“Lord, what do you want?”
“Come with me to pick up Mer.”
“She’s here early isn’t she?”
“Yeah. She has to go into work tomorrow and she wasn’t expecting to have to go in until Monday.”
“Oh, well I guess that’s kind of cool.”
“Yeah,” Chris said as he put on his shoes.
“Why do I gotta go though?”
“Hey I didn’t say that,” Joey quickly tried to defend himself. “I gotta go put on a different shirt though,” he said as he stuck his finger through a hole in his shirt.
“Yeah, that might be a good idea buddy.”
“Yeah,” he laughed and then grabbed the rail on the stair case and jolted upstairs.
A brief minute later he was back downstairs and ready to go. Chris and Joey got into the jeep and headed toward the airport. It took them about fifteen minutes to get there and Chris hoped that Mercedes didn’t think that he had forgotten about her. The two guys pulled their hats down a little and then followed the signs to gate seven. Chris immediately saw Mercedes when they got there.
“Mer!” he yelled over the small crowd.
“Chris,” he said back and quickly hopped to her feet. She threw her arms around him and gave him a huge hug. “I’ve missed you,” she said with a smile. She pulled back just in time to see Joey.
“Still as sexy as I remember,” Joey laughed.
Mercedes met his laugh with one of her own. “And you are still as outright as you were when I left. How are you?” she asked and gave him a hug as well.
“I’m alright.”
“At least you’re alive. I hear that you kind of messed up Chris’s house.”
Joey laughed. “Yeah I guess I did. But I’m paying for it man. He’s giving me hell at my place. I swear, half of the things he does is probably just to piss me off.”
“You got that right.”
“That’s horrid,” she giggled. “How are the others?”
“They are great. Lance and Jessica are actually gone till Monday. They took a little trip to New York.”
“That’s great. How is Justin?” She had talked to him a few times while she was gone. She honestly had missed his company.
“He’s alright,” Chris answered. “I think he’s doing something with his mom today. I know he’s going to be thrilled to hear you’re back.”
A smile took over her face. “Well I can’t wait to see him either. What about JC?”
“Well like I said, he’s in Cali. Us guys had some chill time last week. He needed a huge break from Bobbie. He’s out there with her now. Just gettin his mack on again I guess,” Chris laughed.
“Don’t you know it,” Joey laughed too.
“I bet,” she smiled a fake smile. The fakeness of it didn’t go unnoticed either. The guys recognized it right off.
“So yeah, Chris said that you are gonna stay over there.”
“I really don’t want to, but if he isn’t even gonna be around then I guess it’s not too bad. I should be at my own place long before he gets back.”
“Yeah. If not then we’ll just explain.”
“There will be no need for that,” she said and shifted her weight. “I’ll be outta there!”
“Good,” Joey laughed. “Well let’s not stand around here. I’m actually ready to eat something. Let’s stop at the McDonald’s drive thru on the way to C’s.”
“Sounds good to me,” Chris said.
“Me too. Airplane food sucks,” she smirked.
“I hear that one too,” Joey smiled. “Let’s go,” he said and grabbed one of Mer’s bags.
Chris grabbed the other and Mercedes grabbed one as well. “You having the rest of your stuff sent out?”
“Yup. I have to call right when things at my place are squared away.”
“Well I’m just glad that you don’t have it now. As it is it feels like I am carrying half of a house,” Chris teased.
“Oh cool it you wimp,” she teased back. “You’ll live.”
“Not if I had to carry this around my whole life.” Chris smiled at her.
They continued to walk through the airport and then out to the jeep. Joey threw the stuff in the back and then Chris hopped in the back of the jeep so that Mer could right up front. Mercedes smiled at the guys and let the wind blow through her hair as Joey hit the gas and they took off. And so starts the beginning of her life in Florida.
“Tell me this is not his place,” Mercedes said as Joey pulled in the driveway of JC’s house.
“Uhm, this isn’t JC’s place,” Chris said. “He just owns it and all. Kind of lives here.”
Mercedes shot her hand over the seat and hit Chris in the shoulder. She looked up at the house. It had three stories and was a tan color. There were two balconies on the top floor, and a cute porch on the bottom floor. It was amazing. Mercedes had been accustomed to large houses, but the design of this one was one like she had never seen before.
“Do you like not appreciate my house? Cause you sure didn’t give me this reaction.”
