�Hey, Lon,� Justin said as he got out of his car and she looked.
�Hey, JT,� Valondra said. �Toni�s not home yet.�
�I actually came to see Trace.�
�Oh, well he just left a few minutes ago; something with work.�
�Oh.�
�He said he�ll be right back. He and Trix are going out to dinner tonight.�
�Very cool.�
�Yeah.�
�Do ya mind if I stick around.�
�Not at all. I�m the only one here and it�s kind of lonely. That�s why I�m messing with the roses.�
�They�re beautiful.�
�Thanks.�
�Where�s Nick?�
�He had to go down to Tampa. I was studying business stuff, but I got bored.� Justin smiled. �How�s your grandma?�
�She�s doing well. She just went back to Memphis this afternoon.�
�She was here?�
�Yeah; you were busy with the wedding and all.�
�Right.�
�Oh, she did leave ya something.�
�Oh.� She reached for Justin�s hand and he helped her up, as she winced in pain. �Damn it.�
�Are you all right?�
�Yeah; I just got a cramp�again.� They walked to Justin�s car.
�You got it before?�
�A few times since I got up.�
�Maybe you should go to the doctor.�
�Don�t worry. I probably just need to eat. I haven�t really eaten since yesterday afternoon.�
�But you should go.�
�I was just at the doc yesterday and she said everything was perfectly fine.�
�But you�re having a baby.�
�You�re as bad as Nick.� They laughed. �I�ll go eat and everything will be fine.� He just looked at her and opened the car door. He got out a bag and held it up. Valondra squealed and grabbed the bag. �Chocolate chip cookies.�
�Gram made them this morning just for you and the baby.�
�How�d she know?�
�I have no clue, because I didn�t tell her.� She shrugged. �Maybe Toni.�
�Maybe.� She opened the bag and got a cookie. �Want some?�
�Nah; knock yourself out.�
�Ok.� She started walking to the front door and got another cramp. �Damn.�
�I really think you should go to the doctor.�
�I�ll be fine.�
�If Nick was here he�d be dragging you.�
�But he�s not.� She opened the door and they went inside. �Are ya sure ya don�t want any?�
�I got a bunch at home.�
�Ok.� She went into the kitchen. �Want a drink while ya wait?�
�Sure.�
�Help yourself.� She chuckled and opened a cupboard. �I�m being serious.�
�Yeah I know.� He opened the refrigerator. �Do you want anything?�
�Some milk.�
�Gotcha.�
�Did you eat?�
�I was getting something after I left here.�
�Nonsense; you can have some ravioli with me. And I ain�t taking �no� for an answer.�
�You�re the boss.�
�Damn right I am.� They laughed as the kitchen door opened. Valondra looked and saw Nickolas. �Hey, baby.�
�Hey, Princess,� Nickolas said walking over to her.
�I�m just getting ready to make ravioli.�
Nickolas kissed her. �Good thing I�m hungry then. Hey, Justin.�
�Hey, man,� Justin said.
�JT�s waiting for Trace so he�s joining us,� Valondra stated.
�Whatever,� Nickolas said opening the refrigerator.
�How was your day?�
�Lonely.� He smiled and Valondra looked at him. �I missed you.�
�I missed you too.�
�I wish Toni would miss me as much as you two miss each other,� Justin said.
�Is JT not getting any loving?�
�You�re funny, Tootsie,� Justin said and Nickolas looked at him.
�Tootsie?� Nickolas repeated. �Should I pound ya now or later?�
�Nicky, calm down,� Valondra said. �He means no harm.�
�While we were filming she was chowing down on tootsie rolls the whole time,� Justin explained. �So the whole cast and crew started calling her �Tootsie�.�
�They said I was going to turn into one,� Valondra added.
�Yeah,� Nickolas said eyeing Justin closely.
�God, Nick, chill out,� Valondra said. �He ain�t interested.�
�How do you know?� Nickolas questioned.
�I�m not man,� Justin said. �She�s all yours.�
�Bet your ass she is,� Nickolas said and Valondra shook her head and walked out. �So how�s it going, Justin?�
�Alright; and yourself?�
�Pretty good. Just getting things ready for the wedding Saturday.�
�Excited?�
�Uh�yeah. I think more nervous though because of how close it actually is, ya know.�
�Yeah.�
�I can�t wait to marry Loni D though. She�s my everything.�
�You�re lucky to have her.�
�Yeah I am.� Nickolas smiled. �So are you and Toni getting married anytime soon?�
�Not anytime soon.�
�If ya love her do it before ya don�t get the chance.�
�Toni and I never talked about it.�
�Neither did Loni and me and now we�re getting married Saturday.�
�Right.�
�Is the food done yet?� Valondra asked walking back into the kitchen with Trace.
�Not yet,� Nickolas replied.
�Well hurry up.� She got a vase from the hutch. �It doesn�t take that long.�
�You were gone, like, thirty seconds.� Valondra glared at him.
