"Wow," Kyndall grinned as she watched Nick pull the boat up to the pier and secure it to the dock. "That was amazing."
Nick nodded. "Told you," he said hopping out and holding out a hand to help Kyndall.
"Although I think I'm going to regret not wearing more clothes," she laughed looking at her shoulders. "I'm going to be as red as a lobster tomorrow."
Nick laughed. "Yeah, me too," he said showing her his arms which were already a light pinkish color. They walked back to the black rental car waiting for them, climbing in and heading back to the hotel.
It was already early evening, and Kyndall knew AJ was probably having a heart attack. He hadn't said much about all the time she was spending with Nick since that first night. She was really thankful for it. For heaven's sakes, she thought. I could never see Nick as anything more than a friend. He might be cute, she smiled at the face she knew he'd make if he knew she still called him that. But he is too flipping childish and annoying. More than once she had to resist the urge to toss him off the boat today. The biggest reason she didn't was the fact that she had no idea how to sail a boat.
"Did I tell you that Shawna's sister had a little girl?" Nick asked looking out the window.
"No," Kyndall smiled. "What did she name it?"
"Andrea Shanice or something like that," he shrugged. "Brian said that Kevin is babbling about how much he'd like to be a dad."
"Oh really?" Kyndall said arching a brow. "Think he's going to pop the question to Shawna?"
"I don't know," he shrugged again. "I know that ever since Brian asked Leigh, Kevin has been mulling it over. He's afraid she'll say no."
"Why on earth would she say no?" Kyndall asked. "She's obviously crazy for him."
"I don't know," he mumbled. "They've been going out for what seems like forever. Not as if I'm an expert on relationships or anything."
Kyndall patted him on the arm. "No one is darlin. Hey," she said as they pulled up to the hotel. "Isn't that Shelly?" she pointed at a short blonde girl locked in a passionate embrace with someone in front of the doors.
Nick looked out the window and nodded. "Yeah, it is. I haven't seen her in -" he stopped and looked over at Kyndall quickly. She was talking to the driver about some car that was stopping way to close to them. Looking back at the scene in front of him, he cringed when his fears were confirmed. AJ turned just in time to see Nick stepping out of the car. Even behind the dark glasses, Nick knew AJ's eyes were wide with fear. Pretending to trip, Nick stumbled out of the car holding his ankle.
"You okay?" Kyndall asked, getting out of the car and bending down to check on him.
Nick glanced at the doors, relieved to see that AJ had caught on and gotten out of the area. "Yeah," he said standing up straight and walking in small circles. "I'm gonna live," he grinned.
Kyndall smiled. "Good. Would hate to have to explain what I was doing with a dead Backstreet Boy."
"Oh, you'll have to explain that soon enough," he muttered under his breath as they walked towards the doors.
"What?" she asked looking at him in concern.
"Nothing," he said flashing her a smile. "I'm gonna go take a shower and rub some goo on this burn before it gets too bad."
"Okay," Kyndall said smiling at him uncertainly. "I've gotta go find AJ. I'm sure he's pulling his hair out with worry." She hugged Nick quickly before getting on the elevator.
"Oh," he said shaking his head. "I'm not sure that's what he's worrying about," he sighed getting on the next available elevator. Leaning against the wall, he closed his eyes and waited for the doors to open on his floor. Stepping out, he made his way to his room. It seemed kind of weird to not have a large body stationed in front of the doors when he got off the elevator. "Kind of eerie," he mumbled opening the door. The light on the phone was flashing indicating he had a message. Tossing his keys and wallet on the table, he picked up the receiver, dialing his voicemail box.
Nick this is AJ. Thanks for covering for me. I owe you one man.
"Yeah," Nick sighed slamming the phone down and falling onto the bed. "I just don't hope you don't expect me to keep it from Kyndall forever. She deserves better than that." Rolling over, he heard something hit the floor. He reached down and picked up an envelope. It was slightly wrinkled from being opened and the contents being taken out and put back in so many times. Pulling out the letter inside, he unfolded it carefully. Even though it was only a couple of weeks old, it was worn and the creases tearing slightly. The ink on the paper was faded a little, and there were water smudges in the writing making it a little blurry in parts. Some were his tears, others were hers. Catlyn. God how he missed her. He read over the letter that she had left for him the night before she left. The one telling him that she loved him too much to stay. She loved him too much to let him in. Too much to let him near her. His heart broke all over again, the same as it did everytime he read it. "It doesn't matter, Cat," he whispered, closing his eyes and clutching the letter to his chest. "None of it. I'd take care of you. I'd make it better for you. Why can't you see that? Why won't you let me?"
"Well," AJ said as Kyndall walked into the room. "Where have you been all day?"
"Sailing with Nick," she said dropping her purse into the chair. Holding up a hand, she sat down. "Don't start AJ."
"Wasn't going to say anything," he shook his head turning his attention back to the television.
Kyndall looked at him funny. Taking off her shoes, she walked to the restroom, grabbing her bottle of sunburn lotion. "What did you do today?" she asked opening the top and squirting some in her hand.
