, is that all I�m worth anymore to him? Now I can�t deny that the sex is good, because it�s great, but I just want more from him, ya know.�
�The sex must be good for him if he keeps going back.� She chuckled. �Maybe he has the same fears that you once had. Perhaps the sex is his way of keeping you in his life for right now until he decides what to do with your relationship. He could be planning a million things for the two of you and is waiting for the perfect moment to let you know what they are. So staying with Josephine could just be a temporary thing for right now.�
�Ya really think so?�
�If it�ll calm you down some; yes I do. I don�t want you to give up on him yet. I know how much he means to you and I want you to live out your dream with Nickolas Gene Carter.� Sunshine smiled. �Listen, I have to get back to work before my boss comes and sees me on the phone.�
�Alright.�
�I�ll call ya later though.�
�Ok.�
�Bye.�
�Bye.� Sunshine heard a click from Drake�s end and then turned off her phone. She sat there on the sofa a few minutes then got up and left the condo.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Howie, I�m sorry she broke up with you,� Sunshine said, as the two of them sat at Brian�s.
�I knew it wouldn�t last, but it was only about two or three months,� Howard stated.
�Maybe this is an opportunity for you to get together with Josephine,� Sunshine suggested.
�Did Des give ya a reason why?� Brian asked.
�She just said it wasn�t working out for her,� Howard replied.
�That�s because she�s in love with someone else and this is your opportunity to get with Josephine,� Sunshine said.
�She made it clear she doesn�t want to have anything to do with me,� Howard said.
�That explains her odd behavior with Nick,� Sunshine said, Brian and Howard looked at her. �Why won�t she have anything to do with you?�
�Honestly, I�m not sure why,� Howard replied. �One minute we�re getting along great and then the next she�s telling me not to go near her or talk to her. I don�t understand.�
�When did she tell you this?� Brian asked.
�The week the girls visited us in Europe,� Howard replied. �The night before the day they came home.�
�You�re kidding, right?� Sunshine questioned looking astonished. �That explains the way she�s been acting with Nick; all slutty, and she knows the kiss between me and Nick was more than a friendly kiss.� The two guys just looked at her. �That�s it; she doesn�t want me and Nick to be together.�
�Why wouldn�t she?� Brian asked.
�I don�t know,� Sunshine said. �Maybe she�s jealous of what Nick and I share together and wants it for herself.� She sighed. �I have to go. I�ll see ya later.�
�Bye,� Brian and Howard said then to Howard Brian said, �This thing with Josephine is probably just a phase. She�ll come around.�
�How do ya know?� Howard asked.
�Just trust me on this one,� Brian replied. �And don�t give up on her quite yet, you�ll thank me in the end.�
�How so?� Howard questioned.
�You just will,� Brian said. �Have I ever steered you wrong?�
�No,� Howard said and Brian smiled. �Then you better not give up on Danielle so soon.� Howard just smirked and Brian looked at his friend.
CHAPTER 17
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