�When are you guys taking time off?� Venus asked. �You have been doing this nonstop for a couple years now.�
�After we�re done touring,� Kevin said. �We�re taking a year or so off to spend with our friends and families and do other projects we�ve been putting off.�
�That�ll probably be, like, November,� Alexander added. �Then I can spend more time with you my dear.�
�I can�t wait,� Venus said, as they kissed.
Danielle and Kevin just looked at each other and Kevin asked, �What are you doing tonight?�
�Nothing really,� Danielle said. �I was thinking about going to bed early, but probably won�t happen, because I am living with Josephine right now.�
�Then would you like to have dinner with me tonight?� Kevin asked.
�I�d love to,� Danielle replied smiling, as Venus and Alexander stopped kissing. �It beats watching �Cruel Intentions� again with my sister.�
�She�ll probably be with Nick anyway,� Alexander said. �He said he had something special to do tonight for someone special.�
�Are you sure it�s Josie?� Danielle asked. �For all we know he could be flying to South Dakota to surprise Sunnie Jo.�
�You do have a point there,� Alexander agreed.
�He�s been very happy the past couple months,� Venus stated. �I asked him why once, but he never gives an answer.�
�Makes ya wonder,� Nickolas said stepping into the parlor.
They all looked and Alexander asked, �Nick, don�t you know how to knock?�
�Why should I?� Nickolas questioned. �You do the same thing at my house.�
�True,� Alexander said. �What brings you by?�
�I�m looking for Josephine,� Nickolas answered. �Have ya seen her?�
�Sorry,� Danielle said, as everyone shook their heads.
�I can�t find her anywhere,� Nickolas said. �I tried Howie�s, Brian�s, Kev�s, and I even went by the condo, but she wasn�t anywhere.�
�Maybe she�s with Des,� Kevin suggested.
�No, I just ran into Des lurking around outside,� Nickolas said.
�Why didn�t she come in?� Venus asked.
�How the hell should I know?� Nickolas replied. �I told her she could, but she said no and ran off.�
�Oh,� they all said and Danielle asked, �Did you try the apartment?� Nickolas nodded. �How about her cell phone?� Nickolas nodded again. �I don�t know what to tell ya then.�
�Are you sure it�s Jo ya want tonight?� Alexander asked.
�Yeah,� Nickolas replied. �She is my girlfriend.�
�So you�re secretly not thinking of Sunshine?� Alexander stated.
�Well, just a little,� Nickolas said smiling. �But I won�t tonight, because I�ll be with Josephine, my girlfriend�if I ever find her.�
�Then you�re not going to fly to Dakota to surprise Sunn,� Alexander said a little disappointed.
�She doesn�t want to be with me right now,� Nickolas replied. He did have to admit that the idea was a good one. If he could pull off sneaking in the window at Kevin�s just to see her and her be smitten then he could pull off flying to South Dakota to surprise her and show her how much he wants her.
�What is she waiting for?� Alexander asked. �The new millennium? Tell her if she wants to be with you to get her ass moving back into your life or I�ll move it for her.� Everyone looked at Alexander. �What?�
�You�re really passionate about them two being together,� Danielle said. �Aren�t ya?�
�What do you think?� Alexander questioned. �They belong together and any idiot can see that. Why else would you have met three years ago? I say you go to South Dakota, Nick. Go to her and make her the happiest gal in the world by asking her to marry you.� Nickolas quickly looked at him. �Ask her to become Mrs. Nickolas Carter and spend the rest of your lives together.�
�Are you serious, dawg?� Nickolas asked chuckling. �She�ll probably turn me down and laugh in my face. It�s out of the question.�
�If she loves you then she�ll say yes,� Kevin stated. �Do you love her?�
�Definitely,� Nickolas said. �With all my heart and soul.�
�Then why don�t you ask her?� Danielle asked. �I know it�s what she wants even though she doesn�t say it.�
�Because now�s not the time,� Nickolas replied. �Trust me. There�s too much going on right now and marriage is the last thing either of us needs to worry about.�
�When will be the time, Nickolas?� Danielle wanted to know. �When will be the right time to ask her to marry you? Will it be now or when that diamond heart necklace in your pocket is old, rusted, and shineless? Or maybe perhaps when one of you are on your death bed? When will it be time? You think about that and let us know.� Nickolas just looked at her wondering how she knew about the necklace he�s been carrying around in his pocket for the past three years. He stood up and walked to the window.