"I uh…hung out on the boardwalk," he mumbled.
"Anything interesting going on?"
"Umm…no," he shook his head. "Bunch of boring shops and stuff down there. Nothing too exciting."
"Ahh," she nodded rubbing the lotion into her arms. "Hey," she said looking up at him. "Doesn't Shelly have a shop down there?"
"Huh?" AJ asked, his head snapping in her direction.
"That girl Nick was seeing for all of two seconds, Shelly," Kyndall said. "Doesn't she have a shop down there?"
AJ looked away for fear she'd see the guilt in his eyes. "I…I don't know. I didn't talk to her too much when they were together."
"Hmm. She was here tonite."
AJ looked at her again. "I…was…" "Guess she's seeing someone who's staying here," Kyndall smiled. "She was sure getting it on in the lobby," she continued unaware of how uncomfortable AJ was getting with the conversation.
"So tell me," AJ said clearing his throat and changing the subject. "Did you have fun sailing?"
Kyndall grinned. "Oh yes. It was beautiful," she gushed. "I wish you could have come along. Nick told me about the last time you went. So I understand, but still," she smiled.
AJ listened with half an ear as she told him about her day, all the things she seen and all the things she learned. The other half of him was kicking himself for doing anything as stupid as he had. He loved this woman in front of him. With everything that he was and could be and would be. What made him spend the day with Shelly, he didn't know. Except the fact that he was lonely and tired of being left out. Howie had Carmen so he wasn't any fun to hang out with anymore. And although Kyndall was HIS girlfriend, Nick was monopolizing all her time. Not that he truly believed anything was happening, even if he DID get jealous and his mind took him on trips down the "What If" lane. So i spent the day with Shelly, he thought. I didn't DO anything with her. He smiled at something Kyndall was laughing about, having no clue what it was. You kissed her. I think that constitutes as doing something, his little angel counterpart whispered into his ear. He kisses lots of girls everyday, he even kisses his mother, the devil argued. He does not kiss his mother like he was kissing Shelly. "It was me," AJ said suddenly, interrupting her.
"What?" Kyndall asked in confusion. She stopped her straightening as she turned to look at him.
"It was me…with…Shelly," he mumbled, looking down at his hands. "What are you talking about?" she asked. As the realization of what he meant hit her, she sank into the chair. "You…and…Shelly?"
"Nothing happened, I swear," AJ said hurriedly. "That kiss in the lobby, it was spontaneous. It meant nothing."
"You kissed her," Kyndall said in a daze.
"Yeah, I did," he said walking over and bending down in front of her. "I kissed her. I'm sorry Kyn, you'll never know how sorry I am."
Kyndall looked down at him. "Yeah, AJ. I know how sorry you are. I just chose to overlook it. How could you?" she asked standing up and walking across the room, her arms folded in front of her.
"I was lonely!" he exclaimed. "You keep going out with Nick. Every day, staying away all day. Coming home in time to go to bed and get up the next morning to do something else with him. I was beginning to get a complex thinking I was doing something to push you away," he sighed. "I went to breakfast this morning. Shelly was sitting down there drinking her coffee. I recognized her and sat down with her. We got to talking and she told me about her shop." Kyndall looked at him sharply. "I didn't know about it until today. Anyway, so we went to her shop and then walked around the boardwalk for a couple of hours. That is all. I was giving her a kiss on the cheek to say goodbye, and she turned it into more."
"You sure didn't look like you were objecting much," Kyndall said glaring at him.
"No, I wasn't. And I know what I did was wrong. I'm sorry," he said softly.
"Ya know," she shook her head. "I'm not sure who I'm pissed at more. You or Nick."
"Nick?"
"I remember his little "tripping" accident. He was hiding you," she said.
"Yeah," AJ sighed. "He gave me the chance to get away without being caught. But," he chuckled humorlessly. "I couldn't keep it from you."
Kyndall looked at him. "Well, I guess I'm thankful that you told me," she sighed. "Why didn't you say something to me?"
"About what?"
"About being bothered by me hanging out with Nick?"
"I did. The first night you spent with him. Right after Catlyn left," he shrugged. "But then you got so mad at me for accusing you of…Well, I just didn't bother with it."
"But it still bothered you?" Kyndall asked kneeling down next to him.
"Yeah," AJ nodded. "It still bothered me."
"I'm so sorry baby," she pulled him to her.
"No reason to be," he shook his head wrapping his arms around her. "I love you, and only you babygirl," he whispered kissing her softly. "Besides," he grinned mischievously. "You kiss a helluva lot better than she does."
Kyndall pushed him away in disgust. "Alexander James," she said pouting.
He chuckled and pulled her back to him. "I'm just kidding." He laughed as she glared at him. "By making the comment," he clarified. "The statement was true."
She smiled. "I still have to have words with a Mr. Nickolas Gene Carter," she mumbled leaning against him as he locked his arms around her.