Mercedes laughed. “I love your house Chris. I guess it’s just weird that I am going to be living in this one all alone for a week.”
“Eh,” Joey sighed. “Let’s go get your stuff inside.”
“Let’s,” she smiled and opened the door to the jeep.
Mercedes pulled the seat forward so Chris could jump out and then followed Joey to the backside of the automobile. He took out the smaller bags for her to hold and then took out the two larger ones. Chris grabbed one and Joey grabbed the other and then they made their way up the rocky path to JC’s front door. Chris set down the suitcase and shuffled in his pockets for the keys to the house. Once he got the door open, he stood at the alarm and punched in the appropriate four buttons to silence the beeping.
“Come on and I’ll show you where his guest rooms are. Do you want the one on the bottom floor, or the second floor?”
“Wow, uhm. I’ll take the one on the second floor,” she smiled.
“Figures,” he laughed. “Now I got to carry this house upstairs.”
Mercedes laughed again. “You’re gonna show me where things are around here too right?”
“Yeah. I don’t want you to have to run through the whole house look for a bathroom or anything.”
“Yeah, that could cause problems.”
“There’s no bathroom on your floor either,” Joey laughed.
“Are you for real?”
“No I’m kidding. There is one but it’s like hiding at the end of the hall.”
“I was gonna be mad if I had to walk down stairs in the middle of the night if I had to suddenly pee!”
“No comment,” Chris laughed.
“You could always go in C’s room. It’s right above the one you’re staying in,” Joey commented as the reached the top of the stairs.
“I will not be going into his room,” she quickly stated.
“Yes mam’,” Chris laughed.
“Here,” Joey said and opened the door to the room. “You don’t have a balcony like the one JC does, but you do have a little step out space if you want some air.”
“This is heaven.”
“You really didn’t like the room at my place did you?” Chris loudly asked.
“I did! I promise. Maybe it’s just cause I am coming back from living in a small two bedroom one story that my dad lives in.”
“Why is your dad living in a small house?” Chris knew that he had lots of money.
“He says that he doesn’t need a big house. It’s just him and he says that housing isn’t important as long as it is in a nice area, and is comfortable.”
“I guess that is true,” Joey said. “My parents don’t have a big place either.”
“Well I like lots of room!” Chris exclaimed.
“We know,” both Joey and Mer said at the same time. They looked at one another and then laughed.
“Alright alright. Let’s go show her around.”
“Yes sir,” Joey said in a deep voice.
“Quit it,” Chris laughed.
“Both of you quit it. I want my grand tour,” she smiled and then stepped out into the hall way and waited for the guys to lead the way.
“Okay, so this is obviously this your room,” Chris teased as he pointed back at the room that Mercedes had just put her stuff in. “And this is the way to the bathroom,” he said and walked to the left of the room. “It’s a little walk, but you’ll deal I am sure.”
Mercedes smiled. “I think so. I won’t be here long anyway.”
“Yeah, but you’re gonna have to go to the bathroom sometime while you’re here.”
“That or you have an awesome bladder,” Joey laughed.
Mercedes laughed as well. “Whatever Joey,” she said and hit him in the stomach. “Where’s the cool stuff?”
Chris sighed and headed down the stairs. “Well, he’s got a game room of sorts. It’s got a pool table and a pinball machine. Then he’s got a stereo system in there too.”
“Cool, where is it at?”
“This way,” Joey said and took over the lead.
“Joey would know where it was,” Mer joked. “You’re such a big kid,” she giggled and ruffled her hand through his hair.
“I just like to enjoy my life is all,” he smiled a huge cheesy smile. Joey walked down the stairs behind the main staircase. These stairs led into a basement which JC had made into his own recreational room. It for sure had enough things to keep someone entertained. “Oh and if you feel the need to work out some,” he started to say. He opened the door in the back of the room.
“Wow, he has like everything.”
“JC is a get fit freak. He and Justin are always lifting weights in here.”
“This is so nice. JC would freak if he knew you let me stay here.”
“Yeah, well he won’t be here so it’s all good,” Chris answered back with a sure answer.
“Anything else I should know about?” Mercedes asked as she headed for the stairs.
“The rest is kind of obvious really. There’s the kitchen and the den. The living room is a big obvious. He’s got a pool and hot tub out in the back if you get time to go out there or whatever.” Chris knew that she would be a busy person starting a new job and all.