�She has cramps,� Justin blurted out knowing Valondra wasn�t going to say anything.
�Justin!�
�What?� Nickolas questioned.
�She said she had them all day,� Justin added.
�I didn�t tell you to tell Nick,� Valondra said.
�I�m glad he did,� Nickolas began, �because it�s obvious you weren�t.�
�They�ll go away after I eat,� Valondra stated.
�Why didn�t you tell me? We could�ve had ya to the doc.�
�I�m fine.� She looked at Justin. �Thanks.�
�Don�t take it out on him.�
�You worry about nothing, Nick. I got them before when I didn�t eat and they went away after I did. My goodness.�
�You forgetting you�re pregnant?�
�No. Besides, how can I with you constantly reminding me.�
�I just want you to take care of yourself.�
�I am.�
�I�m glad.�
She looked at Justin and Trace. �He�s the reason everyone knows I�m pregnant.�
�How so?� Trace asked.
�Because he reminds me I�m pregnant in front of everyone. And we agreed no one would find out yet.�
�You told Trixie,� Nickolas replied.
�Because she found the pregnancy test. She took plenty of them herself to know. �Trace looked at her. �Yes, Trace, she took one after your little romp in Justin�s Cherokee.� Trace quickly looked at Justin.
�What?� Justin asked.
�Trace gets more action in your vehicle than you do, Justin.� Trace covered her mouth with his hand.
�She�s lying,� Trace lied and Valondra shook her head.
�I kind of figured that condom wrapper was yours,� Justin said as Valondra moved Trace�s hand.
�Busted,� Nickolas said.
�Don�t you care he has sex in your mode of transportation?� Valondra asked.
�Yeah,� Justin said. �He just doesn�t care.�
�Right,� Valondra said. �Is the food done yet?�
�In a minute,� Nickolas said, as Valondra stood beside him at the stove and put her arm around him. �You ok?� She nodded. �Are you sure it�s just hungry cramps? Maybe you should go lay down.�
�I�m just hungry.� She winced.
�I don�t like that.�
�You don�t like anything.�
�Just you.� He smiled and kissed her.
�Save the flattery for someone else.�
�Like who?�
�I don�t know. Bridgett perhaps.� Nickolas looked at her. �I�m kidding.�
�That�s great.�
�She doesn�t care about flattery; she just wants to get ya in the sack.�
�And it ain�t happening. I�m marrying you on Saturday and I couldn�t be happier.�
�Right�Saturday.� She sighed.
�Princess, let�s not get into this now.�
�Fine with me.� She took the bowl of ravioli from him and sat at the table.
�Don�t you want to get married?� Justin asked.
�Yeah, but not this soon,� Valondra replied.
�She�s afraid of marriage,� Nickolas stated and Valondra gave a little grin.
�But you�re still getting married,� Trace said and Valondra and Nickolas nodded. �If I was afraid I�d be keeping my white ass away from the altar.�
�Are ya making everyone move out?� Justin asked.
�Did Trace say anything?� Valondra asked in return and Justin shook his head. �Nick�s practically lived here since I moved into this place so�it�s not a big deal and I don�t have a problem with it.�
�But you�ll be married,� Justin said. �Newlyweds.� She shrugged. �You don�t care about too much.� She smiled. �Nothing like Antoinette.�
�Thank God,� Nickolas said and Valondra looked at him. �I ain�t being mean.�
�Toni worries and cares about every little detail,� Valondra stated. �It drives me nuts. She has one little wrinkle in her work uniform and she goes postal.�
�I still have a hard time believing you two are friends,� Justin said.
�And I have a hard time dealing with the fact that you�re her boyfriend,� Valondra said. �She�s so sweet yet she managed to get involved with a loser.� She laughed and so did Trace and Nickolas.
�You�re so mean,� Justin said.
�I�m kidding,� Valondra said. �I thought you were until we spent that movie time together. I got to know you more and you�re pretty cool.�
�So are you,� Justin said.
�Please don�t mention the movie,� Nickolas pleaded.
�Sorry, Baby,� Valondra apologized.
�You�re forgiven.�
�After I�m done here, I�m going back up and studying my books. Got a big test Friday.�
�Why don�t you quit?�
�I got like a month and a half. Besides, Alex and Fox want me to go into business with them so I want to have some business smarts. They�re in my class.�
�You guys probably screw off too,� Trace said.
�Whatever. Why don�t you go live with JT?�
�He ain�t four sexy women.�
�You can stay as long as you like, Cutie.� They all laughed. �I don�t mind being called sexy.�
�I do it all the time,� Nickolas said.
�But you don�t count, because you already have me, Baby.� She leaned over and kissed him. �So you don�t need flattery�just kisses and lots of them.�
�That won�t be a problem.� He kissed her this time.
�Good. Every other guy must use flattery and see if it works.�
�So far it ain�t,� Trace said.
�And I�ll kick your ass,� Nickolas said and Valondra just laughed.
CHAPTER 17
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