�I don�t know what to do, Chloe.�
�What do you mean?�
�Do I get married on Saturday or not?�
�The choice is yours.�
�I know.�
�Do you want to marry Cameron?�
�No. Yes. I don�t know.� I got up and started walking around the room. �I did want to marry him, but now I ain�t so sure.�
�Why is that?� I sighed.
�Ever since Nick came home and found out everything�s been crazy. Nick doesn�t like CJ, I don�t even know if I like CJ any more�did you know that I ever only told CJ I loved him just once?�
�No.�
�Yeah, when we got engaged. There was no meaning behind it either.�
�And why�s that?�
�You�re the shrink so you tell me.�
�Because you�re in love with Nick.�
�If I was in love with Nick do you think I would�ve said �yes� to CJ?� She just looked at me. �I ain�t in love with Nick, he�s my best friend.�
�But it�s impossible for best friends, like you and Nick, to fall in love.�
�I�m not in love with Nick.�
�Denying it isn�t healthy, Evangelique.�
�I�m not denying anything.� I looked at her and she grinned. �What are you grinning at?�
�Let�s try and remember who the doctor is.�
�I don�t care who the doctor is, you�re also my aunt.�
�Yes I am, but right now I�m your doctor.� I left out a disgusted sigh. �Sweetie, I see cases like this everyday and they always turn out for the better in the end.� I looked out the window.
�This morning CJ and I got into a fight about the changes he made for the wedding.� I looked at her. �He expects me to pay for all the changes. I told him it shouldn�t be my place since I didn�t make the changes and he did it behind my back. We got into a fight about it; he flipped out on Father Sena, and stormed out.�
�What�d Father Sena say?�
�That it ain�t love and that if this while thing is going on right now it ain�t going to last six months.�
�Father Sena would know. Your parents have been married 35 years and me and Uncle Patrick have been married 25. We�re all still in love and happy.�
�That�s all I want.�
�But it�s not going to be CJ. He might be a nice guy��
�He is a nice guy, but he�s also a little possessive, controlling, pig-headed, demanding, obsessive�all those bad qualities I hate in men.�
�Alright, now what about Nick?�
�What about him?�
�What�s he like?� I just looked at her. �Does he have any faults?�
�Not really besides is grammar. It ain�t the best.�
�Neither is yours.� She grinned. �So describe him.� I sighed.
�Nick�s nice, sweet, caring, protective, lovable, strong, and sexy, God knows he can kiss�he�s everything I want in a man.� I plopped down on the sofa and looked at her. �Did I ever tell you about the time Nick took me to Paris?�
�Yes you did.�
�It was the best time of my life.� Chloe grinned. �Nothing can ever change that.�
�Why doesn�t Nick like CJ?�
�He said he�s trying to control my life and ruin it.�
�Nickolas knows you better than anyone else. Not even your family knows you like he does.� I sighed and grinned.
�This whole thing is just crazy.�
�Why is it?�
�Because it is. I�m marrying CJ and I�m not in love with Nicky. Nick thinks otherwise though.�
�What do you mean?�
�Today at my office we got into it.�
�About what?�
�All of this. He said I�m not in love with CJ and that I�m in love with him. He said the same thing you did.�
�Then listen to him if you won�t listen to me.�
�Ugh! I�m not in love with Nick!� She just looked at me and I got up again. �Nick said I�ll be �making the biggest mistake� of my life by marrying CJ.�
�And you think otherwise?�
�Yes. Getting married is something I�ve always wanted and it happens to be with CJ.� I quickly wiped away a tear before my aunt saw it. �We were even arguing about past relationships basically.�
�What did ya�s say?�
�We accused each other of terminating our relationships. He said I did it on my own by constantly talking and thinking about him. I don�t do that though.� But then again maybe I do. It didn�t mean I was in love with him though. It was impossible.
�Evangelique, please continue.�
�Nick said I don�t love CJ and don�t want him with anyone because I�m in love with him�with Nick. It can�t be true though, but I�m afraid that it just might be.�
�Why?�
�Because he�s my best friend and it shouldn�t be like that.�
�Be like what?�
�Me in love with him and him in love with me.�
�He�s in love with you?�
�I don�t know.� I just walked around the office disgustedly.