“Thanks guys.” She looked at her watch. “When is Justin going to be free?”
“I don’t know,” both Joey and Chris said at the same time.
“Here, let me give you his cell number,” Chris said. “Matter of fact... you should have all of ours. We need to get you a phone too girl. Now that you’re put here in Orlando you need a phone!”
“I’ll look into that tomorrow after work.”
“Great,” Chris said and grabbed a pen out of his pocket. They had just made it back up the stairs and were heading toward the kitchen. Chris grabbed a sheet of notebook paper and wrote out all the guys’ numbers on the paper so that she could get a hold of them anytime she needed them.
“Shit,” she said as she looked at the list.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t even have a car! I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.”
“Smart cookie you are,” Joey laughed.
“No kidding,” she sighed. “I need to get one bad.”
Right when she said that she was interrupted by Joey’s cell phone going off. “Hang on a second. Yeah?” he answered the phone.
“Hey Joe, it’s J.”
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Just leaving my mom’s. You guys wanna do something?”
“Chris and I were supposed to run out to talk to some company that is working on his house. He’s torturing me by making me go with him.”
“Yeah well, I’d make you go too,” Justin said without any doubt.
“Shut up man. Hey,” he looked at Mer and Chris on the other side of the room, “meet us at the dealership off of Third and Marlo.”
“Why?”
“Surprise for ya.”
“You getting me a car dude?” Justin asked confused.
“Hell no. Just meet us there in twenty.”
“Alright, later,” he said and hung up his phone.
“Mer you looking to get a car soon?”
She glanced at her watch again. “Is there a nice place open now?”
“Yes there is. You’ll be happy to know that Justin is gonna meet us there.”
A smile brightened her face. “That’s great!” she squealed.
“He doesn’t know you’re gonna be there though so it’s a surprise.”
She let out a soft giggle. “I’m fine with that one. When are we going?”
“Now,” he said. “We’re gonna have to leave you to car shop with J. He’ll love it.”
“No kidding,” Chris said matter-of-factly. “Joe and I gotta go do some errands anyways.”
“That’s fine. Thanks again for this.”
“No prob.”
“Just don’t throw any wild parties,” Joey joked.
“JC would fry our asses,” Chris stated.
Joey laughed briefly and then said, “Well, let’s go,” he said and then waited for the others two to follow him.
“Where are we supposed to meet him?” Mercedes asked as they got out of the car.
“Up here in the front I assume. I didn’t specify, so I figure up here.”
“Okay,” she said and ran her hands through her hair.
“There he is,” Chris said just as Justin’s car pulled in the lot.
“Go in there,” Joey pointed to the building they were in front of.
“Why?” she asked.
“Go,” he commanded.
“Fine. I’m going jeeze,” she let out. She pulled the glass door and stood just inside the doors out of site.
Justin parked the car and then grabbed his shades off of his eyes. He slid them up on his head and slammed the car door shut. “What’s up guys?” he asked as he approached the guys.
“A friend of ours needs help looking for a car. We got things to do.”
“Are you trying to set me up on a blind date?” he sighed and threw his hands at his side.
“Not really,” Chris laughed.
“Then why do I have to help her.”
“Cause you’re good with the ladies and you like car shopping.”
“For me,” he stated.
“Just help her J. You’ll like her I promise.”
“Whatever,” he sighed again. “Where is she?” he looked around.
“In there,” Joey pointed.
“Fine then. If she’s crazy, dude I swear.”
Joey and Chris both laughed. “Call me later,” Chris said. “We gotta jet.”
“Alright. Bye,” he said and then header toward the building. “Why they always gotta make me do this crap,” he mumbled to himself. Justin pulled the door open and stopped just short of walking in. He glanced around and didn’t see anyone. “Where,” he started to say. “If those guys made me come over here for,” he kept going but got cut short.
“For nothing, you’re gonna be mad,” a voice said behind him.
Justin’s eyes brightened at the tone of the voice. He had grown to recognize that voice. He slowly turned. His blue eyes met another pair of eyes and a smile took over his face. “Mer,” he said quietly.
“Hey Justin,” she in turn smiled. She held out her arms inviting him in for a hug.
He accepted it with no hesitations. “You’re here early.”
“I know. They need me at work tomorrow. I’ve already got my first case!”
“Congrats girly,” he said with his arms still around her. Finally he pulled back to look at her. “You haven’t changed a bit.”
