�How ya doing?� Dakota shrugged and looked back down to the beach. �Don�t get mad at me, but are you sure you made the right decision with Nick?� Dakota shrugged again. �If you�re trying to forget him already, ya ain�t going to get anywhere by staring at that beach all day.� Dakota looked at her. �That�s where you two met, remember?�
�I know.� She looked back to the beach. �Who said I was trying to forget?� She grinned. �He was so shy that day and it made him oh so cuter.�
�He got over it though in the truck.�
�Yeah.� She sighed. �It�s only been a couple hours and a couple days since we�ve known each other, but I miss him so much. I started missing him the second I walked out.�
�That has to tell you something.�
�Like what?�
�You made a mistake.� Dakota didn�t say anything and walked inside. �Make it right with Nick, Kota. The only one�s that know what happened are me, Aaron, and Angel. The rest don�t need to know. They�ll know something happened with you and Nick if he starts moping around all the time. Do you want that?�
�I can�t.�
�You�re letting BJ win. You can�t turn your back on love.� Dakota looked at her. �You said it yourself so many times in the past; you�re in love with Nickolas Gene Carter. Are you going to deny that now?�
�No, because you know I do.�
�And you know you do.� MyKenna smiled. �Why don�t you tell him?�
�Excuse me?�
�Tell Nick ya love him.�
�He�d think I was psychotic.�
�How do you know? How do you know he doesn�t love you in return?�
�Because I do. Nick Carter would never love me.� MyKenna shook her head. �Oh, this came for us when you were in the shower.� She picked up the item on the table and MyKenna�s eyes got big.
�Oh my God.�
�What?�
�I showed that to Aaron down in the gift shop thingy. I wanted to get it for ya, but I couldn�t afford it.�
�You�re saying Aaron got this?�
�Apparently.�
�What the shit?�
�I can�t believe him.�
�Neither can I, Honey.�
�They�re friendship dolphins.�
�They�re nice.�
�I thought so too.� They smiled and hugged.
�You hungry?�
�Yeah.�
�Let�s go get something to eat.�
�Sounds good.� Dakota put the friendship dolphins down and MyKenna closed the balcony door and locked it. They grabbed their slingy bags and went out the door.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Nick, are you sure this is going to work?� Aaron asked. �They think I�m supposed to be at the studio.�
�Like you could help it caught on fire,� Nickolas said. �MyKenna called and said that they were going to come here for something to eat. I�m hungry, you�re hungry, and this was our first stop on our way home.� He smiled. �I�m sure DJ won�t get suspicious.�
�And if she does?�
�I�ll think of something. I�m a creative guy.�
�When you write music, Nick, not when it comes to girls and love. How do you know they�re even here?�
�MyKenna said they just got here.�
�I see.�
�Kota won�t be able to ignore me.�
�And what if she does?�
�I�ll think of something.�
�I�m sorry about this, Nick.�
�It ain�t your fault. I blame it on my doctor.� He laughed.
�I blame it on you.� Nickolas looked at him. �You took Mandah�s damn number from your doctor and never thought about what might happen with this girl.�
�I was young. I�m hoping you won�t make the same mistakes I have.�
�You�re a great teacher, Bro.� Aaron smiled and they walked into Hungry Howie�s. They stood at the door and looked for MyKenna and Dakota. �There they are.� He pointed to the one booth by the windows. �Let�s go.� They started walking over, as MyKenna looked up. She shook her head and they stopped in their tracks.
The two guys looked at each other then back at MyKenna and Dakota, as MyKenna mouthed, �She�s crying.� Nickolas looked at Dakota.
�Come on, Nick,� Aaron said. �There�s nothing you can do. Let�s find another table.� He pulled Nickolas over to the one booth right behind the two girls and listened.
�Why don�t you call Nick?� MyKenna suggested. �Talk to him about what happened.�
�I can�t,� Dakota said.
