Chapter 11
"Illana, earth to Illana, come in Illana!!"
"Huh? What?" Illana looked up at her friend and office mate Kristina Shazzayz and blinked. "What?"
"Where were you just then? You had this glazed, dreamy look on your face." Kris smiled.
"I did? I don't know why." She cleared her throat and turned back to her computer. She did know why of course. She still had the feel of Nick's arms around her lingering over her body. She could still feel the warmth of his embrace, the brush of his cheek against hers, the feel of his breath fanning her ear, the...
"Ok, who is he?"
"Excuse me?" Illana blinked again, her friend's voice breaking through her thoughts.
"You heard me, I've only seen you act this way once and it was when you first started dating Matthew."
"There's no one, I'm not ready for another relationship Kris, you know that." Illana loved Kris like a sister; she had this way of bringing out the best in her. They often hung out after work, hanging out at clubs and bars.
"Please, whatever. When you decide to tell me who he is I'll be..."
"Excuse me."
Kris turned and Illana brought her gaze up, her eyes widening.
"I hope I'm not interrupting." Nick smiled.
"Well hello, I'm Kristina Shazzayz, but you can call me anything you want." She winked.
Nick chuckled. "Nice to meet you Kristina, I'm..."
"Nick Carter of course. I have to say, posters don't do you justice." Kris grinned, looking him over.
Nick blushed and Illana shook her head. "Kris, stop that! Leave him alone!"
"What?! I thought he'd like to know! So anyway, I'm out. Call me later." Kris waved, walking by Nick and out the room. "Later for you honey!"
Nick smiled and shook his head, his gaze drifting back to Illana.
"I'm sorry bout that Nick, Kris is...well she speaks her mind."
"It's not a problem." He grinned. "I hope I'm not bothering you."
"Nope not at all. Just finishing up a few things before I head out for lunch."
"Actually that's why I came by. I wanted to know if you'd join me for lunch."
She stared at him. Lunch, he wanted to go out to lunch. It was just so, nice. Lunch.
"Illana?"
When was the last time someone asked her out to lunch?
"Illana?"
Well Kris asked her on Friday, but that was Kris. This was Nick, and he wanted to have lunch with her...lunch.
"Illana...hello!" Nick waved a hand in front of her face.
"Oh! Sorry Nick. Mind was somewhere else. Uh sure, I'd love to have lunch with you. I'll be just a second."
"Cool, I'll just wait over here for you."
"Alright." She smiled, and quickly finished up her work before punching out and grabbing her purse. She let Kris know and walked out into the lobby.
"Ready?"
"Yup!"
"Ok." Nick winked at her and they headed out the office. ************************************************************************
"So I said look, your name is not on file, I'm gonna have to take your information again. He started yelling and shit. Man, but I think that was one of the worst. Usually they're pretty good ya know." They'd decided on a small café to eat at, Nick ordered a burger with fries, and Illana a salad and a small bowl of soup. Nick insisted she eat more, but Illana told him she never ate heavy on lunch.
"It must be hard sometimes though, you can't say what you want." Nick frowned, munching on a French fry.
"Believe me it is. Despite the motto, the customer is NOT always right. It's a fact." She muttered, stabbing harshly at her salad.
"Um, I don't think the lettuce is gonna talk back." Nick motioned to her now soggy, crumpled salad.
She chuckled. "I know, I shouldn't take it out on harmless produce." She sighed and put her fork down. "Whew, I'm stuffed."
"Stuffed?! You didn't eat anything!"
"I'll have you know, that soup is very filling!"
"Yeah right." Nick rolled his eyes, smirking.
"Shut up! I hate to do this Nick, but I'm gonna have to take off. I have to be back in fifteen."
"Aww, well ok. I'll give you a call later in the week ok?"
"Sure, sounds good."
"Great." Nick stood and Illana followed.
"Thanks for joining me for lunch Nick."
"No problem, my pleasure."
"I'm surprised you didn't get noticed."
"Me too, I've been lucky lately. I try not to go out much, but sometimes I hate being stuck in my house ya know. Gets lonely."
"I can imagine."
"So I'll let you go then, and I'll talk to ya soon." Nick announced, reaching in his wallet to pull some bills out.
"I can pay for myself."
"No, it's on me."
Her eyes darted to his, but he was looking in his wallet still. His words echoed through her mind. On him. She bit her lip. "Nick, you know how I feel about this. I'm paying for myself and that's that!" With that she grabbed her check and turned and headed up to pay.
"ILLANA!"
She heard Nick call after her, and she turned and winked at him before handing her money to the waitress.
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Tying her robe tight, she headed down the stairs to the living room, flipping the TV on. She quickly went through the channels. Over two hundred stations and still nothing good on. Groaning in frustration, she jumped when the phone rang. She reached over and picked it up. "Hello?"
"Hey girl!"
"AJ! Long time no hear. How are ya?"
"I'm aight, how bout you?"
"Tired, but then again I always am."
"I hear that."
"So what's up?"
"Oh nothing, just calling to chat and all. Did Nick tell you about him and Vanessa?"
"Yeah, I still can't believe it. I mean, I thought everything was perfect and when I actually saw it...man."
"I know right. It's crazy. I feel bad for him you know, I mean, he always seems to have a hard time in relationships. It's even worse for what he does."
"True, damn I don't know how you guys do it."
"We just gotta be careful, really get to know someone."
"Yeah."
"I think what Nick needs now, is for someone just to be there, and not necessarily one of us you know. Someone like you."
"Me? Why me?"
"I dunno, I guess cause you know Vanessa, you can help him through this in a way the rest of the fellas can't you know."
"O-oh...yeah." The thought had never occurred to her. They talked a little longer before Illana let him go, her eyes were drooping and she was on the verge of falling asleep. After a quick goodbye, she headed up to bed.