�Do you love Cameron? That�s the important question right now.�
�If I didn�t do you think I�d be marrying him on Saturday?�
�Yes or no?� I looked at her not really sure what to say. �Maybe subconsciously you�re just marrying Cameron, because you think you can�t be with Nickolas romantically.�
�It�s not true and why would I think that?�
�Because you�re in love with Nickolas.�
�Why does everyone say that?�
�They see it in your eyes and the way you look at Nickolas.�
�But it�s not true. It just can�t be.� I felt the tears come, but I didn�t do anything to stop them.
�Ev, it�s all right to be in love with Nickolas. Things like this happen everyday. Lots of people fall in love with their best friends.�
�But not me. We know everything about each other.�
�I doubt you know everything about each other.� I looked at her. I couldn�t take this anymore. I needed to be by myself. I had to be by myself. This wasn�t fair at all.
�I got to go, Aunt Chloe.� I picked up my stuff and walked over to her. �I�ll see ya later.� I kissed her cheek and walked out.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Nickolas�
�Hey, Shakira,� I said spying her at her desk after I got off the elevator.
�Hey, Nick,� Shakira said.
�Where�s Trisha?�
�She's in her new office.� She pointed a little to my right and I looked. �Eve just made her VP and me head secretary.�
�Well congrats to ya both.�
�Thanks.�
�Is Evvie here?�
�Actually no.�
�Did she say where she was going?�
�Nope. She just told Trisha she�s in charge and left.�
�Oh.�
�She should soon be back.�
�Alright then I�ll just wait in her office.�
�Ok.� I gave her a grin and went into Evangelique�s office. I closed the door behind me and looked around the room. Every square-inch reminded me of us together. Sitting around laughing, talking, and just having fun.
I could still remember the first time she got this place. We celebrated with pizza, wine, movies, music, dancing, and everything else. She was so excited to finally have her dream come true. She wanted just the two of us to celebrate alone. She wasn�t really a fan of big parties and loved when it was just the two of us. We spent the whole night here and didn�t go home until morning.
May 5, 2002
�Wow, Nicky, I can�t believe all this�this whole building is mine.�
�It is pretty amazing.�
�I couldn�t do it without you.�
�I didn�t do much.�
�You encouraged me to get my own cosmetics line going, you found this place, and most importantly you stuck by my side.�
�Well you�ve been making your own makeup since I can remember. You�ve made it for your friends and family so why not take it further. Let the whole world know what ya got.�
�And what�s that?�
�A billion dollar business.�
�I only wish.�
�If only you can come out with something men can use also then you�re all set.�
�I�ll keep you in mind.�
�I hope so.�
�You�re the best, Butter Cup.� She hugged me. �I couldn�t ask for a better friend.�
�Neither could I, Sugar Bear��
�Nickolas, what are you doing here?� I heard Evangelique�s voice breaking my thoughts and I looked.
�Hey, beautiful.�
�What are you doing here?�
�We have pizza to eat.�
�Well I don�t want you here.�
�Why not?�
�Because ever since you came home I�ve been confused out of my mind�plus I�m locking up for the night.�
�Already?�
�It is 5:00.�
�You usually don�t leave until, like�late.�
�So.� We just looked at each other. �I�m getting married Saturday and have things to do.�
�Of course.� I sighed and walked from her desk. �May we talk?�
�No.�
�Why not?�
�Because I don�t want to.�
�Evvie, I just��
�Will you leave so I can lock up?� I just looked at her. �Please?�
�Fine if this is the way you want to be. You don�t deserve my apology then.� I opened the door and walked out, slamming the door behind me. I looked at Shakira, as she looked at me. �She can be a royal pain in the ass.�
�And so can you,� Evangelique said from behind and I looked. �Get the hell out of my building.�
�I�m going. Calm down.�
�Don�t tell me to calm down.�
�Well I just did.�
�And you can go to hell.�
�I�ll see ya there.�
�You have to three to get on that damn elevator or I�m calling security.�
�You wouldn�t?�
�Try me.� She put her hand on the phone. �Go before I do something I�ll regret later.�
�Alright I�m going, but you haven�t seen the last of me.�
�Unfortunately.� I smiled and walked to the elevator. I hit the down button and looked back at Evangelique, still smiling. �I don�t find you at all amusing.�
�That�s just a matter of opinion now ain�t it?� She just glared at me and the elevator opened. �I�ll see ya tomorrow, Sugar Bear.� She still didn�t say anything and watched me get on the elevator. �I�ll be by tomorrow to take ya to lunch.�
�Whatever.� I continued smiling at her and elevator shut.
CHAPTER 18
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