�Why not?�
�Because I can�t. What would I say to him?�
�The way you feel about him.�
�That I�m in love with him? Yeah right.� Nickolas turned his head I shock and looked at the two girls. �He�d probably laugh at me and make me feel like an idiot.�
�You actually think Nick�s that kind of guy after the past two days you spent with him?�
�That was different. We were talking about our future plans and what we wanted out of life. We weren�t talking about me being in love with him. I�d be embarrassed and never look at him again.�
�Nick cares about you.� Nickolas looked at MyKenna and shook his head. She just grinned at him. �I�m sure he�d tell you the same thing. Ya want to know something interesting?� Dakota looked at her, as did Nickolas. �His heart broke when you walked out this morning.�
�How do you know?� She wiped her eyes with a napkin.
�He told us.�
�Let me guess here, he also told you that he�s in love with me?� MyKenna didn�t say anything and looked at Nickolas. �Get real, MyKenna. Nick could never love someone like me.� MyKenna shook her head in disgust.
�You�re just saying all this stuff, because that�s what you want to believe. You won�t be able to believe it though, because you know it�s just possible that Nick does love you, but with what happened you�re afraid to look at him or even talk to him, because you don�t want to see that pain in his eyes. Let me tell you something, that won�t be pain that would be joy and love. Joy and love for seeing you again and hearing your voice.� Dakota didn�t say anything. �You know I�m right so why don�t you go call him.�
�I can�t.� She got up and they watched her walk to the bathroom.
MyKenna looked at Nickolas and said, �I�m sorry.�
�You�re doing your best,� Nickolas said.
�Nothing seems to be working,� MyKenna stated.
�Good things come to those who wait,� Aaron said. �Maybe if you wait it�ll happen.�
�When?� Nickolas asked. �In ten years? It has to happen now or not at all.�
�You can�t rush things, Nick,� MyKenna said. Nickolas looked at her and grinned.
�Does she really love me?�
�More than anything.�
�Wow!�
�I think that�s what makes it harder for her. She loves you so much yet she ended up doing the one thing that she didn�t want to do to you. She hurt herself in the process.�
�You should be a love doctor,� Aaron said.
�Just trying to help,� MyKenna said.
�Here she comes,� Aaron said and he and Nickolas quickly turned back around so Dakota wouldn�t see them.
�How do ya feel?� MyKenna asked.
�Hungry,� Dakota replied. �Where�s the food anyway?�
�I don�t know.�
�I�m going to go see. It�s been like a half hour.�
�Yeah.� Dakota got back up and walked to the counter.
�Why don�t you guys join us?� MyKenna suggested. �We got a large pizza.�
�Sounds good,� Aaron said jumping at the chance.
�Then get over here,� MyKenna said. �Before Dakota gets back. She�ll never know you were sitting there the whole time.� Nickolas and Aaron joined MyKenna. �I don�t know what�s going to happen here, Nick, but I wish ya luck.�
�Thanks,� Nickolas said, as a familiar song came on the radio and he sighed.
�What?� Aaron asked.
�Yesterday I was singing this song to DJ in the dressing stall,� Nickolas stated. �She said she liked it so I sang it to her.�
�Awe,� MyKenna said. �How sweet.�
�I meant every word I sang, even though she doesn�t know it.�
�I�m sure deep down she does.�
�I hope so. It was playing on the radio when we were stuck in there.� He shook his head. �I never knew love could hurt so much.�
�So tell her. Her feelings are mutual.�
�Maybe so, but what if that doesn�t change anything?�
�Can I get you boys something to drink?� the waitress asked setting the pizza on the table.�
�Yeah,� Nickolas said. �I�ll have a Mountain Dew.�
�I�ll go with Pepsi,� Aaron said.
�Would you like a refill?� she asked MyKenna.
�Sure,� MyKenna said.
�What about your friend?�
�Yes, please.�
�Alright. I�ll be right back.�
�You just have to hope for the best, Nick,� MyKenna said, as Dakota joined them. They all looked at her and she looked at Aaron sitting next to MyKenna and the empty spot beside Nickolas. �Have a seat.� Dakota just looked at them then picked up her stuff and walked away. �DJ!� MyKenna went to get up, but Nickolas stopped her.
�Let me,� Nickolas said. �I�ll pick up the tab if ya let me go.�
�Alright,� MyKenna said and Nickolas got up and ran after Dakota.
CHAPTER 17