“It’s only been a month J,” she giggled.
“Yeah I know.”
“So, you got a girlfriend yet?”
He chuckled. “Straight to the point eh,” he laughed. “No I don’t.”
“Good! Cause you’re mine this evening. I need a car,” she laughed.
“Ohhh, so you’re using me for my awesome taste in automobiles huh?”
“Totally am,” she smiled.
“Well let’s get to work then. We can cruise the lot first to see if anything catches your eye. Then we’ll get some assistance. Sound good?”
“Sounds great. I hate it when those people follow you around and try to convince you to get everything you look at.”
“I know the feeling. Come on,” he said and grabbed her hand. “Let’s shop,” he smiled.
She smiled back. She was glad to be back. Though Justin and her had an obvious attraction, and connection at the, she was glad to say that they were just friends. Friends are exactly what she needed right then. Justin was a great one to add to her list.
“I can’t believe I am staying here,” Mercedes said as Justin met her at the front door to JC’s house.
“Yeah, me either.”
“I dunno. I don’t guess it will be that bad.”
“You could have stayed at my place ya know.”
“I appreciate that, but I think that this will be good for now. JC won’t be home for a week anyway. I should be out of here by then.”
“Well you are welcome to come over when ever you want to,” he smiled.
“Thanks,” she said and shut the door behind him. They walked into JC’s living room and sat on the couch.
“So, do you like the new wheels,” he smiled big. He loved cars.
“I do! Thanks so much for going with me and helping out with choosing and all.”
“No way girl. I had fun. Besides the car fits you perfect,” he smirked.
“Yeah,” she giggled. “A silver Mercedes Benz for Mercedes Cooper.”
“Definitely.”
She laughed. “So what have you guys been up to lately?”
“Not a lot really. We’ve had it kinda easy. We’ll start back up with lots of stuff in the next month or so.”
“Promotions or what?”
“Basically, yeah.”
“That’s cool.”
“Yeah it is. I get tired while we’re really busy, but we we’re not doing something, I get bored,” he chuckled.
“Understood,” she smile brightly at him.
“So do you need help getting things unpacked?”
“Uhm, yeah actually,” she answered truthfully. She didn’t want to spend the evening doing nothing, so if the offer was put out, she might as well take it. “I don’t have much to do, since this isn’t permanent and all.”
“Totally. Clothes or whatever.”
“Yeah, I’ve got some clothes and paperwork and all that jazz that I need to get out.”
“Great. Did you take the room down here or upstairs?”
“Upstairs,” she said and pointed above her head.
“Sounds good. I crash in that room too. It’s cooler than the one down here,” he smiled. “Let’s go get your stuff out. Then maybe we can watch a movie or whatever.” Justin checked his watch. “Then you should probably go to bed.”
“Yeah, I gotta go to work in the morning.”
“Let’s go do this then so we can have time for that movie.”
“Cool. I’ll race ya,” she smiled.
Justin flashed her his pearly whites. “Deal!”
“One.”
“Two.”
“Three,” she said and took off running before she finished saying it.
“That’s not fair!” Justin yelled as he darted off after her.
“Life’s not fair Timberlake!” she yelled back as she ran up the stairs and he was a few steps behind her.
“No,” he grabbed her by the waist just at the top of the stairs. “It’s not,” he laughed.
She squirmed in his arms. “This isn’t fair,” she squealed as he led his body into the room backwards so that he was considered the winner.
“Life’s not fair Cooper!” he mocked.
“Haha funny Justin,” she giggled and said in a sarcastic tone.
“I know. I know,” he laughed and then threw her on the bed and rushed over to grab a suitcase as his protection.
“If that thing didn’t have some of my frames in them, you’d get it!” she vowed.
“Well I have it!” he held it out like a mortal holds out a cross to a vampire in a movie.
“You’re such a dork!”
“But you like me anyways,” he smiled.
She smiled back at him and said, “Can’t resist that smile.”
Justin blushed at the comment. “Come on superwoman. Let’s get this done,” he said and then began to unzip the suitcase.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the coast, JC sat at the bar counter with his friend Dale. “So JC, what’s the deal with you and Bobbie?”
“I don’t know man,” he replied and then took a big gulp of his beer. “I came out here hoping that things with us would get better. Don’t get me wrong, they have, but it just isn’t the same.”
“Why are you still with her C?”