No one said anything for a minute or so then Kevin said, �Danielle, should we go?�
�Sure,� Danielle said as her and Kevin got up. �We�ll see ya�ll later.�
�Bye,� Venus and Alexander said, as Nickolas continued to look out the window. They watched him a moment then Alexander got up and joined him saying, �Hey, Bro, I�m sorry if I upset you.�
�You didn�t,� Nickolas said assuring him. �You made me realize I have a lot of thinking to do. I�ve been putting it off for so long, but I guess now I know I can�t ignore it forever.� He sighed. �I�m going to go.�
�Later,� Alexander said and Nickolas left, as he and Venus looked at each other.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Nick�s looking for you,� Howard said after he opened his door and left Josephine in.
�I put a note on his door telling him I wanted to be by myself and went for a drive,� Josephine said giving Howard a kiss after he closed the door.
�We should stop sneaking around like this,� Howard said.
�But its fun,� Josephine stated leading him to the parlor.
�Why don�t you just tell Nick you want to be with me instead of making him think he has a faithful girlfriend? You�re hardly with him anyway.�
�He�s not being faithful either. He�s always thinking about Sunshine.�
�Why�d you go out with him then?�
�Because you were with Danielle and I thought that maybe I could get his mind off Sunn for awhile, but it didn�t work so here I am.�
�Yes you are.� He put his arms around her. �So what do we do now?�
�Have a picnic by the fireplace and then cuddle or perhaps a little more.� She just looked at him. �Did Alex say anything to you about seeing us kiss?�
�Not to me. You?�
�No; maybe he forgot about it.�
�Maybe. He is really busy being in love with Venus. With Alex being in love is a really hard job to keep up with. He�s got to wine them, dine them, sweet talk them, ya know the works.�
�Perhaps you could learn something from Alex and romance me tonight. I could fall in love with you even more.�
�If so then I wonder what I can plane here. Maybe you could help me here with some ideas that you think are romantic.�
�I can only think of two at the moment.�
�What are they?�
�You and I.�
�I don�t know. I�ll have to check in the kitchen and see if I have any of that. I haven�t gone to the store lately so I don�t know.�
�Then stop standing around here and got take a look, because I don�t want anything else.�
�Why don�t I just stand here with you instead and we can look later.�
�I like that a lot better.� They kissed.
�How better?�
�Much better.� They kissed again and just stood there in the parlor.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Destiny was sitting in her room looking at a picture of Alexander she had hanging on her wall. She was writing him a letter to tell him how she really felt about him. She knew it was a long shot, but a risk she was going to take. She sat on her bed and read over the letter that wasn�t even half way done:
February 13, 2004
Dear Alex,
I don�t know where to begin so I�ll just come out and say it. I like you, Alex. Not only as a friend, but more than a friend. The reason I broke up with Kevin is because I couldn�t deny my feelings for you. I still can�t. It�s killing me not telling you and seeing you with Venus, my best friend. But I know you probably don�t feel the same way about me so I�m just hoping you might.
She looked at the letter then crumbled it up and threw it across her room to the garbage can. She laid down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. She started to wonder that maybe she should just tell him face to face instead of in a letter. She then remembered the trouble Josephine got in when she told Howard how she really felt. She decided against it and instead picked up the phone and dialed Sunshine�s cell number. She waited four rings until someone picked up.
�Hello.�
�Hey, Sunn, it�s Des.�
�How ya doing?�
�I guess alright for a girl who�s in love with a guy who most likely doesn�t know she exists. You�re not busy are you?�
�No. We�re calling it a day, because the director decided he was going to get sick. So why�d ya call?�
�Well, I was thinking about telling Alex how I feel, but I�m not sure that�s such a good idea. What do you think?�
�Considering he�s still with V and they seem to be very happy now�s not the time. Take for example what happened a year ago. Do you want history to repeat itself?�
�No.� She sighed. �How�d you tell Nick the way you feel about him?�
�I never did, because I�m too chicken. What you should do is wait and see how it works out between Alex and V. I�m not trying to be evil, but I just think it�s for the best that you wait.�
�Maybe you�re right. I�ll wait and see what happens and if it doesn�t work out I�ll tell Alex how I feel. You�re a great friend, Sunn.�
�I try. You�re great too, Destiny.�
�Thanks. Hey I�m going to go, because I need a shower yet. I�ll talk to ya later and see ya when you get home.�
�Alright, bye.�
Destiny hung up the phone and left her room. She walked to the bathroom just as the front door opened. Destiny watched, as Venus and Alexander walked in. She smiled and closed the bathroom door then started her bath.
CHAPTER 3
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