“She’s not a bad person Dale. You know that as well as I do.”
“But she doesn’t make you happy like she used to.”
“She still makes me happy,” he tried to convince Dale, as well as himself.
“Jace, honestly. Why?”
“I’ve put way too much time into this relationship. She knows what my career is and what it involves. I don’t want to have to go through all of this with someone else.”
“Is that your only reason?” he asked shocked.
“Well, no.”
“Where is she now?”
“She’s out with Diana. I told her that I wanted to spend a night out, so she said that she was gonna go out with Diana to Rongo’s Bar or something like that.”
“When are you going home anyways?”
“A week or so I guess.”
“Is Bobbie going back with you?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Well the two of you need to either totally work things out, or just call it quits. You could do better you know.”
“I don’t know actually. I thought for awhile that this girl liked me, but it turned out that she hated me more than anything.”
“That girl that is Chris’s friend? You mentioned her once, but I didn’t know you liked her.”
“She’s beautiful. And she’s got major guts... but she hates me like you wouldn’t believe.”
“What for?” Dale asked.
“No clue. Bobbie can’t stand her either.”
“Well that’s because she feels threatened by her, duh!”
“I guess,” JC said and then raised his hand to get the bar tender’s attention. “Can I get another?” he asked.
“Make that two,” Dale added. “Figure out what you want C,” Dale directed back at JC.
“I will. I will,” he sighed and then took another drink of his beer. “Just don’t know when.”
“Ooo la la,” Justin googled as he held up a pair of Mercedes’s thong underwear.
“Justin Timberlake! I didn’t ask you to unpack that one,” she yelped and ran over to the side of the bedroom he was on.
“You didn’t say not to either,” he laughed.
“Well I just did,” she blushed.
“I bet these look good on you,” he teased.
“Give me those,” she said and snatched them from him.
“Okay okay, I’m sorry,” he lied.
“No you aren’t.”
“You’re right. I’m not,” he smiled.
“Here, I’ll work on this one,” he said and moved to the other bag.
“You do that,” she laughed and pulled her suitcase closer to her.
“Where do you want these?” he asked and held up a stack of folders.
“Uhm,” she bit her lip. “There,” she said and pointed to the nice table near the small balcony.
“And the pictures?” he asked and pulled out a few frames.
“On the vanity looking thing. Dresser, whatever it’s called.”
Justin let out a small chuckle and then pulled himself up off the floor and walked over to the dresser. “One,” he said as he placed it down. “Two,” he continued. “Thr,” he stopped. “Whoa,” he said softly. He glanced at the photo more closely. ‘This in uncanny,’ he said to himself. “Who is this?” he flashed the picture to Mercedes.
“Oh, uhm,” she was almost afraid to answer. “A friend,” she said and then reached for it. “I’ll take it.”
“I can put it over there. He just looks a lot like,” he started.
Mercedes interrupted. “Here,” she took it and then frame popped open. The picture flew to the ground.
Justin knelt quickly and picked it up. “Here,” he said softly and handed it to her. “You alright Mer?” he asked.
“Fine,” she said quickly. “Sorry,” she said and tried to get the picture back in the frame but her hands were shaking.
“Let me help you,” Justin offered. He couldn’t figure out why she was freaking out. He took the picture and was about to put it in the frame when he realized why she was acting how she was. The picture was face down as he went to put it in the frame and saw the writing on the back.
‘Even when in Rome I thought of you. I love you. -Marc’ was written in black ink on the back.
Mercedes noticed that Justin’s eyes scrolled over the back of the photo. “It’s Marc,” she finally confessed.
“So I noticed,” Justin said softly and stayed kneeled in front of Mercedes.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right off. I just,” she began.
“You don’t have to tell me,” he shook his head as he spoke.
“I just know that now you know why...” she was about to say it but he stopped her again.
“I think I do,” he said and looked at the picture again. “So is this why you...”
“Yeah,” she said before he finished.
“I can’t believe how much they....”
“Exactly.”
“Does it weird you out at all?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe,” she stuttered.
“How about that movie?” Justin said in hopes of rising her spirits again.
“Sounds good. Thanks Justin,” she gave him half of a smile.
“Not a problem Mer. Come on,” he said as he stood. He reached for her hand and pulled her to her feet. “I think some Adam Sandler will fix you right up,” he smiled.
She smiled right back. “Let’s go.”
Part Nine
